In life, I have been meandering. I make decisions, yet I’m still not sure how everything is going to work out. The day to day struggles seem pointless in the long run. So I am going to take very concrete action and come up with a plan. Okay, a plan may not be action, but a specific plan will help me know what actions to take.
I’ve been researching online ideas for designing a five-year plan. I need to figure out what aspects of my life need clarifying. And, I’m still trying to figure out my love-hate relationship with finding a job.
So here is what I have found so far. There are 9 sectors that I need to clarify and set goals for. Artistic, Attitude, Career, Education, Family, Financial, Physical, Public Service, and Travel. Some of these sectors I never even considered setting concrete goals for. Other ones, like Career, I’ve agonized over for years and years, and not managed to get very far. That’s what I feel is happening right now like it did when I was in high school and again while I was in undgrad. So, here is my five-year goals for each of these sectors:
Artistic: Play guitar well enough so I can sing along. And, have some sort of singing gig, like in church
Attitude: Reduce and manage stress. Be happy.
Career: Have a career I love: writing and helping children.
Education: Completed a Master’s Degree in Writing. Made a decision on whether or not to pursue a Ph.D.
Family: Meet someone that I love and care about and get married.
Financial: Paid off credit card debt. Earn a comfortable living.
Physical: Working out consistently (at least 4 times per week), healthy knees, and my idea of a “perfect” body.
Public Service: Volunteer weekly with an organization helping children in need.
Travel: Visit a foreign country.
Now just because I’ve set out these goals, doesn’t mean I’m all done. Not even close. The real key is going to be breaking these goals down yearly, and then monthly. Otherwise known as “THE PLAN” I will spare you the details on everything except for career. This blog is about becoming a writer, no? I suppose that I can’t become a professional student and live off of student loans forever.
I think the key to setting up my five-year plan is deciding what exactly I want to do. I have a thoroughly low commitment to any one thing. And even if I pick something, getting a job is a whole other story. I don’t like job interviews. I feel uncomfortable bragging about myself to employers, presenting myself as some perfect person in a stuffy business suit. If money weren’t an issue, I’d write all day and just enjoy life. I abhor the whole job search process.
So in lieu (partly) of looking for a grown-up job, I’m going to get volunteering gig with the Boys and Girl’s Club of America. It seems like a great first step to do something positive and something that could find me a slice of happiness in this world.
To Be Continued…
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Hello Self! Pleased to meet you.