I got into the vision board craze and created a list of life goals in 2007. My goal statements roughly align with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Perhaps more importantly, the dimensions reflect a holistic approach that includes mind, body, and spirit.
They need work but I’m sharing the process of updating them: bold for new, strikethrough for stuff that doesn’t fit, and italics for my commentary. There are a lot of edits.
Some of my thoughts on goal setting:
- First of all, if you don’t know where you are going, how will you get there?
- Secondly, giving voice to what you desire can make you focus on it more.
- Thirdly, don’t do this expecting to ‘manifest’ your dreams.
- And finally, stay open to serendipity.
“Serendipity will take you beyond the currents of what is familiar. Invite it. Watch for it. Allow it.” ~
Without further ado, here is my evolving life goals chart:
| SPIRITUAL |
| I will continue to explore and develop my own personal sense of spirituality. A good goal I think: I’ll keep this and try to pay a bit more attention to this area of my life. |
| I will further develop my creativity through gardening art and writing. I finally started writing again this year. Gardening has become my other creative outlet. I wanted to paint like my Mom, Aunt, Grandmother, and sister but it isn’t my thing. Gardening has the same familial tradition. |
| I will become skilled in the practices of yoga and mindfulness visualization and meditation. I don’t recall why it was important to be good at these things. Societal expectations? Competitiveness? I am more relaxed about this now, but it remains a goal. |
| I will find the perfect secluded location for the —– Retreat Centre. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and it definitely stays as a goal. |
| INTELLECTUAL |
| I will continue to learn about body, mind and spirit linkages so that I will be able to use my own life experiences to benefit others. Too confining as stated, but still important. Ties into my writing nicely. |
| I will seek knowledge in matters of business and financial management to support my life goals. Again, too confining as stated, but still important. |
| RELATIONAL |
| I have a caring and committed relationship with a man my partner; we nurture each other body, mind and soul. I found this person in 2008. Why I felt the need to use the word man, I don’t recall, but I wasn’t very aware of gender 10 years ago. Ever more important to nurture each other. |
| I have loving and respectful relationships with our daughters that bring joy. I need to continue to plan time for us together. |
| I have a few close friends with whom I share a connected and supportive bond. My friend group has changed a lot since I went on long-term disability, but this is still an important goal. And very much an introvert’s goal. |
| FINANCIAL |
| I will make enough money to support myself and plan for retirement. I will make $—– through —– in 2007. Made this target, but I think differently now. |
| My income will increase steadily year-by-year so that I reach $—– annually by 2010. Huh, it seems I was materialistic a decade ago. This comes out. |
| I will enjoy financial stability prosperity and its benefits a beautiful home, a —– automobile, travel, and charitable contributions. More realistic and more in line with how I think now. |
| PHYSICAL |
| I will become healthier, more active and maintain a healthy body weight reach my goal weight of —– before my 40th birthday. I did lose a fair amount of weight in 2007-08 but it came back of course. I’ve become much more forgiving in this area, more accepting of my curviness. |
| I will make positive choices to support my health and improve when possible. My health will improve continuously. I will enter mid-life in the best shape of my life. A more realistic goal heading into my fifties I think and still important. |
Interesting, maybe I should do one…when my ear stops killing.
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