Goals – what would we do if we didn’t have any, at all?
Become lost in a nebulous cloud of spontaneity?
Dreams can keep us going when things are tough, but have to be reined in from being too lofty to be practical. No one said a goal has to be set in stone, did they?

How did I do last year? Did I achieve anything from last year’s list?
- A bad habit that I am going to break – reduce or stop overreacting to personal bad news with knee-jerk judgements.
Evaluation: Better at this. Ageing has that benefit. Handing the matter over to the Universe to sort out when it is too hard has also been benefical.
- A new skill I would like to learn – I love languages and learning to speak a little Polish and Old German will help me in reading historical records, as well as be welcome stimulation of the linguistic neurons in my grey matter!
Evaluation: I discovered Polish is a very difficult language to learn, so I concentrated on bettering my Norwegian.
Partly Achieved! I think. Tusen takk

- A good deed that I am going to do – assisting the Smith family and helping to re-distribute food via Qantas volunteer program. I like to support community projects and endeavours.
Evaluation: Part A done, Part B – in progress but with another community group more relevant to my new local area.
Partly Achieved. Still more work to do.

- A book that I would like to read – I would love to reduce some of the books currently on my TBR shelf – one that comes to mind is Anna Funder’s, ‘All that I Am.’
Evaluation: I think I read close to 20 books last year, and reduced my TBR shelf quite a bit. However, I did purchase a few more and only a few chapters of Anna Funder’s book was read. I read all the second hand books first. There are still a few there.
Achieved!
- new food that I want to try – I’d be willing to try anything fermented or pickled – the probiotics contained within are so good for you.
Evaluation: – Home made kefir has become a staple in my fridge.

Achieved!
- A place that I would like to visit – I would like to say something remote like the Faroe Islands, but as I am busy at home this year, there will be no long holidays, unless I count a potential, but not scheduled visit, to the Mornington peninsula, in Victoria or getting involved in research at the Genealogical Society headquarters.
Evaluation: – several short stints away despite the intense building project a the Home by the Sea and private research on the family history front.
Achieved albeit in a different way.
- I am going to be better at being – non-judgmental and maintaining calm ….. ohm……
Evaluation: –
Achieved, but I still have work to do. What can I say – it is a work in progress.

******
2020 Goals
They haven’t all come from dreams and are not in any particular order. Most are quite practical – a sign of ageing, perhaps?
- Establish myself in the new location, spreading kindness and community
- Become involved in supporting local Koala organizations
- Grow more vegetables
- Progress on a book or even complete a book on conversations with Mabel Kwong
- Create A traditional colouring Book
- Creating a Recipe book with my family recipes for my children
- Expand my online fabric shop
- Read more books from my TBR
- Create items by diminishing my fabric stash
- Look after my physical and spiritual self
- Improve my second language skills
- Be calm and satisfied – unfettered by the old nonsense

A Quiet Lifestyle
Years ago, I felt that a quiet lifestyle was a little intimidating – I like to be close to things to do and facilities. Even though I love the environment, put me on a rural property with no neighbours for miles and I would quickly go nuts!
Even though I am a quieter person, I do like the presence and interaction of others around me. My own company and no one else’s, for too long, is not healthy for me!
The Right Career

Vero was discussing her goals and dreams in What you could do if you could do anything, and that has been the inspiration for this post.
I found it interesting that Vero discussed a life of simplicity, especially, in terms of employment for the simplest of jobs can bring the greatest joy.
A repetitive job can be challenging and also bring immense satisfaction, depending on one’s attitude. What you can contribute; what you can give back? Is this job serving and supporting you? When you walk out the door, can you be satisfied everything was done well, complete and ticked off.
Not every job can offer this.
A job that requires mental gymnastics and high levels of energy may be just what ambitious folk crave, striving their whole lives to reach, yet it might be this supposed pinnacle of success that triggers them to crash and burn under pressure.
Did this job satsify their hope and dreams, their ego, or social credibility?
Did they enjoy the process of each day?
Or spend hours lying awake at night?
Each of us has to find the right mix and the right match for themselves.
Finding that is what keeps us going each day.

