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Best Year Ever. Still.
Nothing like committing to do something in public to make you see your own flaws.
My best year isn’t done, and it’s still the best I’ve ever lived, and I’ve been busy living it. Eh, but I’ve been busy procrastinating about all sorts of things. Like posting here. Seems as soon as I give myself a rule it makes me want to break it. Makes me wonder if there’s an app that’ll impose deadlines that make you unable to post after a certain time. (I do this for my students on Blackboard, and as a fellow procrastinator, I understand the value of having a deadline with consequences.)
So.
Some of the best things right now:
- I’m rediscovering Jesus. And praying every day that it doesn’t turn me into an annoying conservative twat. I’d annoy myself. Gag me.
- I am learning a lot about my absentminded habits. Thank God my husband is so laid-back. Couple days ago he said, smiling, “Honey, do you not like bending over?” I gave him a wtf look and he said, “When you lay something down, it stays there.” I–ah–well. That explains a lot. What amuses me is that now, because of that tiny, indulgent smile of his, I catch myself when I lay something down, and I remember that my actions affect someone else. And I don’t lay it down.
- I am writing! I am noodling about scenes, I am plotting, I am creating characters I love, and I am regularly in my writing corner.
- I am actively growing as a teacher. This semester I’m implementing a couple of tools I developed last semester and the feedback I’m getting from students is helping me to make them more user-friendly. (A worksheet on thesis statements and topic sentences, and an online workshop on developing a solid thesis.) Geeky, yes, but fun for me.
From Notes from the Universe:
“The absolute, most sure-fire way
of physically moving in the direction of
your dreams, on a day-to-day basis,
without messing with the “cursed hows,”
is living them, now, to any degree that you can.
And you can.“
My dream is not only to write, but to create a space for others to explore writing, so I’m committing to starting a group for writers here where I live. Instead of waiting to move to somewhere green and cool (O! Vermont!) I’m going to do something now.
Funny. No one really cares what you can do, only what you do.
Best Year Ever: Week 1
From Notes from the Universe:
This note requires action.
Why not let today mark the beginning
of the absolute happiest, most memorable
time of your life?
The power is yours. Do something.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I’m embarking on my best year ever.
I’m listening to Darren Hardy, publisher of Success magazine, on CD, and I’m developing a list of 13 things I want to work on over the next twelve months, based on advice from Benjamin Franklin. Work on one thing per week, and nothing else.
By doing this, I will work on that one thing 4 times a year, improving myself in that area in greater strides than if I tried to work on all the areas at once.
Here’s Mr. Franklin’s list:
- Temperance–Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation.
- Silence–Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
- Order–Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
- Resolution–Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
- Frugality–Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
- Industry–Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
- Sincerity–Use no harmful deceits; think innocently & justly, and if you speak, speak accordingly.
- Justice–Wrong none by doing injuries, or emitting the benefits that are your duty.
- Moderation–Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
- Cleanliness–Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths [sic], or habitation.
- Tranquility–Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents uncommon of unavoidable.
- Chastity–rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness [sic], weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
- Humility–Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
I’m still making my list, but I do know that this week I am working on focusing on the positive. I have to do this because I tend to operate on the undropped shoe belief: I brace myself for the worst. Always. I call it realism.
Truth: it’s
- defeatism.
- negativism.
- dark.
- faithless.
- hopeless.
The fact that I call it realism is a sad testament to my paradigm.
Done with that.
So I have a new blue and gold bracelet that I’ll be wearing for the next 7 days, and when I look at it, I’ll consider:
- Blue & gold=royal colors—>I am a child of the King. A princess, you might say, although, really, I prefer Queen. But then I’d have to segue into fairytale ruminations about roles, and if I’m the Queen AND a child of the King, oh–that’s not good. And there I go again with the negative. ha.
- I choose what I focus on. I. choose.
- Realism = real, not negative.
My list, not in order:
- Romans 8: 28–Focus on what is good. Week 1.
- Intimacy.
- Order, as per Ben Franklin.
- Tranquility, as per Ben Franklin.
- Acceptance. week 2.
- Movement/body-consciousness
- Ephesians 4:29–speak no evil.
- Industry, as per Ben Franklin.
- Generosity: time/attention/etc.
- Resolution, as per Ben Franklin.
- Attention to what I ingest.
- Appreciation and praise.
- Frugality, as per Ben Franklin.
Yes, each area requires its own bracelet. I’m okay with that.
BTW: it’s okay to start such a list any day you choose. Darren Hardy says to make NOW your turning point.
Care to join me?
D5 Creation