Late to my own linky party this week! I confess I forgot what day it was. That happens when you don't have a point of reference like going to work Monday to Friday.
This week, I've been thinking about what I want to achieve this year. I don't do New Year resolutions. Bitter experience has taught me that if I resolve to eat better, or lose weight or be a better person or whatever - it just doesn't happen. But making some goals for a little direction and to make sure I'm getting the most of out life seems to work much better for me.
The truth is - I bumbled my way through most of 2011 with little or no direction. In fact for the last half of the year I was hanging on by the skin of my teeth and just taking things one day at a time. Most unlike me , I didn't have a grand plan or goals beyond surviving week to week.
But this year I'm feeling ready to conquer the world and so some goals are in order. And then Thea came up with the brilliant plan to list her goals for this year and get people to join in and report back so my favourite thing this week has been making a list of things I want to do. Here it is :
1) Eat out once a month and keep the budget for the year under 300 bucks
2) Do something social at least once a fortnight -if I don't make this goal I'll never leave home
3)Go to the movies at least 6 times this year
4)Watch an entire series of something on DVD
5)Go see a live show/theatre at least 3 times in 2012.
6)Make a quilt using greys
7) At least half the birthday gifts I give have to be handmade or thrifted
8) Make February a frugal month
9) Have two weekends away this year
10) Crack FM quilting
11) Finish 10 quilts this year including 2 quilts using scraps
12)Start knitting a blanket
13)Cook a new main meal recipe once a fortnight
14) Work my way through at least half of one of the baking cookbooks SOP gave me for Christmas
15) Practice taking better photographs
16) Start planning a big holiday
17) Buy 52 individual items worth a buck each -stolen from Thea - I love this idea
18) Buy fruit and vegies from the Farmers Market at least 6 times
19)Teach my Mother in law how to hand piece hexagons
20) Secret goal - to do with quilting but it involves putting myself out there a little more than I have in the past
21) Participate in at least one swap and one quiltalong online
22) Finish my Farmers Wife Quilt by the end of the Year
23) Go to a Basketball Game
24) Attend at least two festivals
25) Let the little things go
26) Practice random acts of kindness
27) Get a professional manicure
28) Have a pamper day with a friend
29) Spend time quilting with my Mum
30) Make fresh bread and foccacia at least a dozen times this year
31) Update the front veranda
32) Reupholster something to give it a new lease of life
I'm sure I'll think of more as the year goes along but I think that's a good start. I just want to be present in my own life a little bit more rather than going with the flow.
Does anyone else have any goals for this year they want to share?
29 comments:
You have achieved the random act of kindness already Shay, with me!! I have also decided thats what I would like to do this year- RAK's, I would also like to learn to relax and I want to spend more quality time with DH. Definitely do lots of no 29 on your list, when you can't do it you miss them terribly.
Thankyou for being you Shay, love ya.
That list looks pretty achievable.
Number 1 - does that include Maccas?
Number 6 - oh goody I can send you some greys
Number 18 - yeah riiiiight!!!!!!!!! Why?
Some of my goals for the year -
find my mojo a bit more often
move out of my sewing comfort zone more often
de-clutter
exercise - that may kill me, you know my track record!
My resloutions/goals:
1. More variety in my diet.
2. End the year with less WIPs/UFOs than I started with - If this means officially giving up on some projects then so be it, and leads into:
3. Be less sentimental about inanimate objects - That half-done quilt does not feel resentful towards me for doing a shoddy job of the quilting, so I should just do it, instead of saying I will send it off to get done "one day". That fabric I decided I didn't like after all won't mind going to a new home, so I should sell it on ebay. My old laptop will NOT feel betrayed that I have replaced it, and I should stop feeling guilty about doing so.
I am so excited! Your list and it is such a great one! I love the eating out once a month and going to the movies. How great! Why didn't I think of those? I love that I can just put them on next year's list.
(and I think this is the first time that I have ever been the first to comment on one of your posts!!).
oh crap .. I guess everyone else was just waiting for your post too! I wasn't first. :(
My god that's a list I'm weary just reading it, I'm sure you will achieve lots if not all on your list. I still am not planning anything i'm still in holiday mode even though I am back at work this week. Really hard to get motivated when I know everyone else is at home.
Great list Shay. My goals are continuing to enjoy my design work and be a bit more confident in my own abilites.The big one for me is to enjoy every second of our trip away this year in our camper. Not be a big old scaredy cat and embrace it all. You'll all have to hear about it anyway....'cos I'm gonna be a-blogging while away. Couldn't go 2 months and not blog. See what you bloggers have created.
