Author: Holly King

Big Goals for 2021: Wk 02/52

January 14: Progress {Week 2/52}

Week two returned me to work full time (and potential changes) + graduate school + fulltime classes for my kiddos… but, I do appreciate this list in keeping my goals in focus!

01: Get 6 – 7 Hours of Sleep Each Night {13/14}

What a great week of evening routines resulted in great sleep! I have settled in with entertaining, pleasure books, allowing myself to drift into a natural bedtime. This week, I implemented a new nutrition plan – and, while this was a huge challenge, it impacted my sleep in a positive way. In kicking my caffeine habit, I am waking up in advance of my alarm clock – making getting out of bed much easier!

02: Learn Calligraphy

No growth here this week…. but, I have an extra day off next week! All eyes are on this!

03: Purge 1000 items {188/1000}

WOW! My inbox is so much easier to manage! But, I’m still deleting…

Digital Clutter: Unsubscribed from 44 more email lists

I also have a huge pile to itemize and take to our local donation center.

04: Organize the Attic 

My oldest is busy packing to return to college – and, this level of packing creates more clutter than I like to see in common spaces. I did not add to it by dragging boxes from the attic!

05: Read 100 Books, including ALL of the DBC books. {5/100}

There is something so soothing about drifting to sleep with some pleasure reads!

In Progress
(1) Radical Candor | Scott {Professional Growth}

Complete:
Pleasure Reading: 5 books.

06: Try 52 New Recipes {2/52}

Our most recent cold snap meant that we all craved huge, piping hot bowls of rich, filling stew! My dear hubby whipped up a variation of Brunswick Stew, and, wow, was it delicious! Served with oyster crackers and a Netflix marathon, we braved the cold!

07: Get in Shape

Week 2 and still going. I have a 14-day food logging streak on Lose It, and I am connected to several friends who hold me accountable through sharing successes, cheering me on when I feel defeated, and swapping recipes. This week, I also overhauled my nutritional plan, following the Fast Metabolism Diet. I planned and tracked every single meal, and finally, on Wednesday, the needle on the scale started to move in the downward direction.

Here are some specific action steps that I took this week:

I continued the Running Challenge {Run for America, 1/1/21 – 3/14/21} This week, I have accumulated 81.0km of my 100km goal. Given this milestone, I am really considering increasing my goal to 250 km. What do you think?

I do love my Apple Watch as I am strangely motivated by badges. January 2021 was no different! This one felt tough – but, it’s done!

Third, I closed the Activity Ring every. single. day. Something about seeing those little rings close every day motivates me!

08: #OneMonthGoals with Michael Matera

This month’s goal is to run daily. Nailed it!

January 2020: Run daily.
January 1 – 14: Ran daily and logged 81.0km. See above.

09: Write/Send 52 notes/cards {4/52}

I really need to write a few this week! Maybe I’ll send a care package to Girl #1 in college!

10: Maintain a weekly blog {2/52}

Here I am!

11: Simplify my life

I took a critical look at my calendar and the tasks that go in it. I intentionally batched tasks based on their cognitive requirement. This practice resulted in insane productivity – and, I was able to “eat the frog” on several projects. It turns out, they only looked more monumental than they really were. One of these huge projects is 1/3 of the way complete!

I’m open to other ideas on how to simplify my life… send them my way.

12: Organize my mother’s photographs

I was able to scan, organize, and label 1.5 shoeboxes of photos. That’s a start, right?

Secret Goals! 

  • Secret Goal #1: This one is starting to take shape…
  • Secret Goal #2: Parts of this one were assembled this week…
  • Secret Goal #3: I have sketched out a paper/pencil plan for this…
  • Secret Goal #4

How are you 2021 goals going?

Do you have a WOY2021?

Cheers, Holly

Gratitude: Top 5 in 2020

During my runs – which, are getting a little longer as the days get longer – I actively listen to podcasts. I intentionally select podcasts that are not education, as a way to engage a different part of my brain. In some cases, I select entertainment to provide a much-needed brain break. My podcast list is filled with an eclectic variety of voices, providing lots of growth, entertainment, and opportunities for reflection during my runs!

Earlier this week, I listened to Rachel Hollis’s It’s Time for Rachel’s Five Favorite Things (Episode 177) where she unpacks her five favorite moments in 2020.

In reflecting on 2020, I realized that I have so much gratitude. What a great blogpost this would make!

