Back in January, I suggested some different beginning of the year rituals that might resonate with you, even if you aren’t a traditional New Year’s Resolver. One of those suggestions was to consider setting three goals each month.
Here was the take-away: If keeping track of a resolution all year long feels overwhelming or suffocating but you do like the idea of some vision for your days, setting three goals per month might be a nice tool for you. At the beginning of each month, set three goals that reflect dreams you have for yourself. You could set goals that need to happen daily during the month like write a gratitude list, drink 60 ounces of water, or to read for pleasure for 10 minutes daily or you can set activity goals like try a new recipe, complete the family photo album from last year’s vacation or approach your boss about taking on more responsibilities. The nice thing about three goals a month is that there is a finite amount of time to get the goal done and so this might resonate more with people who want things in a neater timetable than having a whole year to do something.
Though I do keep a daily to do list that I really focus on every day, some bigger projects have been overlooked in recent months because the length and immediacy of the daily list really keeps me from being able to move to these longer term or more time-consuming tasks. While tunnel-vision can be good, it can also be short-sighted.
So, for May, I am choosing three more time-consuming tasks to put on my radar for completion. We’ll see if it helps to focus in on just three of them at a time (because what I do right now when I have a spare minute is look at ALL these long-term projects and think, well, where to start?) helps me get them tackled.
May’s 3 “Simple” Goals
Get copies of Happy’s birth certificate (this seems like a simple task but the bureaucratic madness is more than you want to imagine, I promise).
Plant vegetable garden.
Write at least four entries in my journal to Happy (I’ve been slacking off lately).
And a bonus: Run at least 3x each week.
How about you? Do you think 3 simple goals would help you with some of those bigger projects that just get put to the side over and over again? If so, what are your 3 simple goals for March?
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#1 finalize the front garden
#2 sew at least one piece of clothing for my daughter’s dolls
#3 find and keep a doable work-play-rythm in the afternoons.
I love this list of goals, Cecile. Is your front garden veggies, herbs, flowers, a mix? Also, I’d love to hear abut your work, play rhythm for afternoons. I am trying to find that right rhythm, too, since my little guy dropped his nap but I need a little bit of time to tend to stuff that is more workish.
Well, I was just about to actualize my list for this month…. I’ve found out that I carry a tiny little new life in me! It’s so wonderful! I had already 2 pregnancies that did not come to a birth, so let’s see what will come out this time.
My new list for May is:
#1 give myself and the one in me all that we need (healthy food, as less stress as possible, rest,…) and be faithful even if things wouldn’t turn out the way I wish.
#2 find ways to give my daughter everyday quality time and love – all the more important as I am not fit so far.
#3 delegate the work in the front garden!….
Our garden is quite small but we love it! It’s our adult-playground, we experience with different plants. It grows and changes with our dreams. It’s a reflection of who we are and what we like. We have
– on the sunny south-side : some square meters with vegetable and strawberries as well as some herbs and flowers,
– some trees and shrubs for fruit, some others for decorative purpose,
– some square meters of grass to play and rest, including a sandbox,
– and on the north-side the “front garden” with flowers and herbs, for decorative purpose, using preferently good smelling plants, as we like to enjoy with all of our senses…
What do you have in your garden? Which are your favorite spots?
As for the work-play-rythm, I’ll tackle it later…
Congratulations, Cecile. I loved your revised goals in light of this news. Wishing you all the best in the coming months. And your garden? Sounds fabulous. We have a veggie garden that I actually am behind on planting. But, truth be told, I started it a few years ago in honor of Happy’s birth mother and since Birth Mother Day is coming up (Saturday), I am not really behind at all. I don’t have more of a green thumb than that and we have enormous oaks that suck all the moisture out of our yard so we have a hard time just keeping grass alive but the veggie garden thrills me! Keep me posted on how you are doing as you can! Sending you lots of love and light!