So, I know that this post is a wee bit late. After all, I turned 26 on June 16th but it’s been kind of a rough month. I considered skipping this post altogether but I think that goal setting is one of the most valuable things a person can do. I just couldn’t bring myself to not do so, especially when I’m now seeing the fruit of so many goals I’ve set.
My twenty-fifth year of life was a remarkable year. I was just coming off a year that nearly broke me and was learning what kind of strength I really had. I knew that I wanted a better life but didn’t yet know how to create it.
My theme for the year was “actualize.” I said that I wanted to make things happen rather than just thinking about them and wishing. I wanted to change my circumstances. My exact words were “I want to look back at this year and think, ‘Good god, everything changed that year and it was amazing.’”
Specifically, I said that I wanted to finish losing weight, go back to school, sing in front of more people, have a real relationship (like, FACEBOOK official), and form a real community of friends. So, let’s look at how I did:
Losing Weight – Not a single pound…
Go Back To School – I auditioned for school but did not make it in.
Sing for more people – Why, yes. I did do this. I’m gaining confidence in my abilities and will even be auditioning for the Seattle Symphony Chorale either next month or September.
Have a real relationship – I couldn’t have asked for a better one. This more than anything else this year produced profound changes in me that I could not have possibly expected.
Form a real community of friends – This is still a work in progress but I made huge strides in this area of my life.
Those are very short reflections (especially for me!) but the real changes that happened were mostly internal shifts due to accomplishing some of these things. In addition, though, I not only was promoted at work (once officially but multiple times in an unofficial capacity), but I found the courage to leave that company and look for a job where I would be happy.
All in all, this year I feel like I finally became an adult. I started to take my career, relationships, and self seriously.
Oh, and I became a redhead.
So, yeah, everything did change.
So, what about this upcoming year? What do I want now?
My theme for this year is “flourish.”
As in thrive…
As in embellish…
As in success with celebration and style.
This year I’m going to work on my networking skills, seek out training experiences to support my career growth and long term goals, find performance opportunities, pay off as much debt as possible, get more physically fit, and find a lasting relationship.
I was so happy for most of last year. While there were difficult times, I had finally built my life in a way that made dealing with those times so much easier. This year, I want to continue down that road of happiness and of building a life that makes space for that happiness.
Usually I look back on a year of my life with dozens of regrets, this year I only had one. I let the stress and burden of work steal away my joy at times that should have been wonderful. It is my goal to not let that happen again this year. It is my goal to work hard, live joyfully, and love fully.
I’m going to go back to a model of weekly and monthly goals since that’s what helped me be successful in the past. Twenty-five was great; let’s see what twenty-six has to offer.
