Saturday Mornings and Setting Goals

posted 20th September 2011    Written by: Ashley    CATEGORY: All Posts, Ashley, Job/Career/Work, Money, Quarterlife Crisis, Season 5

It’s Saturday morning and I’m sitting at my desk with my laptop in front of me, iced mocha to the left, journal and pen to the right. I look out the window and see the sun shining brightly, a light wind rustling the leaves in the trees. It’s going to be hot today, over 100 degrees again. I feel calm, rested, and excited for what the day might bring.

These peaceful moments leave me with a sense of clarity, with a view of how vast the future is, and I recognize the endless possibilities. Sometimes, though, it seems too endless and I scramble for answers. Some clue as to how my life will turn out. I know it’s silly and I should accept the unpredictability, but I’m one of those people who feels anxious without at least the backbone of a plan.

So, let’s start making one.

Professionally, I feel like I’m heading in the right direction. I’m at this point where I’m two years into my job as a counselor with a non-profit agency and I’m beginning to feel the monotony of the daily 9-5 routine, but I’m not completely burnt out. I still feel inspired and look forward to going to the office most mornings, but I know this can’t last forever, so I’m beginning to consider the big question: What’s next?

I’m certain that I can’t stay in the non-profit sector forever because my student loans won’t allow it. Or really, I won’t allow it. Currently, almost half of my monthly paycheck goes toward paying off my student loans. It’s all I can afford, but at this rate I won’t be out of debt until I’m almost 40 years old. And that’s just not going to fly.

I have at least seven months before I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas, so I have at least seven months before I can officially open my own private practice. I’m confident that this is what I want, to provide therapy to families and adolescents, but also to be able to set my own hours and be my own boss. I will be able to charge my own rates which means that I will be able to increase my salary and hopefully increase my loan payments. It’s a win-win.

And just because I like to keep things interesting, I don’t know where I will be living in a year. It has never been my plan to stay in Austin forever, and now that I’m in a long distance relationship, the geography of it all plays an even bigger role. When I think about leaving Austin, I’m thrown back to my struggle and my desire to make people happy. I know my family and friends would be sad to see me leave. There would be difficult, heart-wrenching conversations and probably a few hurt feelings. But it’s my decision and if I choose to move for this relationship, I have to trust myself.

It’s obvious to me that the biggest struggle of this journey I’m sharing with y’all is going to be the personal aspect. Solidifying my values and learning to live them. Putting faith in my dreams and making them come true. Honing in on my self-confidence and owning my decisions.

I’ve set some goals for the next five months that I hope will help guide me toward a more authentic and joy-filled life. Of course, the over-arching goal is to BE BRAVE, but here are the specifics:

1. Personal- create an authentic life full of joy!

I know this one sounds vague, but I think the brainstorming sessions will help create a clearer picture of how I want my life to be. Without that, I could be spinning circles and that won’t get me anywhere. I’ve heard several glowing reviews for Molly’s coaching sessions and I think that would be surefire way to strengthen my self-confidence as I begin taking steps forward. As for the yoga, it’s my time for me. When I am practicing yoga, I feel empowered and completely myself. I want more of that.

2. Professional- be a grounded, curious, and empathic counselor!

If I’m planning to be successful in my career, I need to start acting like it. Finding a mentor who can provide some guidance and experience is a starting point. I love learning and continuing to read and stretch that learning muscle can only bring good things, right?

3. Financial- finally get out of debt!

My biggest struggle with money is that I’m never quite sure how much of it I have at any given moment. Creating a budget will help me answer that ever nagging question in the back of my head. Once the budget is set, my anxiety and stress levels will decrease and I can focus my energy on more productive areas of my life. And yes, it’s true. I don’t have a savings account. Since I’m constantly worried about spending more than I have, I never really save, which is awful. Over the next five months, I’m hoping to open a savings account and begin to build a financial safety net for myself.

These are the goals I’m setting as a map for the next few months. Some of them are big and some of them are scary. They may change and they may grow, but that’s okay. In fact, I think that’s perfect because this is just a base to jump off of toward an even better, super awesome life filled with countless peaceful Saturday mornings.

