I sat pondering from a wooden chair as I looked out the window of our friends home in St. George, Utah. Their red brick, 3 story home sits at the top of a steep hill at the end of a cultisack. I thought of my morning walk and of the last 100 steps that tested my endurance and lungs before I made it to their door. “Hmmm,” I thought, as I contemplated my goals for another year. Most of my peaceful, “top of the hill” experiences were not planned this year. They were difficult and steep experiences (like my recent herniated neck discs) yet, when the pain finally subsides and answers seem close I find that somehow I have grown.
Still, although these experiences were not on my list of goals (wherever they are), often my planning has prepared me for the unpreparable, and so I will once again plan, pray and prepare. This year I look forward to joining hands with other 2009 hopefuls. I am entitling my piece “Hopeful Possibilities” because after 53 years of “New Year Resolutions” I thought a change was in order. J
As I write this, I feel like a kid in a candy store. I want so many improvements, so many good memories.
So here goes. I will label them as A,B or C priorities (Kind of like my GREAT EIGHT.) In this case not because B priorities aren’t important but because I had to somehow par the list:
Physical:
A. Drinking a half cup water before eating sweets or seconds
A. Doing what I need to in order to get my neck working better
Spiritually:
B. I often talk to my Father in prayer but I rarely kneel to do it. I want to kneel at least once daily. In fact, I think I’ll try to kneel when I go to visit the bathroom throne several times a day.
A. Set a timer when I do computer things so I can generally keep it to 20 minutes per session.
B. Continue journaling many of my prayers
B+. Read the D&C
B. Enjoy the temple with Dan and the girls as well as by myself. Try to attend twice a month.
Mentally:
B. Learn how to use my mp3 player and start using it
Family:
B. Be more consistant with dates. Dan dates, kids and grandkids dates. Even if we just have a nice meal at home.
A. When importing pictures, label the good ones so I can find them
A. Make one extra payment per month on the principle owed on our house. Even a small check can be helpful.
A. Enjoy a wonderful, memorable retreat with our family and Lotta’s family in August!!!
Home:
B. Organizing ½ of our home (that means dejunking and organizing drawers, cupboards etc. in at least 5 rooms
B. Redoing our bedroom (sell current oak furniture, get new flooring and redecorate with simple, streamlined furniture.) I want it to have a “retreat” or “bed and breakfast” look (THANKS FOR YOUR HELP TIFF, YOU HELPED US COME UP WITH A PLAN.)
A. I want to be more accountable for our budget.
Marketing, Writing, Speaking, Singing:
A. I’m going to stick out my neck on this one: Keep my thoughts more positive through memorizing positive songs then sharing them through MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING and INSPIRATIONAL MUSICAL PRESENTATIONS four times per year. The titles I’m thinking of are: “Spring Forward”, “A Summer’s Day”, “Fall Fun” and “Holiday Happenings”. I would like any feedback you may have.
A. Share/sell 300 My Journey from Darkness to Light by April. At that point I want to determine a new goal by the end of 2009
B. Continue spending 8-10 hours per week learning to market my books through the web. Continue my newsletter and continue learning from my partner and webmaster, Heidi.
B. Attending 3-4 writer’s retreats