To be really honest I am feeling quite overwhelmed by reading everyone's new years lists. Your list sounds good and I believe that you can everything done! . I think I'll just plod along and see what happens, slow and steady and she'll be right mate- that's what aiming for this year.
Um, no where on that list does it say sew something with a zip in it!!
Fun stuff on your list, which is probably the smartest way to put togeher goals. I think that's the problem with resolutions, they are usually things we feel we should do, but don't necessarily want to do. Goals are usaully things we want to do.
My big goal this year is to clean up the attic and turn it into my sewing space.
Susan took my line. I'll let you pour out your zipper wrath on her for a change then ;)
Great list! I think I could pretty much just use most of that for my list. Although my first one should probably be eat out "NO MORE" than once per month LOL... I'm a shocker for getting easy food. It's a terrible example for my kids!
Erh, excuse me Shay. You gotta be kidding, right?? 32 things on that list, to do, this year?? I'd be lucky if I do one of those things on your list!!! However, the most appealing one would be planning a holiday.... straight outta Idaho!! I've had enough potatoes to last me a life time!!:)
I have two main ones. To shop from my stash, and use all my scraps. Start somethings new as well. Live life to the fullest, no on e is guaranteed tomorrow.
I'm liking your list there sister! I think this is an awesome idea and may try that myself. It will be a great review at the end of the year to see what's been crossed off.
Good favorite things. I am certain you will accomplish many with ease and a few will be quite difficult (like that cook book thing... was SOP trying to kill you, or what?)
If I were there, I'd drag you to a basketball game immediately. I love basketball. As a matter of fact, that should be my favorite one of these weeks since football was one a while ago.
Farmers Market? Sweet. I have a goal to GROW my own and start CANNING this year. We'll see. I'm afraid of the canner at the moment.
Make one new meal? Good for you. Def. post it if it's a success. We all look for new ideas. Right now I'm flirting with whether to make a turkey meatloaf or do a turkey/cranberry stuffing for roasted spaghetti squash. I have to use up some ground turkey I bought in the fridge. I'm thinking the meatloaf may be more flavorful and filling.
Start planning a big holiday? Isn't it more like, try to narrow down the place to go for my holiday b/c I want to see so much and meet so many people? :D Maybe all us bloggers should coordinate for a London quilt cruise or something. lol
Anyway, best of luck for you, I'm certain you will meet those goals. you have that way about you.
Wow! When you make goals, you really make goals! Awesome! I'll have to get back to you on mine. :-)
Lots of fun goals as well as personal growth goals. That's a good mix. I'd like to get out more too--had to laugh at your see a movie 6 times goal--DH and I frequently get movie ticket gift cards for Christmas gifts and have yet to ever finish them off in a year! Pathetic. That's what happens when a sports fan marries a sewing nut--we both prefer staying home!
"I just want to be present in my own life a little bit more rather than going with the flow."
I LOVE that. Me too.
Awesome goals. Where's the one that reads "Make Alisa her quilt. Finally."? Or is that one of those hidden goals so that your other fans don't get jealous?
Also, my security word is hallytot.
For some reason it's killing me.
That's a mighty fine list of goals and I'm sure you'll have great fun ticking them off!
If that list is "a start", I'm in trouble! At least I live on the other side of the world and you're not in my neighborhood or quilt guild - I would be looking pretty shabby next to you! Hahaha. A good DVD series is "The Closer" - at least in my humble opinion...
Great list Shay! I am tired just looking at it, but I think my energy levels are at my years all time low. I'm not thinking about what this year brings until after the kids go back to school. I will have to plan my time more though as Nan has just handed in her license and joined in with Jen's Taxi service :-)
That is some list and lots of nice things to get done. My list is just two: Live each day in Christ and be open to new things. Amen.
Some fun things on that list.
Just one thing on my list - get a real job!!
Looks like you will be having an enjoyable and productive year.
Enjoy
Holy Frijoles! What a list! ☺ Can't wait to read all about your crossing-off moments this year. Happy Sunday! ☺
I like your idea of having goals instead of resolutions. But your list is incredible. Here I was so pleased with myself for finishing 3 quilts last year (well, one was king-sized), but 10! Wow!
Great goals for the FTF Shay. Boy, if I kept up with half of those I'd be happy!
:-}pokey
My goal is to make it to your #28.
xo -E
What a wonderful list.
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