Alright. As promised, here are my goals for the coming year. I am looking forward to tackling these goals and reaching them. I may do so, I may not. But, I am going to do my darndest to meet and exceed them. If I don't meet the goal, then it might not have been a goal for me. Sometimes failing at something teaches you that you drifted in the wrong direction for you. So, rather than getting upset over it, I will learn from it and move on. Just remind me of this when it happens!
Health/Diet
* Continue following the Weight Watchers program and really focus on what it teaches - yes, you can eat anything you want, but the better option is concentrating on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and water. This needs to become better ingrained into my everyday life and this is my goal.
* Lose the weight I gained over Christmas. Yes, I gained weight. More than I want to admit. BUT, I am not letting it derail me. I loved my holiday and I'm not regretting it. What I do now is get back to the habits that helped me lose 31 pounds in 2009 and move forward. That's the smart thing to do.
* Reach my goal weight this year. I am approximately 25 pounds way from it (including the Christmas gain). I did 31 pounds last year, I can do 25 pounds this year. I recognize I do better in the winter/spring months than the summer/fall months, which means this is prime weight loss time for me.
* Once I have reach my goal weight, I must learn to maintain. I have never been at goal weight and I've never really been able to maintain any weight loss for long. So, a huge goal is to learn to maintain. It won't be an easy process, but I can do it.
Exercise
* This is a huge goal. I will run 250 miles this year. It breaks down to about 21 miles a month. I can do it. I saw this challenge on dailymile.com, but with much higher goal distances (1,000 miles in a year? Uh, not there yet). This doesn't mean I can't participate, but at just at my ability level. Looking at something and saying I can't do it because I'm not there rather than tailoring to my ability won't serve me. And I think I am up to the challenge.
* Participate in five 5k races this year. I want to run in the three I did last year, so now it's a matter of finding two more. There was one I wanted to run last July, but we had a wedding, so I think that will be one I add to the mix - a 5k on the grounds of the Gettysburg Battle Field. Now it's a matter of finding one more.
* This next goal is a tad wishy-washy. I am thinking of running a 10k, just not sure if my body is up for it. So, this is something I am contemplating. I may easily be able to do this, but I'm not sure. It's a stretch goal for the year let's say.
* I will utilize the other exercise resources I have better - Wii Fit, Wii Active, free weights, my mini-bike. Wii Active has a great 30-day challenge that I need to take advantage of better. I think the additional use of these choices can help me more than I've allowed them to. I should be taking advantage of all the things I have to get me to my goal. So, between running and these activities, I have no excuse not to do something.
Education
* Not as clear cut as last year. Finishing a degree program makes it real easy to set an educational goal. But, I will not let completing my degree stop me from continuing educating myself. I have loads of interests and there are lots of ways I can better myself with them - Photoshop classes, photography courses, language lessons. There is so much out there. I need to become better at taking advantage of what's available to become a more rounded person.
I have already signed up for an on-line photography class for the beginning of the year.
I am signing up to take a course on beginning Photoshop class through the township.
I purchased a "Photoshop Elements 6 for Dummies" book that I will go through and learn how my photo editing program works.
What else is out there? I'm not sure, but I'm open to the possibilities!
Find a Job I Love
Well, this was the only goal in 2009 I didn't reach. Am I upset over it? Nope. I know that last year wasn't the year to find it. There were too many other things going on to focus my attention on this. And I do not want to settle for something that will make me miserable, so I am glad I didn't reach this goal. I am thrilled I have the ability to find my love and follow it. And I have some ideas germinating, which for the first time I am going to share out loud:
* I want to continue writing and researching. I have an opportunity to write for an on-line magazine entitled "New Jersey Legacy" and I'm going to make the most of it. While it (probably) not entail money exchanging hands, it will help build up my resume and that's worth the time.
* I want to teach. The only way to do that with a Master's Degree is to be an adjunct professor, so I am going to continue checking the local colleges for openings in their history department. It's worth a shot. I know that without the Ph.D. I do not stand a shot at being an Assistant Professor and gaining tenure, but that's ok. I would love to teach history and with my MA I have the chance now. Whether it happens this year or not, I will continue to seek out opportunities to teach.
* I want to take my photography to the next level. I love taking photos and have often been told I should become a professional photographer. I have even been told by a friend that if she gets married, she wants me to photograph her wedding. Well, I have always been nervous about taking it to the next level. Why? Because I would fail? Because people would think I'm following the crowd? Because I can't? Well, too bad. I think I am a good photographer and I think I have a creative eye. I think I can make it work. I think I have the intelligence to learn what I don't know and the education to take on those aspects that sometimes stimey new photographers - I'm a public relations undergraduate, I spent 9 years fund raising with 6 of those years planning events, I have worked with difficult people (co-workers/board members), and I'm generally a people person. I can do this. It may take this year to do it, but I can do it. And I am excited to do it and that's half the battle!
So, there ya have it. My goals for the coming year. I think many of them will be a challenge...alright all of them! :-) But, I honestly never thought I would run a race, lose the weight I gained after moving to PA, be ok with being unemployed and I did all those things in 2009. I believe in myself much more than I ever thought I could and I am entering this year with HIGH EXPECTATIONS and you know what? I anticipate MEETING them!
What are your goals? Have you set them? I would love to know what they are!!
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