From Grandma to Goal-Getter: My goal setting journey, part 2

Katie Koglman • June 2, 2025

From Grandma to Goal-Getter: My goal setting journey, Part 2

As promised, here I am six months later to report back about my goal setting for 2025. In part 1, I told you how I use the 12-week year as a framework for setting goals.

In September of 2024 my first grandchild was born, and one of my long-term goals is to retire in 10 years (well 9 now!) so that I can have lots of time with the grand babies. To do that I need to generate some income beyond my main job.

I started painting watercolor cards for my granddaughter, and people began saying, “You should sell these!” That lit a spark — maybe this could become my retirement side hustle.

While the main goal is early retirement, the sub-goals are to save and earn money through my art. Here’s how my SMART goals for this side hustle are going:

1. Work on your art everyday (Specific and Time-Bound)

Whether it’s five minutes in the morning or thirty minutes in the evening, I’ve done something art-related every single day – even on vacation with sketchpad in hand.

2. Sell at least one item each quarter (Measurable and Time-Bound)

I set up an Etsy shop with little expectations and zero traffic at first. Of course, in the beginning, I had virtually 0 visits and 0 sales. As of today: 265 visits and 10 sales! Far more than my goal of 1 per quarter.

3. Gain experience (Achievable)

Practicing daily is paying off – I can already see noticeable improvement in my work.

4. Create some social buzz (Relevant)

I started a couple of social media pages to share my artwork. I even had to guilt my sons into liking my posts (ha!). So far: 4,527 views – not bad for daily baby steps.

While these are personal goals, this framework also works in my professional life. For example, I mentioned in part 1 that I’m aiming to raise $12,000 for the 2025 Wacky Quacky Duck Derby. As of today, we’ve raised $5,629 — with 3.5 weeks left!

We’ve been using weekly tactics like phone calls, ads, and social media — and we’re on track to hit our $12k target. If you'd like to help us get there, adopt your duck today!

What about you? How are your goals shaping up this year? Are you on track, or do you need a fresh start? Drop a comment below — let’s encourage each other!

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Books and Balance: Cultivating Mental Well-being Through Reading

By Kayley Cox • May 12, 2025

Growing up, I had a complicated relationship with reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading various chapter books or series, ranging from the Arthur to The Baby Sitter’s Club to A Child Called “It” series. But once I reached middle school, many of the English classes I attended had required reading for the course, and the requirement meant reading was no longer an option, but rather it was mandatory, and to take notes, and to be tested on the material! The required reading lists often burned me out, leaving me disinterested in picking up a book for pleasure. I would go through phases of wanting to read more, but the enthusiasm was often short-lived. As an adult I have really tried to be intentional with reading. As someone who has made a New Year’s Resolution to “read more” the last 6 years, I have really tried to focus on finding what genres interest me because when I do, I do in fact “read more,” and I like it! It also makes me happy. I feel like I have more to talk about in conversations and enjoy the dialogue reading a book brings, along with the mental break it provides me from daily life. As a parent of two young children, I have really tried to make it a priority to foster a love of reading in my kids. I encourage them to choose the books we read, and to take it a step further, I have also been intentional that my children also SEE me reading. Reading books for my own enjoyment. I want them to remember that reading isn't just something we do together, but also something we can do for ourselves. It’s a form of self-care and can really help our health-our MENTAL health. Literacy plays a critical role in children's mental well-being. Research from Scholastic and the Yale Child Study Center-Scholastic Collaborative for Child & Family Resilience highlights the powerful influence of books and literacy on mental health. It shows that a love of reading can boost self-esteem, increase empathy, and mitigate anxiety and depression. Reading can introduce children to different types of people from all walks of life, and not only that, introducing children to different points of view, perspectives, ideas and ways of life. This exploration can foster creativity and imagination and innovation – traits that are needed for our community to evolve and grow. And this exploration can provide an opportunity to show that no matter your thoughts, you are not alone in them. By modeling reading, I hope to instill in my children the understanding that books, while educational tools, are also powerful allies in maintaining mental health. Our brain, just like anything else in the body, needs exercise. And we have the power to put the book down or keep turning the page. Whether it’s going to library to pick out our selections, or borrowing books through the Libby app, I challenge you to give yourself a moment of escape with a side of perspective that a good book can bring. Then, track your progress through Wayne County Public Library’s Beanstack app to follow your book journey. This action has truly helped me prioritize reading for my mental well-being while also instilling the love of reading in my children so they too can create a balance for their own mental health.