Goals, not resolutions

New Year's resolutions are easily broken. They are what you will do that year, and if you don't achieve them that year, you have failed. (Studies show that people become quite depressed when they break their resolutions.)

Goals, on the other hand, are targets, and need not be finished within the year for success. As I am a perfectionist and I have always considered life to be something you either get an A in or an F, setting myself up for something that I can fail at isn't such a good idea. I know — having an "A or F" perception of life isn't a good idea either, but I can't fix that problem quickly and working around it at least allows me to accomplish some things.

I haven't accomplished much, in my eyes, this past year. I am still mostly unemployed and I have made few friends (and some of those simply disappeared). I haven't finished a novel or a piece of art, and I don't know Houston like the back of my hand. Nor have I ventured into the unknown again, haven't checked out Austin or Dallas.

As I mentioned earlier, I am a perfectionist.

Things I did do: worked at new kinds of work; found work, although intermittent, with NOAA scientists again, so I can learn more fun and interesting things; learned a park and most of my locale like the back of my hand; traveled on my own to New Orleans to meet with a friend; spent the Christmas holiday in San Antonio with my mom (and we both survived a week and a half in each other's continual company!). I cannot count the part where I got in a car and took off for the unknown, because that happened in '08. And it wore me out. Also, I started my first novel. But there were 365 days in which to do all this, and there was plenty of time when I was far from effective. So I don't give myself an A. Maybe a C+ or a B-. It's hard to not grade myself on my life.

So, I set goals, not resolutions. And these are mine, which I hope to achieve in 2010, but achieving them at all will be an accomplishment, and, I hope, will net me an A in my own mind.

What I want to do in 2010: my current goals

1. Find work.
2. Volunteer for something.
3. Join some activities that will bring me into regular contact with people. 
4. Write: 
• Finish my novel through its final draft. 
• Post to my blog at least once a week.
5. Do art:
• Develop illustrations, such as the park, bird and other drawings based on photos, and the freeway supports of various of Houston's freeways — I think they are beautiful.
• Develop skill with my camera and with photography in general; photograph said freeway supports.
• Crochet several somethings.
6. Get healthy:
• Do yoga and pilates.
• Take up martial arts again.
• Cook; eat healthy foods and meals.
• Meditate. Friend JSB insists that I should and maybe he is right.  :)

These seem like doable goals, and all but the "find work" thing are entirely under my control. The work situation does depend also on someone hiring me. But I can do my part the best I can. And I am now beginning to get creative with that. I'll post more on that later.

So there I am. My friends, feel free to ask me how I am doing with all of the above. Nothing like a little accountability to help keep one on track. Notice I said "a little." JSB, this does not invite you to pester me. Remember, I can pester back!

I hope you all had a lovely New Year's eve and day and that 2010 is even better for you than 2009!