Goals. It's important to have goals. I came across this 'poster' some months ago and stuck it on the wall. I read it through absent-mindedly and didn't think about it much really at the time. I wrote it a long time ago. Long enough ago that I still had a colour printer to create it and that is going back quite a few years. Said printer is on a chair outside on the verandah, daring me to one day invest the $300 odd that it takes to furnish it with ink cartridges. I don't know what to do with it. I don't know if it would even work any more.
 |
Anyway, a couple of days ago I was tidying and creating a space for writing and I stuck it up on the wall there where I could see it. And I've been paying it a bit more attention. Eight simple goals written from the heart and from desire...and remarkably, they haven't changed in the time that has passed. Perhaps they are almost universal goals. Most of us wish for wellness in body, mind and soul, good relationships, to make our mark in the world (to leave a legacy of some sort perhaps), to spend time with loved ones, to be happy. Funnily enough, happiness didn't get a mention, but when I'm working towards these eight goals it just kind of shows up on its own. I think that's pretty cool. Happiness isn't something you can chase. It's elusive if that's your goal.
The best thing about reviewing and reflecting on these goals is that in a number of them I have made significant shifts and for that I am truly grateful. The small increments with which changes have been made make it somehow surprising to look at where I am now compared to where I was when I wrote these things down. I think that is my point in sharing this today. There is power in writing things down. There is power in speaking from your heart to the Universe and saying what you want. It's been a long journey for me to be able to recognise what I want from life; and what I want to give to life. Perhaps that's the purpose of it all.
1. When I wrote down these goals I did not have these things that I wanted. Whilst it is not dated (I would suggest dating your goal writing if you choose to have a go at this), I know that I've made progress towards many of these goals. Some of them have just arrived in my life - like the simplicity of the Eat Like A Bear way of living. This is satisfying my desire to be healthy and fit. Some of them are due to conscious actions; I'm walking longer distances and have invested in better quality and better fitting gear to make that more enjoyable.
2. I'm getting back into writing. Since I wrote the list I have created this blog, left it alone for a while, drifted back and hopefully will become more consistent again as it gives me so much pleasure! I've got stacks of half-read books around the place. It might be good to make a plan to complete them one at a time instead of reading as if it's fruit salad...everything at once. I've done reams of writing for myself. Often I've done Morning Pages as I've wrangled with various issues in my personal and work life. I can highly recommend them, by the way. If you're not familiar with Julia Cameron and The Artist's Way, do take the time to investigate. Just gold...all of it. I've at last managed to gain a really nice little laptop which will make everything to do with writing easier as it has the programs on it that allow me to do what I want to. My old desktop was not doing it for me any more. Such a privilege to have access to these marvellous machines that make life so easy.
1a. Further, I've committed to writing a book. It is currently in process so I'm slowly gaining ground on becoming a published writer. I watch the money going out each month to pay for this project and watch myself with interest as I procrastinate in new and creative ways (weeding the garden? really?). There are deadlines though, set by others and I will need to meet them or it just won't happen. I've been promised that the greatest thing about writing a book is the person you become by doing it. I'm seeing the changes happening. I'm slowly relinquishing the procrastination and installing methods of taming my fears so that I can move forward with it tiny step by tiny step. I've started to talk to some trusted friends about it and their enthusiasm has given me courage to continue. I'm not ready to write about it here yet, but it's definitely a big shift from just dreaming! Or wanting...to be...
3. This year I did a bit of a woo-woo free course on abundance. I was invited to join in on Facebook by a friend and well, I wasn't feeling like life was terribly abundant at the time and so I thought "Why not?". Well, it was a simple enough process to engage in and dare I say life-changing. I notice myself being much less concerned about giving. I think I have tried to be generous in the past but have worried that I might 'leave myself short'. I don't feel that way any more. Life itself is generous to us here in this place. I am more easily able to give in more generous amounts. This is very satisfying and allows me to support people and or causes without needing to know where the money is going. I am trusting more. I absolutely believe that this is a healthier way to live and that I will always be ok. I want to be able to channel money to help people that need it.
4. Relationships are always in flux - growing and changing. It's the very nature of interactions with other humans. Reactions, responses. What I want to say about this is that the most important relationship that I've found is the one with myself. It has become more respectful, loving and satisfying. I see this making positive impacts on my relationships with others and continue to value the time I spend both with myself and with other people. I have learned to be patient with myself and with others. What the future holds I cannot know, but I hold peace in my hands and that is my anchor.
5. A word about travel - well two words - England and Finland! I don't think I even really entertained that I might go and do that when I wrote this list. But the seed must have been in my heart and oh, I do so love new places, new faces, new vistas to appreciate. It has the potential to inspire writing and this will come about as sure as night follows day. Patience and peace will make space for it to happen.
6. Gratitude is part of me. It is ingrained. I have practiced for a long time now and I know I am blessed beyond belief to live where I live and to live how I live. I have used gratitude 'tools' at different times in my life to engender this way of thinking and seeing life. I've used a gratitude journal or a gratitude jar or just to remember when I use something simple like a toothbrush. A toothbrush is a privilege. To me. Not everyone has a toothbrush. Remember that.
7. I am not always kind. I am not always loving. Not to myself and not to others...not always. But I do try and I believe with the wisdom and patience bestowed by the passing of time I will continue to get better at this. I recently engaged with a Practical Philosophy course called The Wisdom Within. It was ten weeks of Monday night Zoom meetings and it has been life-changing too. Or me changing. I am always learning new ways of being. I love it. Tricky things become simple. Simple things become...interesting and sometimes complex. I so enjoy the discussions and am constantly delighted by the introduction to new perspectives. This too is a privilege; to have time to ponder such things. I find myself at the pointy end of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs; the joy of self-actualisation. I know it is a massive privilege to find myself playing in this space. I am so lucky.
8. I can still improve on the last goal. It has taken me a long time to know that I belong in my family. That may sound a little weird. I'm not sure why it's been so hard for me to figure that out but I'm feeling more and more at home with them as time goes by. I always used to feel like an outsider. Maybe it's separating one's feelings from one's knowledge and understanding. Whatever it is, it has been me that has changed, not them. I am grateful for each one of them and would love to spend more time with them all. Busyness and the tyranny of distance play their part in keeping us apart, especially in this very unusual year 2020. Maybe it is even the various stages we've all lived through this year that has broken down some of my walls and allowed me to 'feel' like I belong more.
For now, I don't think I need to change my goals. I will keep working towards perfecting them or achieving them or receiving them as is needed. Sometimes it's not about striving but about being open and willing to wait and see. I find myself smiling a lot more lately. It's wonderful to smile. It's wonderful to notice how good a smile feels.
Let yourself dream a little. Write some goals down. Write down some ideas (steps) about how you might start to move towards them. Date the page (just because won't it be interesting to look back and know what time and space your wrote them in). Print it out. Stick it on a wall somewhere and see what happens. Wait and watch with interest. I bet you'll start moving towards them without even meaning to.
Wishing you beautiful and attainable dreams and tons of fun along the way!
Kerry :)
No comments:
Post a Comment