Reachable Goal Setting

I have written more than once in the past about my fondness for journaling, and I talk about having more than one type of journal in my post from 8/13/15.  I have also encouraged you to get into journaling, to record your life history. Not necessarily to be published for all to see, but more importantly for your family to read long after you are gone. I’m not going to repeat all of that yet again. Besides, I don’t want this to be a “lecture” about journaling. It’s obviously a personal choice, so if it’s not something you would enjoy doing, then you don’t do it! The only thing I will say is that I do wish that my mom, grandparents, any of my family members now gone had taken the time to keep diaries. I don’t come from a family of writers, so I’m not quite sure where my love of writing came from. In any event, I still wish I had something more than the one-year diary my Aunt Vera kept back in 1933.

The reason I am bringing this topic back today is because I have a confession to make. You see, I have these two cubby holes as part of my desk that sit on either side of my monitor. On one side I have my proof copies of the three books I have written, my Gregg Reference Manual, and a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul—Inspiration for Writers (which I have to take out and read more often). On the other side sits three journals, my aunt’s diary, and a copy of To Our Children’s Children, which is a guide for writing down your life story. Two of the journals are very flowery with a jeweled clasp to close them, very girlie, girlie, but I love them. I have no idea what possessed me today, but I took both of those journals out to see what I had written and when my last entries were.  I knew it had been a while, but maybe only a few months or so?  At least, that was my hope. 

One of the journals I have goes with the above book to help me write about my life, especially my childhood. I purchased the journal in January of 2013, wrote my first entry in March of that same year and then stopped. No other entries since three years ago! The second journal was intended for daily or weekly thoughts, along the lines of a gratitude journal, but choosing a word of the day, so to speak, such as gratitude, but also success, possibilities, sadness, and so on. I bought that journal at the same time, kept up with it throughout 2013, then not again until March of 2014, with just a few more entries that  year and only one entry in July 2015. 

I don’t know what it is about March that makes me pick up these journals, but I did write an entry today in both.

The reason I mention all of this is because I’m often writing about getting your own story down on paper, but I realized today I’m not following my own counsel! The older I get, the faster time moves, no question about that. I don’t want to find myself years from now wishing I had kept up with these diaries I started almost three years ago to the day.  I have three journals I would like to keep more up-to-date.  I have set a goal for myself to write an entry in at least one of these three journals once every other week. I could say daily or weekly, but because I tend to procrastinate, I decided to make this a manageable or reasonable goal.  I don’t want to set myself up for failure right off the bat, so I feel every other week is doable.  I have a calendar in my Outlook where I can schedule a day for journaling, that way I won’t forget.

If you procrastinate, whether it’s journaling or any other activity you want to accomplish on a regular basis, set a goal for yourself, but make it a goal you know you can achieve.  I know for me, every other week is going to work well and is a target I can reach.  Figure out what you know is doable for you and give it a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!  Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by.