Tag: goals

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2024 goals: monthly check-in

Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

When someone is working on making a change in their behavior, it is important for the goals to be measurable. I have some of my goals listed on my monthly goals chart.

Monthly goals chart

I am tracking if I do a Spanish lesson on Duolingo (a free language learning app), 15 minutes or longer walks, healthy eating and 1/2 hour of chores. I am struggling with eating too many sweets, chips and popcorn. So, I only counted four days of eating healthy. I also recorded four days of spending a half hour or more on chores. I have been refusing to count grocery shopping and wondering how much time I should count for walking to the bank to get quarters for doing laundry. I did pretty good on Duo (at least 9 days) and the walking (at least 12 days).

The one that I am most happy about is that I managed to spend less than I earn. I moved into a nicer apartment in fall last year. So, the increase in rent is forcing me to tighten my spending at the grocery store and on my credit card. I doubt that I can do it in February because I am planning to buy a new mattress. My celebratory meal for meeting my budget was today.

Taco salad

I made myself a taco salad.

What are your new year’s resolutions?

How are you doing on them?

I hope to hear from you. I want to encourage you to get back up and dust yourself off and try again.

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Risk taking quotes

I have always struggled with an aversion to taking risks. I talked to my boss about a pay raise for the first time in my 50 year life this year. I mistakenly focused on my financial desires rather than how my work benefits my employer. But, I am proud that I even had the guts to broach the subject. So, these quotes are mostly for me. Yet, I know that what I struggle with is similar to the struggle of others.

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Muhammad Ali

Ali (1942-2016) is an American boxer who took a stand against the Vietnam War. I suspect I will regret not having tried to live my dreams when I die if I don’t take risks once and a while.

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out just how far one can go.” TS Eliot (1888-1965)

This quote reminds me of a conversation when I was in university. He pointed out that I could try out acting more confident without actually going to the point of yelling it from a roof top. For those of us who get scared anytime that we request something from an authority figure, it is unlikely for us to go too far.

“Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose instead of the expectations and opinions of others.” Roy Bennett

Roy T Bennett is an American author and speaker. All of us can fall into the trap of trying to please others such as our parents, spouses or role models. Then, we can lose what we want to do with our lives and time. I think a balance between a person’s dreams and his/her responsibilities is hard to find.

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Michelangelo

“My favorite animal is the turtle. The reason is that in order for the turtle to move, it has to stick its neck out. There are going to be times in your life when you’re going to have to stick your neck out. There will be challenges and instead of hiding in a shell, you have to go out and meet them.”     Ruth Westheimer

Sometimes the news makes me want to stay in bed all day. No reading about another mass shooting. No listening to politicians arguing or lying. Just peaceful solitude. But, I have to come out of my tiny apartment and go to work.

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky

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Vision boards

I love to do creative things. So, I have made two vision boards in my past.

The first one was made before 2008. My church had a visioning retreat for creating my Church’s mission statement. So, I created a mission statement and cut images from magazines to portray that statement.

I will seek a closer relationship with God through prayer, Bible Study and service to my fellowman.

My vision board portraying my desire to get closer to God.

There is a drawing of my church from one of our church flyers near the center top. Near the bottom is a drawing that a child drew me while I was volunteering at my local homeless shelter. I still have strong memories from that place even though I spent most of my time straightening the toy closet, donations in the basement or pots and pans in the kitchen cabinets.

I will seek to improve my relationships with others by listening to and spending time with my family, friends and others.

I am not going to share a picture of this part because I want to keep my family and friends private.

I will improve myself by continually seeking opportunities to learn from others and life situations.

My portrayal of my goal to continually learn new things.

The WCTC and my therapist on this part is how I know that this was before 2008. I graduated from WCTC in 2008.

I have kept the mission statement but selected more focused goals as the years went by. Here is another vision board focusing on yearly goals from before 2019.

My yearly goals from before 2019.

That year, I wanted to learn Spanish, eat healthy, be able to climb a tree, write for money, God and fun, study the Bible, go on more mission trips with my new church and take lots of walks.

In 2020, I wrote some work goals but Covid-19 destroyed them. I didn’t even write any work goals for 2021.

What is your mission statement? My church at the time did a formula. The beginning of the statement starts with who we are. I dropped this part when I created my mission statement. The next part was the goal followed by how we will achieve the goal.

Have you created a vision board? If so, please share a picture or any thoughts about the experience.

I will do a review of how I am doing on these goals and share a more current vision board.