I wrote down on a piece of paper (that I cannot find) my two overriding goals that will govern my 2019. I hesitate to call them goals specifically for 2019 because these goals go farther than that. “They” – and by that I mean the people who encourage abundance mindsets whose messages I tend to resonate with – say you can have whatever you want, and you shouldn’t limit yourself to what you think you can have.

However, I find it useful to have a bit more realistic expectations, so my goals are lifetime goals.

Be Rich, and Be Fit

Money might not buy happiness, but it pays the bills. And when bills are causing most of my stress, money sure as fuck seems like happiness. I would like to be the kind of rich that has a year’s worth of expenses in a saving’s account. I would like to be the kind of rich that has enough money to not need to worry about retirement. I would like to be the kind of rich that can donate to causes that make people in my financial position right now fall off the rails and lose everything because yes – choosing between health insurance and food and rent is real and can ruin your life.

I used to want to be skinny. I wanted to be thigh-gap model skinny, flat stomach at all times skinny, popular girl skinny. It’s not that my goals have changed, exactly, but I’m 40, and turning 41 in a few days. I might yet get to be all of those things, but today I want to walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. I want to walk 10,000 steps per day. I want to enjoy 30 minutes of daily aerobic activity. (I want people at the office to stop asking me if I’m all right because my face is beet red and I’m sweating after helping to set up an event. Yes, I’m fine – right now, I’m just fat.)

So – how am I going to accomplish these two goals? I’m so glad you asked.

To become Rich, I need to bring more money into our household. There are a couple ways that can be done – sell stuff (goods or services), or win the lottery. Since I don’t play the lottery, that second method isn’t valid. But I can sell goods and services.

I’ve worked for a transcription company in the past year, and that’s an option, but what I’d rather do is sell stories. To sell stories, I need to write stories. I need to stop worrying about whether what I’m writing is meeting the rules I have in my head that other people want to read or with think is worthy, and start writing things I like to write. I really believe that there is an audience for whatever I enjoy writing – there are simply too many readers in the world to have me be the only person who enjoys reading about sentient cats.

So the first task on my list for 2019 is: write more words.

Then offer the words for sale. And then hope people buy them. But basically, write the words.

To become Fit, I have several options which include moving more, eating less, making better food and beverage choices, and restricting calories. Of all of these options, I think moving more is my best bet, although portion control and better choices will have to play a part eventually.

This makes the second task on my list for 2019: move more.

“Write more words” and “move more” = goals/resolutions for next year!

Now that I’ve set them, I have to nail down exactly how to accomplish them.

Thank you! ❤