Goals for 2009

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1. Graduate my GradDip Teaching (Secondary)

If nothing else in this year to come, I want to come out the other end of this year a "provisionally registered teacher" with an awesome position that I can't wait to start.

Plans to achieve this: Work really hard at my assignments this year, don't leave things to the last minute, focus on my time management a little better. Charm the pants off the associated teachers on my practicum experiences, network with heads of department at my chosen schools, show my eagerness early on. Submit registrations of interest to my Top 3 schools by the end of Sept. Don't be afraid to ask the lecturers for help.

2. Go on holiday in July to Sydney

This is going to be a bit more of a stretch goal than I had expected as I'm only going to be able to work half the hours I had expected in the first semester seeing the way that my uni schedule plays out. I'm determined to go, partially because I've never been to Australia at all, partially because I have a few IRL friends in Sydney and partially because I want to meet with Aussie bloggers like Miss Corrine on their home turf.

Plans to achieve this: Cracking down on miscellaneous spending. Making gifts rather than purchasing them for special occasions. Creating a list of things I need and not adding to it unless I can justify spending the money against having less for my holiday. Getting recommendations of what I should do whilst over there and working out how much it will all cost/how much time it will take and weighing up how long I can stay and what I can do (you guys in NSW can help me with this one!)

3. Get more professional in my writing career.

Part of my decision in pursuing a career as a teacher is that it is also a career that works in well with chasing another dream of publishing a novel. While I don't feel that I'm in a situation at the moment conducive to writing such lengthy works, I do hope that 2009 will provide me with opportunities to be published in places other than my own blog.

Plans to achieve this: Work on getting Scribbles up to a really high standard of writing, even when it is just posts about my own life. Take up guest posting opportunities (guys?). Use assignments as exercises to develop top notch writing practices. An ideal stretch plan will be to find some paid writing opportunities, but this will be dependant on finding the RIGHT opportunities.

4. Lose 15kg by Sept 2009.

I lost a similar amount over the first half of 2008 but this stagnated midway through the year when mum got diagnosed with cancer - I stopped going to the gym and taking care of myself the way that I should have. I also gave up smoking, a healthy move considering my new family history of cancer, giving my hands and mouth a whole lot of unoccupied time. I'm not any fatter (thank goodness) but I still have a fair way to go before I'm at my goal weight. 15kgs would put me within 5kg coo-ee of my goal weight and is a weight I think I could tolerate myself at.

Plans to achieve this: Start going back to the gym - I pay for it, so I should use it. Walk more. I have deliberately found summer employment that will keep me more active. Get involved with the kids dance class at church. Keep cuddling babies (it's helping tone my bingo lady wings). Choose the healthier or smaller options. Don't upsize. Stop eating when I'm full and get rid of the rest. Tell people so that I'm held to greater accountability.

5. Seize the day!

This is a hard one to measure, but it's all about taking advantage of all the amazing opportunities that come my way, being open to new possibilities and not putting myself down so much. No specific plans for this one, just hoping that 2009 leads me to place and people I can't even conceptualise yet.

Have you guys decided on 2009 goals yet? Tell me your plans, your hopes and your dreams!