Evaluation of Goals

Thinking about the fact that we are entering the 5th month of 2009 and trying to plan out another brain surgery which has been recommended by all my specialists (3 spread out over 3 states), I am looking at my goal list and re-evaluating where I am at.

Let's see......I am completed with goal 4 which was to climb the Columbia Tower and raise $100 for blood cancers. I actually exceeded my goal by more than 100% (thanks to the kindness of charitable friends). I am also nearly complete with goal 5 which I will hit this weekend (run a half marathon and to raise $5000 for NF2. I am only $43 from my fundraising goal!).

So those were my huge athletic pursuits. The others entail maintenance, lifestyle changes, pursuing interests, and organization (a HUGE one that I often feel I only make a barely noticable dent in). So let's take a look at how I am doing with those.

I have been keeping up pretty much goals 7 and 8 (blog weekly and wake early - still working on getting to bed at 10 pm!)Goal 7 is to lose 7 lbs. The reason for this is that I picked up some flab I was unhappy with over the last year and also that I plan out to be a specific weight where it would be okay to gain or lose 10 pounds if I go to surgery again (last time I was sick and could not eat but then afterward the steroids made me very hungry at times and encouraged unhealthy cravings).I am about 2-3 pounds from my weight loss goal but I have not intended to focus on that while I am training for the half marathon. I am pretty comfortable with it and confident I will achieve what I set to accomplish when I turn my focus toward the goal after the marathon (revisiting the South Beach diet after many years because I need to cut out my sugar intake - studies say it encourages tumor growth - and I need my blood chemistry in perfect harmony so that I can maximize my energy). The South Beach is the means to get there.

The reading is going well but as I had mentioned earlier, sometimes goals change. I have only completed one of the original books selected for this year's list "The Secret" and have taken interest in new books and books I had not finished in the past.

One day while trying to find something else on the shelf, I ended up pulling out the book "How to Think Like a Millionaire" and was particularily drawn to it. It seemed a sign that I pulled it out of an odd place when looking for something entirely different. I did not even know we had the book. So I took it as a sign that it fell into my hands for a reason and satisfied my curiosity by reading it. It is fantastic and one that I did not want to end but fortunately it recommends many other inspiring books with similiar content.

I have a few small daily affirmation books that I read too. In order to relax before going to bed and get a "warm fuzzy" feeling, I sometimes read a story or 2 out of "Chicken Soup for the Woman'S Soul" that I neglected to finish back in 2006 when I felt well enough to start taking ASL classes again. I was so busy trying to rebuild my memorization and cognitive skills that the book became buried in one of my cabinets.

During that year 2006, I never finished reading the South Beach diet book either as I had become busy and distracted with other things. The material is great and not really a diet book (I do not believe in diets) and is based on sound science which makes sense. If the rest of the country opened up to the knowledge offered in South Beach, we would have a much healthier and happy country!

Finally, I just could not resist Michael J Fox's new book "Always Looking Up; The adventures of in incurable optimist". I stumbled upon his first book "Lucky Man" when I was really enduring a difficult time with my first recovery and major life altering changes following radiosurgery. I cannot adequately describe to you how much that book resonated with me and at that specific time. My situation seemed really bleak and hopeless and I was getting worn down/emotionally drained of waiting for things to change. His book helped me to see and appreciate things from a different perspective. It is one of those books that I just did not want to end. So as you can imagine, I was totally overjoyed to read in the Costco magazine how he wrote another which was available at all Costco stores. I had to go out and buy it!

I was going to wait to read it until I finished other books and read some of the others on the list, but I could not resist opening it to read the front cover. From there, I was drown to the Foreward and Introduction and I just could not help myself to keep going! Harley can't believe I am about 3/4 of the way through it already!

The book has different content than the first but is relevant. It is definitely a look into the next phase of life which is also where I am heading. So it is interesting that it came at this time and I am learning some new things which are helpful to me.

After all those books are finished, I think I am ready to delve into one of Lance's books titled "It's Not About the Bike". I have a feeling that it is something I should read at this point and will help me keep focused and positive which I really need right now.

Goal 6 I have not made a dent in as I have been concentrating on the half marathon training. I wanted to get in 20-30 dives for the year and had planned to start diving again the rest of the year after this weekend's marathon. However, I am in a situation where my surgeon would prefer me to get surgery sooner than later. I was hoping for fall but it did not sound like he is too keen on that idea.

Given that I can only dive with Harley one time a week and with my challenges I cannot just go out and dive with anyone whenever I want, that severely limits the number of dives I can get in. Further, if I were to get surgery sooner (this spring or early summer) that just blows the whole season and I would not be able to dive again until the weather turns cold again (which is an issue because I have Raynard's syndrome- loose blood circulation in my fingers) and I have trouble with getting cold easily now even though I am in a drysuit.

So the only way I see where I may be able to POSSIBLY get in 20 dives this year is to delay surgery as long as possible into August and take a dive vacation before surgery this summer (on a dive trip 2-3 dives are offered a day every day).

The remaining goals all have to do with organization and home improvement. With surgery necessary within the next few months, the only way I can half accomplish them is if I can recruit some help.

P.S. - It is really helpful to have your goals written down where you see them everyday. Glance at it often to remind yourself of what you want to set out to achieve and then ask yourself daily if you are taking the steps to reach your goals. If you are not, why not? Do you need to rewrite the goals to make them more attainable or is it that you just need to prioritize yourself more (less playing on facebook?). ;+)