1 down, 4 to go...

"By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands — your own." --Mark Victor Hansen

Last year about this time I set goals for my life that I wished to accomplish in the next 5 years. In May of last year, I finally put them on paper (or weblog) as a way to "make them real" and to keep track of them. Now that a year has gone by, I wanted to see what type of progress I've made on those goals... For those that missed the original post, Click here

-Goal #1 was to obtain my master's degree; as of September 1st, 2009, I was accepted and became officially enrolled into the University of Nebraska's Distance Learning Masters of Physician Assistant Program. So goal 1, ...progress made!

-Goal #2 was to become an active member of both my church community as well as my residential community.; church community - check! I joined the health ministry, though it seems nothing much has come of it thus far :-/... I'm still working on it! I've done some little things here and there that's really hard to quantitate, so its coming along. The community thing however -- a no go! But hey, I have 4 more years right?!

-Goal #3 was to establish a regular exercise regimen and healthy lifestyle; As my twitter friends would say, #fail. I'm so trying. I have the desire and watching the Biggest Loser has encouraged me a lot, but finding the time with my 12hr work days is difficult. I'll try harder!

-Goal #4 was to buy my own house; this one I sorta put on hold for now... still wanna do it, but wanna do it differently than before... let's just leave it at that for now. Maybe I'll explain later.

-Goal #5 was the most ambitious, to pay off all my undergraduate and graduate/professional school loans; I knew this was a big undertaking when I first thought of it, but didn't realize how difficult it would be. Plus, no one counted on the recession to have such drastic and lasting effects. However, when I totaled up the numbers, I did reduce the owed amount by 8.61%! Not the 20% I'd hope for, but not too shabby. Oh, and I did pay off and get the title to my car... so that makes up the other missing percentage in my book!

If I had to grade myself on progress so far, I'd give me a C+. (We are our toughest critic!) ...What grade would you give me?

Remembering 2009...

The year I started my very first job in my new career -- a roller coaster of triumph and struggle with it, but in the end I've learned so much. Not just about medicine, but also about me. * The year I found love -- or should I say love found me. Though it was there all along, it took 2009 for it to manifest and it has been great thus far... It makes me think of the saying "God's timing is not our timing". So true! My timing would have been 3-4 years ago, but would it have been the same?! I'm sooooooooooo not the person I was then and am happy about that. I'm better, much better! And God, well, he knew what he was doing! Can't wait to live out the rest of the story! * The year I would lose control. I'm not happy at all the blow ups I've had at work and I ask for forgiveness of any disrespect that was felt and for the mishandling of my tone -- but please believe, I meant what I said!!! Just meant it in a nicer tone :o) * The year I vowed to forget the hurts of the past, and move forward. I forgive everyone of any wrong they did towards me and I ask you to forgive me of anything I did to hurt you. * 2009, thank you for all the lessons learned! So excited about 2010...