Ok…so I have moved on…am getting better – now what? Like what exactly are my goals? What do I now want to achieve? I have spent the better part of the last 6 months playing and having fun but essentially I am goal driven and not a floater. Floating has been fun but I think it is time to spend less time floating and more time working on the longer term goals!
Work: I have work goals – I have managed to get back into the yr 12 English classroom. Thats a great challenge – to get these kids through helping them achieve their best possible scores. It’s been a long time, the core curriculum has changed, but the workload is pretty much the same. I have confidence I will do well as long as I am as self disciplined as I expect them to be.
I also intend to be a better classroom manager. The little twerps will not run my classes. I will. Oh don’t worry – I am no Dragon Lady and I know when to have a laugh with them. But I also know when it is time to be firm and get them working.
Finally I want to instill in them the importance of using their own brain to solve problems and not mine. That is – to teach them good habits of mind along the way. One of the things we teachers complain about most is how much these students expect the instant gratification of achievement without doing the work themselves if they can – including the work of thinking. That needs to change. If I can alter the pathway of one starfish I will have achieved something. If I can help colleagues do the same I will have done better.
Long term: keep being the best teacher I can be for 4 years…then I may venture overseas to teach or at the very least to a new school.
Ok…enuff of work…what about other very important stuff?
Finances:
Hmmm get to the point where I am not living from one pay to the next. This means every cent has to be accounted for, there will be no debt and limited frivolous spending. I have been playing bigtime, frivolous spending has felt nice, but seriously if i want to get ahead planning what to do with my money is as important as looking after my emotional bank account. By the end of this year I want to be able to pay this weeks bills from last months pay. I am getting help from Simply Budgets. So, I will track and plan my spending and make it a daily habit.
Long term: Finance a laptop, a new car and a big holiday in 2 years time.
Health: This is one area I have already made a start on. I am committed to the local gym 3 times a week and Salsa dancing classes. The gym came about because I was tired of ‘waiting’ for yoga to restart and because of the ‘value for money’ cost of gym vs yoga class. However I also treat myself with Salsa – its social and sexy! I get a real natural high from dancing - the bodies natural feel good hormones go wild. It’s great. Gym on the other hand is a bit more work and an opportunity for time out from the hurley burly of daily life.
I am also watching the diet - not dieting but making careful choices. Less fat, much less carbs, few snacks, and the occassional self indulgent treat. (I just can’t say no to chocolate hedghog when it is on offer at school…hmmm…maybe that should be a challenge….nah…a treat is good!) The goal here is 60 kilos…I have 7 to go. Once upon a time I would have believed a weight of 70 kilos was impossible to achieve – ( I was in the high 80’s – even got into the 90’s once) I was convinced I was ‘heavy boned’…all excuses – I KNOW now because I have got under 70 and achieved the goal of staying under it over Christmas.
Long term: maintain a weight in the healthy weight range, keep physically fit, give up smoking.
Social network - This one has been a challenge. Getting better means I am friendlier, able to get out and meet people…and discover single life…dangerous world out there! I have been really going into party mode…but it is time to tone that down 10 notches. It costs money, but even more importantly I have found myself making some really dumbass decisions when I have had too much to drink and it takes a whole day or more to recover if I overdoit with the alcohol. My personal integrity has recently taken a bashing from the party girl. I need to correct that…so the routine of heading to the pub for late friday night partying is getting a break while I work out what it is that I need from such behaviour and try to find some other way of getting it. The attention from men who discover I am single is nice, flattering, but most only have one thing in mind. I need more than a romp in the hay! (gosh there is a whole other post i could write on these experiences!)
So…I am gonna pull in my devil horns and find people with similar values to knock around with. The salsa group is nice, workmates are fun, and so is the gangshow crew. The online friends give me a daily dose of laughter. And I think I might actually enjoy a couple of quiet movie nights at home…when the cricket is not on.
Long term: no specific goal here except to have a broad social network!
Creativity: This aspect of me permeates all my life. Once again there is backstage work for gangshow to do – my annual contribution to the local community. Then I have lots of UFO’s…unfinished patchwork quilts and paintings. On top of that there is some scrapbooking. I have it all sorted and at hand…I need to make time to do some. Oh…and writing more blog entries would be good too!
Long term: another less specific goal…nurtur my precious gift of creativity!
Ok…I guess thats it - if you have suggestions, ideas, or something to say please feel free to comment!
What can I say Jen, you constantly amaze me, I’m so blessed to have you in my life! As we both are well aware I’m sure, not in the capacity I would have, but, IN it, nonetheless.
For all our talks, of your ‘perceived’, poor choices, (I prefer, “learning experiences” *smiles*).
Even through some of the, emotional responses, I don’t allow myself the luxury of having. I feel, almost as blessed as though you *were* in my life, in the capacity I would prefer. You’re an inspiration to me, all of the work you’re doing on yourself, is serving as a reminder to me, of all that I was. The things I “chose” to stop doing, in order to dispel alot of my old ‘demons’, that were just sitting back, biding their time, waiting for me to ‘let my guard down’ .
Well, ‘let my guard down I did, and they came flooding back in. You’re helping to keep fresh in my mind, much of this was done by me, and can only be UN-done [with help] by me. Brought to mind some powerful words, I had nearly forgotten; “To thine own self be true”, and from the ’serenity prayer “…..The *courage* to change the things I can…”.
You’re helping me bring back the ‘courage’ it’s going to take, to do what I need to do. In short, you make me want to be a better man. I’ve done it before, I know for sure, I can do it again!
I know that probably sounded corny as all hell, and I’m hoping I can live up to all of my OWN expectations lol[I'm not expecting perfection of myself, but I am hoping I can follow your example, and learn from my mistakes ~wink~ eventually. And display the same strength of character.]
So, thanks for being in my life Jen, I love and appreciate you, more than you know. xoxo [HUGS]
Dave Bless you babe….You don’t sound corny at all. I know you…and love you…and encourage you to keep going
I have just spent the last few days in a seminar focussing on values – it prompted the post….there is more to come too! xoxo