Patience is a virtue. That’s what we always hear anyway. Well it’s a virtue that can be hard to hold on to sometimes. At least in my experience. We have big plans that we can’t wait to come to fruition. We set goals and sometimes it’s hard to accept a slow go waiting for that goal to become a reality. We often think it’s all or nothing when it comes to goal-setting. We think we have to do this or that and stay hyper-focused. Well that’s not always necessarily the best or most successful way to achieve what you’re looking for.
Sometimes it’s just best to take the long view on goals. There are 168 hours in a week. How much time of that do we really need to accomplish our goals? Some things only take about an hour a week. A lot of progress can be made on a project by spending that hour or two on a weekly basis.
Have patience, and give yourself some grace. Say you are wanting to increase your family’s emergency fund. That doesn’t have to be all done at once. You could plan to put aside a small amount each month, perhaps as little as $10 per month. Sure, that doesn’t seem like much, but over a year, that’s $120 for an emergency fund that you didn’t have before you started. Talk through your goals as a family, especially when it comes to money. If the situation is appropriate, don’t be afraid to include kids in those discussions. Particularly as they grow older and transition into helping with expenses like vehicles, insurance, weddings and more.
K-State Research and Extension has a publication titled “How Are You Doing? A Financial Checkup” (MF 2721) that you might find helpful in working through some of these situations.
Great things can take time. Don’t beat yourself up. Wherever you’re at, just keep thinking ahead.
Don’t be afraid to share your goals with family and friends. Write them down and view them periodically to keep a bearing of the direction you want to head in, but don’t become obsessed.
Also, don’t forget that goals can change and evolve. They can look a little different by the end, depending on how the process goes.
Information comes from Kansas State University family resource management specialist, Elizabeth Kiss.
If you are looking for Family and Consumer Sciences programming through Extension, please consider liking our Greenwood County Extension Facebook page to follow along and learn more about upcoming programs. On April 12 in Eureka, we will be having a Food Preservation Workshop presented by K-State Food Safety Scientist, Karen Blakeslee. Please watch for registration information to be released in early March!
For more information regarding upcoming programs, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, or K-State Research and Extension call the office at 620-583-7455, email me, Ben Sims, at [email protected], or stop by the office which is located inside the courthouse. Be sure to follow K-State Research and Extension- Greenwood County on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on Extension education programs and the Greenwood County 4-H program.
