When I turned 55, I wrote a ten point list of personal goals. This is not a bucket list of places I hoped to visit or new skills I hoped to master. It’s not altruistic in scope. Actually, it’s pretty myopic in its emphasis on my own personality traits as I perceive them.

I revisited the list when I was 64. Now I’m 70. Musing over what has changed and what remains pretty much the same. Wondering if real change is possible, or if we are basically who we are for both good and ill.

1. Live in the present.
2. Focus on one thing at a time
3. Stop trying to control everything.
4. Figure out personal needs and goals.
5. Focus on talent I have instead of lamenting lack of talent.
6. Everything doesn’t have to be in order before I sit down to read a book.
7. Spend more time at the beach.
8. Put myself first at least once a day.
9. Take more breaks. Read somewhere that God didn’t create the world in one day, so why should I?
10. Recognize that my opinions have value.

Work in progress. Except for #7. Made real strides on that one!

Not an original goal, but I’m taking more pictures these days. I’d like to get better at that. The shot included here was taken at Quissett Harbor.