Without further adieu, here are my five favorite moments from 2020:

(in no particular order…)

Celebrating BIG things

This year, our family celebrated lots of BIG things: Our oldest daughter graduated (on the same day) from high school and the community college, as a student in our district’s dual enrollment program. She earned four academic scholarships from the university and two local scholarships, as well as graduation honors at both virtual ceremonies. She started college as as a junior in the Honors Program where she is also a Varsity Swimmer and Margaritaville University Ambassador. Our youngest finished the year 2nd in her class, and she started the same community college program in the fall while working and playing two varsity sports (simultaneously). Both girls had excellent Fall college semesters, earning Dean’s List and exempting exams. The uncertainty of the pandemic did not disrupt their academic achievement, and we celebrated each and every milestone with cake. {Note: This probably explains my current nutrition goals!}

Celebrating the everyday

We soaked up every moment of every day with NetFlix family nights in the outdoor theatre, remodeling projects, vivid sunsets, outdoor restaurants, and bike rides. The slower pace allowed us to pay more attention to the world around us, so we took full advantage of a slower pace.

Charcuterie Boards

We certainly enjoyed serving EVERYthing on a board. EVERYthing.

Life on a Sandbar

Bike rides to the sunset. Outdoor seafood dining. Fishing. Surfing. Skimboarding. Turtle watching. Seal watching. Sea glass hunting.

Puppies

Our puppies certainly adjusted positively to our extra time at home! And, we added a new member to the family – my nephew Fezzik. Life is better with puppies!

So, tell me.

What are your Top 5?

Big Goals for 2021: Wk 01/52

January 7: Progress {Week 1/52}

One week in, and I have jumped into my goals 100%!

01: Get 6 – 7 Hours of Sleep Each Night {6/7}

I nailed this goal as a result of the intentional implementation of earlier dinners, an evening routine that incorporates winding down, and an earlier lights-out bedtime. I found that I woke up with more energy, and I relied less on caffeine. The only tough day was the first day back at work after Winter Break, namely because I could not go to sleep on time! Does anyone else struggle with transitions in their daily schedules?

02: Learn Calligraphy

I have decided to learn Calligraphy on paper and on my iPad. This week, I downloaded ProCreate as a platform to practice. I’m searching for creative youtube or Instagram channels to follow to learn more as well as some brushes to download to practice using this program. Does anyone have tips?

03: Purge 1000 items {145/1000}

Decluttering includes more than just physical clutter! It can include digital and mental clutter, too! This week, I removed the following items from my sight… and, I already feel so much cleaner!

Digital Clutter: Unsubscribed from 122 email lists that no longer brought me joy (most, I rarely opened!) and tossed
10 paper calendars (let’s be honest, 2020 was not the year for the planner…)
1 candle
1 pair of shoes
1 notebook
3 binders
7 books

04: Organize the Attic 

We have experienced a very, very cold snap in our area, which makes our attic miserable. We do, however, go into the attic from time to time, as we plan to bring down one box with every trip to start chipping away at this project. In the meantime, I have plenty of boxes in other places that need my attention.

05: Read 100 Books, including ALL of the DBC books. {3/100}

I love to read, and I tend to oscillate between deep nonfiction reads that focus on education, business growth, or personal growth and entertaining fiction. I’m setting this goal again this year… so please, share your most favorite reads!

In Progress
(1) Radical Candor | Scott {Professional Growth}

Complete:
Pleasure Reading: 3 books.

06: Try 52 New Recipes {1/52}

One of our favorite local restaurants specializes in Poke Bowls. This week, my dear husband perfected a reproduction of my favorite dish – with fresh seafood, vegetables, crunchy onions, and a sauce that makes you want to lick the bowl! Not only are we able to control our portion sizes and ingredients, but this is a huge savings to the wallet! Triple win!

07: Get in Shape

Beginning January 1, I embraced logging all of my meals in the Lose It app, exercising for at least 30 minutes, meeting my active calorie goal (per my Apple watch), and moving at least 10,000 steps (running at least one mile of that distance) each day. While I met each of the goals nearly every day, the needle on the scale was moving in the wrong direction. Have I already failed 5 days into my goals? I perservered. Finally, on day 7, the scale took a downward turn.

Here are some specific action steps that I took this week:

I signed up for a Running (er, Walking/Jogging) Challenge {Run for America, 1/1/21 – 3/14/21} This week, I logged 44.9km of my 100km goal. Given this milestone, I may up my milestone to 250 km by March 14. Should I?

