Kindred Spirits

With school starting back for many folks, and everyone else begrudgingly returning for vacation, I've been thinking it might be time for another goals update.  I really like sharing my goals - I think it helps me stay focused on what I want out of life instead of just letting life pass me by.  And recently I've found a couple kindred literary spirits that have  inspired me in terms of structuring and sharing these goals.  Since these kindred spirits aren't actually personal friends of mine, but rather writers from the larger community, I'd encourage my readers to also take a look at their blogs.

12 Months of Lent, by Danne Dzenawagis, which I found via a post on Lululemon (yes, I am a total yoga groupie), is a blog through which Danne shares her progress on monthly goals (a.k.a, "lents") to focus on areas of her life that she wants to improve and/or enrich. For example, June & July were dedicated to spending every Tuesday with her "Grammy" transcribing her family's history. This month, she is focusing on sticking to a strict budget (no credit card!), and finding ways to save money. 

I love this idea of constantly improving oneself -  not just in big ways, but in small, yet meaningful ways. If only I could come up with an equally catchy title for my blog. Any suggestions? Also inspiring is the regularity with which Danne post to her blog: 1-2 times per week. Yikes, I need to improve. Ah, ha - a goal for September! 

Meanwhile, I am plugging along at my revised goal to read two books per quarter. Since my last update, I've read:

(1) the third book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay , by Suzanne Collins (amazing!), and

(2) a classic that I missed reading in high school: The Great Gatsby,  by  F. Scott Fitzgerald - good, but not a page turner (sorry literary friends). However, I did find it interesting to read about how life was back in the 1920's in the suburbs of New York. At least I am up to speed on "essential" American reading now (phew!). 

Currently I am reading: 

(3) The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun , by Getchen Rubin (also a blog!).

Although Gretchen's book doesn't really focus on "goal setting", the idea of doing things (that you maybe wouldn't otherwise do) with intention is certainly a focal point to her happiness project. Regardless of how you define happiness (it will most definitely be different for each individual), a key component to that happiness is feeling like you're getting something DONE (ie, reaching goals). So the logic follows that the more [attainable] goals you set for yourself, the happier your will be. It makes a lot of sense. 

I love the idea of blogging, but I am interested in many things, so it has been hard for me to really commit to one subject matter. Today: Goals! Tomorrow: Travel! Next week: DIY projects! But I know all the best blogs have a clear purpose; to Danne and Gretchen, I am thankful for your inspiration.