I like the idea of a family recipe book, that would be fun for all concerned. I personally love old books and especially old recipe books. Even managed to buy a few a couple in small UK villages. Have yet to try the recipes out, more looking and not doing! Have fun with the rest of your goals.
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Thanks, Suzanne. I used to buy these old recipe books too. Some of the ingredients and quantities were difficult for me to source and interpret though. But it did give me inspiration to try something similar. They are a historic treasure and insight into the social life of the times. Are you from the UK?
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No, a born and bred kiwi who has done a fair bit of travelling 🙂
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I see that as just stopped by your blog and left a comment. Lovely to meet you.
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Lovely to meet you too 🙂
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I feel goals are an essential part of a complete and satisfying life. Without any kind of dreams and aspirations, our existence is vapid and purposeless. The moment we stop setting goals is akin to no longer learning: it’s the end of life. And who wants that to occur any time soon?
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You are right, even if we don’t physically write them down, we are all considering what we do next and where we go from here on in. I admire folks with organized spontaneity. I need some lists here and there to keep on track, otherwise, I feel like I left many things undone, and I dislike that intensely. Are you the same in that regard?
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I like some things tightly organized – a skill that often won me points at work. I have my slew of books mostly alphabetized, for example, even if I don’t have the necessary shelf space for all of them.
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Alphabetized library? Good on you. Marie Kondo eat your heart out!😊
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A like from a grumpy old recluse. [grin]
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You forgot to insert fun after grumpy.
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Heavens, there’s a lot happening in this post, Amanda. Nothing wrong with your goal setting mechanism! 🙂 🙂 I could do with being a lot more disciplined in my approach. Mabel’s name caught my eye. I wondered what she was up to these days and I know she likes a collaboration. Book about ‘conversations’ or ‘conversations with Mabel…’?
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Thanks, Jo. I may not achieve everything but wanted to write it all down, so as I think about it. Mabel isn’t blogging so often these days. She commented about how much time she was putting into her blog. Our book is something we have been discussing for a few years now. I hope it gets finished one day.
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You have the heart the right place, dear Amanda. 🙂
Even the most “simple jobs” have their function which do they aren’t really that simple – if we started be against others like we wish they were to us – so we were a great step forward. 🙂
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Oh Drake, you are sweet to say that! I totally agree that the complexity of the job is irrelevant it is more about attitude and how we treat others. How are things with you? Still travelling about Europe and back to Samsø?
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Work give the pleasure seeing many places in Europe – visiting Samsø is only pleasure not work. 🙂
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Of course! You are lucky in your work. Is photography your work? Or do you travel for business as well? In all these years of blogging friendship, I have not been certain what you do!
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No actually photography is a hobby interest, easy to take with you on a travel – I am independent in the primary staff and management areas, which means some travel activity and allows time for curiosity as well. 😀
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Photography is a perfect hobby for your work based travel! I suspect that is why you were the Monday Mystery Champion!!
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Wonderful challenge you made – with lots of reminders and new places as well. 🙂
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Thank you Drake. It also facilitated lots of great blogging friendships and a few irl too!
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We share some goals! I’m trying to learn Spanish since my daughter lives in Spain. My difficulty is finding a native speaker to chat with – book and on-line learning only takes you so far. Fermented foods? Yes, I’ve been making kimchi. Food poverty? Well, my post today talks about that – volunteer efforts to keep food out of landfill. You efforts towards meditation and living-in-the-moment seem far mor successful than mine. But I’m working on it. And towards that end, I’m aiming to work less in the community, not more. There are only so many hours in the week, and few of them were mine! You seem to be doing extremely well.
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No, I don’t feel like I do extremely well, Margaret, but I do try. Not always successfully. I could fill my week with much more constructive pursuits but the heat takes much of my energy. And I think I should aim anyways, even if I fail. I guess quality might be better for you than quantity in terms of community work.
On sharing goals, keep going with your spanish. Can you place an ad in the local paper for a native speaker? Or contact the nearest Spanish club in your region? If they do not live within meeting distance, there is always Skype. A friend learns German that way, after his German teacher moves cities. And we do share many interests. I can’t wait to read your initiatives with landfill. I will hop on over to read it now.
