Where Have I Been and Where Am I Going?
I gave up on New Year resolutions years ago. I review my goals and establish my resolutions every month, or at least attempt to.
Last year I added a new element to my New Year traditions. I wrote down my highlights from the year that was ending and my planned highlights for the year to come. This project started out as a Christmas letter, I would write, but never send. I have been finding that as the years go by – they start blending in together and I lose track of what I experienced. Then again maybe I am just having too many senior moments.
In December of 2012, I wrote about what I accomplished during the year. It gave me a chance to see the progress I achieved. I also wrote down the highlights I expected in 2013. So in December I compared what I thought would happen to what did happen. In 2013, my big concern was taking 5 days off during March, my busiest time of year. I was to attend my Grandmothers 100th birthday the first week of March. Physically I would be there. The big question was could I put work aside and actually enjoy 5 days in San Diego with family. Looking back now – I had a great time and work went very smoothly. Writing it down before it happened gave me time to plan my work schedule and prepare for the change. I am a creature of habit, thus change takes effort. While reviewing my 2013 highlights I also discovered that I achieved more than I planned. That was a nice surprise.
Now I am focusing on my 2015 highlights. The holidays make it a great time to let my mind wander and dream. I can’t wait to see what will come about in 2016! What do you want to achieve?
Mary Guldan-Lindstrom
