2018 Year End Review

Welcome to Flawed yet Functional! I am a (sometimes over) driven individual looking to make the most of my health, my home, and my life to live a joyful, fulfilled life. For the first time ever, I made my annual goals public early in 2018. Now it’s time for the 2018 year end review! Let’s take a moment to look back and reflect on how this year has gone. It’s been a very full year! Let’s see how it went!

2018 Goals

At the beginning of 2018, I broke my goals in three categories: personal, health, and blog. Let’s take a look at how I did…I’m a little nervous to share because I know I didn’t attain all of my goals, yet I want to share to encourage you that you don’t have to be perfect either. Progress not perfection is the goal!

Personal Goals

1. Read 15 books – Almost there! Ten books were completely read, and I am in the process of 2 more. In August, my reading took a nose-dive when I took on another part-time business opportunity (more on that later!) so I’m not surprised that I didn’t fully complete this goal.
2. Shoot and edit raw photos – Done! I took the time to ask a photographer friend to give me a quick lesson in editing RAW format photos, and my eyes were opened! I’ve been taking RAW photos exclusively for about 10 months now. My photography skills have improved quite a bit this year as a result. Editing RAW is easier and results in a more realistic, less “photoshopped” picture. SO glad I bit the bullet and learned a new skill!
3. Make my morning routine a habit – Done! I LOVE waking up early, and my morning routine is well established. Although I don’t always jump out of bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I consider my morning routine a solid discipline now. Read more on my morning/evening routines here.
4. Visit my sister in Italy – Oh I wish I had been able to do this one! Unfortunately, it did not happen, but a fiasco to go on a family vacation did!

Health Goals

1. Figure out exactly what I should or should not eat – Much progress was made on this goal, but it is on-going. In February 2018, I began the Autoimmune Protocol elimination phase again, and I identified the major food sensitivities: gluten, eggs, and dairy. The reintroduction phase is very slow. So far, I’ve reintroduced seed spices & oils, legumes with edible pods (green beans, peas), chocolate, wine, almonds, and seeds. Once I stabilize my blood sugar with insulin, I will be continuing the reintroductions. Hoping for a win with nightshades!!
2. Take A1C levels on my own – Done! This is quite easy but not really necessary. I’ve learned that my insurance company will cover the A1c test every 3 months. A couple times during the year I purchased a home test kit from Walgreens just to check how things are going, but I will not be making this a regular practice. Originally, I thought I could eliminate the fee of the test along with the doctor’s office fee. Now I know it is not necessary as my doctor has spaced out my visits, and I just head to the lab for my A1c in between visits. Win win!
3. Communicate what I am doing and why it works – This is really an on-going goal as it is one of the primary purposes of this blog. If you are reading this and enjoy reading my health posts, would you leave a comment here to tell me what you enjoy reading about my health or what you’d like to hear more (or less) about? Your feedback would be much appreciated!

Blog Goals

1. Cover the mortgage on our house by the end of 2018 – This blog makes me $0 still! Ha! I’ve been investing in courses to improve my writing and this blog, so even though it doesn’t make any money, I’ve been learning and improving. However, in August, I joined my brother-in-law selling used books on Amazon. This little venture has turned out to be quite profitable, and it has paid the mortgage payment the last two months. So that’s a win!
2. Create a place of encouragement for my readers – I called this a “squishy” goal at the beginning of 2018, and it still is. Flawed yet Functional is only as helpful as you the reader think it is. While I’ve been working this year to make this an informing, inspiring, and encouraging space, would you let me know if you think it is? In the comment space below would you let me know what you find encouraging or discouraging on this blog? Thank you!

Overall, it’s been a whirlwind year with lots of health ups and downs, twists and turns in side businesses, and much personal growth. I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had this year to connect with others walking through health struggles and to encourage them. God places people in our lives, and I aim to be a blessing to all that cross my path. My 2018 year end review was not as painful as I thought it would be (I actually thought I had missed many more goals than I did!). I look forward to another good year of growth personally and professionally, and I’m so glad you are here to share it with me!

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If you have a few moments, would you please take a minute to comment below to give me your honest feedback on these three things?

1. What health posts do you enjoy reading? Is there anything you dislike about my health posts?
2. Do you find this blog encouraging and inspiring? What have I shared that you found encouraging? Do you find anything here off-putting?
3. Which part of this blog speaks to you the most: health, habits, or hobbies?