Happy New Year!
We celebrated quietly at home on the 31st of December, but went out to see Cirque du Soleil's Dralion on the 2nd of January. What a wonderful event -- I'm so glad we had a chance to see it.
Every year, at the beginning of the year (or on New Year's Eve), I bring out the previous year's resolutions that we all made. While this used to raise many protests, my efforts seem to be paying off, as everyone around the table now looks at what they wanted to accomplish during the year, and sets out new goals for the upcoming year. Personally, I use this time as an opportunity to set out a path of action for the year, ranging from artistic endeavours to learning in other areas. My wishes for myself are often more than I can handle in only one year, but I'm getting smarter at setting the goals for myself. I'm also getting smarter at not knocking myself over the head for the goals I did not accomplish!
Recently (well, a year ago), I went to a talk by a world-class athlete who talked about setting SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable/action oriented, realistic and relevant, and time based. Once the goals are set, the fellow said, it then is necessary to determine how to meet those goals and to set up a schedule of actions that bring you closer to completing what you set out to do.
I tried that last year with my New Year's resolutions and was amazed at how much I did accomplish, compared to years with fewer "smart" goals. I did read those Harry Potter books in German before the end of summer; the photos from 2006 - 2014 were finally sorted and organized by December 31st; and I am back in the pool again, swimming three times per week. In addition, I answered two calls for submission and was accepted into both exhibitions! However, drawing still took a back seat, as did my violin practice, neither of which got the daily attention I had intended.
While watching Dralion on Friday evening, I saw a couple of performances that did not go 100% as intended. The diablo spinners had a few issues and the juggler dropped a ball a time or two. I was impressed, though, at how they handled the situation. As in any performance, "the show must go on", and it did, despite the hiccups. The juggler in particular impressed me, as he was by himself on the stage with nobody to toss him the ball from the ground. He continued to juggle the balls still in the air, while looking down at the errant sphere, then caught everything, took a very slight pause, and picked up the dropped ball. Slowly and methodically, he set everything in motion once again, successfully juggling 7 (seven!) balls for a few minutes afterward.
There is learning to be had there... New Year's Eve is a time for a slight pause in activities, an analysis of where I am and where I'd like to go, and a chance to set everything into motion once again, perhaps with new balls, and see how many I can keep afloat.
My goals/resolutions for the upcoming year are now set down on paper, in an envelope to be brought out on December 31st and in a journal to be referred to over the year. I bought an agenda to help me set up a schedule for reaching those goals, and to keep track of my progress. Over the course of 2015, I hope to:
1. Continue reading books in German,
2. Read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsinger in French (no mean feat, as I still struggle with the Franklin books at the moment,
3. Continue swimming 3 times per week,
4. Set up a self-study program for the year to improve and build upon my art quilt skills,
5. Dust off my violin (set up a 4x per week schedule for now, as daily was hard to do),
6. Work through my project "to-do" list by setting a schedule of realistic completion dates for each project, in order of priority (and whim),
7. Include drawing and watercolours into my weekly activities -- not sure yet how, but that will be determined over time.
Why set these goals, year after year after year? First, I enjoy learning, and second, to use the words of Anthony Bourdain, as quoted in the Prince George Citizen on January 2, 2015: "... I really deeply enjoy the process of sucking a little less at something every day".
Every year, at the beginning of the year (or on New Year's Eve), I bring out the previous year's resolutions that we all made. While this used to raise many protests, my efforts seem to be paying off, as everyone around the table now looks at what they wanted to accomplish during the year, and sets out new goals for the upcoming year. Personally, I use this time as an opportunity to set out a path of action for the year, ranging from artistic endeavours to learning in other areas. My wishes for myself are often more than I can handle in only one year, but I'm getting smarter at setting the goals for myself. I'm also getting smarter at not knocking myself over the head for the goals I did not accomplish!
Recently (well, a year ago), I went to a talk by a world-class athlete who talked about setting SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable/action oriented, realistic and relevant, and time based. Once the goals are set, the fellow said, it then is necessary to determine how to meet those goals and to set up a schedule of actions that bring you closer to completing what you set out to do.
I tried that last year with my New Year's resolutions and was amazed at how much I did accomplish, compared to years with fewer "smart" goals. I did read those Harry Potter books in German before the end of summer; the photos from 2006 - 2014 were finally sorted and organized by December 31st; and I am back in the pool again, swimming three times per week. In addition, I answered two calls for submission and was accepted into both exhibitions! However, drawing still took a back seat, as did my violin practice, neither of which got the daily attention I had intended.
While watching Dralion on Friday evening, I saw a couple of performances that did not go 100% as intended. The diablo spinners had a few issues and the juggler dropped a ball a time or two. I was impressed, though, at how they handled the situation. As in any performance, "the show must go on", and it did, despite the hiccups. The juggler in particular impressed me, as he was by himself on the stage with nobody to toss him the ball from the ground. He continued to juggle the balls still in the air, while looking down at the errant sphere, then caught everything, took a very slight pause, and picked up the dropped ball. Slowly and methodically, he set everything in motion once again, successfully juggling 7 (seven!) balls for a few minutes afterward.
There is learning to be had there... New Year's Eve is a time for a slight pause in activities, an analysis of where I am and where I'd like to go, and a chance to set everything into motion once again, perhaps with new balls, and see how many I can keep afloat.
My goals/resolutions for the upcoming year are now set down on paper, in an envelope to be brought out on December 31st and in a journal to be referred to over the year. I bought an agenda to help me set up a schedule for reaching those goals, and to keep track of my progress. Over the course of 2015, I hope to:
1. Continue reading books in German,
2. Read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsinger in French (no mean feat, as I still struggle with the Franklin books at the moment,
3. Continue swimming 3 times per week,
4. Set up a self-study program for the year to improve and build upon my art quilt skills,
5. Dust off my violin (set up a 4x per week schedule for now, as daily was hard to do),
6. Work through my project "to-do" list by setting a schedule of realistic completion dates for each project, in order of priority (and whim),
7. Include drawing and watercolours into my weekly activities -- not sure yet how, but that will be determined over time.
Why set these goals, year after year after year? First, I enjoy learning, and second, to use the words of Anthony Bourdain, as quoted in the Prince George Citizen on January 2, 2015: "... I really deeply enjoy the process of sucking a little less at something every day".
Comments