Goals

Every January people create New Year's resolutions. I seldom do.  I do sit down every  September & write out my goals in my planner for the year. This is a remnant of my academic years. With September being my birth month, start of a fresh season, as well as the beginning of a new academic year it just makes sense.... With back to school sales it also is the perfect time for me to fuel my paper, pen & planner obsession!  I get strangely giddy in the office supply stores but alas that is another post.

 I will admit that last year very few of my goals were accomplished. I typically set ten goals with the idea that I will complete one a month, admittedly I give myself a two month cushion...just in case a project takes longer than a month. If you know anything about Honeybee Cottage or living in a 100+ year old home there always seems to be some unexpected delay. Plus, I typically have a few goals that are ongoing all year. 

I once heard that it takes 21 days to create a new habit but after reading about the Habiteers I decided to re-evaluated that I idea

Here is how I proceed:
To make sure I cover all aspects of my life I write down the categories of my life that are important to me:

•  Family

• Career

• Volunteer

• Home

• Pleasure

• Health/Fitness

•  Financial

• Education

• Attitude

• Creative/Artistic 

Then I begin brainstorming. Writing everything down. Categorizing & re-writing .Until I have  one goal for each area. Here are my goals for this year:

1.  Create & celebrate with Sunday dinners.  (Family)
2.  Promote business & don't be shy about it. (Career) 
3.  Create fun, meaningful opportunities for fellow volunteers. (Volunteer)
4.  Organize every inch of the house from attic, garage & cellar. (Home)
5.  Take a family camping trip. (Pleasure)
6.  Run in an obstacle course race such as Warrior Dash, Color Run, Dirty Girl    (Health/Fitness)
7.  Continue to stick to budget & creating a debt free lifestyle. (Financial)
8.  Take a photography class. (Education)
9.  Focus on having fun & maintaining healthy relationships with hubby, kids &      home. (Attitude)
10.  Get to 100 days of consecutive writing in (Creative/Artistic)

 I make sure that my goals are written down in my planner on a separate piece of paper with a sheet protector so that I can transfer it from one month to the other. I then break my goals down into small bite size pieces. Writing those bite size pieces down on my daily to do list. I am all about lists! When I can check things off I feel more accomplished & can see what I truly did.

               Do you set goals for yourself? If so how do you write them down & create a deadline?

               Here's to a new start, new season, new year ....may all of our goals become realities!

                                          Missie