Hello everyone! Do you still remember me? It feels like it’s been a lifetime since I last shared my goals with you. I promised myself I’d write this post for December 2024, but here we are, on the 18th, and I’m just catching up with how fleeting time has become. I’m honestly shocked and a little heartbroken that Christmas is nearly upon us. There’s this tug-of-war in my heart; I’m excited for the joy of the season, yet so sad because every Christmas marks another year gone, another year older, and I’m not ready to face that reality. It’s like my biological clock is racing, and I can’t keep up.
My daughter’s been ill this whole week, so I’ve had very little sleep. Not much has changed goal-wise since my last update, except I’ve completely given up on dieting. Surprisingly, ditching dieting altogether works better for me – my appetite naturally decreases when I eat freely. I’ve decided against fasting though; just thinking about it makes my stomach growl.
Ⓒⓗⓡⓘⓢⓣⓜⓐⓢ ⓘⓢ Ⓒⓞⓜⓘⓝⓖ
Feeling Unsettled This Year
I don’t know about you, but I feel unsettled. Something seems off. Maybe its the looming future, not knowing what’s going to happen to us, and worrying too much about all the bad things happening in the world. I can’t help but worry about the Canadian dollar tanking, seeing it crashing day after day and me being angry at the Federal Government for screwing us hard-working Canadians over. I purposely leave politics out of this blog, but as of late I’ve been ranting more and more about politics to people who clearly don’t want to listen to me drag on about it. I am genuinely worried about the future and it keeps me up at night.
Also, I don’t know if my fellow American friends follow Canadian news (unlikely) but Canada Post was on strike for the last 4 weeks. They are finally off strike, but I have mail that’s still stuck in the states, which I ordered from a small business that specializes in beauty products. Also, I didn’t send out Christmas cards this year due to Canada Post being on strike, and now it seems pointless to send out Christmas cards. That being said, here is what the rest of the month looks like.
DECEMBER GOALS 2024
Career Goals:
- Plot availability for January 2025
- Organize work backpack and drawer(s)
- Add 2 new designs to #Redbubble
- Promote winter designs on this blog and #Twitter
Personal Goals:
- Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly recap
- Organize upstairs hallway closet
- Organize downstairs bookshelf
- Donate 1-2 big boxes of items to charity
- Reschedule photos with Santa → December 24, 2024
Health Goals:
- YMCA 2x per week minimum
- Clear out the cupboards → Finish 3+ food items
- Make honey lemon lozenges
- Start using Stanley cup → start tracking water intake again
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
I finally gave in and bought myself a Rose Quartz Stanley cup – not for Christmas, mind you, since I’m planning to start using it right away, but it’s still sitting in its original packaging, looking all brand new lol 😆 It was on sale for $38.00 CAD and who can resist a good deal? I’m really hoping this will be the push I need to get back into the habit of drinking water again. I’ve been plagued by headaches and migraines lately, and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m dehydrated or if it’s just the weather being totally rude.
On a brighter note, my husband bought me a cute pair of winter boots, which I’m absolutely thrilled about. They’re ideal for our chilly Canadian winters 🇨🇦 And my mom gave me a hoodie and some gourmet hot chocolate. I can’t wait to cocoon myself in that hoodie, savoring that rich hot chocolate, perhaps even using my new Stanley cup if I can get around to unpacking it. On another note, I treated myself to a new pair of Nike sneakers during Black Friday week. They might not be as cute as my previous ones – just plain black with white detailing – but my old sneakers with the hot pink laces have holes in them now. I’m still using them for treadmill workouts and not quite ready to say goodbye to them yet.
(っ◔◡◔)っ FYI: If you’re not already following me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), you can get real-time updates [and rants] about my day-to-day life there. I purchased the Premium subscription to gain access to Grok 2.0, which makes the subscription completely worthwhile.
Thanks for stopping by! ♥
Glad to hear Canada post is off strike now, I sent something to a friend a while back now and was hoping they’d get it. Love your Stanley cup. Wishing you the best of luck with all of your goals! 🎄💖
Did your friend end up getting her parcel? It was frustrating when they were on strike but eventually we got our mail. Thank you so much – I’m really loving the light pink color. It’s funny because I saw 2 other people at the gym last week with the exact same Stanley cup 😂
Yes she did! My sister wants a pink Stanley cup too now 🤣
Big sigh of relief! I’m glad she got it eventually. Nothing more anxiety-inducing than wondering when the mail will arrive! 😬
The color of the Stanley Cup I have is called “Rose Quartz.” I recommend getting one when it goes on sale. 🙂
Rebecca looks so beautiful!! 💖🎄💜 I hope 2025 turns out to be a better year for you, amongst the political uncertainties and such! (I can relate in a way – there’s a lot of political/economic uncertainties here in the States as well, unfortunately.) On a happy note though, congrats on the new Stanley cup and winter boots! 🥤🥾 I hope you have a fun Christmas and get to enjoy it while it lasts (I, too, get a bit sad when it’s all over!)
