I once broke up with a guy, in part, because he didn’t fit into my “life plan” or “life goals.” I’ve always had a rough outline of how my life was going to go. It’s changed on occasion, but for the most part followed some version of this:
- Attend UCLA
- Write for a living
- Move to San Diego
- Have kids before I’m 30
- Buy a house
I remember actually saying to this guy, “I want a white picket fence, marriage, church fellowship. You want to be a drifter and get involved in politics or some nonsense like that.” Probably freaked the heck out of the poor dude but hey, I tell it like it is and I just wasn’t feeling it. I have my priorities and have been pretty quick to cut out things (and people) that don’t contribute to my life goals. I have a severe disdain for playing games, which is probably why Nate and I make such a great match. I’ve never met someone with a lower tolerance for BS.
Life Goals: Check, check, check
Anyway, it dawned on me the other day that my life is almost exactly as I envisioned it at this point. I have the happy marriage, the family, the career I wanted, we even just bought our dream house! It makes me so giddy and so terrified all at once because you know what? That’s as far as I planned. I have the indefinite goal of writing a book one day, but that’s a work in progress which is slowly but surely coming along in spurts. A good book can’t be rushed, so I’m not stressing that part of my life goals. It’ll happen eventually.
What next?
But then what, when your major life goals are accomplished? What do you do when the road you’ve so carefully paved…ends? I’m left with uncharted territory which is extremely strange for an obsessive planner like myself. I have an empty plot here with a surprisingly solid foundation. Sure, I have a mortgage to pay off and business commitments and kids to actually raise, but what’s beyond that? Do I just enjoy life now and maintain what I started? Do I set new goals? Do I start plowing another trail? It’s scary, and awesome, to think that I may have reached my peak in life and that this is IT.
This is exactly everything I always wanted.
Love that photo of your little one. So true that once we reach our goals we might need to think about the next step. Life’s not as much fun if you are just treading water.
I think this is why I make long term and short term goals and add a couple for every one I cross of the list. I don’t know if I’ll ever do all of mine!
I haven’t reached all of my goals yet and have definitely had to change some along the way, as unexpected life changes have occurred. I’m feeling pretty happy about where I’m at though.
I’m not sure I have an awful lot of goals. Working for myself was a big one and being able to enjoy as much of my time the way I wanted to. Other than that, I think I’ve pretty much got what I want and that’s good.
Just enjoy the time now and relish in what you’ve accomplished. Those new goals will appear right before your eyes, in time. But in the meantime, take it all in =)
That last pic is just too cute! I really have all that I wanted also… kinda surreal huh? I guess I can look forward to grandkids someday and in the meantime continue this great journey!