Thursday, February 6

goal setting: what i learned from 2013


If you've been following along with my goal setting posts this year, you know that I've been really grateful for Lara Casey's helpful series and questions.  Recently, Lara encouraged readers following along with her series to reflect on what worked and what didn't work in 2013 and to draw some lessons from those experiences.  Here's what I've realized:

What I learned from what worked:

  • My coworkers might as well be family at this point, and I am so blessed to be part of a supportive team.  I am respected and loved at work and my co-workers know my strengths and weaknesses.  The eighth grade team worked hard this year to welcome a group that had a reputation for being difficult students, and they've become one of our favorite groups ever.
  • My 4-H friends (former camp coworkers, current staff members, fellow adult volunteers, and teen leaders) inspire me with their energy and compassion for youth. The people I was on camp staff with know me so well - they were there for me through one of the most difficult periods in my life.  When you think someone has changed, they may have just grown.

What I learned from what didn't work:

  • Even though I don't always feel it, the administrators at my school do have a lot of confidence me as a teacher.  I can make suggestions and ask questions without feeling like they are going to judge me or get irritated.
  • I need to consciously make time for the things that matter to me - writing, exercise, cooking real food, spending time with friends and family.
  • I need to stop comparing my life to other people's - bloggers with beautiful wardrobes and houses, friends with babies, college classmates with more glamorous careers.  Mr. Q and I are in a really awesome phase of our lives right now and I need to just stop and appreciate being one half of a happy, young married couple.  And my goals, be they small (cleaning the guest room) or large (buying a house), are always going to be a lot more achievable when I share them with the other member of this team.

What did you learn from 2013?


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