Did I Aspire in 2024?

Hello and Goodbye to 2024! I rang in 2024 with the word  "ASPIRE"  to guide my path and goals in 2024. Looking back, how did I do?

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I WILL ASPIRE TO....

1. Better health by purposely being active 4 days a week. Walking, kayaking, biking and home work outs. I will forgive myself and my body on the days my body requires rest. I will rest and begin again. - I was much more forgiving of my body than I have been in the past.  I have found a new normal of acknowledgement when my body needs a rest and took it.  I have done better listening and acting on my bodies cues for rest and have stopped literally falling down when I require rest. As for how often I was active, I didn't really keep a record. When I could and chose to, I walked.  When we were traveling I walked a lot, hiked a lot and kayaked. I think it helped my mental state not to be so regimented on getting physical activity.  Other than the winter months, I remained very active, but again we were traveling a lot in 2024.  In November, a YMCA membership was included with my health insurance. I activated it straight away.  I took (and continue to take) a yoga class and strength training class and lift weights twice a week.  I did have difficulty with this simple schedule because for the first month almost every week, I skipped a class to meet up with friends, go to an appointment, wait for a repairman or because I had guests.  In 2025, I am going to prioritize my fitness and not so easily forfeit these classes.
   
   
2. Create opportunities to connect and spend time with family and friends. - I did not succeed in this effort.  I was gone so often that when I was home, I had to focus on the house's needs.  I only met up with friends a couple times through out the entire year.  We did not have our summer picnic and even our Christmas party seemed to be flat this year.  I did have 2 new friends experiences though.  I traveled with friends to the Mediterranean and spent a couple days in Florence and Rome with our friends, Jerry and Virginia. Then we took a 10 day road trip with Bonnie and Pete across Rt 66 in the fall.  Traveling with friends was fantastic and I hope to do it at least once a year.
   Though I did see me sister, Shannon, more often I still did not make it to Erie once a month as I had hoped.  Again, the traveling took so much time out of the calendar.  But I did manage to see my mother at least every other month - so that was an improvement from past years. As for my family, I saw Bruce almost everyday (LOL) and I was able to spend a week with Christina in Arizona hiking, visiting wolves and seeing the sites of Sedona and Flagstaff.  Spending the day at the Grand Canyon was probably my favorite.  To witness her seeing it for the first time with me.  But the wolves were a close second.  I took Samantha to an outdoor concert of one of her favorite performers and I spent the evening with Alex at the movies.  We had a few pop ins from time to time like a wine tasting on the porch and getting together for my birthday.  But I am afraid the days of getting the family all together for a game day are over due to schedules.  
   
   
3. Improve my mental and emotional stamina through books, learning activities, and thoughtful and kind introspection. - I exceeded my book goal, but didn't get through many thoughtful and introspective books.  I listened to a couple biographies and historic books, but mostly I listened to thrillers mystery books.  
   
   
4. Discover and appreciate new places by traveling and actively witnessing my surroundings both home and away. - So many new places.
   Sedona Wolf Sanctuary
   Barcelona - Picasso paintings, Sagrada Familia
   Naples, Italy & Pompeii
   Sicily and Taormina, Italy
   Kotor, Montenegro - The Blue Cave, Lady of the Rocks and a submarine cave
   Zadar, Croatia - Ancient ruins, the sea organ and moment to the sun
   Corfu, Greece 
   Florence, Italy - Wine windows and Statue of David 
   Rome, Italy - Pantheon, Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Palestine Hill
   The Great Smokey Mountains - Bear in the wild
   Rocky Mountain National Park
   Letchworth State Park, New York
   Boot Hill Museum in Kansas
   Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial Site and Museum
   Big Texan Ranch
   Amarillo, Texas - Cadillac Ranch
   Tucumcari, New Mexico - The Blue Swallow Hotel
   Roswell, New Mexico
   Albuquerque, New Mexico
   
   Yep, we traveled a lot in 2024.
   
   
5. Try something new each month whether a new activity, new project or a new recipe.
   January -  I sewed a few clothing items for myself.
   February -  I served on the grand jury.
   March - I pet a wolf at the Wolf Sanctuary in Sedona.
   April -  I bought a telescope and practiced my astrophotography, especially of the moon.
   May - I traveled to Spain, Greece, Italy, Montenegro and Croatia. I rode a paratrike and flew over Greece.
   June - I camped in a Cracker Barrel parking lot overnight in Mineral Wells, West Virginia while traveling to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to spend 5 days with Youtubers that we follow.  Who are we?
   July - I learned how to flyfished in Colorado catching over 10 fish.
   August - I grew eggplant, asparagus and carrots in the garden for the first time.
   September - I hiked in Hocking Hills for the first time. I refurbished a cedar chest and use it as a blanket box for our living room throws.
   October - I sewed an extra large tote bag from old pants to fit Kenobi's overnight stuff. I traveled to Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico for the first time.  I spray painted graffiti for the first time at Cadillac Ranch where it is encouraged. 
   November - New recipe Chicken Pot Pie in the Instant Pot
   December - New Cookie recipes - Cranberry and white chocolate and Molasses cookies with an eggnog filling
   
   2024 was an incredible busy year with over 75 days spent traveling to different countries, unvisited states and national parks and many camping trips. I could have never imagined that I would see so much and try so many new things.  I did my best to take it all in, but it was a lot.  I was more relaxed this year, not pushing myself physically as I have the last few years.  Don't get me wrong, I needed that pushing to rebuild myself physically and mentally, but I appreciated doing things of my choosing at my speed and when I wanted to do them.  I felt less pressured and more relaxed and I believe, I was able to appreciate life even more not focusing on healing my body.