Part of this running challenge includes mini-races embedded within the overall challenge. This week, I completed the Winter Warmup: Resolution 5K. And, despite walking the majority of it, I managed to finish 2nd in my age group! A girl can celebrate!

Third, I closed the Activity Ring every. single. day. I still have no idea why I am so motivated by these silly rings. I’m well on my way to meeting both the New Year’s Challenge and January Challenge for Apple Watch! More badges!

08: #OneMonthGoals with Michael Matera

This month’s goal is to run daily. Nailed it!

January 2020: Run daily.
January 1 – 7: Ran daily and logged 44.9km. See above.

09: Write/Send 52 notes/cards {4/52}

This week, I dropped notes into the boxes of the teachers who won my December 12 Days of Techmas and a quick thank you note to the daughter of a sweet friend who baked, decorated, and hand-delivered some pretty amazing Gingerbread cookies! What coastal girl doesn’t love a Ginger Woman dressed in an icing bikini? Bring on summer!

10: Maintain a weekly blog {1/52}

Here I am!

11: Simplify my life

This week at work, I lived by my calendar. I scheduled my time deliberately, and, I am working on creating boundaries in this area. I am finding that I can either control my day or allow the day to control me. The more control I have over my calendar, the simpler my day feels.

I really don’t know how this goal will manifest itself over the year, but life feels pretty amazing right now.

12: Organize my mother’s photographs

Absolutely no progress in this area this week. I think the boxes are laughing at me. I am also feeling the need to purchase a newer scanner to help this project along.

Secret Goals! 

  • Secret Goal #1: This one is starting to take shape…
  • Secret Goal #2: Parts of this one were assembled this week…
  • Secret Goal #3: I have sketched out a paper/pencil plan for this…
  • Secret Goal #4

How are you 2021 goals going?

Do you have a WOY2021?

Cheers, Holly

My Big Goals for 2021

After a year like 2020, I struggle to justify the need for a calendar, planner, or a grand list of Big Goals. Despite the uncertainty that 2020 brought, I reflect to recognize that 2020 was a year of significant change – for my family and for me, professionally. I learned an enormous amount about myself, gained professional knowledge on the fly, and embraced a more relaxed lifestyle than I have in many, many years. With 2021 right around the corner, I am at a crossroads of decisions: What stays in 2020? What new practices from 2020 will join me in 2021?

01: Get 6 – 7 Hours of Sleep Each Night

As I get older, I am shifting from a night owl to a morning person – if, and only if, I get the right amount of sleep! I also find that my most productive time of the day is the morning. I love to workout in the mornings, too. So, my goal is to hit the hay earlier so that I can maximize my physical and mental productivity every morning!

02: Learn Calligraphy

I have had a calligraphy set for over two years, and I have made no progress in this area. This is the year to set aside time for myself to learn a new skill. Who knows? Maybe I’ll become good at this?

03: Purge 1000 items

In 2020, I removed an enormous amount of STUFF from my house. Clothes, stuffed animals, holiday decor, magazines. You name it, and I had held on to it for no apparent reason. In fact, I even apologized to my husband for packing some items up and moving them into our new home. No more! This year, I tackle the cluttered sunroom and attic! Can I purge 1000 items again? I’m going to try!

04: Organize the Attic 

Once the weather warms up a bit, I hope to finish this task that we started in Fall 2020.

05: Read 100 Books, including ALL of the DBC books.

I love to read, and I tend to oscillate between deep nonfiction reads that focus on education, business growth, or personal growth and entertaining fiction. I’m setting this goal again this year… so please, share your most favorite reads!

In Progress
(1) Radical Candor | Scott {Professional Growth}

I am intentionally taking my Professional growth books slowly so I can savor, learn, and integrate these reads into my life. I hope to blog about my books as I enjoy them!

06: Try 52 New Recipes

Start sharing your favorite recipes so I can try them out!

07: Get in Shape

This one is a BIG one, and it the one that I am the most committing to completing. The Apple Watch and I are going to become really close buddies this year as I vow to move for at least 30 minutes every day. Every. Single Day. I am giving myself the flexibility to allow this one to evolve as the year progresses, so stay tuned to see what this looks like. Who says you can’t be fit in your 40s?

