"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.I admire all of these people but I ain't them. I ain't ever gonna be them because I am me. When I compare me to them, I ain't much.
I thought a lot about all this. The reason goal setting is depressing for me, no matter what goal I set someone would come along and tell me it wasn't high enough, great enough, or important enough. I would then look at my goal and feel diminished. Such a depressing thing. I stopped setting goals years ago when the greatest thing I did was get out of bed. I planned to accomplish one thing before my body would collapse. Now, I am not talking writing the great American novel. Nope. I am talking I would put away the dishes that my kids washed. That would take 2 - 3 hours with several rests in between. Setting up goals was down right depressing. What to do?
I have this awesome friend that I happen to be related to. She told me what she does. She gives gifts to herself. Yeah. Presents. Last year it was the gift of improved health. Now that sounds wonderful. To get her gift she ate healthier, exercised more, slept more regular hours. Hey, I like the idea of presents. Presents are not nearly as depressing as goals that someone else thinks is puny. Wait a minute, isn't the whole idea of setting a goal is for me, not somebody else. Do you know what? I am not all those other people, I am me. And I love getting presents. Hum, what present do I want to give myself this year?
An earlier blog talked about working on my strengths. I certainly plan to do this. A plan is a goal in disguise because few people will discourage you from having a plan. I think one of the presents I will give myself is to believe that I can make a good plan. Maybe this goal setting thing isn't so depressing after all. Hope you have a grand time giving yourself a present this year.
2 comments:
I have goals but I keep them very small and attainable. That's what I did for the special education kids I worked with because it guaranteed their success and in doing so built up their self-esteem.
So, two years ago when I stopped drinking my goal was get out of bed, then I added stuff like get out of your nightgown, then have a shower.
One tiny step at a time I'm building a new, fulfilling life for myself. The key word is MYSELF not anyone else...that's their shit, not mine!
I like the present idea too, but the key is to do whatever works for YOU!
Thanks mulderfan,
I am working on what works for me. I have learned a lot of what doesn't. I also learned that hearing other people's stories are encouraging. Thank you for sharing your story.
Ruth
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