This is my last week of being 50 – next Sunday I turn 51. Some people might say I’ve reached the summit and it’s all down here from now on. But I like to think I’m reminiscent of the bear that climbed over the mountain – do you remember him from your childhood?
The bear climbed over the mountain,
The bear climbed over the mountain,
The bear climbed over the mountain and what do you think he saw?
He saw another mountain,
He saw another mountain,
He saw another mountain and what do you think he did?
The bear climbed over the mountain…
So here I am, about to reach the top of the mountain and getting ready to climb another one. I often wonder what the next ten or twenty or more years will bring.
Wondering about the next years made me think about goal setting. I found this quote the other day:
"The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach." Benjamin Mays
It says it all doesn’t it? If we just float through life without any aim we could very well end up in a place we never wanted to be, ending our life full of regrets. Lately I seem to be hearing so many people who are full of regrets. They might be at the same function I’m at or sitting at the next table in the café. But I hear them moan to their friends, “if only I had travelled when I could have”, “if only I had taken that course”, “if only I had followed my heart instead of my head”, “if only I had taken a chance”.
So this week I will begin to set some goals. I already set myself small daily or weekly goals – time set aside to finish assignments, time set aside on the exercise bike, books to read, budgets to meet. But I’m ready for some big goals now. For starters I want to finish the book I started years ago and self publish it. I’ve been looking at kindle and self publishing and marketing and I believe if I can finally finish my writing I might have a chance at selling a couple of copies.
Lately I’ve wanted to own my own house. Renting has never worried me much before as it has left me free to move whenever I want to and I’ve moved around a lot. But this past year I’ve thought it would be nice to have a house where I can do what I want and not have to worry about the landlord. Perhaps I could own my house and travel a lot. That might satisfy my urge for new places and different horizons.
So, owning my own house might be my main goal for the next few years.
What goals do you have?
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what a big question! i have lots of goals but always the main goal is...happiness , of course. It's all about the journey so make sure you are happy right now...I'm not much of a goal setter....much more of a daily accomplisher...it all adds up!
ReplyDeleteRight there with you with the finishing my novel. I've been trying to get an editor for the last few years and come up empty.
ReplyDeleteMoving as well is on my list.
Traveling too.
And the biggest... a decent relationship.
Happy Birthday in advance.
I would also love to own my own home. The boys would like to have a pet, but we can't do that while we're renting. I also would like some sort of roof over my head in my retirement years, a wee bit of security.
ReplyDeleteCassandra,
ReplyDeleteI've two years before I'm fifty. I have to believe I'll accept it with more grace than I did when I turned 40.
In truth, I'm terrified.
Cass,
ReplyDeleteMany people do drift through life without goals. To a certain extent, I am one of those people, even though I know that working with lists keep me on track.
You have made some great goals! I have met a lot of mine so I think it's probably time to make new ones!
ReplyDeleteMy goal, to get my college degree. I will be 51 when I get my BA.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday. Right now my goals are just to make it through each day without screaming too much! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a happy, happy birthday.
ReplyDeleteGoals...well to live each day to the fullest...it goes by way too fast.
mermaid - happiness is, of course very important - as is the journey - and I wish you all the best with yours!
ReplyDeleteDomestic - I'm attempting to do my own editing and failing miserably! Good luck with the relationship - I wouldn't mind a decent one too!
Shelly - as I really don't want a pet, renting was always a good excuse for us not to have one - lol! But I'm with you on the security bit.
Jamie - my worst birthday was 39 - I was truly a mess. After that the years have just gotten better!
JL - lists, goals, I think they are much the same - I'm a big one for lists too.
gayle - thank you! Its always fun to sit down and work out new goals - good luck!
Mrs Tuna - ah yes, I'm working on that one too. I'll be 53 when I finally finish my BA!
Getrealmommy - Thank you! Ah yes, when my boys were little that was my goal too!
nanny - thank you - living each day to the fullest is an excellent goal!
Happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteWe need to email each other! I've been thinking about our idea more and more. Still interested I hope? I think it could be so fun and helpful!