1.13.2013

2013 GOALS

Readjust in a resolute manner.

Resolutions are tricky mainly because we RARELY complete a resolution.  I do not do resolutions anymore.  Instead I look at my life and I see what I can adjust to make my life a little happier, healthier with more wisdom and spiritual growth.  I create goals and try to accomplish them.  January is a time to readjust what you've been doing (if you need to) and to pick out goals for the next year to accomplish in a resolute manner.  (Definition of resolute is simply "marked by firm determination.")

What I did last year is I posted twelve goals for myself to accomplish in 2012.  I ventured back to that blog post to see how I did.  I didn't do half bad, of course some of the "goals" were not to hard to accomplish.  For instance number one on my list last year was to turn thirty.  Good job, Aubrie!  I turned thirty with out even breaking a sweat.  Number two on my list definitely made me sweat, even if it was in water.  (You still sweat when you are in water by the way.)  I joined a masters swim team and I have been swimming for almost a year now.

I failed at a couple of goals as well.  I did not finish another triathlon or aqua bike.  I'm not really sure If I drove better this year either.  I am STILL reading "Crazy Love," it's been on my night stand for a year.  (It's heart wrenching and hard to read.)  Number nine's "Rafting" could have been better, I only took the blow-up kayak out once.  And I still need to venture down a few highways to check off number ten.

I am fairly happy with how the last two goals turned out.  I have been published in 1859 every issue this year (and they moved to six issues a year.) Plus I was published in Portland Monthly and I had an image featured on the front cover of The Gorge Magazine.  All in all I'll copy a famous saying in that "you win some and you loose some."

Sooo... for 2013 I thought I would keep my goal list, of course bumping it up to thirteen goals this year.  However, instead of thinking of thirteen brand new goals I am going to move the "failed" goals from 2012 over to the new list and I want to still accomplish them.  It's good to set goals, it's even better to accomplish what I've set out before me.

Here we go- 2013 BABY!  (The first four are from 2012 and the last nine are my new goals.)

1. Aqua Bike (from 2012):  Triathlons might be a thing of the past.  I hate running.  I do enjoy swimming and biking, hence an aqua bike.  Yes, they do exist.

2. Rafting (from 2012): I feel like taking my blow-up kayak out one time did not really count.  Let's up the ante and go for three times this summer!!

3. Roads (from 2012): I did not drive across the two highways I wanted to mark off on my map, so they are back.   Highway 228-20 from Sweet  Home to Black Butte Ranch and highway 126 from Springfield to Belknap Springs area.

4. Drive Better (from 2012):  Driving better really has a root problem.  The root of the problem is I am a procrastinator and I am always running late.  When I am running late I think that driving like a bat out of hell will some how magically give me back those precious minutes I lost doing whatever it was that made me late.  So really, I need to work on being on time and then I will be the worlds best driver... okay and I probably shouldn't follow to close, pause at stop signs or put my make-up on while driving.

5. Editorial/Magazines: The prime goal for 2013 is to get into as many magazines as possible and really work hard on my editorial portfolio.  I still want to be in every issue of 1859 and I now want to be in every issue of The Gorge Magazine plus have at least two or three assignments in Portland Monthly.  I am really trying to get into Touring and Tasting, Mix and Sip NW!

6. Food Photography:  Food photography falls on the heels of the previous goal.  I think food/drink photography is huge for editorial and I really want to improve on my food photography skills.  I am currently reading Plate to Pixel (mini goal- finish the book) and I might look into taking a class as well.

7. Read:  I want to read at least five "classic" novels.  Right now I am reading Jack Kuraoc's "On the Road."  Once I am finished with that book I want to read Catch 22, Pride and Prejudice, one of Hemingway's books and the fifth book I am not sure yet... I'm thinking about Huck Finn or rereading The Great Gatsby.  Along with the classic list I want to finish reading books I have started and not finished; including "Crazy Love" (from 2012's list) plus "Storytellers" and "Hot Shoe Diaries."

8. Geo Cache: Dave and I like to drive, we like to hike and we have a GPS dealy-thing.  (It's Dave's, I clearly don't know what it is called.)  So I figured we should try geo caching.

9. Country Line Dance & Two Step: I'm a country girl- I should know how to line dance.  David even said he would take the classes with me.  Hopefully next time we venture out to Dukes we'll be able to hit up the dance floor.

10. Nationals:  US Master Swimming Nationals is this May and it just happens to be at my old stomping ground, eh, pool.  IUPUI was where all my big swim meets were held and I would love to go back and swim in the pool as an out-of-shape adult swimmer.  A lot of things have to happen to accomplish this goal.  First I need to make the cut times, second I need to train for the meet (or vise-versa train for the cut times), third I need to be able to afford to fly into Indy.  We shall see.  (An additional swimming goal is to go to practice at least four times a week, every week.)

11. Yoga:  I like yoga.  I have a yoga instructor and I get private lessons from her.  She has me working on what we call my "magic three" poses that I need to do pretty much every day.  So... I want to do yoga every day, even if it's just for ten minutes.

12. Writing:  I like writing.  I'm not good at it.  I need to practice, so I probably should write more.  I want to be able to write better blog posts for my photography blog and I want to be able to write up little "love stories" for my couples and intertwine that with their wedding albums.  I randomly started writing an awful novel for like, I don't know, teenagers or something.  Still- it's fun and and its good practice so I need to continue writing it.  I also would like to take some writing classes to polish up the old writing skills.

13. Spiritual Life:  As a Christian I am always trying to deepen my walk with God.  I have a few simple things I want to work on this year to keep my faith growing.  First- I am reading through "My Utmost for His Highest."  It's a daily devotional read, every day it just has a verse and a couple of paragraphs to read and think/pray about.  Speaking of prayer- I always need to up my prayer time.  The last thing will be difficult with David's schedule but I would like to join a small group within our church at Branches.   (And of course I am continuing another year, my fourth year, volunteering at Pregnancy Resource Center.)

1 comment:

triathlon said...

“Congratulations Aubrie! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this exciting information.”