I like thinking about goals — which seems like engineer-speak for wishes. Coming up with wishes is fun.

I spent the month of December thinking about, and writing down, my career and job related goals. This is a mandatory exercise at my company, which I suspect keeps me complacent by letting me think I have influence over my position and job functions.

These goals are supposed to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-related. Because, you-know, engineering.

Side thought: I spent a few years in Student Government in college. I learned two things there that (I believe) serve me well in life.

1. People are usually pretty content when they feel like they have choices. They can accept a rotten situation if they feel like they chose to be in that situation.
2. Some people want nothing more than to be in front of people, and to be in a position of power. There’s nothing you can do to change them, you can only strive to better understand them.

Also, last week, I started to think about some goals for the year regarding my health.

Incubating, delivering, and baby/toddler-wearing two children has apparently done some damage to my body that I am still recovering from. I’ve been shrugging off years of aches, pains, and poor mobility to getting older.

Recently, I’ve begun to realize that getting older doesn’t explain the fact that sitting criss-cross-applesauce on the floor hurts. A lot. Running hurts, and it feels like I’m likely to trip. And I can’t join in with my kids when they start to skip.

I. can’t. skip.

So, my big goals for the year involve going to physical therapy, which I’ve already begun. And, by the end of the year, I’ll finally get back to a workout routine that doesn’t hurt.

And, I’ll be able to skip.