Goals. Long term or short, we all know that it's good to set them... if only to give ourselves reminders to stay on track. Although we are already well into the summer season (boo!), here is a short, realistic list of things I'd like to achieve before the leaves begin to fall this autumn. Publishing them online makes it that much more official... right? Happy Friday!
------------------
------------------
Be consistent
This is something that I constantly struggle with: consistency in Bible reading, consistency in exercising, consistency in eating well, consistency in blogging! It's easy enough to do these things in spurts when the mood strikes, but working at being more consistent is of paramount importance in order to build discipline.
Get my full driver's license
I've had my Class 7 (i.e. I can drive one other person) license for a few years now, and have put off getting it fully done for way too long. Pretty sure it's time to finish it for real so my poor friends and D aren't the only ones who have to drive!
Read 5 books
It seems, these days, that if I'm not checking my email, then I am on instagram. If I'm not sending a tweet, then I'm watching a TV show on my iPad. I grew up a bookworm and now find it ridiculously difficult to just sit still and devour a book. I hate that my attention span has gotten so much shorter - I want to change that! Do you have any non-chick lit, non-trendy (Fifty Shades of Grey I'm looking at you), reasonably light summer reads that you can recommend?
Learn how to make delicious macarons
A couple of years ago, I tried my hand several times at making these delectable morsels of sugar,and even came out relatively successful once. Then, macarons started popping up all over the city and it became so much easier to just purchase them. However, since trying Laduree in New York this past May, the ones in Vancouver just don't really hit the spot anymore! I'm not saying that my standard of baking will measure up to that of the French-based brand, but it will be nice to be able to make them to suit my own tastebuds!
Stop buying so much coffee when I'm out
It adds up. Enough said.
This is something that I constantly struggle with: consistency in Bible reading, consistency in exercising, consistency in eating well, consistency in blogging! It's easy enough to do these things in spurts when the mood strikes, but working at being more consistent is of paramount importance in order to build discipline.
Get my full driver's license
I've had my Class 7 (i.e. I can drive one other person) license for a few years now, and have put off getting it fully done for way too long. Pretty sure it's time to finish it for real so my poor friends and D aren't the only ones who have to drive!
Read 5 books
It seems, these days, that if I'm not checking my email, then I am on instagram. If I'm not sending a tweet, then I'm watching a TV show on my iPad. I grew up a bookworm and now find it ridiculously difficult to just sit still and devour a book. I hate that my attention span has gotten so much shorter - I want to change that! Do you have any non-chick lit, non-trendy (Fifty Shades of Grey I'm looking at you), reasonably light summer reads that you can recommend?
Learn how to make delicious macarons
A couple of years ago, I tried my hand several times at making these delectable morsels of sugar,and even came out relatively successful once. Then, macarons started popping up all over the city and it became so much easier to just purchase them. However, since trying Laduree in New York this past May, the ones in Vancouver just don't really hit the spot anymore! I'm not saying that my standard of baking will measure up to that of the French-based brand, but it will be nice to be able to make them to suit my own tastebuds!
Stop buying so much coffee when I'm out
It adds up. Enough said.
------------------
Do you have any goals this summer? Please share!
- 41 comments
- Share on Twitter, Facebook, Delicious, Digg, Reddit
41 comments
I agree about the reading one... I grew up a huge bookworm too. Yet now, I find I lack the attention span to sit down to focus on more than a few pages. It's all about immediate gratification nowadays.
by Jan Banks on July 13, 2012 at 6:21 AM. #
Thanks for sharing your goals, I'm aiming at the consistency one too!! :)
by CC on July 13, 2012 at 6:29 AM. #
we have common goals when it comes to consistency and reading books.
by colorsdiary on July 13, 2012 at 6:35 AM. #
I want to make some macaroons too, but I too scared of failing.. Probably, I have to be braver and go for it! :)
by Sasha on July 13, 2012 at 7:08 AM. #
I am so with you on 2 &3! lol
A Girl's Next Best Friend
by The Purse-a-holic on July 13, 2012 at 7:14 AM. #
I am also working on #2 :)
http://happychinadoll.blogspot.ca/2012/07/organized-mom-tips.html
by Happy Chinadoll on July 13, 2012 at 7:45 AM. #
Lets pretend this never happend by Jenny Lawson.
This is laugh out loud funny, easy to read/bedside book and charming to the teeth. I couldnt recommend this warmly enough.
by Maria Louise on July 13, 2012 at 7:55 AM. #
Great goals! I might make a list as well - thanks for the motivation!
