Reaching for the Stars, Landing on the Moon — My 2019 Year in Review

At the beginning of 2019, I set some pretty big goals for myself.

Twelve hundred miles.

Strength training three to five times a week.

A book every month.

One local attraction or historic site each month.

One crocheted item to donate every month.

Two hours a week dedicated to building my businesses.

I even made myself a checklist.

And by the end of the year, almost everything on that list had an big fat X through it.

But here’s the thing about reaching for the stars:

Even when you don’t quite make it where you planned, you don’t end up where you started.

The Numbers

Let’s be honest. The numbers tell part of the story.

I didn’t hit 1,200 miles. I logged 623 — and I know there were probably another 50 to 100 miles that never made it into my tracking. That is more than most people!

That worked out to an average of 4.95 miles a day instead of the 6.25 I had planned.

I didn’t read twelve books. I read four.

I didn’t visit a new attraction every month. I made it to three or four.

I didn’t crochet something every month to donate. I made a few hats.

And the two hours a week I planned to dedicate to my businesses? My priorities shifted, and only one of those really received my attention.

Weight training.? For five or six months, I consistently made it to the gym three to five times a week.

And then there was the one big checkmark I almost forgot about — I paid off the Jeep!

Yay me!

But when I look back at 2019, the things that mattered most aren’t the ones that were on my checklist.

The Things That Weren’t on the List

I started the year by sitting down and planning who I wanted to become.

Then I spent the rest of the year learning that life doesn’t always follow the script.

I took my grandkids to Chicago and watched them experience a city full of things they had never seen before — the Bean, the view from above the city, museums, pizza, and memories I hope they carry with them.

I ran races – A lot of races.

I went back to the same race series where my running journey started, and years after crossing my first 5K finish line, I rang a new PR bell.

I said goodbye to Babe – Thirteen years of hikes, runs, camping trips, kayaking adventures, and everyday companionship came to an end after a summer full of memories.

I didn’t know when we took those last adventures together that they would be the last ones.

I met a litter of puppies I wasn’t looking for and a few weeks later, Bandit came home.

A tiny puppy with a little black mask who would soon become my new adventure buddy.

I took him on his first big trip — a month-long RV adventure.

Two half marathons.

A beach race that taught me sand is much harder than it looks.

My parents standing behind me at a finish line for the first time ever.

I kayaked new places.

I explored new states.

I visited wineries and breweries.

I watched my mom pull crabs out of the water more times than I can count.

I ate more fried snapper and mofongo than any goal sheet could have predicted.

And somewhere along the way, I realized something important.

The best parts of life aren’t always the things you can measure.

Looking Back

So did I accomplish every goal I wrote down in January?

No – Not even close.

But did I have a year worth remembering?

Absolutely.

Those goals gave me direction. They pushed me forward. They encouraged me to keep showing up.

But the moments that made 2019 special weren’t the ones I planned perfectly.

They were the ones I never could have planned at all.

I reached for the stars.

I didn’t quite get there.

But I landed on the moon instead.

And the moon is still 238,000 miles from where I started.

I’ll take it.

Looking Ahead to 2020

So what’s next?

Honestly, I’m not sure exactly.

But that’s never really stopped me before.

The last few years have taught me that a best life isn’t something you finally arrive at when everything falls into place.

It’s something you build along the way.

It’s found in the goals you chase.

The adventures you say yes to.

The people you share them with.

And the unexpected moments you never could have planned.

In 2020, I want more of what made this year special:

More miles.

More adventures.

More time with the people I love.

More experiences that push me outside my comfort zone.

More moments that remind me I am actually living the life I spent years wishing for.

I don’t know exactly what the year will bring.

But I do know this:

I’ll keep showing up.

One choice.

One experience.

One ordinary day at a time.