Classics Considered

by Marian H

Dreams & Goals for 2017

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by

Marian
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Every year is another chance to look back, figure out what went well and what didn’t, and think of ways to make the next year even better.  I call my list “dreams and goals,” instead of “resolutions.”  What I’ve discovered, especially this past year, is that you don’t know what unexpected opportunities may pop up or how you will change as a person.  It’s good to dream and plan, and it’s also healthy to let yourself be flexible and spontaneous.

A few dreams / goals I met in 2016:

  • Read 25 books.  Some of them were short, and one or two of them were quite long (I’m looking at you, Mack).  It felt great to make a dent in that TBR list!
  • Take photos.  I started learning about photography in earnest.  Will continue this one in 2017.
  • Love my neighbors.  That is, I tried to love the people with whom I interacted in “real life” and online.  As we all have experienced, it’s been a contentious year.  More than ever I realized the struggle – and necessity – of being understanding and respectful of others, even if I felt hurt by their words or attitudes.  This is an ongoing goal.

“You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.”

Some of my dreams and goals for 2017: 

  • Read 15 books.  I’ll be setting my Goodreads challenge a bit lower this time, which hopefully will allow me to squeeze in some longer books.
  • Learn to read in French.  My dad has a textbook called French for Reading.  Starting January 1, my goal is to complete a lesson a day and ultimately be able to read at least children’s literature by the end of the year.
  • Don’t buy new things.  Especially books, right?  😉
  • Keep a consistent schedule.  Lately I’ve recognized a need to significantly reduce the level of stress in my life.  If I can identify a schedule that will balance my full-time work and my personal life (i.e. reading!), it will help remove some of that unnecessary stress.

I have so enjoyed getting back into blogging and reading all of you guys’ blogs.  Here’s to many more bookish adventures in 2017!

Comments

4 responses to “Dreams & Goals for 2017”

  1. cleopatra Avatar
    cleopatra

    Oh my goodness, I think we're twins!!! 🙂 I, too, have been trying to love my neighbours and surprisingly, it can be very difficult, especially when some have a different worldview than you have and sometimes misconstrue your actions. I was surprised to find how isolated some people feel and how distrustful others can be. But with patience, people do seem to open up, even if it can seem slow at first.I've also been trying to learn photography! I was using the Great Courses, The Fundamentals of Photography, but I've since loaned it to a friend's daughter, as she is showing more promise than me. In any case, I hope to be further inspired in 2017.I'm trying not to buy new things also and …..I have a goal to improve my reading in French. I'm reading Maupassant's Le Horla at the moment, and I hope to read Le Petit Nicolas sometime during the year.In any case, I hope that you have a wonderful 2017 and reach all your goals!

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  2. MH Avatar
    MH

    Thanks, Cleo! I'm super excited about reading French…I used to know some vocabulary through the Rosetta Stone system, but for the most part I haven't retained anything from my various language studies. It should be interesting. 🙂

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  3. mari Avatar
    mari

    Good for you! It is always so reassuring to see somebody lowering their expectations, their goals, for an upcoming year rather than increasing the pressure! I wholeheartedly agree with you that you just never know how much you change and you can't foresee new opportunities cropping up. This approach is currently making me reconsider a lot of things. (My own goals are not, this time around, to read an X number of books, but rather to accept that things take time and not be afraid of taking small steps… rather than trying to find a week's worth of uninterrupted time to tackle a project – and being so bitter when it doesn't work out!) Can I ask for a small favour? If do you find a schedule that works for you, please share – I'm quite dejected myself at my own failure to create one that would work for me.The happiest of New Years to you!

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  4. MH Avatar
    MH

    A (belated) happy New Year to you, too, Mari! That sounds like a great idea, taking small steps. In the past, I definitely found myself making goals that were just too vague and overwhelming. Now I try to make short-term goals, along with some specific details on how to get there. Still learning, though. I will for sure blog about my schedule if it ends up working out! (So far so good, this week! But it's only been two days yet. :))

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