First assignment was to define your values. Things that matter to you, things that are intrinsically important and that you consider valuable. These aren't goals or milestones or achievements, but over-riding principles that you adhere to or fundamental beliefs that your life is controlled by. I really firmly believe that writing these out, thinking about them and sharing them with the world is a great first step to making them a reality.
MY GOALS
Plan & Goal set: increase financial smarts, use the money I have as an opportunity to express my faith, dream of retiring with my husband and plan our fun trips
Go to Africa: new experience to learn about a new culture & region, a fun adventure to a foreign land, a great trip with my hubby and a place to see Christianity in it's most raw form
Volunteer Politically: increase my awareness of current events & policies, meet new (hopefully fun) people, put my faith values into action, all of this H loves
The next assignment in the book was to write down specific components of those goals that I could accomplish in the next 12 months and list actions that I could take this week to further those goals. So here are my plans to put my values-based goals into action.
- reading through all the books I'd like to discuss with H
- setting actual dollar amounts for our emergency fund & saving it
- increasing our monthly pay off amounts on our house & calculate when it will be paid off
- decide on retirement goals & needs
- file our taxes and start working on future deductions
- get his will/medical directive/life insurance/power of attorney started & finished
- accelerating my car payments and planning a new car purchase for the end of the year
- evaluating all of our retirement savings accounts & mutual funds
- evaluate rental property & begin work on repairs/upgrades
- discuss how/when we would like to start having kids and how to best save for them
AFRICA
- VISIT- This is pretty much a done-deal for 2009 (if all goes as planned, which it often doesn't). We would like to go on a mission trip with our church to visit the orphanage the church is building. We would also like to consider part of it for our anniversary trip- see South Africa or Victoria Falls. There's not much we can do on this right now, other than learn more about what exactly we want to do. I contacted our church to get the exact names of the cities they will be traveling to & approximately what time of year they will be going.
- READ- Be informed of the current events & crises that are playing out. I have also put some more books about the history, culture and fighting onto my reading list so I am informed and stay focused on this goal.
- GIVE- Find a way to donate to relief & humanitarian efforts, including food and medical treatments. I've signed up with SaveDarfur.org and will learn more about their organizations. I'd also like to learn more about Doctors Without Borders and World Hunger Relief.
Volunteer Politically
- I've already started by making modest financial contributions to my favorite presidential candidate, and I'm subscribed to his blog.
- I'm following the news much more closely & am able to discuss current events and politics like nobody's business!
- I have applied to be a poll worker in my county on election day. I'm working on talking H into it since he can speak Spanish.
- Hopefully once we get past the primaries, I will be able to participate in a local campaign and volunteer my energies there too.
RUN FOR FUN
- I've mentioned that I am toying with the idea of running the NY City marathon this fall. I've been to their website & the lottery doesn't open until later in the spring. H even said he would do it with me.
- I would also like to investigate running more half-marathons and going to some place for long-weekends in 2009 (since our big trip will be to Africa).
- Set up a better gym and swim schedule to complement the running.
1 comment:
I am so glad you are posting these! We have been just starting to talk about future financial goals, retirement, vacations, etc. I saw that book and wondered if it was good. I'll have to get it now :) And if you come to NYC for the marathon then I can go and cheer you on! :)
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