a peek inside the fishbowl

31 Aug, 2006

mental meanderings

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Misc. life

Edited to add: perhaps there are a few of us out there who need a little motivation to stop, think, and clarify some of our goals. And I’m prepared to share if you are. :)

1) Think about your goals and how you plan to meet them. Baby steps people, baby steps!
2) If you’re willing, post your goals on your blog (or here in the comments below) sometime on Friday.
3) We’ll read each other’s goals and give each other a little helpful support.

Anyone game?

This morning, instead of plopping myself in front of the computer right away to check emails and start work I decided to drink my coffee on the front stoop. It was nice, and I wondered why I wasn’t doing that every morning.

Oh yeah! Because I’m usually in my pyjamas!

The girls were watching Dora. The morning sun was shining on my face and I was loving it. It was my duty to absorb as much of it as I possibly could. The forecast is rainy and overcast for the long weekend. Thanks Ernesto!

I’m seriously considering getting a sunlamp. I would love a wall-mounted one so I can a face full of light as I work. Light from the monitor doesn’t count you know. I get so dreary and tired when the sun doesn’t shine. Really, I would be doing everyone a huge favour.

My mind is all over the place this morning. Might as well dump it here.

A heavy workday looms ahead of me. And a few things are weighing me down.

I had coffee with Dani some time ago. We talked about goals. I believe it’s important to have goals and try to meet them rather than trudge aimlessly through the mundane routines of daily life. I have met most of my old goals… they’re outlined on a list I wrote up after Sarah was born. It is still taped to the inside of my closet door, but it’s dated now. So my new goal is to revise my goals. Haha.

I have a couple of doozies on the new list, one in particular is overwhelming, and I don’t know how (or if, the big if) I’m going to achieve it.

I was talking to a friend at the playground yesterday. A lady who I don’t know too well personally but I like and admire very much. I talked to her about my goal. Her response: so why don’t you just do it?

I had a litany of answers, but they could be summed up in two words, or three, depending on whether you include the contraction or not:

I’m afraid.

So there you have it. I’m afraid. And if I continue to be afraid I will never meet this goal and I will eventually end up on my death bed regretting that I didn’t take the necessary steps to at least TRY to do what it is that I want to do.

I have to think about this some more. Back to work. For now.

 

 


14 Responses to "mental meanderings"

1 | nancy

August 31st, 2006 at 9:08 am

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I wanna help…should I say :

Go for it!

or rather

I dare you, double dare you.

Does that help?

If you just go ahead and try, at least you have tried, will you be any worse off from trying? Cause if not, then:

Why not?

2 | Marla

August 31st, 2006 at 9:26 am

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I have a secret goal too.

I’ll show you mine if you show me yours…

3 | Myra

August 31st, 2006 at 9:50 am

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I’m certain if someone had approached you with this same dilemma you’d have ideas and kind words of support… ’cause tho I don’t know you, I know you’ve got creativity and verve. And I enjoy that.

Soooo my Rx is simply this: Get it out of the closet and into the World. Then do it.

What’s the first step you can take today?

4 | twinmomplusone

August 31st, 2006 at 10:40 am

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a lot of life’s goals can feel so out of reach that it can be scary/ overwhelming

unless you are overwhelmed with laziness about doing something about it, which I think you’re not, then trying, giving it your best shot is teh only solution if you are serious enough about this goal otherwise its just a fantasy

now let me go think about my own secret goals…

5 | Sharon

August 31st, 2006 at 12:43 pm

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Goals. Yes Goals sacare me. I might actaully have to change or move from my comfort zone to do them. I have goals in my head and I said I would do them …when nathan hit school. SO now what excuse can I come up with next.

I hope I can do some although some of my goals are very scarey and out fo reach.

Now I have to go make a list.

Hugs

6 | Zhenia

August 31st, 2006 at 12:59 pm

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Maybe we could form a support group? I mean, two of the actual goals on my goal list are: “Stop being a chicken” and “Learn to swagger.”

7 | nancy

August 31st, 2006 at 1:14 pm

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I don’t really have ‘concrete’ goals, public or secret, so maybe I can start with a couple, play along and see how it goes. I can already think of two.

I’m in.

8 | DaniGirl

August 31st, 2006 at 1:36 pm

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First off, Zhenia’s ‘learn to swagger’ made me laugh out loud. What a great goal!

Second, that conversation was incredibly helpful for me. You said some supportive and encouraging things that I still take out and examine when I’m feeling a little insecure – thanks for that.

Third, why isn’t anybody else pestering you to be less secretive and share your goal? Damn, am I the only one dying of curiousity?

Fourth, what’s the worst that can happen if you don’t succeed? Honestly? That’s often the tool I use to evaluate whether I’m brave enough to try something.

Fifth, speaking of abject fear – I will finally submit the article I’ve been tinkering with for a month to the Citizen if you do whatever you are afraid to do!

9 | Sharon

September 1st, 2006 at 12:34 pm

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Ok one of my goals is to get over my fear of asking people for help.

SIGH…I know it’s not earth shattering I don’t even ask for help at home often. Figure I can do it. Alot of times I can’t. And

My manager has been after me to ask all my friend to have a home presentation to show my clothes I sell with 2 or three people I don’t know from their area to get my buiness off and running. BUT I can’t do it. I feel like I would be bothering my friends. An Impostion.

Next week I will do a blog on Goals. All of them.

Ok I typed this and easered this 3 times I’m submitting this before I cahnge my mind again.

Next week I will do a blog on Goals. All of them.

I wanna name this group. Fishbowl support.com.

;)

10 | Kristina

September 1st, 2006 at 1:37 pm

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This past weekend I accomplished a lifelong goal I had set for myself at the ripe old age of 3.5. I learned to ride a motorcycle. Unfortunately I failed the test and will have to retake it next year, but I did learn to ride! And I LOVE it!

11 | Helene

September 1st, 2006 at 6:49 pm

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what is life without goals. The greater risk, the more necessary it is to take baby steps. I’m neck deep in a huge goal right now, which is why you don’t see me blogging as often as I used to!

The good news is that the end is in sight… or if this thing, my current project, flies much higher than it is right now then I may need to put my personal blogging on a permanent vacation in leu of my professional blogging.

Best of luck- I say jump in.

12 | Ryan

September 1st, 2006 at 6:53 pm

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Good post, Andrea. I’ve seen another face of goals, being abroad – lots of people return to teaching overseas after trying to return home, as they don’t have goals for themselves, and it’s easier to return to the fold, that what’s comfortable.

And as to being afraid? Wow, I hear that. Whether it’s submitting an article, as Danigirl says she will (wow, that would be scary), or leaving the continent, fear is huge.

I need to make a goal list myself. Thanks for the push. :-)

13 | Marla

September 2nd, 2006 at 9:21 am

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Life is sweetened by risk.

14 | andrea

September 2nd, 2006 at 9:21 pm

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Thanks everyone for your kind words. I’m feeling a bit more pumped. Okay, maybe not pumped. Capable. I am feeling more capable. ;)

It’s a good start for us all!

Sharon: I am watching for your post!

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The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Sunny who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. During the day I work as a freelance writer. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here.

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