Monday, March 29, 2010

Defining the Path: Destination 1

The definition of your goal depends entirely upon you.  No one else.  After all, we're here to live our own lives, so it is up to each of us to define what that means to us.  Your spouse can't tell you, your parents can't tell you, your friends can't tell you, only you can say what the difference between living and existing is.

What does becoming a better musician mean to me?  Here are the specific goals I have for this area.

Destination #1:  Become A Better Musician

  • I want to play the guitar reasonably well.  I want to be able to pick up a guitar and play a variety of songs for my own amusement and to entertain others.  The object here is not to be the next Carlos Santana, it's just for fun.
  • I want to play the violin amazingly well.  I played the violin for 6 years; however that was a long time ago.  I was once extremely talented in this area, and I am hoping that all the talent I once had is not gone forever.  I want to be good enough to play first chair in the orchestra/symphony of my choosing or to be a solo performer.  (The goal is not to play first chair or be a professional soloist, but I want to be good enough that I could be.)
  • I want to play the piano amazingly well.  I played the piano for 6 years, and like the violin that was a long time ago.  Unlike the violin I was never extremely talented in this area; however I wasn't a complete dunce at it.  The end goal here is to be able to play at a concert pianist level.
  • I want to sing amazingly well.  Music is obviously something that I love, and like the other instruments, I have been singing for quite a long time.  At this time I don't have the self confidence to say that I want to be a soloist, but I love singing in a choir and would love to be good enough to join an elite choral group.
What specific goals do you have in mind?  I'd love to hear from you!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Finding Your Destination(s)

Finding your destination(s) may be easy for you, or perhaps it will be difficult.  Maybe you've never dared to think about it before.  Dare now!  Take 10-20 minutes to write a list of all the things you enjoy and want to accomplish in life.  Don't think about anything else except what you want to accomplish, and what brings you joy.  These don't have to be fleshed out ideas right away; we'll work on defining them and how to reach them later.  Now is not the time to worry about how you're going to get there, now is the the time to figure out where there is

Now that you've made your list, go through it and decide which areas really matter to you.  What areas truly reflect your core values?  You can have as many or as few destinations as you wish; this is your recipe for happiness.

Next, go through your list and group them in to common themes if there are any.  Those themes are your destinations; the groupings are a bit of detail on which paths to follow to get to your destination.

Here is a list of my destinations as an example:

1)  Become a better musician.
2)  Be healthy and active.
3)  Be more giving of myself.

Perhaps you will find that I have similar destinations to yours or perhaps you will find that your destinations and mine differ greatly, but we can still learn from each other.  With just a bit of tweaking you may be able to adjust my steps to become your own no matter what our differing end goals may be.

What destinations are you seeking?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Journey Begins

How many of us wake up one day to discover that we are not living the life we dreamed of living?  How many of us realize that we have stopped living and are only existing?  There are so many people in this world that want a change, but don't actively pursue it.  I don't want to be that type of person any longer, I want a change and I am going to make one.  It's time to improve the quality of my life!

Now that I have decided to live instead of merely exist, what's next?  What needs to be done to improve the quality of my life?  I believe what I need to do is let my life reflect my core values, do what I love and pursue my dreams until they become reality.  If you feel the same, then let's get started!  It's a long process, but if you're actively pursuing your passions, the journey will be worth it.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Tribute

I imagine that this first post will be atypical for the plans I have for this blog.  I am not a very religious person, although I feel blessed to have grown up in a relatively religious family.  I still hold many beliefs that were instilled in me by my parents and church leaders; however I am not the best example of a member of my religion.

There are many areas of my life that I am unhappy with, and I wish to make several changes in the direction that my life is going.  It would be foolish of me to think I could make this journey alone.  I know that only through God will these positive and worthwhile changes stick.

I want my first post to be a declaration that I know God loves me and wants what is best for me.  I know that God listens to me, even though I don't talk to him as often as I should.

I look forward to turning this new leaf and am honored that He will be with me every step of the way.

God bless you on your journey too!