~Natasha Fatah~
~Natasha Fatah~
by Natasha Fatah on July 13, 2012 at 8:46 AM. #
Love these Jen! Great idea XO
by musthavemaven on July 13, 2012 at 8:57 AM. #
I agree, I struggle with consistency too! Books you might enjoy:
The Virgin Cure - Amy McKay
Bossypants - Tina Fey
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? - Mindy Kaling
I've Got Your Number - Sophie Kinsella
Getting Over Mr. Right - Chrissie Manby
Beautiful Ruins - Jess Walter
The Color of Tea - Hannah Tunnicliffe
Hope that helps. :)
-Lindsey
Et tu, tutu?
by Lindsey on July 13, 2012 at 9:35 AM. #
Omg I have felt so identified with this post :P I have problems to Be consistent too, but I'm trying I'm back blogging! yeyy and also I trying to get my driving licence... I kind of scared about the practice test :P
Good luck getting your Goals done!
Have a nice weekend
by becka on July 13, 2012 at 9:46 AM. #
Wow, looking at your list, I've realized I actually need to work on every single you have on it! As for summer reading, if you want some fun 'chick lit' that are perfect for beaches/pools, I highly recommend any and every book that Sophie Kinsella has written!
by Caroline on July 13, 2012 at 10:28 AM. #
Here's my best attempt at non-trendy, non-chick lit books:
The Furious Longing of God - Brennan Manning (It's a short, and thus quick read, but it has some wonderful reminders in it.)
Graceling - Kristin Cashore (It's teen lit, but also one of the best non-Hunger Games teen books I've read. It's also long enough to keep you occupied for a while without being too much of a reading challenge.)
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging - Louise Rennison (Also teen lit, but I laughed until I cried when I read it. Great British humour!)
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald (Chances are, you've already read this, but with the movie release coming up in December, Gatsby certainly merits a re-read.)
Hope this helps! :)
by chRistie on July 13, 2012 at 10:35 AM. #
We definitely have a lot of common goals! I love any books by Haruki Marukami (very meaningful) and after I heard what happened to my favorite author, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, I basically almost broke down and cried to myself! He is a fantastic writer and I highly recommend "One Hundred Years of Solitude" or "Love in the Time of Cholera".
Michelle
www.michelleesque.com
by Michelleesque on July 13, 2012 at 10:56 AM. #
My main goal is to read one book every 2 weeks to help my mind stay fresh when school starts again in the fall. Love those sam edelman shoes.
octoberchic.com
by octoberchic.com on July 13, 2012 at 11:11 AM. #
I hear you on the driving (except I need to GET my Class 7 license). I only have my L right now (super lame), and I haven't driven in over a year. I can't be bothered with worrying about getting my license with school, work and the prospect of graduating so near by.
As per books: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, 1Q84, The Receptionist, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Bossypants, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
Good luck with your goals! xo
by Jess ♡ on July 13, 2012 at 12:06 PM. #
I would definitely recommend "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. My review here: http://katejones.me/the-fault-in-our-stars/
by Kate Jones on July 13, 2012 at 12:18 PM. #
Great goals, Jen! I recommend The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. It's one of my favourite books :)
xo, alison*elle
by alison*elle on July 13, 2012 at 12:22 PM. #
Great goals! I love those flats!
xo
Melissa
http://sweetstylesbymelissa.blogspot.com
by Sweet Melissa on July 13, 2012 at 12:42 PM. #
Good luck with the goals!
by lisa on July 13, 2012 at 1:01 PM. #
Love the goal of learn to do macarons, great idea! About the books, i try to read a book every two weeks at least, it's a fantastic way to learn and expand our knowledge.
<3
http://zazzish.blogspot.pt
by Patrícia M. on July 13, 2012 at 1:02 PM. #
Macarons are probably the hardest thing to ever bake
but it just requires a lot of patience and practice.
check out "Mad about Macarons!" great book
xoxo
avenueahline.blogspot.com
by ahhhline on July 13, 2012 at 2:26 PM. #
such a cute post, Jen! I love that you set goals for yourself this season! Love the pink flats in the photo.
xoxo,
Suzie Q
www.StyleCueBySuzieQ.com
by Suzie Q on July 13, 2012 at 7:07 PM. #
Great shoes, cuff, & Laduree box :) Can def relate on these!
xoxo
Cassidy
http://norebeccaforayear.blogspot.com/
by Cassidy Short on July 13, 2012 at 7:29 PM. #
these are great goals, I think I need to set some of my own too :o
by Life's a shoe on July 13, 2012 at 10:33 PM. #
Love your goals, I have few as well! :)
I follow you. nice blog!
A.
