It's Mines

Many things outside of the festive thoughts have been on my mind lately; such a wide variety of things to write about!

However, it seems the one theme in my head this week has been goals or life plans.

Goals I have set, no matter how big or small, for a brief time I lost track of.

Prior to taking the job here at the paper in September, I set a five-year plan\goals for myself, for my life path.

This well thought out plan included things I have wanted to do before I began my family.

For those who don’t know I chose to raise my family first, before seeking a career, fulltime job or fulfilling the dreams I had as a high school graduate.

When I found out I was pregnant with my son, my goal was to raise my children into decent young adults who went off to college or in some direction that did not lead to prison.

So far so good.

Yes, I do understand this is every parent’s wish - so that doesn’t make me any different from anyone else.

I also did not want anyone else raising our children but us, so I set a goal with my husband to be the only one(s) to raise our kids, and I stayed home or rearranged a part-time work schedule around my family’s.

Another goal was to ensure our children did not grow up in a broken home – both my husband and I knew exactly what that was like and neither of us wanted that for our kids.

And before anyone grumbles – I do understand why people divorce and do believe some people should, but as for my husband and I that was not an option, especially while our children are still in our home.

Still so far so good no matter the conflict we have endured.

A feat in itself since I can safely say we have been through more than most couples have undergone before they are 50-years-old in our 20 years together.

I think many of the people who know us wonder how we have survived as a ‘we’ – I know I have.

To be perfectly honest despite all my doubts along the way I have yet another plan or goal for us.

To sit on our front porch no matter where it is rocking in our respective chairs talking about the good old times when we or our children were younger, as we watch our great grandchildren climb all over us and our grandchildren chase after them.

Nonetheless even there I have a goal a direction in which I want to see my life go in – something I think is extremely important.

It wasn’t until six years ago I started setting goals that involved just me – my youngest was 10-years-old and growing up fast.

I began my five, 10, and 15 year plans, my life goals, but as I said above, I lost track of them – what would be the 10 year plan back then – for a moment when I was hired on at the paper.

For the past month, I struggled with thoughts of how I was failing myself because I was curbing my goals.

I have had these goals for much longer than the two months I had under my belt at the paper. (now it is 4 months) and I began weighting the importance of my goals in comparison, finding my goals truly are more important.

My five year goals are:

Obtain as much experience in this career as I can – for this will only improve my two natural abilities while enjoying myself the whole way.

To finish getting my degree – though I am changing majors and going after the degree I have always dreamed of.

To get in better shape so I can run a 5K, this includes quitting smoking – again – within a year as I did it before.

And finally at the end of these five years, my goal is to apply and serve in the Peace Corps for no less than a year.

All of these are goals I will not just continue to strive for – first being going back to school in January – but each of these I will be obtaining.

Why bother?

Because only I can make myself happy and fulfilled – and that is what obtaining or completing my goals will do.

Through my journey towards each accomplishment I will continue to grow as a person, I will continue to gain more wisdom, I will continue to find a happiness so few know and I will fully become.

To me goals are far more important than most realize - even simple daily goals.

I have come to the conclusion, when goals are present within one’s life you continue to grow – especially when they are goals that challenge you.

And I can say, with a great deal of confidence, goals are a healthy way to grow and evolve as a person.

I have also come to realize without a goal or plan, set specifically for you, life can and will eventually become unfulfilling and stagnant or unbalanced and chaotic.

I have come to realize goals are far more important than people realize – yes I meant to repeat that.

And you have to have faith - not hope - to obtain them…….the difference is incredible but I am saving that for a different column.

Contact Tina Mines at [email protected]