Posts Tagged ‘goal setting’
2022 Goal Review
Posted on: December 31, 2022
- In: Books | Dreams | Writing
- 76 Comments
2022 is almost over and it’s time to take stock and see how I did with the goals I set at the beginning of the year. To be honest it was not a bad year, certainly better than the two before. I was fairly cautious about setting goals as so many plans had been dashed previously. We are still not comfortable about doing much travelling but are enjoying spending time with our two dogs instead.
I’m a habitual planner, so setting goals and making plans keeps me going.
Not meeting a goal is not a bad thing. It can just be added to the next year’s list. Or maybe it is no longer important and can be struck off permanently! Let’s see how I did with meeting my 2022 goals.
Goals for 2022
- Publish Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral
Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral was published by Central Avenue Publishers and released on September 13th. I am happy to report that this book is doing well and I’ve received many positive reviews.
2. Publish a collection of short stories
I am working on this and have polished the collection of stories but have not published it yet.
3. Learn how to self-publish
Haven’t done this yet.
4. Start writing a new book
I have started writing Amanda in Scotland: The Standing Stones (working title). I even returned to The Isle of Arran to do more research this year.
5. Market my books in person and online
I am pleased with my marketing efforts for 2022. Online marketing has gone very smoothly with great results. I’m eternally grateful to the blogging community who have been so very supportive. I also visited bookstores, libraries and schools in three Canadian provinces doing signings and presentations. I sold out of books in one store!
6. Return to Canada and spend time with family and friends in BC and Alberta
This was a highlight of the year. I saw so many family members and friends during my three-week visit to Canada in September, including both of my children and all of my grand and great-grandchildren.
7. Travel to at least one new place
I did this and the new place was Prince Edward Island, a Province on the east coast of Canada. A place I have wanted to visit since I read Anne of Green Gables when I was ten years old. I even had an opportunity to visit the house that inspired the author, Lucy Maude Montgomery, to write the novel.
8. Update my blog
I’ve done some work on this but still have more to do.
9. Buy a new computer
I did buy a new computer and just love it. The speed is incredible!
10. Take an online course
I’ve taken part in a few online courses, mostly via podcasts and Zoom meetings.
11. Read at least 48 books
According to my Goodreads challenge, I have read 46 books this year. But I also read 2 books that were not on Goodreads, and one of the books I read was War and Peace; that should count for 3 books at least! So I’m calling this a win.
12. Keep up to date with technology
This is something I really believe in and don’t want to fall behind. I have updated my new computer to Windows 11 and have had no problems with it at all. I tend to learn new things as needed.
13. Make new friends and stay in touch with old friends
“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet” – Will Rogers. I have turned a few strangers into new friends this year but have spent most of my time keeping in touch with my long-time friends. I was happy to have met a couple of blogging friends in person which is always special.
14. Keep calm and stay positive, no matter what
I did a good job of this in 2022 and it certainly reflected in my health and attitude.
I’m happy with the results and am ready to face 2023 with a new set of goals, along with some carried over.
How did you do this past year? Any surprises?
Happy New Year one and all!!
Guest Post: Darlene Foster
Posted on: May 5, 2021
- In: Books | Dreams | guest posts | Writing
- 17 Comments
I am pleased to be a guest on Pete’s wonderful blog. His posts are varied and always interesting. Check them out.
I am delighted to present a guest post from the lovely blogger and author, Darlene Foster.
Here is her short bio.
Darlene Foster grew up on a ranch in Alberta, Canada, where her love of reading inspired her to see the world and write stories about a young girl who travels to interesting places. Over the years she worked in rewarding jobs such as an employment counsellor, ESL teacher, recruiter, and retail manager, writing whenever she had a few spare minutes. She is now retired and has a house in Spain where she writes full time. When not travelling, meeting interesting people, and collecting ideas for her books, she enjoys spending time with her husband and entertaining rescue dogs, Dot and Lia.
Never Too Late To Become A Writer
by Darlene Foster
A goal without a plan is just a dream.
Many of us dream of being a writer. After…
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- In: guest posts | Writing
- 24 Comments
I am very happy to be a guest of Charles Yallowitz at Legends of Windemere where I share some tips on how to find time to write. Charles is a prolific writer himself. Check out his amazing fantasy series.
Finding Time to Write
You have a great idea for a book. You’ve been thinking about it for a long time, probably years. But you’re too busy with a job, kids, aging parents, volunteer work and life in general. So you put off writing the book. But it is always there, nagging you, begging to be written. If only you had time to write!
Sound familiar?
For many, writing a book seems like an insurmountable task. So they never even start. That is where the problem is, they are thinking about writing an entire book. Like any large, time-consuming project, to make it happen the task needs to be broken down into doable amounts.
A good way to do this is to set goals – long term, med term and short term goals. These goals should be realistic and time limited. And that will be different for everyone.
A long…
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Letter to my Teenage Self
Posted on: February 21, 2017
Today I am a guest on Krysten Lindsay Wagner’s blog. How many times have we said, “If only we knew then what we know now.” Krysten is featuring letters by authors to our younger selves and here is mine.
Letter to my Younger Self by Darlene Foster
Dear Darlene
The future is yours, no need to be afraid. Everything will work out, don’t waste time worrying. Things won’t always go as planned but it will be an awesome life. – See more at: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/blog/letter-to-my-younger-self-by-darlene-foster#sthash.xvz655Iv.dpuf
I found this graphic on Facebook and don´t know who to credit, but it is so true.
Pop over to Krysten´s blog to read my letter to thirteen year old me.
What would you tell your teenage self if you could?
Goal Setting Works!
Posted on: October 10, 2014
- In: Dreams | quotes
- 35 Comments
“Reach high, for stars lie in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” Pamela Vaull, 20th Century American Author/Poet
As many of you know, up until very recently I have been facilitating workshops for job seekers for the past thirteen years. I loved my job and enjoyed all the workshops I created and delivered, but my most favourite was my goal setting workshops. The participants enjoyed the sessions and said it gave them renewed hope. I have attended a few goal setting workshops myself over the years. As I was cleaning out my desk at work, I came across a workbook from an excellent session I attended nearly four years ago. I almost fell over when I read my notes.
1. At the beginning we were asked to write down a dream. This is what I wrote:
To be an internationally known children’s author living on the coast of Spain.
2. We were then asked to close our eyes and picture ourselves having achieved this dream, then describe the environment around us. My response:
In book stores and schools doing readings and presentations, surrounded by fans of my work and going home to my villa in Spain.
3. After a couple of other exercises establishing capabilities and values, we were to write down who we had become once we achieved our dream.
I am a writer of children’s fiction expanding my horizons and meeting new and interesting people while adapting to a new culture and environment.
4. Finally we were asked to write our dream again with enhancements that came from some explorations and reflections. Here was my enhanced dream:
An internationality known and well loved author of children’s stories, interviewed on TV, with lots of fans and owning property in Spain where I can go to relax and write after my travels and book tours.
There was much more to the workshop, but what I realized when reading what I wrote, was that goal setting does work. Writing down your goal or dream and visualizing it, is powerful.
Since taking this workshop four years ago, I have written and published three more books, read from my books at schools and book stores and am about to move to Spain! I haven’t been interviewed on TV but I have been interviewed on blogs and that is even better.
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. -C. S. Lewis
Darlene Foster's Blog 