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Some good hints here!
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Thanks for the vote of confidence, Margaret.
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You’ve done well on your goals. Bring on 2020.
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I hope it is going to work out well.
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I admire anyone who can sit down and write a list of specific goals. I find that insurmountable. As clear as I am about how I want my house and garden to look, when it comes to deciding what I want to do in the future, I lose focus. And confidence. Still I see that there’s value in making a list of goals, I just shy away from doing it.
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It took me five decades to begin doing it, Ally!! Give yourself some more time. It will come perhaps?
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We’ll see, won’t we? 🤔
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It’s honorable that you have such a full list; life is after all limitless in possibilities. I’m a more go with the flow kind of person. But there are always desires and wishes for inner growth.
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I used to be more spontaneous, Sally and for a few years did not have any structured goals. Life got very busy and to conquer overwhelming feelings , goals helped me keep on track and feel more organised. I admire that you maintain your spontaneity and still stay on track. I guess that is the creative side of you. And it begs the question: does being organised stifle creativity?
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Do you currently have such flowers?
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Yes – it is summer here but this photo was taken a year or so ago.
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Oh, that’s a year ago. OK
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Yep. You are in winter still?
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Of course
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Does it warm up at Eastertime, 365? Here Easter is generally the turning point when the weather starts to cool off! I look forward to that, as I so enjoy the cooler weather.
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It will get warmer every day
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That is nice to think it is a gradual change.
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Of course
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I am going to spend a few weeks in Poland this summer.. Not sure I want to learn the language tho.. 😉
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I can understand your reluctance to learn Polish but a few words of greeting will help. You have to try their donuts and cakes. They are divine! What areas are you going to?
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Warsaw for 2 weeks and Krakow for 1 week.. 😉
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I’m going on a tangent here… Years ago my wife and I drove my Mom down to Cape May, NJ– an area of beaches, restaurants, hotels and shops. While strolling along we were approached by a guy offering a tray of samples from a local eatery. My Mom whispered something to him, and he blushed. I asked her what she said to him. She said “Can I give you a kiss?” — in Polish. She recognized the guys accent. Then she informed me how she always said her prayers in Polish, something I never knew, besides not knowing she spoke any Polish, which was part of her ethnicity. Anyway, as for my own goals, last year’s enjoyment will probably keep me on track to further enjoy my favorite activities.
Peace.
Art
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Hey Art, I love your tangent! What a great discovery to find your Mum knows all that Polish! A wonderful skill and I am impressed. Saying prayers is a good way to practice too. I like that your Mum has a cheeky side too, with her kiss comment to the bakery employee! What fun!
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An interesting read and it reminded me about something I would like to fix in my own behavior: I make snap judgements, harsh ones too. I’m a critical person, critical of myself as much as of anyone else. I wish I wasn’t! 😊
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It is never to late to modify any behaviour that you do not like in yourself, Snow. It is not easy, but it is possible. I have been planning to be less judgmental this year – and particularly this week, I have challenged myself to stop all judgements on others, which my post over the weekend related to. So far, I have had to remind myself about 6 -10 times a day about a thought/comment that could be considered as being judgemental. It is mind blowing that I think this so often. I am striving to do better because I think it is not healthy to allow myself to be so irritated or disturbed that things are not as they ‘should be.’ My way is not necessary the only way. More importantly, what is the motivation behind being harsh on yourself?
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Being harsh on myself allows me to be harsh on others! 🤪
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No. I don’t believe it!
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But I recognize everything you’re saying
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Go easy on yourself, my friend.
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I am 15 and I want to start a fashion blog. What should I call it? Also, please tell me any tips you have for getting started and what I could do on it or how to do it..
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Call it whatever you want! there is no limits!
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Awesome!
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I wrote a blog post on Goals. You’re a heavy inspiration for that blog post! check it out: https://studywys.wordpress.com/2020/03/27/goals/
Love and light!<3
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