I'm not the only one...

After writing yesterday's post I opened an email (admittedly from over the weekend) from The Rising Tide Society with a headline of 
"We're going to come right out and say it: January 14th is the new January 1st."  That made me feel ever so slightly clever about my "beginning again on January 15th with my writing efforts pretending it's the new year today".  You can see their goal setting guide here.  

Monday's challenge prompt was: Decide what matters and what doesn't. What's your big picture? #BESTGOALS2019⠀⠀⠀

I have decided first that I am not going to be legalistic about starting on the same day as everyone else.  Because after all this is not school, there is not only partial credit but full credit for effort. Am I right?

tools of the trade 2018 tw stifel

What matters?  For me it's

Time spent creating

Time spent with family and friends 

Transparent relationships

Good stewardship of resources

Becoming fit

Staying healthy

Flexible schedule to accomplish these things

Pensacola Sky - Commission 2018 TW Stifel

So by process of elimination this means 

events and actions that don't contribute to these things need to be minimized or go by the wayside. 

Seems too simple doesn't it?

Next Step: pondering what that looks like.

Family Dinner - Christmas 2018

New Year's Resolution- Just Show Up

It is said that most New Year's Resolutions are broken by January 15th. And that most people make the same resolutions or none at all. So I am amused that my resolution of writing regularly is beginning again today, January 15th.  There.  I showed up! 

On trend the past few years is the selection of a Focus Word of the Year. Watching other people carefully choose and be guided by their year seems laudable yet something entirely foreign. I seem to have spent the last couple of years completely in reaction mode. Philosophical thinking has been dulled by fatigue.  I tend to be an extremely concrete person (make this call, do this deed, fight this fight) and less of an abstract thinker. Perhaps that is why I have not been drawn to the word of the year concept.

"Throwing Down" Commission 2018  TW Stifel

 Status Quo would have defined 2018.  2018 was a year of maintaining and healing.  Lots of health problems in the family.  Lots of treatments and thank the Good Lord and modern medicine, lots of successful outcomes. Sometimes you don't realize how much strain there is until it is lifted.  2018 was a feel of feeling stymied and frustrated while all the while counting daily blessings.  2018 was a year of waiting. Sitting with and realizing that some decisions could not made but that circumstances had to unfold. (This is so NOT how I normally live, breathe or plan.) But you know that old adage "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?"  I DO feel stronger and ready for what the future holds.

"Armada Blue" 2019 TW Stifel 

  2019 feels lighter, more optimistic with plots and plans percolating. I was helping someone clarify her goals for the coming year and it reminded me of goal setting bigger than to-do lists. Grander than weight loss goals (although I have those too).  Real life style goals.

Sunrise Over the Bay 2019 Mother Nature

What has been your grandest life goal to date? Did you achieve it? Still working on it? Did you abandon it? I will share some of mine next time.