Lesson #15 - Goals

Growing up I always hated when teachers made you write out your goals. I have always been a I-just-have-to-wait-and-see-what-happens kind of person. Not necessarily crazy spontaneous, but I was just never sure I could really pick out my “destiny”.

Okay, but goals are good - right? I have always been better with creating short-term goals because those seemed a bit more tangible. More practical. Like pass this exam or find shoes to match the dress I am wearing this weekend. Those goals I can usually achieve and am happy with. It’s the long-term goals that get me. Really, should I want to be a lawyer, doctor, or teacher? Or be married and have five children by the time I am 32? No I don’t want to be a lawyer, doctor, or teacher. Really I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I “grow up”. And while getting married and having kids would be nice, you just can’t always plan that timing. Besides, at this point it’s a little late for five kids by the time I am 32. Well, unless I have quintuplets.

Ouch.

With all that said, I have decided to narrow down some life goals for me. One short-term and one long-term goal. Just to please the masses*. (*the masses being potential employers and past teachers)

Short-term goal: get a job
Long-term goal: win an Oscar

I would say both of those are very doable. I figure I am making some good headway on the short term goal and I have a little bit of time to achieve the long-term goal. Both very possible and both still maintain my I-just-have-to-wait-and-see-what-happens goal making personality. I am sure the Academy would agree.

Lesson #14 - A Full Time Job

Where has all my time gone? I have been in Texas for a little over a month now and it has flown by. I think I am on the computer just about 8+ hours a day doing lots of research, writing, and arithmetic (okay not really arithmetic.) It’s like a full time job! If only I was getting paid for all this work…

Between applying for jobs, I have started a couple new ventures. First I’ve been doing a little volunteering with my mom’s friend/colleague in developing a new website, database, and potentially a communications schedule. It’s for a non-profit here in Austin called Hope Street (formerly Christian Women’s Job Corp) and it’s been fun. They are pretty much on the ground floor but in a great position to take off. I love applying some of the things I have learned along the way to help them develop an online presence and hopefully grow their classes, volunteers, and donor base. It’s always challenging to figure out ways to help them succeed without a lot of capital. Well challenging, but usually very rewarding. Now if only it had a cash reward that went directly in my pocket…

My other venture is starting a food blog of sorts. My mom and I decided that we needed to make a diet change. A “switch” is actually what we are calling it. Remember my New Year’s resolution of losing 15 pounds? Well I would say I am getting on track for achieving that goal. Check out our new blog and read our tweets as we try to incorporate more superfoods into our diet and leave behind the processed empire that reigns over the grocery aisles. Let’s just say my old roommate, Erika, would be proud.

These three things - job hunting, volunteering, and writing - have really taken over my time recently. But I have mostly enjoyed it (well, minus the job hunting.) Now I am just hoping it will all pay off…