I woke up the other day and discovered that it’s August. It’s August. Can you believe it? Are you wondering where the summer went and wishing it would stay, or are you sooooo ready for it to end?
I live in the Middle East. So it’s safe to say I’m always ready for summer to end. Of course, summer weather won’t subside for quite a while. But August is always when I start to feel like the worst might be behind us. (Even though it usually isn’t.)
But, yes, it’s August already. And in the spirit of taking responsibility for our seasons and days, it seems like a good time of year to step back a few paces and get a view of where we’re at. If we don’t do it now, we’re likely to hit the Fall, look up again when it’s December, and find another year gone.
So if you’re game, here are three things to think about this week to make sure you’re where you want to be at this point in 2012.
1) Finishing Summer
Is there anything you want to do before school starts or the days shorten? Did you want to have that barbecue and didn’t? Or haven’t yet had that family fun day or finished that novel?
If so, take a second to write those things down on your calendar (in pencil). The very act of looking at your calendar will help you see if you can fit it in, and having the time set aside in your schedule will a) remind you that you want to do it and b) hold open the time slot. If you later decide against it, you’ll have free time for something else. And would that really be so bad? So, like I said. Pencil it in real quick.
2) Are you prepared for Fall?
My friend Jeannie would be furious with me for saying Fall. She insists it is Autumn. A word I find more beautiful, but whose usage always makes my sentences feel clunky.
Anyway, Are you prepared for Fall?
Now is the perfect time to look forward and start capturing those things that have a tendency to sneak up on you. School uniforms and lunchbox ideas, carpool options, shopping for needed clothing (especially basics) now before things go haywire. (Have things already gone haywire? Recent facebook chatter makes is sound like some schools are already starting. Is that true? Message me.)
Anyway, take that pencil, and wherever is most appropriate for you, make a few notes about things that will sneak up on you. Then take a few minutes to make appropriate reminders for yourself. It sounds unnecessary now, but  you’ll love the peace of mind that comes with those reminders being present.
As for me, from here I can see that October could turn ape on me, so I’ve made myself a note to  start planning Christmas gifts in October and to contact our potential Christmas guests in November to let us know if they think they’ll be coming or not. If October does go crazy, I’ll have my reminders to help me stay on track with the holidays.
3) How are you doing with your annual aims?
I like to review my annual aims about once a quarter. That should have been at the beginning of July, but life happened and the aims-review didn’t. In the past, this would have frazzled me. But these days I just try to jump in wherever I find myself and go forward from there. Today I find myself in the first week of August, so first week of August it is. Review time.
A quick look at the Life Review I did at the beginning of 2012 shows me that while I’ve come a long way with my home goals and aims in my relationship with the dude, I wanted to do better with exercise this year and haven’t yet. I also made a note that I’d like to have some sort of getaway (however small), and that hasn’t happened yet either. So I’m making myself some notes and will (hopefully) take action on those soon. And goodreads is telling me I’m four books behind my 2012 reading goal. Yikes.
For the record, I think it’s fine to bail on annual aims. Sometimes you get later into the year and realize that the things that popped into your head the first week of January just don’t matter to you anymore. I’m totally a fan of booting those. But whether you keep them or change them, it’d be pretty great to get to the end of the year making some progress on things that matter to you, wouldn’t it?
Of course, if you haven’t any annual aims, take a minute to consider if there is anything you’d like to make progress on (personally or professionally) before the end of the year. Today is as good a day as any to make a start.
And that’s it. An encouragement to look up from whatever you’re up to and take inventory. Hope it’s been helpful!
What have I forgotten? What throughout-the-year review tips do you have? Please share!
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