Goals: How Many of Us Have Them

Growing up we have plans, even someone with a hard life has a plan for their life. Some of our life plans may not be ambitious plans, but they are plans. Not everyone has the dream of going to college and finishing it through, but for those who do it is never too late. Sometimes life happens and we are unable to accomplish all of our goals and then the next thing you know that goal becomes a distant memory of what the plan was. Eventually you come back and think about that goal because it's lingering in your mind as something you never completed, a goal you never reached.

I remember when I made up my mind that I wanted to go back to school. I was sitting at work and a new girl sat across from me; she had completed her bachelor's degree and was getting ready to start working on her Master’s degree the next month at an online college. I researched the school she was going to and I remember telling myself that I was going to start preparing myself to go back to school as well; this was in September of 2011. I told myself that I would give myself until the spring of 2012 to settle myself and prepare for life as a student and I too would start on my degree at this online school. Well, 2012 came and I had emerged to myself into my fitness journey; then I ended up getting married at the end of the year. I was living my life fully emerged in my fitness and my marriage was not going how I had planned. It wasn't until after my separation that I thought about going to school again. In February of 2014 I quit my job for a different position. I was blessed to be offered the position due to my lack of a college degree, but my experience is what landed me the job. However, the company was not a right fit for me and it was time for me to look for something else. While I was looking for other positions a lot of jobs with that same supervising role required a degree. I was fortunate be offered a position with my current employer but I knew I still needed my degree. So in the spring of 2014 I decided that it was time to get my degree, my job search was not the only thing that prompted my decision, I had surrounded myself with people who had accomplished this goal, and it was their positive influence that led me in the right direction. I took my time and researched the online school again but ultimately decided to enroll in Community College instead of going to the online school I was going to go to. The reason I decided to do this is because I wanted to see an accomplishment for all of my hard work after the first 2 years. Meaning I wanted to obtain an Associate's degree then continue on and obtain my Bachelor's degree at a 4 year college, entering as a Junior. I decided to put the online school on hold until it was time to obtain my Master’s degree, which will take an additional 2 years, maybe less.

When I announced that I was going back to school I had mixed reviews, almost everyone was supportive of my decision. However, one important person was not very supportive, initially; that person was my mother and even though it hurt me to the core that she did not think I had the time to be a student, I moved forward with it anyway. The same way I did when my grandmother told me I would not graduate from high school a year early. In January 2015, I became a college student again since I had last attended 17 years prior; it was a very good feeling.

Now it is my 2 year anniversary and I am six classes away from completing my associate's degree. The same people I had cheering me on in the beginning are still in my corner today and my mom tells me how proud of me she is. I have made a believer out of anyone who has doubted me and I've made a believer out of myself. Yes, there was doubt even before I decided to enroll in school, I wondered if I would be able to do it, if I had what it took to be a student again, if my life warranted the time needed. My son constantly tells me how proud he is of me and it encourages him to do well in school. My daughter is currently a sophomore in college and even though she has her own bumps in the road she is working towards her goal.

Life happens every day, but what would life be if we did not go after the things we want most. So many people believe that things should be given to them, or they feel it is too late to have what they want. There is no greater feeling than reaching a goal and saying to yourself, I was worth all the effort it took to get there.

After I began to live my life on my terms, I became happy; I filled myself with purpose. Everything around me began to change and my outlook on my life did as well. When you go after what you want everything else falls into place and helps you along the way.

And…It Is What it Is!