We’re in the winter season in Canada. Time for walking in snow, but carefully on ice, of which we’ve had a lot already. It’s time for winter sports such as skating, toboganning and skiing. In the middle of winter on a cold day, sometimes I just want to curl up with a good book and read, but I can do that any day of the year. Walking when it’s cold, but not icy, is refreshing and good for the body and soul.

This is also a good time of year, during the Christmas holidays, to think about the coming year and what we want from it. More work opportunities, good people to work with, putting heads together with fellow business people to come up with solutions to our struggles, and there are always a few of those. Time with our families and time for our spiritual growth. A fellow writer consistently uses this time of year for her goal planning for the next year.

When you pull the party crackers and put on hat on New Year’s Eve, think goals, not resolutions. No one has to set resolutions on the stroke of midnight. Resolutions made with no  forethought are most apt to be broken in the return to work after January 1st. Instead think about what you want to accomplish. Will it be more writing time, searching out new clients for your business or being fit? Remember that a plan helps you to put new habits into practice and increases your likelihood of following through and achieving your goal.

We’re planning a small gathering of friends on New Year’s Eve. I plan to ask what their aims and goals are for 2014. I hope they will share. I’ll start with one, which is blogging more consistently in 2014, mimimum once a week, and sometimes it will be pictures or a video. I still need to decide  how to achieve certain goals, and if I don’t have it all nailed down for January 1st, at least I have begun my planning.

What desires of the heart have been calling to you? If you’ll share  your goals and aspirations in the comments, perhaps you will inspire others to follow their dreams.