No way...two days in a row?

Yep, that's right! I'm posting another entry. I'm on a roll. I wanted to show that I'm serious about tracking and meeting my goals. I even bought this incredibly awesome P!nk wall calendar and some stickers to track my blogging, working out, playing keyboard/singing, and makeup artistry gigs or networking. Plus, it was a really good excuse to get the calendar I've been wanting for over a month now. Somehow, I even managed to match the colors of the stickers with color theme of the calendar, how cool is that? I felt silly going to the teacher store just for stickers, but I figured they'd have a big selection of "incentive" stickers. I didn't know that's what they were called until the gentleman behind the counter directed me to the seasonal stickers, regular stickers, and incentive stickers.

I was proud of myself for getting out of the house today. I was actually supposed to do makeup for a ghost portrait photo/video shoot today. Unfortunately, the model was ill and the photographer exhausted, so the shoot was cancelled. Since I was up, I decided to go ahead and get ready and go pick up my calendar and run some errands. While at the mall, I treated myself to some teriyaki and frozen yogurt. I finished off the evening at the gym for a bellydancing class. That means I've worked out 5 times in the 7 days since I joined the gym. Not bad, not bad at all.

If you haven't set any goals or resolutions for the year, I highly recommend it. When you set the right kind of goals it is much easier to be motivated to achieve them. Also, accountability is key. There is a reason star charts work so well for kids. They get to SEE their progress and so does everyone else. They know when they are close to meeting their goals and it is motivation to push a little harder to reach them. Remember to make your goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. To say that you are going to work out more this year is admirable, but it is not SMART. How are often are you going to work out? How much is more than last year? However, if you make a goal to work out 3 days a week for the next 6 months, that goal is specific. You can measure if you are sticking to it. For most people, it is attainable. It is relevant to your larger goal or vision to get in shape and be healthier. Finally, it is bound to a certain time frame.

So, go ahead and make some SMART goals. Then, if you're cool like me, you'll pick up a calendar that you love (or an actually star chart, you can get them at the "Teacher store") and some stickers and start charting your progress.

P.S. Most 2011 calendars are on sale 50-75% off at the mall kiosks and bookstores, and they still have a pretty big selection.