welcome to the first girl talk of 2014. crazy to think that this new year is underway (we're over a week in…what on earth?!?). i'm not really one for new years resolutions; i never end up keeping them and honestly, usually forget about them by february.
but i am a fan of setting goals for yourself, and this year, i'd like to work on who i am as a person. after all, this is the year that i turn 25 (which seems really unbelievable to me. didn't i just finish high school? where did college go? and i'm done with grad school too? aren't i supposed to be settled into a career by now? haha…anyone else feeling this way?)
anyway, i digress…goals, yes...
here are five that i have…
1. be teachable.
i work in a job that i'm pretty new at, and on a team that gets a lot of critical feedback. we plan events and weekly services, and that means we hear opinions from everyone, sometimes unsolicited. i've never been especially great at taking criticism. i have a hard time not being offended or hurt by someone's critical comments, and so i'd like to work on changing my attitude towards criticism from defensive to teachable. it's hard to remember when being critiqued that not everyone is out to get you, and most of the time, the critic is just trying to be helpful. so i'm going to try to remember to be gracious in the face of feedback that i don't agree with or like and look at in instead as a teachable moment.
2. be gentle.
a few nights ago, i was out to dinner with a few friends and one of the girls brought up a conversation that she and her mother had had recently. her mother had made the comment that our generation can often be obnoxious and sarcastic, often to the point where it comes across as rude. i'm ashamed to say that i can see her point, and fear that i, too, can take the road of sarcasm all too frequently. so, one of my goals is to have a gentle spirit. i'd like to work on becoming the type of person that brings tranquility to those she is around. 1 peter 3:4 says "rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in god's sight." if god values a gentle and quiet spirit as being of great worth, then i see it as something to definitely strive toward!
3. be reliable.
meetings, deadlines, a demanding schedule. do you ever have those moments when it all swirls around you and you feel like all the balls you're juggling are starting to slip from your grasp? i think it's really easy to let things slide in those hectic moments, and i know i've fallen into a haphazard pattern of not always being on time or not always meeting deadlines (particularly the ones i set for myself). so i'm going to work on getting back to being reliable, holding myself accountable, giving myself plenty of time to get places, and being early for things!
4. be alone.
i don't know about you, but my life gets really, really busy sometimes. to be honest, i like it that way! but a busy schedule (and being a total extrovert) often means that i don't take time to just be alone, be quiet, and rejuvenate. i have a list of books i'd love to read and a list of projects i'd love to work on, and so i'd love to take steps towards scheduling time for me (and sticking to those "me dates"!) so i can start checking things off those lists.
5. be intentional.
i am lucky enough to have friends all over the place. having gone to college in massachusetts, i was able to meet people from all areas of the country, some of which are now living in all areas of the world! what i'm not always great about is being intentional about keeping in touch and being a friend from a distance. i can't tell you how many times i've realized a birthday passed by and i never sent that card that i intended to. or how many times i've said "we need to do this more often!" after a coffee date with a friend and then not talked to them for two months. facebook and social media allow us to feel connected without actually being so, and it makes me sad when i think about the friends i once lived with and how i rarely even see or talk to them now. i'm hoping this year to be more intentional about keeping friendships alive and strong and showing my friends, both near and far, that i really do care about them and our friendship!
i've been in business for over 5 years now. don't forget - business is business!!! can't take business personally, even if the project means a lot to you personally, you can't go down that path!
ReplyDeleteTrue! Working at a church makes that mindset a little tougher, but it's something I'm working at.
DeleteI definitely set myself some goals for intentional living. I decided I needed to make more of an effort to call people, write them encouraging notes, and just be available. I am so unreliable to my out-of-town friends, and that is really no excuse with all the social media!
ReplyDeleteAmen! I'm with you there. I'm hoping to send a note via snail mail to at least one friend a week this year!
DeleteI love the idea of being alone. It is something that I really really need to work on. Thanks for pointing it out also. Sometimes it needs to be right in your face.
ReplyDeletexo. Kailagh
Glad to know I'm not the only one! I have the hardest time just slowing down and being by myself!
DeleteI relate with all your goals, but especially regarding being reliable and intentional. I always mean to do things and so often forget. I shared some fun goals on my blog but more personally my goal is definitely to be more intentional in what I do. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDelete