Some people make just the one resolution each year. I prefer goals over resolutions. Some folks will argue that making long, daunting lists of tasks leads to failure and frustration. I disagree. A small list simply won't do. When I was in school, I'd get mad at myself if I got an A instead of an A+. If I got an A++ on something....well that would make up for the fact that I never had a date for the dance.
Calling me an overachiever is like calling the Sahara a sandbox. To any of you out there who have met my Dad, none of this will be shocking. I'm just a TAD like him in this area. His idea of retirement is taking a different full-time job while renovating his house and ours.
I adore this t-shirt Matt had made for me. It pretty much makes my point.
In 2008, I became obsessed with recycling. To continue in those efforts, you may notice that I've reused many of my goals from last year. I may write myself another version of the 2009 list that categorizes the goals according to how much time they require. That way, I won't get to December 31st and realize that I only have a few hours to learn Spanish.
I had written 108 goals for this year and needed one more. I asked Matt what he thought would be a good goal for me. He probably knows better than I do what I need to work on. He came up with a brilliant one that I never would have written..."Learn to ask for help when I need it". That may be the hardest one on the list.
There's also a phantom goal #110. It's "find better hiding places when I move Matt's stuff around". What I call "organizing" he calls "hiding". I will now begin the "hiding" process until he begs me to go back to "organizing".
So, here's my gigantic list of goals for this year. Any efforts to push me towards completing them are welcomed. Happy 2009!
109 IN 2009
1. Incorporate video clips into my blog and/or website
2. Grow my own herbs
3. Spend less time on Facebook
4. Submit my images to lots of wedding publicatioins
5. Start monthly and seasonal task lists in addition to my daily ones
6. Get some new piano music and learn to play it
7. Improve my financial tracking methods
8. Begin writing down the recipes of dishes I’ve created
9. Start a journal of positivity (write phrases like “I’m proud of...”, “I can’t
wait to...”, “I won’t worry about...”)
10. Enter any free contests I come across (like the ones in magazines for
spa vacations)
11. Start cooking and freezing multiple healthy meals to pull out as
needed
12. Lead a photography workshop
13. Blog every day for a month
14. Start a 365 (photo a day) project
15. Give time to a volunteer/charitable organization
16. Attend a bridal expo to check it out
17. Learn Spanish and take a trip to Mexico
18. Only spend money on things that are truly important or wonderful
19. Make more connections with other wedding vendors
20. Pick a friend to call once a week just to say hi and see how they are
21. Read the news every morning
22. Clean up my email, computer desktop, and hard drives
23. Organize/clean all my closets
24. Take a new class at the gym
25. Get our panoramic wedding photo framed and hung
26. Attend a big photo convention
27. Invent something
28. Second shoot an event for a photographer I admire
29. Take a road trip to Graceland
30. Get in good enough shape to fit into my “I have a dream” clothes
31. Throw a surprise party for someone
32. Take more random photos with a point-and-shoot camera
33. Cook using a new recipe once a week for a month
34. Do something nice for someone anonymously
35. Spend an entire day watching movies
36. Initiate my photo/story project
37. Learn how to plant and not kill a garden
38. Research and practice styles/techniques of photography that I dont
typically do (landscapes, etc)
39. Attend another photo class or workshop
40. Read a book a month for six months
41. Brush up on the geography I’ve forgotten since school
42. Read three books that are business-related
43. Take good photos of my parents and momy-in-law
44. Fix the huge pile of my clothing that needs mending
45. Organize the kitchen cabinets and throw out what we don’t need
46. Design a new coupon to give to clients
47. Take a ballroom dance class
48. Start swimming at the gym and learn to do a good flip turn
49. Invite a few friends over for brunch, tea, and conversation
50. Initiate more eco-friendly practices
51. Visit a local photography gallery
52. Write a song
53. Write a letter to a friend to tell them why they’re important to me
54. Visit a relative I don’t see often
55. Take better care of my raggedy fingernails
56. Scope out more cool locations for photo shoots
57. Learn to drive a stick shift
58. Organize my recipe drawer
59. Experiment with techniques that are outside the realm of technically
perfect to see what kind of unique effects I can achieve
60. Follow a more regulated schedule (sleeping, exercise, work, etc)
61. Paint a mural or something interesting on the walls of our home
62. Spend a month taking family portraits for people at the beach
63. Make a new vegan dish once a month
64. Come up with something new for my clients that other photographers
don’t offer
65. Teach a photography workshop for kids
66. Get back to practicing the guitar and piano regularly
67. Figure out creative ways to cut back on spending
68. Teach my Dad how to use Photoshop, Lightroom, etc
69. Help Dad archive old family slides digitally
70. Find a way to advertise to people who want cool portraits for dating
sites
71. Take beautiful shots of someone to help them overcome a specific
body issue
72. Experiment with light painting photos
73. Attend a class on html
74. Learn one new Photoshop technique a month
75. Drink more tea instead of coffee
76. Take vitamins every day
77. Rent a piece of equipment that I want to try out
78. Visit Melanie and have some photo playtime
79. Turn my computer room into a spiffy meeting room for my clients
80. Don’t watch TV for a month
81. Get a funky haircut
82. Improve my vocabulary
83. Take a trip to Canada
84. Add gift certificate offers to my website and/or blog
85. Start a journal (on actual paper) for thoughts, scribbles and such
86. Ride my bike more
87. Create a yummy and healthy smoothie recipe
88. Write blog entries that give shout-outs to people who are working on
cool stuff
89. Meditate for a few minutes each day
90. Do all the planning for a fun date with Matt
91. Re-learn to play chess
92. Go through my magazine clip files and throw out old pages
93. Learn how to knit from mom
94. Completely re-design my blog
95. Have someone take shots of me to use on my site
96. Attend more PUG meetings (my Pictage user group)
97. Start an album of the pics Matt and I take on our anniversaries
98. Post some pics and info on the photo forums I subscribe to
99. Sell my hand-made cards (Etsy, local shops, etc)
100.Go on more photo road trips with Matt
101.Take a series of abstract shots to make into small canvas prints
102.Design a cool symbol to add to my logo
103.Have a photography meeting with Dave
104.Save my layout templates in Pshop
105.Update my recommended vendors list
106.Print labels with more favorite quotes
107.Convert multiple shots into a panoramic image
108.Learn to ask for help when I need it
109.Live life so that the phrase “what if” isn’t necessary
8 comments:
As I said last year, SOOO glad to know someone else has over 100 resolutions each year too! And it NEVER discourages me, even tho that's the first thing people ask. I love goals. It implies an exciting future : ) And so much of your list is just like mine, but I can't publish mine because there are a few I don't exactly want to share ; ) I will be your resolution fairy and check in with you every so often!
Love you and Happy New Year,
Wid
thanks, widdi darling! glad to know i'm not alone. if i accomplish half of what you seem to get done in a year, i'll be in good shape! love and a happy 2009 to you too!
Goal number 2 is missing quotation marks. Should read: Grow my own "herbs."
randy, you of all people should know that i'm NOT interested in those types of "herbs". oh wait, maybe you were just making fun of how often i use quotation marks.
you rock! upon reading your post i was going to suggest that you write a manifesto, however this goal biz is the shit. i think i'm stealin' a few. i wonder if i can do them first...up for a challenge overachiever?
Wow, what a great list, Stacey. You've made my list feel so wimpy by comparison. Of course, like Widdi, I left off a few that are just between me and my therapist, so to speak.
Good luck with all 109!
If you have a good way to accomplish number 3 let me know. I cannot seem to get off Crack-er-Facebook.
Stacey, you are too darn cute! Love the goals...Mine are just in my head.
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