An ongoing goal of mine for 2020 has been to get abs (*she says as she eats cheese melted onto bread and a caramel frappe). I am in two weddings this summer and basically just want to feel my best physical self. I have not made much progress on this front. If anything, due to the lack of routine in my life, I have probably regressed. Then, the other day I got an email from a friend back home- an ab workout plan he put together (I had mentioned to him before I left for Saudi of my plan to get abs). About an hour later, a different friend sent me a link to a Tony Robbins podcast- strategies for a healthier life, discussing how to stick to a diet and exercise plan. I felt the timing was not coincidental. If God created humans with a sense of humor, then God too has a sense of humor...right? I felt a higher power was making it obvious to me that I had been putting off some personal goals that were important to me.
So that same morning I put on my workout clothes and got on my yoga mat. I did the ab workout, while, of course, listening to Tony Robbins. Something I liked that TR said was "clarity is power". We must be clear in defining- what is the result I am after? Without a clear understanding of this then we cannot expect to make any progress. Setting vague goals is something I do often, so it is no surprise when I do not stick to them.
As well as being clear about the results we want, I think it is also important to leave room for adjustments within the goals we set for ourselves. We are all continuously changing, and goals without space for evolution can hinder our personal growth rather than help. We must not hold too tight in achieving or not achieving. Let's place value on our self improvement itself, requiring us to constantly reevaluate the results we are working towards. I made this goal list before leaving for Saudi Arabia, but since being here I have altered it at least 3 times. My expectations of living here was totally different than what is, and as I continue to learn about the lifestyle here, it just makes sense that my goals should evolve with my learning.
As of right now, here are my 11 goals for living in Saudi Arabia.
Travel:
1. Blog: every 2-3 weeks. I had friends send me a bunch of questions before they left that I will try and answer while I am here. Message me if you have any questions or topics you would be interested in reading about!
2. Learn basic Arabic:
3. Travel to (national): Riyadh, "edge of the world", Mada'in Saleh
4. Travel to (international): Turkey, Dubai, Morocco, Greece & Egypt
5. Scuba dive at least once: Jeddah is on the coast of the Red Sea, which is supposed to be a nice location for scuba diving and snorkeling. I will try and get a go pro so I can take some pictures and show you!
Nurse:
7. Develop a plan to go back to school: This is more of a medium term goal, something I would like to do in the next few years. I feel my heart being pulled towards preventative and integrative medicine.
Yogi:
8. Hold handstand and forearm stand for 10 seconds
9. Teach yoga: Some ladies in my compound already expressed interest in yoga classes if I offer them on our compound, so I hope to start doing this!
10. Meditate, yoga and/or pranayama 4x a week: Keeping a daily practice has a significant positive influence on my mental health, but has always been really hard for me to keep up with. I used to think a daily practice meant 60 minutes of power yoga everyday. Some days this is exactly what I need- a high intensity physical yoga practice. Other days however, my daily practice means spending 10 minutes in the morning in silence, praying, or thinking of how appreciative I am of my friends and family.
11. Get abs!: before Claudia's and Ashley's weddings. Just a little definition- nothing too crazy.