So this was an interesting thought process thinking about 'Giving myself permission to make mistakes' and thinking about 'life goals and a vision'.

So I don't think I've ever reacted well to mistakes, other than to regret that I made the mistake in the first place. This reaction pattern of mine has changed and slightly improved over the years, but I think I've still got a ways to go. I think as a young person, throughout school and life -- I always envisioned the idea that 'this is the way things are supposed to go'.. and when things didn't go according to however I thought they ought to -- it was tough to sometimes step back and look at the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that this is the way life works -- you can plan and plan all you want (and you should!), but be prepared for when things don't go according to plan (because that will definitely happen). So I'm a work in progress here, which I think is a step in the right direction.

Secondly, the idea of writing down life goals.. I've never formally done this, although I would certainly describe myself as extremely goal oriented -- at least until recently. Now that school is behind me, coming up with life goals seems a little trickier than it did before. One of my more immediate goals I am working on is to get healthy and live a healthier lifestyle. So that's one thing at least. I have had quite a few changes in my life over the last several months, so I think it is important to take a step back and look at things I would like to change and strive for. Another goal for me, is to meet new friends, as I am about to move out of state and start a new job. In order to do this, I am planning to join several meetup groups in the area for things that interest me. Lastly, I would like to retire early! hehe. So clearly, I've got some ideas for my life goals -- but I could spend some more time working on thinking and outlining what is important to me.