Q1 2025: Laying the Foundation for a New Year

Starting the new year with a head-splitting, body-roasting, snot-producing, constant-hacking virus was definitely not in my plans; I can't say I'm surprised, though.

It got both of my daughters first, with the oldest falling ill the day after Christmas and the youngest taking to her bed two days later. It was only fair that I have a turn, so I prepared my stock of medicines and snack/hydration options, sanitized and cleaned and sprayed - and waited. And waited. Thursday rolled around (one full week since my oldest daughter got it) and I still wasn't sick, so I started thinking, "Hey, this one missed me!"

Then it rolled over me like the germ version of what you'd get if the British SAS, the US Navy Seals, the Chinese Snow Leopard Commandos, and the Polish GROM had some sort of freakish combo baby that grew up to be even more of an expert at ambush tactics. I haven't felt that deathly ill since Covid literally almost killed me. (Seriously. Ever wonder what a sternal rub feels like? Awful. It feels awful.)

Today, I'm still hacking and sneezing. I'm terribly sore and remarkably tired, which is impressive considering how much I've slept. But I don't have a fever, I can string two thoughts together (I've leave you to judge how coherently), and I'm so desperate to take a shower that I'm using it as a reward to get this blog post written.

So without further ado, an update to my quarterly goals from Q4 2024...

The holiday season was blessed but busy here at the House of Kennedy, and I fell slightly behind on my writing schedule. I thought after Christmas I'd buckle down and catch up - but then Christmas ended and I spent the next week playing nursemaid instead of novelist. With myself falling ill just as my kids rounded the corner, I've had to reevaluate my schedule a bit, adjust my expectations a little, and generally dig deep to give myself a little extra grace. That being said, here are my goals for first quarter of 2025:

Tomorrow, my youngest heads back to school, and I hope to buckle down and take advantage of new-year motivation. These are manageable, but they're still goals that'll take some planning on my part, and I'm honestly not sure I'll get them all checked by the end of the quarter. Still, life is about progress, not perfection - and moving toward my goals is progress even if I don't get them all accomplished as quickly as I'd like to.

If you're setting goals like me this quarter, remember to set goals that are possible within the timeframe. Don't be afraid to take those quarterly goals and break them down into monthly milestones or weekly targets. Even if the end goal is a little intimidating, have faith in your capabilities; create a plan, map out the steps, and then start taking them one at a time. Each step is closer, and those steps will add up if you keep moving and remember to...