Researching...

In typical Kate fashion I have been doing lots of reading up on goal setting.

I tend to spend lots of time doing this then run out of steam when it comes to the actions required! But I am feeling determined this time.

I came across an interesting series of articles in Next magazine written by a life coach. The issue I have has installment 4 of 12 but I was lucky enough to find the previous articles on the life coaches website. There are also some work sheets and things on there that might be useful.

I am also interested to read a book that the life coach recommends...mainly because of it's quirky sounding title: 'Eat that Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done' by Brian Tracy. They have it at the library so will try and get my hands on that one. I, obviously, could do with some tips for stopping procrastination!

I'm off to Auckland with work tomorrow (Thursday) until Sunday. It's a new part of my job which I haven't experienced yet so I'm looking forward to that aspect but I'm not really happy about that length of time away from home at the moment. Having just got settled again at home after our big trip overseas and feeling really run down, working long days and being away from my bed and Graeme and the dog is going to be upsetting.

On the health side of things, I ended up at the doctor's on Monday lunchtime due to on-and-off chest pains I'd been having since Friday night. After an hour of being monitored I got to see a doctor and apparently I have acid reflux which really doesn't seem all that bad compared to the excruciating pain I was in. I've got some medication to take although I have been warned (by a friend) that the tablets can cause more problems then good. At this stage it's good because the pain has stopped but I shall monitor how I am feeling and make sure the pills don't do me any harm.

I haven't done much exercise this week and won't get started on that now until next week.

I do plan to take my NaNo manuscript with me to Auckland on the offchance I get some time to myself and can continue with my read through and editing. And I will be giving lots of thought to my goals and doing some more 'research' if I get the time.

And today I picked out images from Google Images that suit each of the catergories for my goals (2 examples above)...to help me visually link what I am saying to each of my goals.

My Goals for 2008

Hot on the foot of my first welcome post, here are my goals for 2008 along with a brief introduction:

The main priority for me this year is going to be my health and fitness. I have spent too many years wanting to lose weight and get fitter without enough results. I am planning to get married in May 2009 so I hope this will work as a deadline for me to get to a weight and shape I am happy with.

I feel I had a successful 2007 in terms of writing because it was the first year I wrote a 50k novel and I want to carry on this year by editing the first novel and working on a second.

Planning the wedding may take up a lot of my time later in the year so I am going to include reference to this in my goals.

Health & Fitness

• Lose 20kg
• Aim for 3 Curves workouts every week
• Do at least 1 other type of exercise each week (swimming, long walk, badminton etc)
• Stop taking the pill and monitor effects to see if my health improves
• Attend meditation or yoga class for relaxation (and if I like it - continue to attend)
• Cut MSG out of diet completely
  

Writing

• Edit novel completed during NaNo 2007 and submit to at least one contest
• Write at least one 50,000 word novel
• Research and submit query for 2 magazine/newspaper articles

Wedding

• Get a date confirmed for the wedding
• Work out a wedding budget
• Work out a plan of what needs to be done when and put into action
• Try wedding dresses on once lost 15kg

Relationships

• Update K and G NZ blog regularly (at least once a month) so family and friends can see what we are up to
• Commit to one evening (or weekend afternoon) per week of quality time with Graeme, by ourselves (ie, go out for dinner, watch a movie together, play a game etc)
• Email, text or phone one of my close friends/family members at least once a week to keep in touch

Creativity/Personal Development

• Make time at least once per month for scrap-booking or other crafts
• Attend a class/workshop to learn a new skill (Italian for beginners, drawing, painting, ceramics)
• Update this blog regularly (aim for once a week) to keep tabs on where I am at with achieving my goals and what obstacles are in my way

Queen of procrastination

Being the queen of procrastination I have always had a difficult time sticking to new years resolutions and achieving my goals.

After some success last year...by achieving one of my long time ambitions - writing a novel - I decided if I can do that I should be able to achieve other goals as well.

Part of my novelling success was, in part, due to my broadcasting of what I was trying to achieve to as many people as possible. This was at the advice of Chris Baty who wrote 'No Plot, No Problem' and who is the creator of NaNoWriMo (National Novel writing Month). Being accountable for what I was setting out to achieve seemed to help me focus and carry on, even when the going got tough.

So I have decided to set up this blog to make myself accountable for my other goals in the hope and belief that I will achieve what I want to this year.

So that is why this blog is here. It will either become a tool of procrastination for avoiding other tasks or will become something I procrastinate about!

And yes, you could say I have procrastinated already this year as I am only just publishing my goals but I like to think I have been mulling them over to make them more meaningful and achievable ;-)