Happy New Year! I always loved the fresh-start that January brings … hated new year resolutions, I don’t like to call them that anymore — I just say I have goals for the year. (I don’t know how that makes them any better, but it makes me feel better, so … here we are.)

I’ve chosen 10 goals I’d like to focus on this year, 5 career goals and 5 personal goals. I believe this is manageable, and I can focus on one goal each month (roughly).

Career Goals

  1. Complete my Bachelor of Education degree– My success on this will be determined sometime in April (hopefully not before then … because that’ll mean I’ve failed my practicum!).
  2. Research how to create a scholarship and/or charitable foundation– See my Passion Projects page for more information about this. I’ll probably wait until spring break (mid-March) to begin researching; I’m not too sure where to start, and my January and February will be jam-packed with teaching.
  3. Put together a professional paper portfolio– I’m excited to explore all the things I can do with this e-portfolio, but there are some things I’d also like to have in hard copy — my facilitator training certificate, samples of year plans (for elementary school), samples of syllabus ideas (for high school), a poster with my teaching philosophy, and more.
  4. Update my teacher’s toolbox– This is something we created for EDTL 3100, over a year ago now, and there are so many things I’ve learned since then that need to be added. (I also may need to switch from using a slideshow to using a binder.) As well, I will most likely need to create a TTOC box/bag, so I can do that at the same time as this!
  5. Sit down and go through all my options– This might seem like a silly goal in some ways, or too easy … but I’m not 100% sure what I want to do with my Education degree anymore! I thought my only option was to be a classroom teacher, but I’ve learned that professional TTOCs are a thing … or I could complete a certificate and become a teacher-librarian … or I may even want to get a masters degree and become a high school counselor or university academic advisor! (I’ve also been playing around with the idea of a life coach, but I haven’t looked into that enough to know if it’s something I’m seriously considering, especially since it’s not really in the realm of the educational field — although I could maybe do it as a side-gig? Sorry, off topic a little.) I know I want to use my Education degree, and I know I want to help people, but I just want to make sure I know all my options and what I need to do for each one.

Personal Goals

  1. Read for 30 minutes every night for a month– I figure if I start with this one in January, I’m setting myself up for a new nightly routine that will carry on throughout my life (going beyond the one month).
  2. Begin creating a personalized cookbook– I’ve been slowly going through recipe books — my parents collected Company’s Coming cookbooks by Jean Paré — to pick out ones I would like and be comfortable trying, but also a few challenging ones for when my kitchen skills develop more. I don’t want to sift through 50+ cookbooks though, so I thought “Why not create my own?” … with recipes by someone else.
  3. Begin writing a novel– I bought a book called 90 Days to Your Novel, and I also have a few creative writing books … I’ve told myself that once I’ve graduated, there’s no more excuses, I am making time to sit down and write again. (The time might be in the summer, but who knows? I may start earlier.)
  4. Take up a new language, or return to an old one– I’ve attempted (through school and on my own) to learn French, Spanish, Japanese, and Russian … I’m not fluent in any of these. I’ll most likely take up Japanese, but I’ve also become pretty attached to the idea of learning Russian. But I also want to try Italian, for something new … we’ll see! This will get started more towards the middle of the year.
  5. Get back into pilates– Much like the reading, I’ll be doing a 30-day pilates challenge, so that I can start integrating it into my daily routine and ultimately make it part of my lifestyle. (I also have a goal of getting POP Pilates certified, but that’s part of my personal 5-year plan and I’m not expecting to get that done until 2021/2022.)