Is it me or do the years seem to be racing by faster and faster?

Today is the birthday of the sweet daughter I so eagerly welcomed 10 years after my two rambunctious boys. How can my “baby” be in her mid-40s? What’s more, this past week, your Senior Moments columnist marked the beginning of her 85th year. Who?? Me!!!!!!! What happened to my 50s, 60s and 70s?

I know I enjoyed them, but who suddenly sent the time clock whirring so fast? Some people review the past year and their accomplishments (or lack thereof) at the new year. I always seem to review the past year and set new goals for myself on my birthday.

Looking at last year’s goals, I did accomplish two of them, but one of those was by sheer luck; my own efforts had very little to do with it. One of last year’s goals, to write a book, is being carried over to this year. I feel a bit ashamed about that and worried too; at this age, you can’t keep “carrying over” goals … there simply isn’t time.

One of the tricks to help accomplish a goal is to announce it to everyone (which I just did courtesy of this column), so now it is not just a silent wish but a public pronouncement. Another way to trick yourself is to set mini-goals locked into a definite time schedule.

That way, habit helps to replace sheer willpower, and you also have mini-achievements to celebrate along the way. And when you achieve something, even if it is small, I think it is perfectly OK to gloat and praise yourself (just do it silently). Val is no longer here to keep me on track and cheer me on, but friends who believe in you can serve as excellent coaches, especially when you hit a “down” period, and whether it is sticking to a diet, saving money or finding a new job, we all hit down periods when we are ready to give up.

In addition to staunch friends, you can also give yourself a pep talk; enumerating the things you have accomplished and reaffirming why it is important that you achieve this particular goal and the rewards it will bring. Of course, in setting goals, we need to be realistic.It is important to believe in yourself, but you also have to know your own limitations … and that’s tricky. If you always think too negatively about your own abilities, you will become discouraged before you even reach first base. Better to be a positive thinker and optimistic; even if you fall a little short of your goal, you will still have accomplished something. The most difficult step toward any goal, is, of course, that first step … just starting and now that I have publicly shared my goal with you, dear faithful reader, I can already sense a kind of positive, emotional force that will help to propel me forward.

Incidentally, for those readers who don’t use birthdays to set goals, you may want to keep a copy of this column and reread it on Jan 1.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle

Contact Jean Cherni, certified senior adviser for Senior Living Solutions and Pearce Plus, a helpful, full-service program for seniors contemplating a move, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 49 Rose St., Apt. 510, Branford, 06405.

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