On New Year’s Day, I made a list of goals and priorities.

This has become an annual event along with reviewing accomplishments from the previous year.

Some 2018 items were general categories like health, relationships, career and financial well-being. Some items were specific like getting my drivers license.

Just before the Lunar New Year I caught the flu; I lost a week of work, socializing and getting out for provisions. My youngest adult child dropped off necessities from the grocery store. My closest friend brought me lozenges and herbal tea.

I had time to rest, wallow in self-pity, watch trashy Netflix shows and reflect.

Cat on Lap watching trashy Netflix shows with me

I used some of the recent recommendations from the Year of the Dog Feng Shui workshop to rearrange my living space, to revisit my personal space and time. According to our instructor, this coming year would be a good one for career and education.

Cat on lap helping with Lunar New Year cleanse preparations

It could have been the haze of the flu lifting but I had a vision of where I would like to be in five years, let alone one. I revisited and embraced information about an early love, the love of libraries. I registered for a college program as a part-time student.

Coming out from under the winter funk, I felt motivated to move my body more and soon put some goals into action. I pushed myself to the end of April, as I studied for the written test for the drivers license.

Cat on Lap helping me study for the written test

I passed the test and earned my G1. Yippee!

In early May, I started attending night classes for two courses in a college program. By late June I was wondering “What was I thinking?!”. The stress of work demands and school assignments was starting to peak.

I felt a great relief by last weekend after delivering a successful presentation in one class and completing the midterm exam in another.

Now enjoying a wisely planned vacation week, I can relax and muster up enough energy to get me through the next six weeks of school (plus that work thing and weekend volunteer shifts…)

I am continuing with my morning walks because my physical and spiritual health are important to me.

I am planning to take driving lessons this fall and winter so I can pass the road test by next spring. I look forward to being independently mobile for future travel.

I think I’ll only take one night class this fall though!

We’re half-way through the year. Whew!

Thanks for stopping by. If you like the black cat’s appearances, you can see more of him and the Fat Tabby at this blog. If you like my writing style, you might enjoy reading my novel from 2011.

What’s your opinion of setting annual goals? Lifelong learning?

T