2015 Goals – Scratch & Redo
This summer I saw a lot of other bloggers check in with their yearly goals. When I read those posts I pretty much thought, “Must be nice for SOMEONE to achieve goals this year!”
Yeah, yeah yeah… I can be snippy in my mind.
At first I was going to ignore my goals entirely and scratch the year off as an epic failure. As shitty years goes, it would be hard to top 2015 for me (although I’m sure you can universe… don’t read that comment as a dare).
Instead of giving in, I’m going to address them today and modify them. The year is almost up, but every day I get through is one step closer to “a new normal” – a phrase I both hate and love. Honestly, my overall life outlook and psyche has changed so much since Tim died I don’t think it’d be very authentic for me to ever create goals in the same way. Of course I still have Simon and riding/training/showing is something I love, but I’d be lying if I said it was just as important as it was before… it’s not.
Updated 2015 Equestrian Goals
Compete in a hunter division without beating myself up about missed distances/changes– This happened. Check.Get really good at counting strides in-between fences (aka remember to do so) and know how many I did at any given time– Currently don’t careDo all the high options in a hunter derby– Didn’t happen. Don’t care.- Do not overface myself at a horse show – stay relaxed and calm! – This is a lifelong goal
- Be able to jump a course on Simon bridleless – Still want to do this. Going to make it a priority when he’s jumping again
Post the trot with no stirrups at least once a week– Don’t care at the moment- Figure out a way to ride & lesson with my new financial landscape
- Canter bareback
My main goal this year was to have fun at every horse show, and I’ve achieved that. Not sure what showing is going to look like in the future, but fun absolutely needs to stay at the top of the goals list because I can’t afford to go to a show and be miserable!
Goals for Simon
- Reliably get leads over fences
- Do lateral work at the trot with no anxiety
- Do complicated things with canter work while keeping anxiety low
Get saddle fit confirmed/figured out/helped– Dislike my saddle. Getting a new one eventually.Stay sound– Negative
Simon’s goals are pretty good. His flatwork has come a long way, but we could still stand to work on the things I have listed above so they will stay. They’ll stay, but I can assure you I’m not losing sleep over them.
Goals for Me
Keep credit card debt at $0 and build savings– This was doing good until I inherited a fleet of vehicles to keep upFollow a budget every month– Lolz self, you’re hilariousRe-do guest bedroom into a more functional office space– We actually did that.. then I dismantled everything to movePrint my photography so I can enjoy it more in my house– Actually did thisDress better– Am doing this currently, because it’s easier to fake that you’re doing okay and functioning if you have a cute top and makeup on (ask me how I know)Get my anxiety under control– Nothing cures anxiety by seeing your worst fears in front of your very eyes
I actually did really well on my personal goals for the 1st half of the year until my entire life fell apart. Last month, I set a very ambitious goal for myself with a strict timeline… and then promptly realized my poor battered brain is not strong enough to handle such a challenge right now. I do want to work towards this though, and work towards getting my life back together. With that in mind, here are my personal goals for the rest of the year.
Regroup Personal Goals
- Read as much as possible. Any book at any speed, but reading needs to be a part of my daily life.
- More meaningful blog posts. Less filler and gibberish
- Be kinder to myself
- Write. Write blogs or stories or things no one will read, but write.
- Be comfortable with my own crazy.
For whatever reason, the only goals I care about in life right now are those regroup personal goals, but I’ll keep the other’s up for posterity’s sake. Maybe one day I’ll go back to being super concerned about lead changes, but that day is not today. Tomorrow isn’t looking good either.
25 thoughts on “2015 Goals – Scratch & Redo”
I think that your personal goals are great. I need to do more of that myself.
Nothing wrong with realizing goals just aren’t going to happen this year and finding new ones! I also get a little snarky when I see other fabulous people complete their goals when I feel like I’m sitting on my ass doing nothing. But then I realize, we’re all in different places and each of them have probably had their own issues and times when they just couldn’t get things done.