08: #OneMonthGoals with Michael Matera

Two years ago, I joined Michael Matera on his #OneMonthGoals journey. I ran every single day for a month – and it was glorious. This year, I am committed to selecting (and sticking with) one new goal each month, which I will document here.

January 2020: Run daily.

09: Write/Send 52 notes/cards

Who doesn’t love receiving a handwritten note? I am really looking forward to this goal!

10: Maintain a weekly blog

Despite not meeting my blogging goal last year, I’m jumping back into the saddle for 2021. I’d love for you to share which topics you’d like to read more about!

11: Simplify my life

The slower pace of life during CV19 has allowed me to truly enjoy life. This year, I hope to weave some of these lifestyle changes into the new me. I do not know what this looks like, so check back often to see how this evolves!

12: Organize my mother’s photographs

I have inherited thousands of photographs that belonged to my late mother. Knowing that both my sister and I wish to have access, I plan to organize and save in a labeled, digital library. Maybe I’ll even create a bound book of photographs or recipes when I am done!

Secret Goals! 

  • Secret Goal #1
  • Secret Goal #2
  • Secret Goal #3
  • Secret Goal #4

What are your goals for 2021?

Live my #WOTY2021 … Invest

Cheers, Holly

One Word 2021

#OneWord2021. By this point, I’m sure you have seen the social media posts. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and everyone’s blog are filled with people ringing in the New Year with their #OneWord2021 carefully selected to frame their year. EVERYone is eager to say Goodbye to 2020, so I am not surprised to experience a renewed energy in resolutions and goals for the new year.

Many years ago, I, too, embraced the #OneWord challenge. In fact, I traded lists of New Years Resolutions for #OneWord to drive my decisions and focus my reflection for the entire year. I’ve created artwork, designed screensavers for my phone, and placed my word on a Post-It note on my desk — all deliberate reminders to use it daily.

Previous #OneWord selections include Fearless (2014), Move (2015), Simplify (2016), Intentional (2017), Cultivate (2018), Embrace (2019), and Focus (2020).

Last year’s selection, FOCUS, turned out to be particularly important amidst a pandemic that impacted every profession, especially education. In a world where flexibility and the ability to pivot on a dime were traits that kept us afloat, the need to focus and implement on-demand was just as important. As we move into 2021 with a vision of normalcy in the not-so-distance future, I hope that we take what we intentionally weave what we have learned into the years ahead. Our newfound skills – as parents, teahers, and students – are the ingredients to transform the future of education, a change that is long overdue.

As the world around us changed at the speed of light, my FOCUS shifted, too. With intention, I focused on what I could control: my response to a pandemic. No, I could not control the outbreaks in my area, the decisions made by local and state governmental agencies, or the rapid-fire cancellations that stole hopes and dreams. I watched as my daughters dissolved into tears as Lacrosse season, Prom, and Graduation Ceremonies were canceled. Instead, we shifted our FOCUS. We took this opportunity to enjoy outdoor dining experiences at local restaurants that expanded their menus to stay open. During quarantine, we road the wheels off of our bikes as we explored a very empty island. We watched four NetFlix series together, many in the outdoor theater that we created as a CV-project. We decluttered our home of physical things, while filling our lives with memories of beach days, great reads in the porch swing, runs on empty roads, and photogenic sunsets.

When COVID closed colleges early, I focused on opportunity to have both of my girls home for 2.5 months again during the holiday season. What a gift!

These moments were important.

These moments deserved my focus.

The smiles filled with pride. The smiles that are hiding pain.

We celebrated: The big accomplishments, the small victories, and the things that bring smiles to everyday life.

While FOCUS was selected for an entirely different reason, it turned out to be the perfect word to maintain my positive compass as I traveled through 2020.

2021, however, is a different.

Each year, I wait patiently for the word to find me – in a quote, in a song, or in a book that I am reading, or in a conversation. I reach for a word that is different… not from a list. With only hours before this year’s chapter closes, I had started to worry that my word had not emerged.

I pondered. I researched. I thought. I reflected.

I reached out to an accountability partner, Erin, who helps me brainstorm big life decisions like this. As we pondered her word, she asked me what is important to be for the incoming year. And, it hit me…

My #OneWord2021 will be INVEST.

When I think of the word INVEST, my brain immediately goes to the financial investment of money. I realized that, in 2021, I want to treat my time like the ultimate investment. I want to critically analyze how I spend my time: Who am I with? What am I doing? Why am I doing it? And, question how that expenditure of time is serving me.

