routines, resolutions and responses

I don't make New Year's Resolutions. I haven't since the 11th grade when I was in creative writing class and was learning to write feature articles.  It happens that that lesson was shortly after the new year in 1991 (yes that'd be 20 years ago) and I chose to research and write about resolutions.  It was then  that I made the decision with which I ended my feature article, that I would make goals instead of resolutions.  Because if I am honest, and if most people are truly honest, I can't keep resolutions at all.  As proof, I still have no fingernails to speak of.

So I started working on goals,  Where do I want to be by this time next year?  What do I want to have accomplished?  What do I want to be working toward? And other questions along the same line.

Goals represent processes, steps I have to take to get there and they aren't absolute, at least mine aren't.  Mine tend to be fluid changing as life changes.  But one thing always remains,  If I want to move forward I have to have a goal in mind to get there.

The problem is that lately, I have had not really had any goals.  I have been hit and miss in many, many areas in my life.  In fact, if I was totally honest, one big idea has totally consumed my thought processes.  The fact that we want to go to Officer Training (Seminary), and in order to gain the necessary recommendations we must become Corps Assistants (Church Interns) first. However, much of THAT process is out of our hands.  So I have been sitting in a holding pattern for much of the last year.  And THAT is not good.  So as I turn to look at the new year. I look at it with new eyes, and have decided I must look to improve me, because if I choose to remain stagnant, what I am really choosing is to fall backward.

So I am going to start with some broad general goals that I will refine as time goes by.

*Daily, weekly etc. routines for everyone, that we all know, which can be followed easily
*Read and Study more ~ there are several areas to which this applies
*Better health ~ including weight loss and exercise in some form
*Write, write, write, more.  here, journal, with the kids etc.