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.
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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.
