I'm gonna do something different and gradde myself on each goal / resolution. Keep in mind that I'm actively fighting grade inflation for my self-evaluation, so I wouldn't expect a lot of A's even if I was really happy with where I was at.
Conditioning outside the studio (incl. injury prevention): I was on a roll for a couple weeks, but a cold turned sinus infection I let drag on far too long was pretty killer in terms of making progress here. I still get some strength conditioning in at least twice a week, and I've been near weekly on yoga (really feel the flexibility benefit after just an hour session), but I'd like to be doing far more in this area. I have ordered a yoga mat online though, which should be the kick in the arse I need to get out and try the free week promotions at a couple local studios (to build a good base level of flexibility and also try out a couple different styles of instruction to have a better idea what I like and if I'm willing to budget for it).
Grade: B- (would like to see more from myself, but realistically there were extenuating circumstances)
Driving amateur partnership goals: totally bombed talking with one partner before she left for a two month sabbatical, but in the process of making a spreadsheet with all the comps I'd consider travelling to and drafting a proposed plan for myself and my smooth partner (hoping I can work at least one trip back to the Midwest in there!). I will definitely treat this as a work-in-progress category, made more difficult by current long-distance status for both my partnerships.
Grade: D (not really passing, but have the potential to get there)
Healthy eating: Not great, definitely had multiple nights where ice cream was my dinner (or even worse, a pepperoni pizza followed by ice cream) and definitely proved I'm marginally capable at best at getting a pint of good ice cream to last multiple sittings. But I have given up most dessert items for Lent, so at least now I've got a religiously motivated reset period where, in addition to focusing on the spiritual aspect of the season, I'll also be focusing mental energy on healthy eating with a quite high level of accountability. So far, I'm under a week in, but progress appears to be good.
Grade: C+ (good effort recently, but definitely didn't come out of the gates hot)
Budgeting: Ha. Haven't even started one or thought about it too much, although I did cut back my standing one-on-one smooth lesson to a lesson only when I couldn't fit in a partnership lesson in the same week. I have been doing better at being mindful of splurge purchases (like COFFEE) throughout the week and I'm pretty sure that's leading to good results on that front. I've also recently decided that I have enough professional wear to last me for at least the next year, so outside of a couple statement pieces / replacing broken shoes, I won't be spending much on clothing (I enjoy shopping more than most guys - gotta be careful there!). I'm unsure how salary increase and increased / changed retirement goals will work out, and I'll also likely need to reevaluate once I hit around July when my lease is up, as my housing costs will likely go up (I found an incredibly cheap deal for the area where I live). Hopefully, though, the weekly ballet class I really enjoyed can sneak back in.
Grade: C- (still passing, but just barely)
(Bonus one) Planning practice time/being intentional with my dance training: This one was prompted by my coach's three-week training trip, before which I volunteered to draft a list of my practice goals while he was out so that he and I were aligned on what I would accomplish during the time. This also led me to make a commitment to 3-4 hours of dedicated Latin practice per week (small potatoes by most folks' standards, but I aim to be really, really efficient with my practice time). At his suggestion, I've gotten in the habit of planning out exactly what drills and for how long I'll practice each time I get to the studio / work gym and leveraging technology (ballroom comp trainer app and your basic phone timer) to keep me on task throughout with music and without music sections of my training. I'm hoping to get some time to sit down with my smooth instructor in the near future to do a similar exercise, and hopefully I'll soon be making far better progress on both styles. Also, now that my phone is on my body for practice purposes more often, I'll probably want to sew an arm/body band to hold it so that I can easily make adjustments without it flopping around during drills.
Grade: B+ (good trend, haven't achieved enough yet to say it's outstanding)
And with those grades, we're looking at a GPA of 2.2. Ouch.
Well, at least I've got plenty of room to go up!!
) I count lesson days as practicing because I'm always there early doing a lot of pre-lesson warm-up/stretching/practicing. I don't count "dance party" days unless I get there early enough to practice beforehand.
