Setting Goals and keeping it in check

I went to a very interesting "Women in Business" meeting sponsored by the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce tonight.  Not only because it was the first time in about 1 1/2 years that I've been in the Harley Davidson dealership since my husband had the "doors of opportunity opened for him" - you know what that means......but because the topic was setting goals for yourself.  The new year brings the opportunity for people to make goals - resolutions (are they the same???) about the new year.  Exercise, lose weight, eat right.....those are usually some of the resolutions people make each year.  (I think I did earlier in this blog!)

The panel of women talked about the past year - one woman thought 2010 was an awful year; another thought the year before was worse and 2010 was a bit better.  I thought 2008 was bad - too much lost for me, as you know.  But 2009 brought more losses, in a different way.  My daughter Sarah went off to college and we "downsized" from our (dream) house into the condo.  And for me - the loss of my purpose.  I found myself trying to find me - I needed to "reinvent" myself.  So, 2010 was an interesting year for me - a year of changes and 'self-discovery", which was good.  More interesting, I think.  One woman on the panel said she had to "re-define" her goals - because her business wouldn't survive in the changing economy.  And that's how her business survived. 

I too, think I changed my goals.  By changing my entire focus!  I spent so much time soul searching....trying to figure out who I am and where I fit in to the whole scheme of things.  What makes me happy.  Who really knows?

They say that when your nest becomes "empty" and you go back to being you and your spouse, people need to re-invent their relationship - or really, find out if you have one.  I re-invented myself - which, I don't know - is that harder, or not?  I guess it is both re-inventing me and re-inventing "us" - which, I think is harder. 

So when I think about the goals that I have for myself for 2011.....well some are resolutions and some are goals.  The "no shopping" is a goal; the "not be excessive" is a resolution.  The "be happy" is a resolution; the "find what makes you happy" is a goal.

Enough said.