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Setting Goals on My Wife’s Birthday

Setting Goals on My Wife’s Birthday

Last updated on: August 25, 2026 at 6:00 am by Mark Wilson

Setting Goals on My Wife’s Birthday 2026-08-24T09:43:10-05:00 Mark Wilson

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One of my goals as a Catholic blogger is to write and publish blog posts that corrosp0nd to a certain specific and particular day when it comes on the calendar every year. Holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Holy Days such as the feast of the Assumption of Mary, and personal days such as my wife and sister in-laws birthday. My wife is a twin in case you didn’t know. Trying to come up with something new, original and interesting can be challenging. But sometimes challenges stretch our creative mussels to create or share something new. It doesn’t always have to be brand new but sometimes an idea or older writing that hasn’t been seen in a while can just be rearranged and repackaged as something different than it was before.

On Kristin birthday I made it my goal to create a new post related to her using some of her past writings.

She was very touched by the fact I was doing this, when I told her about it.

It is one of my goals to make her happy.

When Kristin gets the blues, I have told her she should set some goals for herself to accomplish every day. She wrote about this very topic in an e-book over ten years ago. She writes…

Why Set Goals?

Setting goals is something each of us does every day. Sometimes just getting up or eating something can be an accomplishment. Other times people strive for better health, friends, money, love, happiness, spiritual growth, and decision making to name just a few. Setting goals is easy. It’s the follow through that is the challenge.

The reason we set goals, we hope, is to somehow better our life or situation. Without goals we would feel a lack of purpose. What would be the point of doing anything if we or someone else, did not somehow benefit from it. We need the small everyday type goals to function. The longer-term goals, the ones we have to put in extra effort in so that we can accomplish them are probably the goals you are seeking help for.

I am confident that if you set realistic but challenging goals and follow through, so long as new unforeseen challenges of great magnitude do not crop up in your life, like death, serious illness etc. you can reach your goal, or goals.

You may be wondering what kind of goals are realistic. Many people fall short on self-esteem making confidence a challenging, but realistic goal. Weight loss is another goal, common, but challenging for many. Other goals include making your religious faith a bigger priority in life. We can measure your progress with such goals by looking at the mini goals you accomplish, and stick with, as you work toward the goal.

Working on one major goal at a time works best. Then when you have met your goal and are just working on maintaining that goal you can, if you have another goal in mind, make it a new priority. You do not want to set yourself up to fail. That would only make your confidence in goal setting, and your enthusiasm for your new goal to go way down, maybe even too far down where you have to put in so much more effort.

Goals GIFs | Tenor

How to change your life for the better:

One of the most common goals everyone has is to change your life for the better. I came up with a list of some ways to do that by boosting your self-esteem.

No, I can’t cure your illness or fix your every problem. We all have to work on our own problems and get the proper help from others to do so. It is how to do that that can be the challenge. As a Carmelite I can assure you that God will be with you every step of the way until you feel that something has changed and even after that.

Not everything on the list will apply to you. It is my hope that enough applies to you that you can begin to improve your life by putting the ideas into practice.

50 things you can do to boost your self-esteem now!

1. Volunteer, help others helps you too!

2. Discover what you believe and join a faith group like the Carmelites.

3. Call someone you have not spoken to in a long time.

4. Do something you have never done before.

Skydive Australia GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

5. Rearrange furniture.

6. Start redecorating your home.

7. Start eating healthier. At the time of this writing, I am trying the Mediterranean Diet.

8. Find an online group to chat with.

9. Eat something you never had before.

10. Start journaling about your accomplishments.

11. List all the things you like about your life.

12. Listen to your favorite music such as Irish tunes or Billy Joel and sing them outload as if nobody is listening.

13. Find a purpose for life.

14. Meditate/pray. I try to pray the Divine Office throughout the day.

15. Do something kind for a total stranger and don’t let them know it was you.

16. Spend time with people you love. I love to spend time with my husband laughing and going to new places.

17. Find a hobby like soap making or creating art with a stencil.

18. Find and befriend people with the same hobby.

19. Do not speak negatively about yourself.

20. Leave notes around your home reminding you that you are a worthwhile and loveable person.

21. Forgive yourself for your past wrongs.

22. Remember that today is the first day of the rest of your life.

23. Read quaint books like Little House on the Prairie or watch quaint shows like Little House on the Prairie .

24. Write about what the best day you could ever have would be like.

25. Smile at people

Academy’s Favorite Things: Christmas Movie Lines – Achona

26. Read self -help books

27. Think about what bothers you most and brainstorm ways to change your life

28. Confront your fears

29. Sometimes treat yourself to something that isn’t as healthy as it should be such as Ice Cream or Recess Peanut Butter cups. But overall eat healthy foods,

30. Go for a nature walk

31. Make your own list of 50 thinks you can do to help your self-esteem

32, Send birthday, anniversary cards to friends and relatives.

Kristin and Kathleen this post is in honor of your birthdays.
Happy birthday Twins.

33. Learn something new.

On August 25, 1944, after more than four years of Nazi occupation, Paris is liberated by the French and the U.S. infantry. Gen. Dietrich von Choltiz, commander of the German garrison, defied an order by Adolf Hitler to burn Paris to the ground and instead signed a formal surrender,

The monks of Saint Joseph’s Abbey were inspired to begin Trappist Preserves in 1954 after a stovetop batch of mint jelly from the Abbey herb garden quickly sold out at the Abbey gift shop.

34, Compliment others daily.

35. Compliment yourself,

Im Good Enough Im Smart Enough GIF - Im Good Enough Im Smart Enough Dog ...

36. Approach someone you are usually uncomfortable around and say something kind to them

37. Exercise.

Exercise GIF - Find on GIFER

38. Take a nap if you have worked hard, or just need one.

Nap GIFs | Tenor

39. Do not watch TV, movies etc. in the middle of the day. Watch them at night with your loved one when they come home from school, work, etc..

40. Confront people who put you down and then forgive them.

41. Do not lie to yourself, or others.

[Todd Howard] Starfield has more handcrafted content than any Bethesda ...

42, Surprise your loved ones by doing something different that pleases them.

43. Get out of bed when the alarm goes off.

pee-wee herman bedroom GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

44, Do not hang around in your pajamas all day if you are home alone.

45, Look at yourself in the mirror every night and tell yourself what you did right that day.

46. Invent your own mantra or find a popular one that fits who you are and repeat that mantra many times a day.

Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry.

Bumper Magnet on Catholic Bard’s Car

47. Take deep slow breaths when you find yourself becoming frustrated

48, Go somewhere you have never been.

One of Kristin’s recent goals was to make sure I went to Rocky Point Park in RI. It is a RI cultural landmark I have never been to as I grew up in Massachusetts.

49, Save money for a rainy day or emergency. You will thank yourself later.

50. Laugh a lot.

And because it is Kristin and her twin sister’s 52nd Birthday here are too more.

51. Remember that God loves you just as you are and that he wants to make you happy by filling you with His presence.

52. Write Lovely Poetry,

MY SHADOW

I looked up from my prayer to see
My shadow praying there with me.

I do not see her all the time.
This shadow about which I rhyme.

She is so kind to come and pray.
Before Jesus she too likes to stay.

She makes no noise anywhere she goes.
Always in silent reflection, I suppose.

It must be easy for a shadow to pray,
Because she cannot hear anything we say.

She cannot turn herself from prayer to me
And become as distracted as I seem to be.

Ought I wish I were a shadow who never ceased to pray?
Who followed her friend o the Tabernacle every single day?

Oh my holy shadow friend,
Will you follow me to Heaven in the end?

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