I don’t care what month the year starts in, for me it will forever be September. Maybe it’s because my birthday is the day before September, maybe it stems from my deep love of fall (the smells, the trees, the fashion), or maybe it’s simply because for my entire life September has brought on the new beginnings, friendships and challenges of the school year. Whatever the reason, this fall I can’t resist the urge to set new goals and get things in order. I may not have a new school year to start, but I can officially say that I have a NEW JOB!

It was a long and challenging summer working multiple internships in two different cities (while living in a third). It felt like an endless interview, never sure of what would happen come September… the hard work definitely paid off in the form of a full-time offer. The role matches perfectly with what I had listed as my ideal position (a list which included: a strong mentoring relationship with my boss, opportunities for creativity and continued learning, positive workplace environment, internet based health communication emphasis). I am so grateful to have found a position and to be off of the job market. The best part? I actually have a window!

So, now that my work life is in place, it’s time to get the rest of me in order as well. Grad school was a wonderful experience in so many ways, but it really pulled me off track in terms of my self-care. I had finally developed a really solid workout routine around the time I started school 2 years ago, and by the second half of the first year it had started to crumble… but now that I have evening freedom again my goal is to get back at it. This is the last year of my 20’s and I’m looking to start my 30’s off in tip-top shape.

Another area needing attention: My finances. What am I doing about it? I started a free Quicken Mint.com account and am going to try to actually follow a serious budget. That’s the only way I can get back on track, out of debt and into a better car (I’m currently commuting to downtown Detroit in an ancient sedan).

And with that, it’s goal setting time. Rather then set a resolution in January, I’m setting them now.

By September 1st, 2012, the day after my 30th birthday I would like to:

1) Have successfully submitted at least 1 article for publication to a public health journal (work goal)

2) Have lost 15-25 lbs, and maintained the loss healthfully. I’ve done it before, but I’ve got a lot more to go! (body goal)

3) Have paid off the credit card debt that I accumulated during school (financial goal)

4) Have started saving more aggressively towards a future down payment on a home (financial goal)

Here goes!