I think it’s awesome that you achieved so many of your goals. While no one can foresee the future, I believe you have been setting reachable goals, you adapted to a harsh and sudden lifestyle change that has really caused you to look back and re evaluate, and even make new goals. Not giving up and having a forward thinking attitude about the list you made for yourself is great. The only one I even blink at is cantering bareback….. On Simon….. For this goal my friend…. I wish you the best of luck and will be sending many NSAIDs your way for personal use should you accomplish it.
Yeah, I didn’t say I was a smart goal setter! Might need to invest in a bareback pad for that one.
I like your goals. And cantering bareback is way comfort than trotting bareback; walk/canter/walk and done!
I like your goals. And cantering bareback is way comfier than trotting bareback; walk/canter/walk and done!
I am the queen of setting unrealistic goals, stressing myself out, and then achieving nothing. I like your much more balanced and updated approach. 🙂
Dressing well is a reliable pick-me-up. I could use some of these goals for myself!
It really is! Always being more of a casual/tomboy type person, this was strange for me to realize at first.
LOVE your regroup goals. Especially the be kinder to yourself.
I completely understand riding goals falling by the wayside and seeming like they don’t matter as much, because I’ve done that for much less traumatic times in life. But maybe when life is a little better, it will be healthy to have those riding goals again. It will give you something to work toward that’s not so stressful, but still sets an attainable goal and a sense of accomplishment when you meet it. Sometimes when things aren’t so good away from the barn it’s nice to have a little island where you have totally different goals. So even if you had trouble following your budget because you had to get a car fixed, you got 2 lead changes in a lesson, and that’s still something to proud of and excited about. And maybe over time those little riding goals that aren’t life related at all will help you get through the week a little easier.
Sometimes things that were once important or important to other people find new meaning and just go straight out the window and that’s okay, glad to see you embracing it for lack of a better phrase. As always best of luck! Sorry you about the saddle :/
Well you can consider “write more meaningful blog posts” accomplished, because your blog posts are some of the best ones I’ve ever read. Ever, like in the whole internet. As for me, I don’t make goals. I grew up in a house with a lot of pressure for perfection and while I’m still a perfectionist, I’ve learned that setting goals makes me feel like a huge failure if I don’t meet them, so I just hope for the best, and then get to be pleasantly surprised if things go better than expected.
I often feel the same way when I see people post about rocking their goals, although mine were so simple this year that my failure at them isn’t too heart breaking. Jump all things? More like don’t jump too much or your horse will go lame…AGAIN! I like the redone goals. Still plenty of time to rock that shit!
It’s okay. I’ll be super concerned about lead changes. Trust me, I’ll be concerned enough for both of us. Because that’s what kind of blogger friend I am.
I like the new goals, especially the reading one.
I am so glad you can carry this torch for me!!! 😀
Ooh, I like ‘reading more’. Maybe there can be a horse bloggers’ book club.
I think all things considered, you’ve done a really impressive job toward reaching your goals. You seriously had a giant curve ball fly straight into your face, and you’re not only still standing, you’re still attempting to better yourself. Color me impressed. I haven’t even bothered to set a goal since I was 11.
Eh, setting goals is over rated 🙂
nothing quite like a whopping dose of perspective to make lead changes and counting strides fade into the horizon… love your attitude about working to re-calibrate and focus on the things that bring you closes to fun, peace, and joy.
Re-doing goals. Brilliant. Way better than boxing yourself to goals that were made when life was so different. You continue to inspire me to be forward thinking.
Every day is a new day and a new start, but you know that. You’ve got a good outlook on your priorities and what you want to reach for. It’s all attainable and you will get there.
Sometimes goals piss me off, so I pretend they aren’t they. Sometimes I come back to them, sometimes they can stay where they are. Feel free to share my method 🙂
Great re-grouping goals, especially the reading one.
My favorite goal (that I need to steal!) is: “Be kinder to myself”