day23: set some goals...

One way I've found to cultivate more order in my life is through the practice of goal setting.  I usually do this around my birthday, which is in September.  I know that many people use the end of one year and the start of a new one to set goals.  However, I like to reflect on my year and look forward towards accomplishing new things and my birthday seems to be a good time for me to do that. 

Years ago, many, many years ago before I was married or a mom, I did some reading on goal setting.  I was unhappy with my job and career and wanted to see how to change all of that.  Well, I didn't really change my career so much as fell into another opportunity that better suited me.  But I do remember reading that 3 is the perfect number of short term goals to be focusing on at one time. 

This is a practice I have continued, on and off, for the past 20 years.  I like to set short term goals that have a time limit of one month and then long term goals that take longer but can be accomplished in one year.  My husband and I even have some longer term goals to accomplish for our family.

Tomorrow, I'm going to go over how to achieve the goals you have set but for today we are going to brainstorm. 

What goals do you have?

Do you have goals?

Have you lost sight of the things that you wanted to accomplish due to the stage of life you are in?

I'd like to suggest that setting personal goals can help bring more order and balance into your life because you are actively perusing and doing things.  I encourage you to sit down and intentionally think about some things you'd like to accomplish.  Dream big, there are no right or wrong answers here.  Maybe you'd like to:

Run a marathon or half marathon
Clean out your sitting room
Read 12 quality books this year
Repaint your bathroom
Learn to knit
Learn to bake bread
Join a bookclub
Take better pictures of your family
Take a pottery or creative writing class
Make all your Christmas gifts this year

Grab a piece of paper and a cup of tea, or coffee or wine (if the kids are in bed) and start thinking of some goals that you would like to accomplish.  Don't limit yourself, just write down what comes to mind.  This exercise can and should be fun.  You may be tapping into something you haven't thought of for years.

What goals do you have?  Write them down...