What Are Your Small Life Goals?

We parents learn so much from our children. This week, I’m feeling inspired by my daughter who, when she was in college, created a list she called her “Small Life Goals.” Oh, she had her big life goals that had to do with career and family and lifestyle, etc., but her small life goals were things she’d always wanted to try for a while. She didn’t question why she wanted to try them, and she didn’t expect them to lead anywhere special, she just wanted to have those experiences, so she wrote them down.

 

One of her goals was to work in a bakery, which she did for a while in college. Another was to work at a museum, which she did for a while after college. She moved recently to a new state and while she’s looking for her career work, she decided to cross off another small life goal and she got a job in a bookstore.

 

I found that watching her achieve another life goal gave my spirit a lift. I often feel that way when my kids get something they want, something they’ve worked for or manifested. I’m sure you’ve felt that lift too when a friend or partner or family member achieves a success. Plus, a part of me has always wanted to work in a bookstore, so now I get to experience that through my daughter and the stories she’ll tell.

 

This is why it’s important for us to share our hopes and dreams and goals, even the ones that seem “small,” because sharing our dreams, speaking them out loud, writing them down, makes them feel real. I believe when we succeed, we all succeed together. And if we feel that someone out there is rooting for us to achieve our goals, however small they may be, we become more confident.

 

My daughter’s small life goals also keep her on track and present. See, she knows her big dreams are coming someday, but in the meantime, there are lessons to learn, and skills to gain, and connections to make, so why not cross a few smaller but just as meaningful goals off along the way?

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