Do you ever feel like your days are being nibbled away by chipmunks? My days seem to disappear in hundreds of tiny bites. In the end what do I have to show for it? House cleaned? Groceries bought? Gym visits, car maintenance, body maintenance? Check, check, check AND —- you’re dead.
My greatest fear is of waking up at the end of my life and suddenly seeing everything clearly, whatever it is. I fear that I will discover I have squandered my precious time. (If you are thinking the antidote is to slow down and be in the moment, let’s talk about that in another post. Soon, Grasshopper. Soon.)
So I decided that at the end of 2011, I’m going to have something to show for it besides a deeper crevasse between my brows. I made up a list of goals, originally called “Things I Need to Do in 2011”, but that was just another to-do list, only on a massive scale.
But one of the cool skills I’ve gained from getting to be this old is the ability to motivate myself, and what always gets me moving is to anticipate the satisfying outcome. Example: No, I don’t especially want to go to my critique group today, but I envision that in six weeks of attending, my manuscript will be done and polished, ready to send out. Next thing you know, I’m fired up and ready to go. So instead of a list of things I wanted to do, I called it my list of things I DREAM of doing in 2011.
Another thing that motivates me is buddies who are churning alongside me, trying to get there, too. When you and I and the rest of our growing community on this blog chatted about “30 Years of Journals” the other day, I felt you wanted to have a place where we could talk about our goals and check in with each other periodically, so I’m volunteering AST. I’ll tell you my goals, you tell me yours, and I’ll run a post at the end of each quarter so we can tell each other how we’re doing. That way, we might actually get closer to or even accomplish some of our dreams. Here goes:
“What I Dream of Accomplishing in 2011”
- Publish my book, Dakota Blues
- Outline and finish the first draft of my second book, Stockholm Summer
- Continue to build this blog so our community of voices grows, and we inspire each other and have fun.
- Enter writing contests so I can post a few wins by the end of the year.
- Maintain my Lifetime status with Weight Watchers (last year I reached my goal weight!)
Please add your list and comments, and I’ll compile them and share them with you. We can see how we’re all doing and encourage each other, and actually get to our dreams. When we’re very elderly women, we can nudge each other with our bony elbows, smile, and say, “We did it, sister!”And if you feel tired and uninspired, here’s an upbeat article about Boomers who take the “retire” out of “retirement.”
Lynne,
About those interim goals-Yes some of mine are pretty lofty and general( i.e. finish the first draft of my memoir- that could take years!) I’m open to your ideas for sure
Hi Lynne,
I have stumbled upon you twice now and think you would be a good person to feature on my site about embracing aging, instead of dreading it. Let me know if you would be interested. Sorry to contact you through the comment section but I couldn’t seem to find your email address.
Happy New Year,
Louise
My friend Danica Davidson swears she is going to sell lots of copies of her book in 2011. You can read her very first interview with Chuck Sambuchino here: http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/7+Things+Ive+Learned+So+Far+By+Danica+Davidson.aspx
My friend Tricia Manara said this:
*Loose that last 20 lbs
*Be more relaxed and enjoy the journey
*Say Hi to everyone I meet on the street (I walk a lot here in Pasadena) sometimes that is the only human contact people have and that is sad.
*Oh yes, make a little more money in this Real Estate business that I love.
*Keep in touch more often with my treasured friends, I am so remiss in this area.
Hey Lynne,
Gotta think on this because I swore I wasn’t going to do resolutions this year. But, goals is a better word, I’ll get back to you over the weekend…
Yeah, Vonnie, don’t do resolutions. Just list whatever you think would let you look back in Dec. 2011 and think, wow, I kicked butt!
Hilarious post, Lynne. Your certainly got my attention with “something to show for it besides a deeper crevasse between my brows.” Lord knows my crevasse is becoming a canyon, so I think I’ll set goals for the first time ever. Here goes:
1) Really be there for my sister during her breast cancer treatments.
2) Get my book published (this would have been #1 two days ago, before I learned of my sister’s diagnosis.
3) Not burst into tears when I take my son to the airport tomorrow for his return trip to graduate school in London.
4) Gain 5 pounds and not give a fig. (That one is to lighten the heavy load, but I’m 55 and tired of not enjoying the foods that I love.)
Thanks for the inspiration to set a few goals. It definitely feels different to write them down.
Hey, Darrelyn, tell your sis we’re all praying for her and sending her hugs. And your boy will be fine, but burst away. It’s good for the kids to see how much we love ’em. Best wishes!
Linda, Rae and Kathy, do you have to make interim goals on some of these things to feel you can achieve them? If you’ve got ideas about that, please let me know. Some will take care of themselves (Kathy, I have no doubt you’ll retire gracefully!)
And Rae, I once had a dream that if it’s true you can groove in a new habit by doing it for 21 (some say 28) days, I could give myself a new skill every month, and what a great year it would be.
Linda, you crack me up! I love the pic of your Dad’s homemade bread on your blog. And you know that tears carry away bad chemicals. Hang in there, Sis.
Lynne, This is brilliant and I am in! It is forcing me to change my nebulous dreams into specific goals for 2011:
1. Finish the first draft of my memoir
2. Come up with a title that rings true
3. Attend two national writing conferences
4. Increase traffic to my blog,Write On
5. Build social media skills via Twitter,Yahoo Lifewriters Forum, Facebook
6. Actively participate in a critique group
7. Submit to two writing contests
8. Figure out a way to do all this and still spend quality time with my husband, my children, my grandchildren and my extended family
9. Make time for my friends
10. Daily prayer and rosary
11.Maintain my Weight Watcher’s goal weight
12. Exercise at least 4 days /week
13. Gracefully retire from my nursing career
14. Plant flowers
15. Have fun doing it all!
Thanks for the nudge!
Count me in also~ I’m loving this blog!
Interacting with creative and inspiring women is top priority on my list of “people to know in 2011’
“What I Dream of Accomplishing in 2011”
1) Become more proactive and less reactive
2) Become a better listener
3) Improve accounting skills
4)Learn something new
5) Work on peak fitness
6) Find a new hairstyle for my 50th high school reunion this summer.
7) Plan special times for family
I’m in! Thanks, Lynne, for this great thought experiment, and congratulations on your successes thus far.
Aspirations =Accomplishments+Achievements in 2011
1) Finish Practical New Aging, even if I do have to give up the title.
2) Be more social, in person and in the online community, with people of like mind and similar age.
3) Eat more vegetables. Even if it’s more vegetables than cheezy poofs, that’s an accomplishment.
4) Use my telephone.
5) Begin to sell more artwork than I give away.
6) Floss more.