Themes for 2016

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So, here we are. 2016 has arrived, and 2015 is behind us. I’m not gonna lie – 2015 was a pretty awesome year for me. In addition to completing 12 half marathons, I ran 15 other races, for a total of 27 races in 2015 (here’s a link to ALL of my race reports). I PB’d in every distance, from 1 mile up to half marathon, basically exceeding every running goal I set for myself at the end of 2014.

Where does that leave me? What does 2016 have in store? I want goals to be challenging, but still realistic. Therefore, rather than specific goals, the focus for this post is my Themes for 2016!

Consistency

I owe a lot of success in the past year to luck or good fortune or fate – however you want to look at it. That and the goodwill of others. In 2016, I want to ensure that I’m accomplishing things because I’m taking a more measured approach. Specifically:

  • Running – rather than the ad hoc workout routines that carried me through 2015, I will create and stick to a more defined training calendar.
  • Fitness – again, it’s easy to default to ‘something is better than nothing’ when it comes to the gym – but that doesn’t result in real progress. I will develop a fitness regimen, including the incorporation of #plankaday!
  • Nutrition – green smoothies are my go-to, but I will approach menu planning more carefully. And eat less chips.
  • Blogging – I’m already working on my editorial calendar. I know that more consistent writing and posting leads to higher readership, and that’s what I will focus on.

consistency

Engagement

Both virtually and in real life, I want to have more engagement. In 2016, I will seek out opportunities to meet and learn more about those in my community, and in particular the people in the running community. I will be more responsive to those who take the time to engage with me on the various social media platforms. I will get more involved!

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WestVanRun Crew – part of my community!

Positivity

Easy to achieve when things are going well, I have been known to get down on myself when things don’t quite go my way. Perhaps this is part of the ‘only child syndrome‘ – I inherently assume that circumstances will work out in my favour. But it’s not just about me (much as I find that hard to swallow!) – it’s also about how I view others. In 2016, I will be less judgy of both myself and the people in my life, and stop comparing myself to others, particularly the lives presented on social media. I will look for the good in each day.

positivity

Authenticity

I think, in general, I put on a pretty good face. I happily share my successes, but I’m apt to hide my failures. I think it’s human nature. In 2016, I will be up front about my struggles, the challenges I’m facing. But I’ll also look at how I’m dealing with others, and be sure that honesty (hand-in-hand with compassion) will guide those relationships.

Dr-Suess-300x293

Reflection

There’s a tendency for me to clutter my mind with distractions: music, podcasts, TV, social media feeds. In 2016, I will take the time to reflect – and hopefully learn as I result. We often look back at the end of a year, reflect on what has transpired. And yes, there is value in that. But I think taking time along the way allows us to better ourselves on a daily or weekly basis, take the baby steps to improvement. I’m not great at reflection – even this blog post is a bit of a struggle – but I wanted to challenge myself, right?

reflection

Yes, I’ve got some more ‘concrete’ goals as well, particularly surrounding running. But I’ll save those for another day. In the interests of transparency, though, they do include some extra mileage, and a few more PB’s!

DC-Trifecta-Friday-Five-linkup

Since it’s the the fifth Friday in January – and a ‘free’ topic, I’m going to recycle my Themes of 2016 (5 of them!) in the Friday Five linkup with Eat Pray Run DC, Mar on the Run, and You Signed Up for What?!

 

What are your themes for 2016? Please share them in the comments!

17 Comments

  1. Debra @HappyRunningSole

    Great post! I need to get back to doing planks for strengthening my core. I should probably do the plank a day challenge too.I need to eat healthier too. I usually follow the 80/20 rule, but I’ve gotten way off track with the holidays. I’m bad about comparing myself to others. I do by best to focus on my own journey, but it can be tough at times with the influence of social media. I hope to be more consistent with blogging. I participate in the Weekly Wrap hosted by HoHo Runs and MissSippiPiddlin every Sunday. I’d like to do more link ups this year. It’s a great way to connect with other bloggers.

  4. Kim Hatting

    Great goals!! I’m also hoping to be a lot more engaged with my blog and its followers…..FYI, taking a 9 day vacation (out of state was NOT beneficial to this objective), so I’m already regrouping and playing catch-up, six days in to the new year. I’m a huge advocate for planking, so that’s a no-brainer for me as well 😉 Good luck!!
    Kim Hatting recently posted…2015-My Year in ReviewMy Profile

    • bjcjapan

      Thanks for dropping by, Kim! Vacation time is extremely important, but it’s definitely tough to catch up once you’ve been gone! All the best to you in 2016!

  5. Tricia@MissSippipiddlin

    I’m very glad ypu decided to link with us. You have a great list of goals and many are right in line with mine as well. I want to connect more with new writers and meet more in person. I could really benefit from upping my game in the gym so we will see on that one. Have a great week!!

    • bjcjapan

      Oh Tricia, I’m so glad I could connect with you! I will try to do so on a regular basis. I look forward to seeing how these goals and themes play out in 2016 – and look forward to getting to know you and other members of the linkup!

  11. Jen

    It sounds like your 2016 is going to be great! I’m a first time visitor and will definitely be following along. Your post has got me thinking- I have goals, but I really like the idea of themes! If I had to pick one right now it would be confidence- I’m going after some big things running this year and would like to have more confidence in my abilities.

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