13 Spring Goals Challenge

Image from Antique Images

Well for many of us this has been a long and cold winter.  Or at least longer and colder than we are accustomed to in our own regions.  In south Texas we often jest that we only really have a few weeks of coldish weather.  Well we can’t really say that this year.  Our weather would tease us with a day or two of warmth and then drop back down to around freezing.  

Is it colder than normal where you live?  Are you ready for spring to come?  

March 20th, the Spring Equinox, is right around the corner.  And I am hoping it will bring with it more than just the promise of warmer weather.  I am looking forward to more favorable conditions for outdoor activities both with the local lolita community and on my lovely bicycle.  

  Let’s start spring off with more than just hopes though!  Let us start it off with some goals and challenges for ourselves.  

Image from The Graphics Fairy

It is always more fun to challenge yourself with something you have chosen than just something that is assigned to you.  

So here is another edition of the 13 seasonal goals!  

There are 13 weeks in each season so 13 is a natural number to chose for the number of goals to have.  Plus 10 is simply overused and 20 is quite a lot to achieve while also having a life.  

This idea was originally inspired by a post on The Tumblr of Day Zero Project where a person had a fun bucket list for autumn in order to better enjoy the season.  I liked the idea but wanted to take it a bit further.  

So here is the challenge that came out of that idea.

  The objective is to create a list of 13 goals that you chose for yourself.  

There are 8 parameters to help guide the list creation and to also keep your list diverse.  

• 1 goal needs to be difficult or personally challenging
• 1 financial goal 
• 1 goal needs to benefit someone else (an act of kindness, volunteer work, donation, etc.)
• 1 goal should be something you are doing for the first time.   
• At least 2 goals should involve a group or being social.  (you don’t have to speak in public, but at least do something with friends)
• 3 of the goals should be based on the season (in this case spring, unless you live in the southern hemisphere in which you will be enjoying autumn)
• 3 goals need to be creative 
• 3 goals need to make you smile. (there is no sense in setting so many goals and not even getting the benefit of some happiness out of some of them)

Now please understand that the parameters are meant to overlap one another.  Otherwise you end up with 15 goals. One of your goals might fit with more than one of the parameters and if that is so you check off all the parameters that it fulfills.  

If you run through all the parameters and you still don’t have 13 goals you can do whatever you want for the rest of the goals.  Also the parameters are all minimums.  You only have to have 3 goals that will make you smile, but for winter almost all my goals would make me smile.  

Image from Antique Images

Now as to the things you can do for your goals. There are plenty of possibilities. Especially with it being the spring season in question. The world is waking up. Flowers are blooming. And hopefully moods are lifting along with the temperatures.

  Real Simple has a check list of 50 Fun Spring Activities. There are some great ideas on that list. Also don't forget Pinterest. I searched "spring" and here is what Pinterest gave me. If you live in the southern hemisphere this is the search for you.

Or if you are like me and love a good challenge, like NaNoWriMo, you could look for other such challenges that fall in the up coming season. Challenges that fall in April and May for example.

This 13 seasonal goals challenge is a great chance to plan on checking things off your life's to do list. Is there something you have been meaning to get done for weeks? Months? Years? (side ward glance. *cough* *cough* organize the filing cabinet) I am sure you know what I mean.

    Do you have a bucket list?  It is never too early to start checking things off that list.  Here is a great chance to get started if you haven't already.

Now where can you keep your list? There are lots of places. For a no technology needed method write them on some nice paper or a poster board and post it up in your home. Put it somewhere you can see it everyday. Or you might use a dry erase board or a chalkboard. These two options will allow for easy editing. Any of these physical lists can be customized with a little craftiness.

If you want to share your list easily with friends and the world, create an account over at Day Zero Project. You can create a small handful of lists there and keep track of your progress. Also be sure to check out the resources they have. Or if you have your own blog you can easily create a page for your lists. There are plenty of options. Find the one that works for you.
But most importantly with this challenge have fun with it. Be productive. Make yourself proud. And try something new.