So, the end of the school year is here... how are you going to spend your summer? Yeah, I know the typical answers because they are the same answers my kids will give me.... sleep in, go to the pool, hang out with friends and go to bed late!
AWESOME! After a long stressful school year we ALL need time to recharge our batteries, reconnect with our pillows and veg a little! ABSOLUTELY! But let's get a little deeper here... we all know that after a couple weeks of that you will get the, "I'm bored" feeling. However, you know better than to say it outloud in front of your parents b/c they can certainly keep you from being bored... so then what? What do you do?
Start thinking about what you want to accomplish this summer. Maybe you want to challenge yourself in one of your passion areas - dance, music, singing. Maybe you want to try out for a Varsity team in the fall. Maybe you want to finish your whole summer reading list. Maybe you want to write a book.
Setting goals gives us a mission. Having a mission feels good and it helps us to focus.
When you get the I'M BORED feeling you can look at your list of goals and choose something to work on before "mom" senses that you need something to do and has you weeding the flower bed.
The trick is that your goals need to be attainable. Don't set goals such as "I WANT TO GRADUATE EARLY AND APPLY TO COLLEGES IN THE FALL" if you are in 8th grade... unless this is a truly attainable goal for you.
Martin Riesenberg, author of How to Stop Whining and Start Winning, has a super easy way to remember how to set goals... check out this visual to get you started:
Measurable: Reaching your goals is a step-by-step process. Be sure to assess your goals on a regular basis to see if they align with your objectives.
Attainable: Make your goals realistic – like I explained to my son, don’t set your goals so high that you won’t reach them. You might even consider breaking larger goals down into more manageable and achievable chunks.
Relevant: Does your goal have significance in your personal or professional life? In Business is it aligned with your overall business objective?
Time Frame: When do you want to achieve your goal? Write the date down on paper.
So, what will your goals be this summer?
I have one final suggestion that makes this idea/process even cooler! Talk to your girlfriends and have at least ONE of your goals be a common goal - something you do together. Maybe you decide to raise money for Childhood Cancer and hold your very own Alex's Lemonade Stand. Maybe you decide to volunteer at a local day care center or retirement community.
One great thing to put on your goals list for this summer is participating in JUST THE WAY SHE IS DAY! on July 20, 2011!
So, take a couple days to just veg.
Sleep in.
Stay up late.
But then get serious about how you will affect YOUR life and the life of those around you this summer!
Feel free to print out this page and start your very own Butterfly Girl Journal!
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