Thank you so much, Samantha! 🙂 I tell her she’s beautiful but at the same time I’m her mom so I’m a bit bias, so your compliment means a lot!! 🫶💕
Right now my whole family is sick except me. This is week 2 of illness so we’re riding it out until everyone feels better. Hopefully 2025 will be a better and more productive year. I follow US politics because my husband follows it so I’m aware of what’s going on there. We can only hope for positive changes, stronger alliances, and a more stable economy. I worry about Canada because it’s turning into a third world country and is heavily socialist now, and the Canadian dollar is in the trash bin which makes me nervous too. Our next election isn’t until October 2025! 😭
Despite everything, sometimes we have to treat ourselves with things that will make us happy. I needed a new pair of boots really badly and my husband bought them for me for Christmas which is nice. I might save the Stanley cup until Christmas. I’m hoping to drink more water since I’ve been living off of tea nonstop this winter.
Cheers to a better 2025!! 🥂 Wishing you and your family good health! I hope everything works out for our countries! And I need to drink more water too, haha! 😄
I was sick last weekend with a nasty head cold but I’m feeling a lot better now. I’m finally getting around to replying to comments since I’ve been so inactive on WordPress.
So far 2025 has been stressful but I’m hoping that things will improve. It’s also winter and lack of sunshine + cold temps makes me cranky.
I’m glad you’re feeling a lot better!! 🫶🏼 I hope the year improves for you, and I totally get feeling cranky with lack of sunshine and cold temperatures! 🥶
It’s another week of cold temps. Today it was -17°C (Idk what this is in °F). It’s too cold to go outside so I try to open my blinds in the morning to let the sunshine in. I read that we actually get no health benefits from doing this but it’s nice to feel the sun’s warmth at least.
Whoa!!! That is cold! 🥶 And I agree, any sun is better than none at all! I try to get sunshine whenever I can. 🌤️
I have a sun lamp but I’m still depressed during the winter months. I wish it was sunny and warm here.
Here’s hoping spring arrives sooner than we think!! 🌷🌼🌸☀️
I hope your daughter is feeling better now and that you guys are having a wonderful holiday season. I know Christmas can be tough as we get older and sometimes life seems to fly by too fast. But all we can do is try to make good memories with those we love.
Christmas was weird tbh. There was a lot of extra stress that made things even more chaotic. I’m just happy it’s all over. Now I’m waiting patiently for spring lol
I agree that life flies by too fast and it seems to go by even faster as we age. Last week, I read online that our perception of the world is so much brighter as a kid which could be due to our vision – as we age our eyesight becomes dimmer. Like how depressing is that?! It makes a lot of sense though that the rods and cones in our eyes become “dimmer” as we age.
Sorry to hear that, the holidays can be like that unfortunately.
True, the older we get the faster the years go by. I totally believe that because kids have such bright, curious eyes. In contrast, adults seem resigned to their fate.
Perhaps there’s a lot of truth to “the eyes are the gateway to one’s soul.” 👀
I really think there is. Our eyes tell the truth even when our mouths lie.
LOL 😂🤣
Hi Hilary! Your daughter is beautiful and her dress is beyond stunning! I hope she feels better and that you guys had a great Christmas. I’ve never heard of honey lemon lozenges but they sound so delish, let me know how they turn out!
Great post!
Hi Srisha! Thank you for stopping by and for your thoughtful comment. Aww, thank you so much. I bought her that dress so that really means a lot to me. So glad you like it! 😌💕
I shared the honey lemon lozenge recipe under “Recipes” on this blog. It’s easier to find on a web browser. I’ve made the recipe several times because my daughter loves them too. They don’t taste like traditional lozenges from the grocery store – these taste like candy! 100% recommend trying. 🍋🍯
I hope you had a nice Christmas and New Years with your family. I did hear about the Canada Post strike in Denmark, and I can only imagine all the problems it caused. That’s great you got a Stanley cup! I actually did see some for sale the other day, but they were 430 DKK / $86 CAD so I definitely passed on it!
Oh wow! It’s crazy that the news made it all the way to Denmark! Impressive! The strike lasted a month and a half but eventually we did get our mail. As for the Stanley cup, I got the 30oz one instead of the 40oz. It mostly came down to price despite both of them being on sale. Tbh I don’t think I would have paid $86 CAD for one either!
Hope your daughter and the rest of your family are getting better by now, Hilary. Illness during holidays is annoying as well as non-working posting service. All the best in your goals for 2025