FASHION IMPERATIVE
FI FB
by Antonia | FASHION IMPERATIVE on July 14, 2012 at 3:00 AM. #
As for good books in summer, I recommend the Time Traveller's Wife (read in my first holidays with my boyfriend!) or The Hundred-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson which is a real funny but wise story, I loved to read it!
Have a nice summer, hope you achieve your goals!
by Sam Murakami on July 14, 2012 at 7:44 AM. #
I guess my current goal at the moment is to finish my school... I'm aiming for masters degree and I haven't gone to school in years due to marriage, kid, etc... and now I'm basically a stay at home mom/wife, I have a time to sit in front of the PC and take online classes.... Other than that, like you mentioned, it would be exercising. It's hard to maintain my figure after I had a kid! The body is just not the same anymore!
You said about reading the Bible... are you a Christian? I'm soo glad to see a fellow sister in Christ in the blogger world. :) (and that would be my goal too... have a quiet time!)
Ayumi
The Ayumi Aspect
by Ayumi Lafser on July 14, 2012 at 7:55 PM. #
My goal is to volunteer more :)
http://pinktistic.blogspot.com/
Come comment and follow ^^
by ๑۩ﺴ PINKtistic ﺴ۩๑ on July 14, 2012 at 9:46 PM. #
Hi Jen,
Some books I enjoyed recently:
The elegance of a hedgehog - a very sweet story about a concierge in a very wealthy french appartment block who pretends to be what others expect (ie uneducated and uninspiring) but is actually better read and more refined than the people she works for.
All my friends are superheroes - I think you would olive this book, very short and funny but full of metaphors for life and people and beautifully romantic
Number 1 ladies detective agency - fantastic books, was to read and funny that transport you to Botswana - like a little holiday in a book,
These are all easy fun reads up if you want something a little more challenging: " There but for the" is incredibly cleverly written and thought provoking, " a sense of an ending" is next on my reading list or you could always go for the classics - 100 years of solitude or daphne du maurier's Rebecca.
Happy reading!
Sonja
by Sunnysider on July 15, 2012 at 12:41 AM. #
Sorry for all the typos - must switch off auto-correct on my iPad , keeps making me say things I don't mean!
by Sunnysider on July 15, 2012 at 12:42 AM. #
I think your goals are really realistic for your timeframe, Jen! Anything is possible if you put your mind to it ;) As for books, I recommend Memories of A Geisha by Arthur Golden (my absolute favourite book) and The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.
by Ana on July 15, 2012 at 12:48 AM. #
Hope you can achieve your summer goals!!! Be consistent is a pretty good one need that too. I used to read so much but lately I had no time for it. Looking for good books myself :D
xo
glamDevils
by Mira on July 15, 2012 at 3:15 AM. #
Thanks for sharing! I agree, being consistent is on of the hardest things. ;) Rhoda
by Gail and Rhoda on July 15, 2012 at 11:39 AM. #
These are all such good goals! I am hoping to learn how to make a proper macaron too - one of my good friends is a pastry chef, and she's agreed to teach me, which is exciting!
My other goal is to get in better shape, and hopefully run a 5k by the end of the summer!
by Rebecca Jane on July 15, 2012 at 6:27 PM. #
Making macarons is a great idea !!! I still have my class 7 too :)
Books I recommend: anything by Sophie Kinsella is easy to read and hilarious (I promise you will laugh out loud), Danielle LaPorte's Fire Starter Sessions, & Tina Fey's Bossypants.
by kokostiletto on July 15, 2012 at 11:28 PM. #
I really need to set some goals. Consistency is HUGE for me as well, especially with any sort of health/exercise related. You have inspired me to set some goals... and if I have to do that instead of working right now that's fine by me ;)
Melissa
by Melissa on July 17, 2012 at 1:58 PM. #
Fantastic summer goals!
by Petite Adventures on July 17, 2012 at 3:59 PM. #
Read more. Write more. Exercise a few times a week to be healthy. Eat more fruit. Drink more water. Walk around more. Be less stressed. Shop less, eat out less - save money.
Here's a tip... I joined www.purewow.com to find daily inspirations for cooking, fashion, travel, beauty, culture and things like reading... It's made me more aware of so many things I need to do to get things done, be beautiful, youthful, fabulous and put together and healthy!
with love and aloha, Mae
// thereafterish.com
by thereafterish.com on July 18, 2012 at 7:21 PM. #
Great goals! I'd love to learn how to make macarons, that sounds fun. :) Good luck with everything!
I made my own goals a little while ago, but there moreso just for fun. http://www.the-loudmouth.com/2012/06/list-summer-goals-2012.html
by THE-LOUDMOUTH on July 19, 2012 at 5:51 PM. #
*they're (yikes!)
by THE-LOUDMOUTH on July 19, 2012 at 5:52 PM. #