Setting Personal Goals

...is not something I've ever done officially, but I've always kept them inside of my head. Not much good them being there though, which I've found out several times before.

So, this year is going to be different.

I've decided to create a Squidoo lens which will, hopefully, help me make some plans and keep to them. Every time I think of something I would like to succeed at or complete, it will be published on this lens with a few Squidoo resources to help me (and you!) to succeed. I will then stamp an 'Achieved!' logo on each when and if I complete them.

If this, helps you, too to keep to your goals or you happen to have made the same or similar goals to me, then please do let me know :)

Soon after I joined Squidoo and found out about how it worked, this is the one thing I've always wanted to be: A Giant Squid.

December 2008

Didn't get the required 50 lenses.

March 2009

Showing potential but my lenses are not all up to scratch.

June 2009

I asked JaguarJulie to be my Squid Mentor. She's agreed!

June 03 - Sent off email to apply for Giant Squid just in case I forget!

Discovered I sent off the email to the wrong email address! Panic! Re-sent it to the correct address near the deadline.

Got the results in: I'm now a Giant Squid!

Deep down, I've always wanted to learn a language. Now, I think it's time I did :) Here are my options:

French:

I've been taught French since my Primary school days and probably can say that I know more French then I do of anything else apart from English, of course. It's daft that, despite learning it from primary school, secondary school and college, I've yet to be able to speak it fluently.



German:

Learnt from school but it's suppose to be one of the hardest languages to learn. I'm not overly keen on the idea of learning it again so will probably discount this one. I know a very basic form of it; numbers etc.

Italian:

I gained an interest in this language from working with a couple of Italian kids in Exeter with horses. They used to come over for holidays every year. I learnt a table of verbs once and some rude words! I would still be very interested in learning this language again.

To apply and become a Squidoo Angel was never an immediate goal.

However I learnt in time just what this position actually entailed on Squidoo and it soon became one of my most recent personal goals!

I applied in September 2009 and was officially accepted in early October 2009.

You can read more about my criteria and how I work as an Angel in this lens: Do you believe in Angels?

Games are one of the best ways to learn how to do something or how to achieve your goals. Take a look at some of these games you can play:

Goal setting games: to encourage people to set challenging but achievable goals.
A Goal Setting Guide for Kids and Teens
Goal Setting as a Game!

I've been wanting to write and publish a novel ever since I started a career as a professional writer in 2000. However, it just hasn't been my time, yet. So this goal is here for personal reference because one day I hope to succeed in this goal

I've never been able to get on with NanoWrimo and using novel writing software hasn't worked for me either. The problem with the software is that it is too structured and I know myself that I cannot work in a structured way.

In the past, my attempts of writing a novel have failed because my plot has been weak and I've never been able to get past the dreaded 5, 000 word mark.

However, this time, I think I've cracked it and although I've yet to write anything down, I have it all worked out in my head how I would like this novel to be. I tried using a blog to document my journey but as they usually have to be updated regularly (approx. twice a week or more) I couldn't find enough material to do so.

Aspiring Author's Journal

I've bought myself a copy of this book which I intend to use if my inspiration ever dries up (which is does do a lot.) I wish it had a cover image :( Anyway, some of the exercises that features in this book are:
Jot down 4 words without thinking and bring them to life in a text
Where do you want to go?
Do you think you will stop writing one day?

The book is set out in a style of a diary but I won't be using it like that. I think it would be very useful for inspiration and for using the completed exercises as springboards for plots and storylines.

Those who've known me for the best part of my life know that my current dress size of 16 is definitely not me.

Up until the age of 30 and at the same time I moved to London, I've been a dress size of 12. I kept active everyday of my life working outdoors in stressful but exciting jobs and coming home and working hard looking after the house.

I know as I approach 40 I will never go back to being a size 12 but I would love to go down to a size 14.

The methods I shall be using to keeping fit will be my Playstation 2 (using Dance games), a mini trampoline, walking, step machines and the occasional fitness DVD. I shall not be altering my diet much though as I've found it's the exercise that I lack that has caused me to put on weight.

I've noticed that if I walk everyday, I lose weight quite quickly. My stumbling blocks are:

Keeping in a routine of walking regularly
Adding in an additional exercise routine on top of the walking to increase my weight loss

At the moment, I'm happy to get back into walking on a regular almost daily basis and taking it from there. I can tell how unfit I am by my muscles aching in my feet (mainly in the arches as I get used to wearing footwear again!) and legs.