in january of each year i set some goals for myself to accomplish over the months ahead, usually a combination of health and fitness, reading, travel, and personal growth. in years past i have done a roundup in december of how well i accomplished what i set out to do in january, but this year i decided i would do midyear check-in to see how well i am coming along and to add a few more to the list.

here are the goals i set for myself in january and how they are coming along:

run 300 miles. this one is coming along slowly. i started off strong and then gave myself two weeks off at the end of march in deference to the crazy heat. i got into a routine again and then stopped while i was travelling for a month. i’m registered for a half marathon in december [see below], so i’ll get back on the running train once i return to the states next week.

learn to cook one new dish a month. eh. i experimented with a few new things at the beginning of the year, with mixed results, and then i stopped once i made my plans to move back to the states. i realized a lot of the things i want to make [roasted vegetables or pies or pot roasts] require kitchen items that are difficult to come by in india [proper ovens, slow cookers, etc], so i will get back on this when i am back home. i’ve got so many recipes bookmarked, so if my parents or brother are reading this, i hope you’ve got your appetites ready.

take a photography class. not yet. i put this one on hold in light of other travels and the move home. hopefully i can find one in memphis or wherever i end up before the year is out, because this one is long overdue.

re-read the harry potter series. finished as of the beginning of april! i began slowly, only reading during lunch and tea breaks, but as the books picked up so did my reading. pretty soon i found myself skipping over my other books to keep reading these, and by the end of march i was reading these exclusively. you can read all my thoughts about re-reading these books here, and i have decided to make this an annual undertaking. i am already excited for next year.

go on food-specific adventures around bangalore. i think i did well with this, especially considering the limited time frame i had to work with. in the first 4 months of the year i discovered my favourite masala dosa and came close on finding my favourite south indian meal in bangalore. i have a few street food adventures planned for my last days in bangalore, which i think will wrap up my time in the city nicely.

watch one documentary a month. so far so good. joining the sundance now doc club certainly helped with this, because it gives me thousands of documentaries right at my fingertips, so i can find something to suit whatever mood i might be in. so far this year i have learned about elvis’ first year as a star; the personal life of amy winehouse; malala yousafzai’s fight for education rights; the hoop dreams of william gates and arthur agee; and more about the jerry sandusky scandal at penn state. i look forward to discovering more great documentaries as the year progresses.

and here are a few new ones i have come up with in the six months since:

run another half marathon. i am always happiest with my running when i have a goal i am working toward, so i have gone ahead and signed up for the st jude half marathon in memphis for this december. i love running for st jude, and their half is a course i have been wanting to try for a few years. seeing as i’ll be back in the states for this year’s running, i figured it was now or never.

raise $1500 as a st jude hero. as a st jude hero i have raised just over $1300 each of the past two years for the hospital, and this year i am upping my fundraising efforts. i have set my goal at $1500, but deep down i would love to come close to $2000. st jude is a hospital i have a deep love for, and i welcome the opportunity each year to support them in any way that i can. if you feel like contributing, you can do so here, and thank you in advance for your support!

visit somewhere new in the us. one of the reasons i am excited about moving back to the states is the opportunity to explore more of my own backyard. i’m not sure yet where i will go or when it will happen, but before the year is out i would like to visit a new-to-me place in the states. suggestions are always welcome.

what are your goals for the second half of the year? i will promise to keep you motivated if you do the same for me 🙂

xx