Find What Makes You Miserable and You'll Find Your Goals

The Home: I spend a lot of time in my room attached to the computer. Well, I did until I started this challenge. Now I am moving back and forth through the kitchen and laundry room and occasionally I'll stumble into the dining room and living room to sweep and mop. You see, I don't like those rooms. We have hand-me-down furniture that sinks when you sit on it and smells horribly like dogs. They smelled like that before we got them. And our dining room table is nothing more than a dumping ground. When we first moved in I had decided no food beyond the living room and most, if not all, meals should be eaten at the dining room table. That lasted for about 6 months and then my lazy gene kicked in.

I didn't want to sit down at family meals where everyone fought.
I didn't want to deal the constant complaints that someone was showing off their half eaten food.
I didn't want to hear the whining of "he's touching me" one more time.

So I let them slowly start eating in their rooms. Now, it drives me crazy. There are cups and plates left all over the house. The dining room table is always covered in crap which makes me cranky since you can't ever see the tablecloth or the fresh flowers I've purchased or even be able to stomach whatever mess has made it onto the floor because of any one of our three dogs.

I told you all of this to tell you that today I walked around with a notebook in hand to look at every room with a fresh set of eyes. If I was a potential home buyer, or even just a visitor, would this room look lived in or loved or hated? What do I love/hate about this room? Is it the clutter? Is it just the clutter? Would a good cleaning make it look more loved than it does now? Would keeping it clean allow for me to start decorating so that I would love my home more?

My Family and Marriage: I don't like the way my children treat each other. I don't like that they get home from school and soon disappear into their rooms until they are hungry or thirsty. I don't like that they spend so much time attached to the screen. I don't like that my  husband and I (while things are wayyyyy better than they were just a few years ago) don't always seem like we are on the same page with our goals and desires.

Enter in: family weekend once a month, monthly date night, limiting screen time for all of us, learning to speak nicely to one another and not be so negative

Health:Not being able to climb a flight of stairs without being winded and actually enjoy outdoor trips that I make with my family are at the top of my miserable health list.

The goal: exercise 3 times a week and changing all of our eating habits by eating less junk and making healthier food choices.

Career and Other: I am constantly miserable because I feel like there is never enough time in the day/week to get "anything" done and I am always behind. Our finances feel constantly in flux due to my not keeping exactly with our spending plan/budget.

Plan: To utilize time management which works in a certain block of time in which to accomplish what needs to get done as well as consulting with the budget/spending plan before spending any money. This time blocking technique is similar to what schools use. From this hour to this hour is English, from this hour to this hour is lunch, etc.

What makes you miserable?

Career Goals for 2010

Career Saturday

Whether you have a 9 to 5 job, own your own business, freelance from home, or telecommute a new year brings new possibilities. Setting goals is the first step towards success. All it takes is 30 - 45 minutes of your time, a pen and a notebook.

  
1)Clarify your dream/vision

What is your dream for your business or future of your career? What direction do you want it to take and why? Is it for financial freedom? Is it just something you love to do? Find a notebook and start writing. 

Ask yourself why you started this business? (Is it to spend more time at home?) Why are you in the career position that you are in and where do you want to be at the end of the year.

Also write down what exactly you are offering in your business. (Build a successful catering company that specializes in providing high end wedding food.) 

Or do you want to move up in the company you are in? Why should you be promoted? If you're not sure then determine what you can do to make your boss take notice.

2) Write a mission statement for your business/career.

3)Write out your goals. Where do you want to be in one year? Five years? Ten?

4)Create a plan to reach those goals. Start with the one year goal and then determine what you must do to get there. It helps to work your way backwards until you determine what you must do on a daily basis in order to reach those goals. Planning is worthless without action. You can view my annual career goals here. I will post my weekly plan next week.

And We're Off! ( Dec-Jan goals)

Monthly goals: December 21-January 21

Home: clean/organized home
Spiritual: meditate and Dance of the Dissident Daughter everyday
Financial: pay off one credit card and put $100 in savings
Health: lose 15lbs., eliminate Coke, Mountain Dew and other sodas
            ---eat 90% of meals at home (currant wt. 178 lbs)
Marriage/Children: start The Love Dare, chore list for kids
Career: meet daily monetary goal, revise/rewrite work in progress(novel--release it on January 21)

This week:
Home: declutter, catch up on laundry
Spiritual: meditate everyday and read 1 chapter of Dance of the Dissident Daughter(10-20 min)
Financial: pay everything on time
Health: exercise 15-20 min everyday, portion control, drink more water
Marriage/Children: practice the Love Dare-kids clean their rooms
Career: write everyday, keep up blogs, apply for more writing jobs