Welcome to the #14in2014 3rd Quarter Check In!

 

Last year, I made the commitment to yearly goals and I followed up on them every 3 months.  I did the same thing this year and invited anyone who wanted to do it again with me in 2014 to join in on the effort.  Today is the third check-in of the year (here’s the first and the second).  How’s it going for all of you?  These quarterly posts are always a reality check for me – often they’re a reminder of the things that I’ve absolutely forgotten about but sometimes they tell me that I’m on track.  Let’s see:

 

Professional:

1.  Fully launch a Women’s Health Focused Nutrition Private Practice by 3/31/14 – Revision made from 3/31/14 to 12/31/14. – On the way.

• While I haven’t done as much as I’d planned, I am on the way to doing more nutrition counseling work.  To get more details, you’ll have to see Friday’s Featured Female this week.  I know I have to update my Services Page on this blog, nail down the liability policy that I want and revamp some forms.  I have a lot to get done by the end of the year so I need to get cracking!

2.  Cultivate at least 5 professional referral sources for nutrition clients – Check!

• This is one area where I feel I’ve made some progress.  Once the practice is really up and running, I’ll know if my hunches are right.

 

3.  Redesign blog and promote to raise traffic and subscribers 25%. – Sort of.

• I did do a small redesign with a theme change but the blog still needs work.  I need to update my About page, add a Disclaimer page, create a true Nutrition Services page and make tweaks here and there.  I want to update all pages by 12/31/14.
• I’ve attempted to blog more regularly but sometimes I have taken an unexpected break.  I think I need to pay more attention to getting the blog looking the way I want rather than statistics.
• I still owe the Fabletics Round 2 review that I promised to publish in July.  I will do a Round 2 and 3 combined by 12/31/14.
• I’m also thinking about a nutrition related series.  Let me know if you’d be interested and if so, what topics would you like to read about?

 

4.  Develop (and stick to) a system to maintain/grow social media presence/blogger interaction and achieve life/work balance. – Shift in perspective.

• Minor redesign done but I still have no good system.
• Given the new Facebook algorithm, I will not be developing a separate page for the blog.  Fewer things to manage too.
• I do need to give more attention to Twitter and attempting to comment more on other people’s blogs.  I do read a few but I haven’t been as involved in the blogging community as I’d like.

• The life/work balance thing still needs work.  I’m really coming to terms with the idea that “balance” doesn’t really exist. I’m trending toward the word “blend” – there’s an incorporation of both obligation and want rather than the focusing on the juggling in life.  I also need to try to curb my social media and phone time to better focus on life, work and family.

 

5.  Become an ambassador for a favorite brand and/or receive revenue from blogging.  Yes and no.

• I didn’t identify 3 brands that I wanted to work with as I said I would last quarter but I did get the chance to be part of a sponsored team with New Balance for the Reach The Beach Relay.  I’m still in shock that they chose me to be in the company of these fabulous women.

• I also did get the chance to work with Live Ultimate Run and I have one more very exciting announcement coming up next week!

 

6.  Showcase at least 50 women for the weekly Friday’s Featured Female series. – Revision required.

• The series is up and running.  I may not get the chance to feature 50 women but I’m awfully proud of this series.  I’m happy that blogging has allowed me to get to know some amazingly inspiring women.  I love sharing their stories with others as well.  Is there anyone that you’d like to see featured?

 

7.   Engage in a monthly Professional Development endeavor. – Yes but need more RD education.

• In terms of dietetics, I took a Gestational Diabetes seminar this quarter but otherwise, I’m sure I could use some more Continuing Education.
• However, I did attend FitBloggin’ in June and IDEAWorld BlogFest in August.
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• For the upcoming quarter, I was going to attend Shiftcon in October but it conflicts with Yom Kippur.  I’m pretty sure that there will be some future educational opportunities before the year ends.

