But, as a concession to the rest of popular culture I have decided to try to set some goals for the coming year. No, I will not call them resolutions. Resolutions, generally, at least in my experience do not usually happen. I see it every year at the Community Center. It is actually a bit of a joke for us. (Sorry patrons.) The new staff are overwhelmed and horrified by the influx of new memberships and demands at the beginning of the year. We tell them to stay calm and ride it out. In 6 weeks two-thirds of them will be gone and we'll be back to our regulars. In the 7 years I've been working in Community Centers, this is always the patterns. Always.
So, instead I have decided to set a list of goals. I love to look at goals and determine them according to the methodology I learned in college: SMART. S-Specific, M-Measurable, A-Attainable, R-Realistic, T-Timely. This is how I determined my list for this year. I realized 5 would be enough. That is realistic. Ten is way too many. I want to keep this real and feasible. Let's do this thing!
- I have not taken a real 'vacation' on my own ever. I also don't take vacations in the late Spring or Summer. But, with things the way they are right now, I think I'm going to plan to walk away and let things go for a week or so this summer and let the cards fall where they will. I can not control everything and I am tired of trying so hard. I deserve some good time off!
- Most months I post around 15 blogs. I can do better and plan to do so. However, the months I do post more they are mainly just writing. This is a photo blog. Thus, more photos. Also, the more I hike, the more photos I have (see below.)
- Yes, I have health issues. And in the past year, especially the past few months, I have let them stop my life. This ends now. I feel better today after a long hike than I have felt in a long time. Yes, I have pain; but it was worth it. I will be healthier in body, mind and spirit if I strive to be more positive and try to fight against the onslaught of pain instead of allowing myself to give in to my problems. God is with me. I am going through this for a reason and should deal with it accordingly. Learn from this time instead of be weakened by it.
- I need to be outside more. To go along with my previous goal, this will help me to be healthy, maintain a positive mental perspective and I find my best spiritual connection when I am in nature. I am never closer to God then when I am in his Sanctuary. I love my church home at Christ Lutheran, but I have always been, by nature, a solitary person and the communion I felt with God today while hiking was so much more real and honest for me than what I have felt for a really long time. Being in nature is where I belong.
- I have signed up on Goodreads to read 50 books this year. That really isn't a big deal for me. But, I don't feel like I did that last year and I want to spend less time on Netflix and more time on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble getting books to read and then READING THEM. If you have any good recommendations, let me know. I like Christian books, a little romance (nothing too overtly sexual), mysteries, science fiction (love Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett) and the classics (Jane Austin, Alexandre Dumas, Louisa May Alcott, Lord Tennyson.)
I think those sound like great and realistic goals!! good luck :)
ReplyDeleteMay 12th. so far, monumental fail. I need to work harder.
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