Any big goals for the new year?

[CathyA]

I, too, want to declutter, declutter, declutter, and LESS!
Seems like I've been getting rid of tons of stuff for so long.....but there's still way too much STUFF.
I also want to come to terms, somehow, with not being immortal.

[cdttmm]

Two big athletic goals for this year: (1) earn my black belt in Tae Kwon Do and (2) run a 100 mile race. To put these in perspective, I've studied Tae Kwon Do for almost 10 years at this point (not straight through, a five year stint earlier in life and another almost 5 year stint this time around). I've been doing some type of endurance racing since 1995 and have been running ultra marathons since 2004. Running a 100 mile race has been on the bucket list for quite some time...2014 is the year to get 'er done.

[Simpler at Fifty]

I like 'Less' for one of my 2014 words. My second word/goal is Gratitude. My third word/goal is Smile. I can be smiling on the inside and you would never know by the look on my face.

[Gardenarian]

cdttmm - my dd recently started Tae Kwon Do and is just crazy about it! I'm so happy she found "her sport", and it's one that can last for a lifetime.

My goal for the new year is to take it easy and put less pressure on myself. To listen to my heart more than my head, to listen to nature and my body instead of clocks and calendars, to hear my own voice and not let it be drowned out by others.

[redfox]

Ramp up my photography business. I want it in the black in 2014.

I'd love to hear more about this, as my DH has a very modest photography business that he wants to grow.

Mine:
-Slow, steady weight loss, 20-30# in the next 12-18 months.
-Continue to nurture my health as I rebuild from the CancerDance of 2013.
-Retirement savings replenished & added to
-Proceed on house projects
-Deepen my committment to non-dual living.

[mira]

~ relearn Portuguese
~ be more patient & compassionate when it comes to dealing with students at work
~ become more confident in conversations
~ learn to not feel so nervous while driving

Catherine - I might add mindfulness to my list too!

[Simply Divine]

-Deepen my committment to non-dual living.

I Googled "non-dual living" and found www.livingnonduality.org. It is super awesome. Thank you.

[iris lilies]

I am flirting with retiring from paid work next year. Maybe yes, maybe no, but there are some home goals and work goals to move toward in service of that idea.

[SteveinMN]

Originally Posted by SteveinMN
Ramp up my photography business. I want it in the black in 2014.

I'd love to hear more about this, as my DH has a very modest photography business that he wants to grow.

When I left my HSSJ a couple of years ago, I figured I'd have to keep working somewhere because we would need the income. Photography has long been an interest of mine and I identified a couple of markets that really could use better photography. So I set up my business and planned to start once I left my previous employer. Long story short, a few months of down time right after I quit made it clear that DW and I could cut costs enough to greatly reduce the need for much photography income.

So I really haven't done that much with the business. But I did enjoy the process of setting it up and I still enjoy photography. I did run up some expenses: Web hosting, registering a business name, liability insurance, some camera equipment. So I'd like to make up some of that. And I'm guessing that, after two tax years of doing little with the business but spending money, Uncle Sam would like to see more progress toward solvency.

The main thing I need to do is make the financial case for hiring me. That has called for some research on my part, both on documenting why it's cheaper to pay me than not, and in how I can address some underserved aspects of my market (specifically, remodelers, contractors, and home stagers) and still cover expenses. So this winter I will be running a lot of numbers. And then I'll be advertising more than just nice pictures.

[catherine]

~ relearn Portuguese
~ be more patient & compassionate when it comes to dealing with students at work
~ become more confident in conversations
~ learn to not feel so nervous while driving

Catherine - I might add mindfulness to my list too!

Yes, one can always improve the practice of mindfulness!

And I'm interested in your "relearn Portuguese." My DIL is 1st gen Brazilian, and my DS and I really want to learn Portuguese. My soon-to-be-born grandson will be bilingual, and I want to be in step with him. I am a novice French speaker and a very primitive Spanish speaker, so I'm hoping my knowledge of the Romance languages will help me here.

I'm debating Pimsleur vs. Rosetta Stone. I'm thinking Pimsleur is a better approach for me. What do you think?