New year, new goals... and all that nonsense!

First off, let me wish everyone a happy, successful and BORING (as opposed to "interesting") 2019. It's only the 2nd day of January, so most people are still sticking to whatever new year's resolutions they have made two days ago. I think...

I'm not one of them.

To me, new year's resolutions are much too wishy-washy: lose weight, stop smoking, stop hitting the wife... really?

I like GOALS. And PLANS. And really cool rewards at the end of it all. However, that takes ACTION, a step that most people forget exists by week 2. The cool thing about goals is that one doesn't have to wait for January 1 to get going. And if you missed the date, that's fine too! You can start at any time you wish.

That said, a goal has an end date. And action steps with "do-by" dates (Mini goals, if you wish!) to keep you going and motivated while you eat your own, personal elephant.

The other thing about goals is that you get to have an "accountability team" to keep you on the straight and narrow. After all, once you declare your goal and your date, that means that people are going to start watching your progress and ask questions of you along the way. Some people keep their goals and team personal and private and others go big on Facebook or some other social media platform for everyone to see their trials and tribulations and to comment on everything they do.

I am somewhere in between. I want more people than simply my nearest and dearest to know what I am up to, but displaying myself to the whole cyber-planet is definitely not my mug of coffee. Therefore, I shall use this blog as my personal goal setting and -reaching forum. That way, I can be held accountable, but not while displaying my unmentionables to all and sundry. PLUS most of my personal goals are also Permaculture and Homesteading goals, so everything will still match up perfectly.

Here goes...

• I want to have my food and herb (practice) garden established to the point of where I can take a good harvest of "first fruits" to church at the end of January 2020. Actually, I just want to see my pastor's face when I put fruit, vegetables, eggs and home canned goods in the basket!
• I want to complete two modules of a language course by June 2019 so that I can qualify to enroll for a teaching certificate in 2020. I want to be able to help (older) kids with reading problems, as many of them slip through the cracks of our education system.
• By the end of 2019, I want to earn an income from writing, blogging and various side businesses that equals or even surpasses my salary income so that I can bid my boss farewell without having any regrets or suffering a cash flow setback. It doesn't necessarily mean that I WILL resign - merely that I won't be dependent on the job for all of my income.

And that's it!

Yes, I want to remove a lot of weight as well, but that's going to happen anyway, once I start getting active in the garden and eating more fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. I haven't smoked in almost 15 years and in the unlikely event that I ever find a wife to beat... you will be the first to know!