Each day, we are given 1,440 minutes.

How can I invest those minutes so that I am the best version of me?

In 2021, I vow to INVEST in the following ways

  • Invest in my physical health through movement, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and self-care
  • Invest in my professional growth through reading, listening, and learning
  • Invest in opportunities to be creative
  • Invest in drafts, allowing myself to be imperfectly human
  • Invest in relationships by being more present
  • Invest in a minimalist mentality
  • Invest in quality over quantity
  • Invest in gratitude and joy

#OneWord2021 Invest

Cheers to your New Year,

Holly

The desk will wait

I spent hours at work today. Yes, on a Saturday.

I planned to move methodically through my “to do” list, tackling items as they appeared while cleaning out cabinets filled with dated electronic supplies to make room for instructional technology gadgets and hardware to support our current classroom needs.

Within moments of sitting down at my new cluttered desk, the phone beeped. Next door, several teacher friends had requested help as they dug deeply into their National Board artifacts.

For the next few hours, I engaged in rich conversations about innovative instructional practices, professional growth opportunities, differentiated learning experiences, and the impact of professional learning communities on their students.

I problem-solved. I offered advice. I collaborated. I learned. I laughed.

I did not clean my office.

But, I filled my bucket.

The desk will wait.

 

You are competing against yourself

After 8 weeks of intense physical therapy that included limited mobility at practices, miles of tape and adhesive, and absolutely no competitive events, my oldest daughter returned to the pool tonight. She swam over 1000m in her events, returning to her favorite events: 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle as well as her two relay events.

Initially, she was not pleased with her performance for a variety of reasons.

We stepped back.

While it was true that she did not finish first in the events, that is not the goal of every event. You cannot control the speed of the swimmer in the lane beside you.

You can, however, control you.

In reflection, she realized that – despite two months away from competition – she walked away with two personal bests, in the 200m and the 400m.  She had a solid swim – dropping considerable time on both events and placing herself in consideration for Regionals in both of her individual events.

Sometimes, our biggest competitor is the person in the mirror.

And, at the end of the day, personal growth is the most important indicator for future success.

Lessons from the Copy Machine: Part 2

On Thursday morning, I was greeted with a very angry photocopy machine.

With each copy, I was faced with a 6 paper jam that backed up throughout the entire machine. After finding the culprit – and very small, crumpled piece of paper – I tried again. Repeat. Repeat again. Repeat again.

On the 6th attempt, I found it. The most minute piece of crumpled paper hidden in the depths of the machine behind multiple doors, drawers, and levers. Alone, it was innocent – just a discarded piece of paper. But, in the corner of this machine, it caused a huge mess that took 30 minutes to solve.

That little piece of paper derailed everything.

The copy machine could simply not function with it there.

However, once identified, found, and removed, it was smooth sailing.

What are the little crumpled pieces of paper that are a barrier to you being your best self? How can you identify, find, and remove them?

Every day, I find that we are more and more like the photocopy machine.

Making Space for Growth

Today, I spent a couple of hours tackling a cabinet in my new office. It was a simple task – one that allowed me to step away effortlessly to help, brainstorm, chat, collaborate, and problem solve .. opportunities that presented themselves seamlessly and often.

As I filled the garbage can and sorted the few items that survived the purge, I stared at a practically empty cabinet.

Opening the doors to an empty cabinet.

A new opportunity with unwritten chapters.

Blank pages waiting for a story.

 

Lessons from the Copy Machine: Part 1

On Wednesday afternoon, the photocopy machine – the beloved, color, faculty-favorite in the Media Center – jammed, coughed, and burned our fingers until the only option was to turn it off and wait for it to cool off.

I started thinking: Aren’t we a bit like photocopy machines?

Sometimes, we find ourselves overworked and overextended. We aim to serve others, but find ourselves running out of paper, toner, or staples while trying to get all of the jobs complete in a timely manner. We slow down, jam, or quit all together. We someone tries to fix us, we burn them or hide the jammed piece of paper behind layers of equipment. In frustration, we stop, our face blinking in anger, until someone finally pulls the plug.

We unplug. We cool down. We reset. We realign our compass.

When we power up, one of two things happen. Either we return, ready to go – all we needed was a break to cool down. Or, our screen clearly indicates where the equipment error is, allowing us to focus, correct, and move forward.

Unplugging allows us to return refreshed, with clarity.

We have a lot in common with copy machines.