Maybe it’s because the digits representing my time on this Earth are getting steeper, but I feel like every year I suffer through the cold days of winter, anxiously awaiting the loving touch of the sun and warm weather, and then I blink and it’s fall again. I don’t even dislike fall – but it feels so final somehow, like the preview to New Year’s Eve or something – another year nearly gone.

Time really goes by way too quick. So, consider this your wake-up call that you have 4 months left to crush the goals you set on January 1st.

For me, this means I’m focusing most on my health. I set a goal at the beginning of the year to take better care of myself – not only because I need to lose weight for vanity reasons, but my actual health, too. Getting older puts sh*t into perspective. I only just started my diet last week, and honestly, I can do the working out and the eating healthy part (though of course it takes an adjustment). The part that is difficult is going out with friends and limiting my wine intake.

I never really used to drink often, so this is kind of a new problem I’m encountering, as I really enjoy my rosé. I just read an article (that I can’t seem to locate to link to) on SELF that claims having one glass of wine a day makes a woman a “moderate” drinker, and if you have 8+ glasses a week, you’re a heavy drinker. I can’t say I have a glass every day; however, add in one or two during the week, plus my weekends and I guess that definition might vary. In all fairness, I am pretty sure that the wine is the culprit that helped me gain the extra lbs to begin with… so, let’s just say I’m figuring this one out as I go.

I have a bunch of other goals for 2017, and I remember about three months ago I was actually avoiding my list of goals I jotted down around the beginning of the year because I didn’t think I’d achieved much, if anything. Once I faced it, I was surprised that I had accomplished more than I thought, and also at how much some of my “dreams” had already shifted over the course of a few months.

Some of what I’ve achieved:

• networking with writers I admire
• paying off debts, both personal and credit cards
• increased my credit score
• got promoted to the board of the arts nonprofit I work with
• got published on two sites on my wishlist
• published the nonprofit’s first literary journal, acting as Managing Editor
• started this blog, officially!

In about two months, I’ll be able to add “paid off my car” to this list (cannot wait), too. I’m really happy with what I managed to cross off my list already, and I know I still have time… but the thing is, my list is literally a full page long. I was feeling pretty ambitious when I wrote this list, which do not get me wrong – it is a great thing. However, I also know if I want to ensure I’m successful in certain areas of my life, I have to focus and not scatter my attention.

As Sheryl Sandberg says – use ruthless prioritization.

“I think the most important thing we’ve learned as we’ve grown is that we have to prioritize,” said Sandberg. “We talk about it as ruthless prioritization. And by that what we mean is only do the very best of the ideas. Lots of times you have very good ideas. But they’re not as good as the most important thing you could be doing. And you have to make the hard choices.”

So, my health is my top priority, and one goal that I won’t feel good about not addressing before the end of this year. So relearning my high school French and really learning to cook will need to wait.

A goal that is up in the air (previously mentioned in another blog post) is going back to school. I actually went to the county college in my area to try to speak to a counselor about the credits I already earned, and how they would apply to a liberal arts degree (I’m thinking either Communications or Organizational Psychology as my focus) and try to plan to finish out a Bachelors. I couldn’t stay as the wait was long, and my actual job has been nuts – I had to get to the office.  I need online classes only to work with my busy life and being a single mother, so I’m somewhat limited. I started checking out colleges that offer online-only degrees, as well.

People (both with and without college degrees, and especially my age) seem to be split on whether a degree is even worth the time, effort, and especially cost (and, this also includes a professor I spoke with from Rutgers Business School). She suggested I might want to focus on saving for my son’s education, instead – it might be a better investment. So, please help me weigh something that has always been a nagging thought in my head for not having finished it out.

What do I do, guys? I’d love to hear others input… this goal is probably more a personal wish than anything that will add to my overall professional advancement or salary (but, you never know).

My goals for September are:

• work out at least 4x a week
• get 7 hours of sleep every night
• drink 48oz+ of water daily
• limit the wine/diet soda
• take a daily multivitamin
• meditate daily (I just started this, and as much as I rolled my eyes at it before, it’s not so bad)
• read one book this month
• 2 blog posts per week
• pitch 1 new site to be published
• check out one networking event
• do a mini-fall purge of clothes/items I no longer need

So, what are YOUR goals for this month? And, here’s my September playlist on Spotify, btw. Talk about a mix of music.

With love + (maybe less) rosé,

Karen