C.G.Koens's Blog, page 2

Focus on the Positive

A friend recently pointed out that she tends to listen to her inner critic and focus on all the things she didn't accomplish, all the ways she failed (even if it wasn't an actual failure). But when she sat down at the beginning of the year to review her goals from last year, she decided to focus on the positive instead, rather than honing in on the goals she didn't meet. And lo and behold...her list of "wow" moments from 2024 grew before her eyes. 

Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash

I though...

Big Picture (25 in 25) Simple Goals (a.k.a. #DoSomething)

I was recently chatting with a friend and we were discussing goals and goal setting, as well as just making time to look back and appreciate what we accomplished last year and how far we've come. As an INTJ, there is something so satisfying about making lists and setting goals. It's not about trying to prove something to the world, it's just setting the bar higher for myself, because, as I have been known to say for years now, "There is always room for improvement." Not only do I set the bar hig...

December's Bookshelf

It honestly feels like yesterday that I sat down at my desk and crafted my list of #simplegoals, which included reading 48 books over the course of the year. And yet, here we are. The year has passed us by, and I ended the year with 62 books read from my TBR shelf (both physical and Kindle). It just goes to show that sometimes you have to set a goal in order to make things happen. Even something as simple as making time to read more books.

Photo by Madara Parma on Unsplash
Since it was the month o...

Best Books of 2024 (and 2025 #bookgoals)

When I set out my Simple Goals for the year, I decided to set a goal of reading four books a month, for a total of 48 books for the year. I hit that goal in August and continued forward, which is one of the reasons I set my 2025 reading goal at five books a month (60 books for the year).

During the last twelve months, I've read some hits and some misses, and the only re-read I had on the list was a book I read to two of my kids, just for fun. If you follow me on Goodreads, have seen any of my pos...

#iamthankful for BOOKS! (November Book Reviews)

'Tis the season of thankfulness, and one of the things I am the most thankful for has been the role of books throughout my life. Raised in a household of readers, encouraged to read young, read big, and read often, the title of "Bookworm" was a badge I wore proudly. And yes, there have been seasons of drought in my reading life, but like most things, these ebb and flow, depending on the stage of life. 

When we first adopted our five kids, I was barely hanging on to my sanity, and there didn't see...

Thinking Ahead (Simple Goals for 2025)

I know it's not January, but it's never too soon to start thinking ahead. I've been seeing posts about how fall is a new starting point for a lot of people. I think the thing I'd add to that is that any point in the year can be a starting point. It could be a random Tuesday in May when you decide, "I've had it. I'm going to start walking every day." And then you do it. Starting points are any time you've had enough of the old habits and you want a change. I have nothing to back me up on this, bu...

Making Time to Read (October Books in Review)

If you read my last post, you know that our area (East TN, Western NC) was directly hit by the flooding from Hurricane Helene. Because of that, and so many other things that took place, I only made it through two books in September. It was the first time all year I've failed to read at least four books in a month. I also got thrown off my walking groove those last few days of the month and the first few of October, which is when I decided to set my goal for the tenth month of the year, and it wa...

Notes from My Bookshelf: September

NOTE: To be perfectly frank, I wrote most of this blog post at the beginning of September. But the last four days of the month have changed everything. The community where I live in upper East Tennessee was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Roads washed away (including portions of I-26 and I-40 between here and Asheville, NC), houses completely gone, electricity and water cut off - in some areas it will be weeks before it comes back, people have lost everything, and the final total of casualties h...

Simple Goal Check-In (September)

In January I wrote a post outlining the 24 #simplegoals I had selected to work towards in 2024, and I gave a longer update in June about how things were going at the half-way point. As we're entering the final quarter of the year (mind boggling!) I thought now would be a good time to check in on those and let you know where things stand. 
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

24 Simple Goals in 2024Buy no new books. Two, maybe three books. Calling this a success! Read 48 books from my own shelves. DONE!...

August Bookshelf Review (2024 Reading Goal COMPLETE!)

August. The month also known as "Autumn Eve" and in which we celebrate the return of the #PSL (that's Pumpkin Spice Latte for the uninitiated). Yes, it's technically summer, but fall decor has been in Hobby Lobby since July. Possibly June. Maybe even May. For me, fall is so close I can taste it, even though it won't officially arrive until September 22. This is immaterial. August is close enough for me to begin dreaming of cooler weather, watching fall reels on IG, and grabbing the first bags of...