The Master List

I love making lists of goals. Every year around this time, like many people, I usually think about the past year and decide how I would like to improve myself in the new one. I have written many a resolution list. I even write resolution lists when its not January 1st. I know there are notebooks around my apartment littered with them and a few months ago, when I was cleaning and organizing my computer files, I found a whopping number of them--old and new--so many I made a folder for them. I read them and was sort of amused and dismayed to find that list after list, year after year I basically write the same list of unaccomplished things. The lists were so similar, in fact, that I took it upon myself to consolidate the data and create one master goal list. Perhaps this is the only list I need now. Except for lists on how to accomplish my goals on the master list ;)

The master list (in a nutshell):

1. Be a writer. Be my own boss. Create something I am proud of.

2. Have an awesome supportive network of family and friends.

3. Live in a cool home with a garden and big kitchen.

4. Travel all over the world.

5. Be healthy, active and strong.

6. Actively work on creative pursuits (photography, cooking, etc).

7. Find spiritual bliss.

I often think to myself that I am unfocused and that I don't know what I want in my life, but obviously there is a part of me that does know, but I just keep ignoring myself or thinking that my list isn't good enough and I will come up with a new, brilliant life strategy. My new year's resolution is to stop procrastinating (what am I waiting for?), read the lists and just do it.

First thing I am knocking off my list? Learn how to swim. Falling under the be healthy and strong category, I've been writing this on my goal lists for about ten years. I never took swim lessons and was afraid of water as a child so as a result, I can barely swim from one end of the pool to another. Every time I watch the summer Olympics, I get inspired to take lessons but never do anything about. No more procrastinating! My friend Danielle and I signed up for a private class at the YMCA; we start this week.Wish me luck...this is definitely conquering one of my big fears, and I am feeling a little scared!