Field of Dreams

I'm a firm believer in the power of sharing goals. Sharing your ambitions with others may lead to new opportunities for you to reach new heights or it may inspire someone else to aim higher. I also think there is power in holding people accountable for their actions & words.  

Image source: http://www.michaelfruchter.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/baseball-field.jpg

With that said, here are my short term goals:

1. Sticking to my budget. I've had a budget for some years now but I always manage to skirt around it when it comes to "treating myself." I've become more conscious of my spending so I realize that "treating myself" has gotten expensive. I've treated myself to filet mignon and new designer suits when I could have lived happy without either. I've told myself things like "I work hard, I deserve it." While I stand firm in my belief that you should give yourself permission to treat yourself I must admit that this is an area where I struggle. I've made a vow starting today to find other ways to treat myself. If you struggle with this, the same goes for you. If you have a budget to stick to then you cant continue to use retail therapy to make yourself feel better when you're stressed. If you struggle with your weight, you cannot use cupcakes and ice cream to make yourself feel better. Condition yourself to enjoy other things. Instead of giving myself $100 treats, I've reduced my treats to $10-$20 and when I stick to it for longer I may choose to increase the amount. Better yet, I challenge you to eliminate the need to treat yourself until you reach your ultimate goal. My father taught me at a young age that God will not put more on you than you can bear. The same goes for funds & resources. If you cannot handle what you have now, it is less likely that you will be blessed with more until you get a handle on what you already have. This leads me to...

2. $ave moola.  I wasnt born with a $ilver $poon. My spoon was more like polished stainless steel, it wasnt quite silver but I had what I needed to get the job done. I never wanted for much and I lived a happy childhood. Money doesnt buy happiness & it doesnt buy friends. BUT you cant buy a house or car with happiness. Although I am happy and I have real friends I seek to accumulate wealth because moola it gives me piece of mind.  Rainy days are less gloomy when you have the funds to jet set to sunshine. I also have two companies I'd like to have running smoothly within the next 6 months and business require capital. Sticking to my budget=saving money=less loans=more freedom.

More goals when you read on...

3. Learn new web design techniques. In high school I was the editor of our senior book, a varsity cheerleader, a Historian for FFA, President of Student Council, I worked with a team of 4 people to rebuild our school's website from scratch and, amongst other things, I managed to graduate #3 in my class. #Teamoverachiever. Why should you care? Its simple, I used these things as motivation for me to explore other talents I may be ignoring. For years I proudly proclaimed that I did not have an artistic side. I believed it and I convinced others with Oscar worthy performances which including lines like "I can't even draw a square." The truth is, I've known I have an artistic side for a while but I chose not to embrace it. I would only to step up and use my gifts when other people failed to do so. After the success of my t-shirt designs for my class fundraiser, I felt motivated to test my creative limits. I've since committed myself to learn as much as I can about web design. Hold me to this.

4. Change my attitude. I'm generally a positive and pleasant person but every now and again I have a terrible day. My attitude will be unpleasant and I am the most difficult person to deal with. If you ask me whats wrong I will reply "nothing" and I will refuse to discuss it until I am ready. I have discovered the root of the problem: I've become non-confrontational.  Generally, I am an outspoken person but I do not like to hurt people. It hurts me to know I have hurt someone. The problem is that everyone does not feel the same way. Sometimes people hurt me and I dont tell them. Sometimes people lie to me and I know they are lying but I allow them to keep lying. Instead, I will take the blow and deal with it on my own time. I believed the hype that black women are supposed to be strong with a superhuman ability to take whatever crap someone threw at us.  I let people say hurtful things to me and I smiled like a beautiful fool. 

I have learned that I cannot sacrifice my happiness to please others. The cost was too great: my peace of mind. While I understand that I have high standards for people and not everyone will live up to them, I have learned to express my opinions when something is bothering me instead of holding it all inside. At some point I had unconsciously decided that I hated arguments and confrontations. At a different point I decided this approach was not working. I learned to cuss people out without cussing. Sometimes I backslide and avoid confrontations by holding in my true feelings but such occurrences are becoming few and far between. 

5. Learning when to take a break. I'm still working on wrapping my mind around the concept of a real break. I dont think I've had one in years. Even when I'm on vacay I'm constantly checking my phone or I'm tapping away at my laptop. When I'm not being productive I feel guilty. This is something I will have to really focus on. I'm nervous writing about it. I'll get back to you all on this one...

Short term goals allow you to experience small achievements on the road to fulfilling your dreams. 

Progress is a slow process.

...and so it was written.

In the spirit of accountability, share your goals in the new comment section. Dont be afraid or ashamed, you can remain anonymous. If you decide not to share, take time to get your plan for change together & make sure it is reasonable. The next step is to follow it!