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Goals and Opportunities

Posted on by Econogal

Revisiting Resolutions

While goals and opportunities are related, they often differ. Goal setting can be done at any time. Not just around the New Year. However, opportunities are more elusive. They can appear and then slip away if not acted upon.

Goals are easily set. But not easily kept. Of my four goals for 2022 (click here to review) I fell short on the two easiest to track. I did not try a new recipe each month. Nor did I finish a creative project in the same time period. Actual results were closer to every other month.

Goals and opportunities often clash. Such was the case in 2022 for the aforementioned goals. At one point I was absent from my home for almost six weeks. So, the opportunities were limited. I did travel with both a quilt in progress and a Christmas stocking kit. But my cooking was quite limited.

 

Goals and Opportunities- Taking Action

Sometimes opportunities come along that mesh with current or long-term goals. Such is the case now. Although the window is beginning to close. A newly appointed literary agent popped into my Twitter timeline. She has halted her submission reviews until after the first of the year. If I carry through on this opportunity to submit, I may come closer to my key goal of publication. Definitely a case of goals and opportunities meshing.

A query letter is important for establishing a relationship in the literary world. My current task is polishing such a missive to send off after the first of the year. The short term is now immediate and so the opportunity costs are high.

New Goals and Opportunities

A new year provides the perfect time to update goals. Top of the list is establishing a relationship with an agent or an editor. The second writing goal pertains to this blog. But it is hard to accurately define- I want the posts to be “more and better.” For now, I will leave the goal loosely specified.

2022 was a year of travel. Dozens of short trips and four very long forays across the USA. So, 2023 might be a catch-up year at home. It all depends on the opportunities. And unlike goals that can be worked on, opportunities must be seized as they occur.

The asparagus bed established in the spring will need to be tended to as it enters into its second year. A few spears will be harvested, but not many. Patience is the key.

Other projects around the garden will ensure the long-term goal of growing healthy produce for the home. Christmas dinner included green beans from the 2022 garden. The techniques learned in Freeze Fresh proved beneficial. No leftover green beans.

The opportunities for the garden are quite dependent on the weather as well as the ongoing inflation. Building materials and supports all come at a cost. But recycling will help with the costs…and the environment.

Goals and opportunities vary by year. 2023 is upon us, enticing with unlimited potential. What will your goals be? Take some time this week to reflect upon past accomplishments and ready yourself for new opportunities. Be creative in your endeavors and constructive in your work. Celebrate successes. Most importantly, leave things better than you found them. Not only do we have one life to live, but also one world to live in. Best wishes for the new year.

Econogal’s Tips to Keeping 2018 New Year’s Resolutions

Posted on by Econogal

Resolutions are tough to maintain. Often the same ones are made each year and seldom last more than a month. Of all the resolutions I have made over time, only one has lasted years. In 2010, I gave up drinking colas. This particular resolution may not seem like much, but I drank cola the way others drink coffee. I think it is a Southern thing, some of my cousins also opt for a coke each morning.
In my case, I had two compelling reasons to keep this resolution. First, my insides were finally showing signs of no longer handling the ingredients. Second, and more persuasive, the carbonation gave me problems whenever I ran more than ten miles. Since I was training for the 2010 Marine Core Marathon, I regularly ran long distances. Thus, it is possible to conclude resolutions can be kept if there is a concrete goal and a reward for fulfilling the pledge.

Specifics Help

The more specific one is about the resolution, the more likely the goal can be attained. A popular New Year’s resolution is losing weight. People who are successful at this tend to have more specifics tied into the goal. For example a certain amount of weight, or an action plan such as giving up desserts or increasing the number of workouts. Those who are unsuccessful often try to go to an extreme. For instance, it is hard to transition from a couch potato to someone working out 8-10 hours a week. Furthermore, a radical change in exercise habits should be supervised by a health provider. Specifics help the most when they provide realistic goals.

Sharing Resolutions

While each individual will have distinct goals, sharing those goals leads to greater success. For example, if you want to increase the time you spend exercising, it helps to have a work out partner. Even verbally sharing goals with a friend or relative helps. Posting the list on the refrigerator or besides your computer is also beneficial. However, the best way to keep your resolutions is to make them meaningful.

Econogal’s 2018 Resolutions

1. Post a minimum of twice a week to Econogal. This is a very specific goal that I am sharing with all of you. The difficulty will be staying ahead on the book reviews. Not every book I read do I want to recommend.
2. Learn at least six new skills. This resolution ties into the goal of maintaining a healthy brain. My concern is not knowing in advance what skills I will learn. However, as you can read in my original post, keeping my brain cells as active as possible is of utmost importance to me. Six skills translates into one every other month. Since I have a new pressure canner which I need to learn how to use, I really only need to discover five skills.
3. Socialize more. I realize this is a strange resolution. But I have noticed I do not get out as much as I did when I had a house full of kids. I am a bit of a homebody with quite a few hobbies which tend to be solitary; gardening, quilting, reading and running. However, it is also important for brain health to interact with others. I am not sure how to make this a concrete goal so if you have any ideas please leave them in the comment section.

Good luck to all in creating and keeping resolutions for 2018! Feel free to share your goals.