I could just play it safe - in five years time I want to be making enough money to cover our expenses and have some over to put aside for holidays and other treats.Or I could think big - in five years time I want to be.... I don't even know what I want. But surely the sum total of my dreams and aspirations for the future cannot be to merely be making ends meet plus a few treats?
I don't want to limit myself by committing to option one but, on the other hand, I don't want to look stupid by announcing that I want to marry a prince, be a bestselling author, and living in a Manoir in the South of France. If that is indeed what I want, but I'm not sure that it is.
There are some lesser goals I could concentrate on - I want to have completed my 30 years of voluntary contributions in order to get my basic British Pension when the time comes. Well that's exciting.
I want to have maintained my Fabulous at 50 weight and figure (which I haven't achieved yet but fully intend to by the said landmark birthday).
Apart from that I really don't know. I would love to have savings of a nice size but I honestly don't know how practical that is as a single mother with no childcare back-up. Would I like to be in a serious relationship? Well I've got this far on my own. From experience, love and romance does seem to pop up every few years. While it's great to have the company and share some of the burden, it's also kinda nice being a free spirit.
In five years time DD will be 8 and in 3rd grade. I think I'm just looking forward to life being easier as she gets more independent. Being able to invite friends for dinner again because I'll have the time to clean the place and cook without having to stop every five minutes to play puzzles. A sleepover once in a while when I can go out for the evening without paying a fortune in babysitting fees.
So what do you do if you don't know where you want to be in 5 years time? We are supposed to also write about 3 years time, and then one year. Sorry Kate, the best I can do this week is to say that next week I want to feel better as I've been sick all this week. Maybe when my head is clearer I will be able to come up with some worthy dreams.
Can so relate to this. Am a drifter. Never have plans or goals. I think the fear of not achieving a 5 year plan puts me off. More and more I think the power of positive thinking matters. Want it. Plan it and you find it more achievable. Don't hold yourself back. Be brave - if it's the south of France you want ..... Plan away x
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you've been sick. I think the part wher you get to have friends over for dinner etc are nice and achievable expectations. Something that will mean a lot to you.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Fabulous at 50 figure? I have 3 weeks to achive that 3 WEEKS!!
Yikes....
xx Jazzy
Gemma, I think a big part of it is that I really don't know what I want. If I knew I think I'd be ok with planning it and working towards it.
ReplyDeleteJazzy, you're a dancer - I bet you already have that fabulous figure.
It seems like your goals are the perfect balance, possible to achieve and refreshingly un-greedy!
ReplyDeleteLucidgypsy :-)
Thank you Nkeiru - my whole perspective changed when I became I mother, now my biggest goal is to survive and be happy rather than be rich, famous, or anything else ambitious.
ReplyDeleteI think that when you're sick it's hard to feel positive and so it becomes difficult to look forward and make plans. Nothing seems doable when you're sick. But when you're better - soon hopefully - everything will look different and ideas about what you want to do will just pop into your head, especially as your daughter becomes more independent xx
ReplyDeleteYes, you can ditch the prince, but I wouldn't let go of the bestselling books - of the French manor. And yes, 8 is a very good age. Sorry you've been ill and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteThanks Blue Sky and M-a M, I am actually feeling better this evening (Saturday) but so far no ambition bubbling up. It may take a few days ;)
ReplyDeleteGet well! Idont have much of a five year plan either. Existence seems very day to day at the moment. Still dream of your manor in France anyway. At least you know for certain that you will have more personal freedoms to look forward to as your DD gets older - invaluable!
ReplyDeleteThanks OM, existence seems like a big achievement at the moment. If i can keep it up for 5 years I'll be laughing.
ReplyDeleteThanks OM, existence seems like a big achievement at the moment. If i can keep it up for 5 years I'll be laughing.
ReplyDeleteI think your dreams are very worthy, when you have a young chid 5 years time is no time at all! Yes, I am loving the fact that the older the kids get things justg get that bit easier. Mich x
ReplyDeleteThanks Mich, funny how just cleaning the house regularly and having a few friends round for dinner can be a life goal. Makes me realize how much my life has contracted since becoming a mother. In other ways of course, it has expanded further than all expectations.
ReplyDeleteHaving a clearish vision of your life in 5 years should help carry you through. Sorry you were feeling ill but hopefully you still got some benefit from doing what you could of the task.
ReplyDeleteI have a problem with committing to a vision for 5 years tiem because what if I change my mind? Also, if I have a dream life I don't think it's attainable in 5 years time. I odn't want to write something that's not SMART.
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