Time really does fly. 2021 came and go, and it felt like a fleeting interval. I was so caught up with the day-to-day motion of existence I almost forgot there is a world outside my mundane life.
But looking back, the past year has been quite eventful, to say the least. You see, I made the big move back home. It was a decision I made on a whim – going home for good. But it was also not executed impulsively. It took a month or two of careful planning. I said goodbye to a city I both love and loathe in equal measure. Cebu has been a home away from home, and it held so many memories, but I am grateful I get to go back to the place where the people closest to my heart live.
Enough about my personal musings though. I actually wrote this entry to talk about my mid-year goals. I share it with you last year. Six months later, here I am, reviewing what I’ve set out to do. I’m so glad I ticked off most of the goals I’ve set for myself. For someone who is not big into goals, this is a mean feat.
Where I Stand
Let me start with my personal goals. I’ve outlined five simple goals for myself. I’m sure I was not going to meet all of them.
Allocate an hour a day for prayer and meditation
I did not fully meet this goal. I was often tired from a long day at work and the subsequent freelance articles I needed to write at night. When morning comes, I’m usually forcing myself out of bed to start work. We also had so many early morning meetings in the last few months that there was not enough time for prayer and meditation.
Read at least one book before the year ends
I set the bar too low for this one. I know myself enough, you see. Of course, I managed to read at least one book. One was a romance/thriller novel and another a fantasy. Both were a sweet escape last December when my world seemed to have gone mad. I mean, there was that typhoon. It was the scariest thing that I ever experienced, next to the 2013 earthquake in Cebu. It ruined my holiday plans, but I am not complaining. I’m thankful we were all safe and well.
Try to be more organized at work and in life
This one’s pretty subjective, but I think I managed this slightly. It was hard with so many distractions around, but I think I did pretty well in terms of setting a consistent routine around my work life. Life in general is another matter though. I am still as impulsive and spontaneous as ever.
Re-learn how to bake cakes and cupcakes
I only managed this once last year. I baked some passable vanilla cupcakes. Unfortunately, I was not heavily invested in this hobby anymore. Time is also my enemy, that and money. Baking ingredients are quite expensive, and it perfectly contrasts with my saving goals.
Go back to writing for myself
My determination to write was trampled by an avalanche of workload. I failed spectacularly at this, obviously. Just look at this blog. My last post was in June of last year. This year, I’ll have another go, but I won’t promise anything.
Now, on to my financial goals. It was the easier end of the deal. At least for me. I think I did pretty well in this area.
Pay Off Outstanding Debts
At the start of last year, I had 40,000php in debt. It was my lifelong wish to pay this off. I finally managed to do so last September. I thought I will be overcome with emotions the moment I handed out the last owed amount to a distant uncle. But no, I did not feel overjoyed. There was faint relief, but that was all. If anything, it was anti-climactic. Nevertheless, I was thankful to get this over with, at last.
Replenish my Emergency Fund
I achieved this with flying colours. Despite paying off our debt and shouldering most of our household expenses, I managed to double my initial emergency fund goal. It was an exhilarating feeling. Now I know I can truly accomplish something if I put my mind and heart into it. I think it helped me a lot to sleep better at night, knowing I’ve set aside at least 6 months’ worth of expenses for rainy days.
Start Saving for a Buffer Fund
I did not get to focus on this as much as I want to, simply because I was prioritising my emergency fund and debt payments. I guess I can forgive myself for this particular failure. Anyway, I can definitely try harder this year.
Get Serious with my House and Lot Fund
I made progress with this goal. It was hard to manage to save for this but I think it will do for now. I think I’m a little more than 25% done with this goal. I’m making this one of my top priorities in 2022.
Commit to Budgeting More Religiously
This one is relative. It started out well, as all beginnings tend to go. Of course, I dropped the ball somewhere along the way. It was tedious – budgeting. How can people stay committed to this? I’ll have another try this year.
Looking Ahead
In a way, 2021 is a good year. I hope 2022 will be so much better though.
I haven’t made up my mind about my goals for this year yet. I’m not sure what I want to do, except consistently saving and budgeting. Maybe, I’d think of more concrete plans to motivate me. Or maybe I’ll take it easy this year. Who knows.
How about you? How did your 2021 go? Have you achieved all your goals?
Hermit Diary 
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