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Comments (17)

17 Responses to “Saturday Mornings and Setting Goals”

  • Peter Says:
    September 20th, 2011 at 8:16 am

    1) Happy birthday!
    2) I love the picture on your laptop.
    3) Here's to a lifetime of those Saturday mornings!

  • Linda Says:
    September 20th, 2011 at 8:21 am

    Love these goals. Especially the financial one!

    Happy birthday. So happy you were born and I was lucky enough to have met you.

  • Becky Says:
    September 20th, 2011 at 9:31 am

    First off-group coaching rocked my socks off and got me to really start asking myself what I want. Secondly-I'm in the same boat as you are student loan-wise. I have an excel sheet that serves as a calendar of my due dates, what my minimums are, and what I owe. I also signed up or mint.com and have money automatically transferred into 2 savings accounts (one for an emergency fund and one for a trip to somewhere). Good luck!

  • Ag Says:
    September 20th, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    This post really inspired me. I have a feeling I will be coming back to read it often. <3, Ag

  • HannahD Says:
    September 20th, 2011 at 7:03 pm

    Great goals, girl! I love that morning. I want one every day. I also want the same brainstorming time you do. Here's to creative people. Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 21st, 2011 at 4:50 am

    Let's do those Saturday mornings together, yeah?

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 21st, 2011 at 4:51 am

    The financial one is going to be tough for me because it's not something I practice regularly, but I hope I can better at it over the next few months. :)

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 21st, 2011 at 4:51 am

    I'm SO excited about group coaching. Like, I think about it at least twice a day and smile because I can't wait to get started!

    I've heard good things about mint.com. I may have to give it a try!

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 21st, 2011 at 4:52 am

    Thank you so much! I hope you come back as often as you can! :)

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 21st, 2011 at 4:53 am

    Haha, thank you, lovely. I want that morning every day too! I'm trying to use it as my inspiration, or like my end goal to get me to where I want to be.

  • erinmakesitwork Says:
    September 21st, 2011 at 9:45 am

    I can totally sympathize with what's next. While I love what I do, its not enough to sustain me, so I'm currently in the middle of the great job hunt 2011…which will cause me to redo my budget and learn to stick to it. Congrats on setting realistic, honest goals for yourself.

  • Dusti Arab Says:
    September 22nd, 2011 at 6:27 am

    I second mint.com. I suck at sticking to a budget but it has helped a ton. Late happy b-day!

  • KristenCF Says:
    September 22nd, 2011 at 8:21 am

    Ashley- I love your goals! I love how specific and functional they are! Happy Belated Birthday as well :)
    As far as student loans go, I know it is incredibly stressful ( undergrad and grad school combined, I think I'll be done paying mine off when I'm 50 if I'm lucky), but a financial planner reminded me that while it is still debt, student loan debt is some of the best to have because you can always claim the interest on your taxes. It's not some shining beacon of hope, but when I'm writing out the check every month, it is something small to hold onto. Also our own president didn't finish paying off his school loans until he had written a best seller ( also hard to hold onto since that's a feat in itself, but still something good to know!)

    LOVE the idea of weekly 'me' brainstorms and thinking about life and what you want- I think that's an awesome way to always be keeping yourself in check and re-evaluating about life. I'm going to try doing this myself so thanks for the idea :)

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 22nd, 2011 at 9:23 am

    Thanks, Erin! I think that's the toughest part about it all- I love what I do, but I know I can't stay here forever.

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 22nd, 2011 at 9:23 am

    I'll definitely have to give it a try. I keep hearing it's awesome and so helpful.

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 22nd, 2011 at 9:25 am

    Thanks, Kristen. I've always had a hard time with goals because I would set them to be these huge, futuristic ideas and I could never achieve them (at least as soon as I wanted to). So I'm hoping these little realistic goals will be more attainable. :)

  • Kat Says:
    September 30th, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    I love your goals! I think they're concrete and manageable, which is awesome.

    I also highly recommend setting up automatic transfers to your savings account on a weekly basis. Even if it's a small amount, I've found that it's the easiest way to save money. (It's what helped me to make this travel happen.) Magic!

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