 

Personal:

8.  Run 2+0+1+4 (7) races (including So Cal Ragnar Relay) – Yup!

• For 1st Quarter, I ran 3 races, the LA Chinatown Firecracker Run, the LoziLu Mud Run and the So Cal Ragnar so I’m doing all right with this goal.
• 2nd Quarter, I ran the Live Ultimate Run LA, The Race For The Stars in Wheaton, IL (while on vacation), my Duran Duran Appreciation Day 10K, the Awesome 80’s Run and Reach The Beach, so I’m definitely ahead of the game here with 8 races already.

 

9.  Perform 14 Random Acts of Kindness – Still not sure.

• I still haven’t gotten any better about keeping track of this.  Last quarter, I signed up for a “Pay It Forward” random gift to 6 of my Facebook friends that I have not yet delivered upon.  I better get crackin’.

 

10.  Improve self-care with focus on one monthly/quarterly goal – Fail again.

• My goals for 2nd quarter were: April: To get organized, May: Overhaul the blog and June: Focus on the private practice and I failed on all 3 counts.
• My 3 goals for 3rd Quarter – July: Write Blog and Business Plan, recommit to consistent fitness and blogging, August: Begin Blog Overhaul and September: Private Practice focus – Fail/Success, Partial Fail and Fail.
• Let’s see if the last quarter of the year may prove better – October:  Blog and Nutrition Work, November: Private Practice development and December: (Reasonable) Goal Setting for 2015.

 

11.  Try one new fitness class/video per month – Not even close.

• 1st Quarter, I tried 4 new fitness classes in one day (Insanity, Jillian Michaels BodyShred, Piloxing and R.I.P.P.E.D.) when I went to the Evolution Fitness Conference.
• 2nd Quarter I went to the JambaFit event and tried 4 classes (Pound, Pop Physique, Hoopnotica and SurfSET Fitness)
• 3rd Quarter: I did go to a new yoga class while I was on vacation in Chicago but I never reviewed it.  It would be a stretch to count 80’s Zumba at FitBloggin’ and PiYo at BlogFest, wouldn’t it?

 

• I’m still on the hook for  4 of the 5 fitness classes I mentioned in this old post.  I’m still dying to go to Slimmons with Richard Simmons.

 

12.  Read 14 books (it’s scary that I need to make this a goal). Again, no.

I’m still not winning the war in the television or social media vs books.  Right now, I’m gearing up with the return of the Fall TV season (I can’t wait for The Blacklist, Parenthood and Scandal to return and I’m already enjoying Sons of Anarchy) but I’ve also fallen down the teen drama rabbit hole with this gem:

 

• However, I did read Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen (affiliate link) by Christopher McDougall (I won the book from a giveaway sponsored by Allie@VitaTrain4Life and Health Warrior).

• I have some nutrition related books to read but I’ve also heard that “This Is Where I Leave You” by Jonathan Tropper (affiliate link) is a can’t-miss.
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• I’m certain that it will be hard for me to meet 14 books this year.  Book suggestions are welcome.

 

13.  My secret goal:  To be revealed at year-end. – Not close to where I’d like to be.  Still not telling.

• End of the year will be the reveal whether I meet the goal or not.

 

14.  My shallow goal: Meet Simon Le Bon on the next Duran tour.  – Don’t remind me!

• I’m still a little miserable at having the opportunity to see Duran Duran on both coasts and missing them.  Did you see the band on Fashion Rocks?!  They were ah-mazing!

• I’m praying for good concert karma when the new album gets released and the tour is announced because this is a goal I’m not ready to give up on yet.

 

Bottom line for 3rd Quarter Check In: Meh. There’s definitely been some good but some buckling down is definitely in order.  I have one more quarter to wrap up so it’s time to really sort out the priorities and GSD!

How’s your progress coming along?

 

The link-up at the end of the post is not just for those who originally signed up for the original #14in2014 post.  Link up if you’d like to join for the remainder of the year!  We’ll check in at the end of the year more quarters (in December) to help support one another in meeting the goals/resolutions/intentions that were important in January and wrapping up the year.

 

*There are affiliate links within this post as noted above.  If you purchase something via those affiliate links, I earn a few pennies toward the Duran Duran 2015 Tour Fund.  Many thanks if you choose to help the cause.