As the calendar turned to May, it finally felt like spring might be here to stay. I’m looking forward to spending more time outdoors this month, but first I’ve got my April 2024 roundup. In addition to my monthly goals update, read on for some terrific blog posts on imposter syndrome, the prosperity paradox and the wonders of the night sky.

Happy reading!

Cool things I read in April

Since publishing my first monthly roundup at the end of 2020, it has been an honour to introduce you to some of my favourite bloggers. I started the roundup to say thank you to the blogging community and bring attention to talented writers who create inspiring and informative content.

Here are 3 pieces that caught my eye last month.

How to get freedom from imposter syndrome – Curiosities Castles and Coffee Shops

In a guest post for Curiosities Castles and Coffee Shops, Iona Barker explores imposter syndrome—something we’ve all experienced from time to time. She also shares an exercise to help you overcome it.

We often underestimate our abilities and believe that others are more talented, intelligent, or deserving of success. We may also attribute our achievements to luck, timing, or external factors, rather than acknowledging our own skills and hard work.

Iona Barker, How to get freedom from imposter syndrome

The prosperity paradox – Becoming Minimalist

I’m a big fan of Joshua Becker, but this piece about our relationship with money really spoke to me.

Rather than providing happiness and security as many people think it will, money seems to have an opposite effect. The more we have, the more we think we need.

Joshua Becker, The prosperity paradox

The night sky deserves your attention – Ritish Sharma, Aspiring Blog

When was the last time you went outside at night and looked up? Ritish’s inspiring post is a reminder of all the wonder that awaits us in the night sky.

We have but a short time on this planet. So why not spend some of those precious moments experiencing the wonder of the universe we’re part of?

Ritish Sharma, The night sky deserves your attention

What I wrote in April

In case you missed any of them, here are the new posts I published in April here on Boomer Eco Crusader.

• How climate change in the Arctic affects all of us
• The Sunday Spark – In praise of undervalued gifts
• Celebrate Earth Day 2024! Planet vs. Plastics
• The Sunday Spark – How long will it take me to read 1000 books?
• Happy Earth Day! How will you reconnect with nature?
• Third quarter update on my 60 before 60 list
• The Sunday Spark – We can all make a difference
• Some facts about Canada’s carbon tax

And here are the posts I wrote in April for Wise & Shine.

• Signs it’s time to unplug and recharge
• Mistakes! I’ve made a few!
• The healing benefits of reflexology
• 5 ways to reconnect with the Earth
• Are you feeding the right wolf?

Plus, as I revisit my 52-Weeks of Decluttering Challenge, I refreshed and republished these posts.

• Week 14 – Easter decorations
• Week 15 – Media
• Week 16 – Books & magazines
• Week 17 – Under the bathroom sink

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Let’s keep in touch! Join my mailing list and I’ll email you when I add a new post.

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April goals – How did I do?

After a great start to the year in January and February, progress on my goals stalled a little in March. I had big plans to pick things up in April. Let’s look at how I did.

Fitness

April was a mixed month for fitness. My goals were 180 minutes of exercise a week, including 2 strength training sessions. I also continued my goal of adding a short balance or flexibility routine 5 times a week.

I fell short the first week thanks to my weekend retreat, and then I was fighting off a bad cold and cough at the end of the month. Even so, the month wasn’t a total bust.

• I averaged 148 minutes of exercise a week. Short of my goal of 180 but still a decent month.
• With an average of 3.75 balance exercise sessions a week, I reached 75% of my goal.
• On a positive note, I did fit in 2 strength training sessions every week.

Reading

I exceeded my goal of reading 2 books in April—finishing a third book on the last day of the month. I read:

• The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware.
• Chicken Soup for the Soul – Miracles and the Unexplained
• H is for Hope – A to Z of Climate Change by Elizabeth Kolbert

Reinvention/Second Life

I’m excited to announce that I finished the remaining practice coaching hours to complete the Certified Professional Retirement Coach (CPRC) designation. I have submitted my certification application and hope to receive confirmation shortly.

Decluttering

My April goal was to declutter 50 items. I did complete my weekly decluttering tasks but managed to get rid of only 41 items. I’m taking my slow progress as a sign that I have done a good job of containing the clutter since my first round of decluttering.

My May goals

So things slipped a bit in April. I made decent progress, but I fell short in several areas. As I work to get back on track, my May goals are mostly a repeat of April with one small change.

• Fitness goals: Once again, I’m working toward 180 minutes of exercise a week, including 2 strength training sessions. I’m also going to continue with a goal of adding a short balance or flexibility routine 5 times a week.
• Reading: Read 2 books.
• Reinvention/Second Life: Complete another course in the Plain Language Certificate program that I put on hold while I focused on completing the Retirement Coaching certification.  
• Decluttering: Declutter 50 items.

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Thanks for dropping by to check out my April 2024 roundup. How are you doing on your goals for 2024? Drop me a comment below to let me know.