I cannot figure out why a day at the beginning of a calendar earns such a precious space in our personal itinerary for making changes. We should just own up to our failures immediately and correct them. For some reason, the beginning of a new year initiates this desire to have a clean slate and start fresh. So, in the spirit of new beginnings, here are some things I am going to try…
- Fitness – I am going to exert myself once a day, without fail. This sounds like one of those crazy ultimatums we give ourselves on January 1st only to watch it be ignored before the end of the month. In this case, there simply is no excuse. I sleep every day. I eat every day. Hell, I watch TV and bitch at someone on Facebook every day. Now I need to just make activity a habit.
- Lair – I could say “for some reason, I always end up at a coffee shop doing things.” Fact is, I know why. My office is a disaster. Everything about the area screams “your shit is not together”. When I go to a coffee shop, the bills, the cracks in the walls, the neighbors, the WiFi, the temperature, they are all not my responsibility. I now need to purge and organize my space, a lair where I want to be creative and productive. I need to surround myself with music and art that supports my mental health. I can brew my own damn coffee (and it is damn fantastic) and make my own grilled sandwiches and other goodies.
- Mental health – I did a terrible job caring for myself last year. It was a huge struggle where I dedicated myself to things and people who will never acknowledge my value. I won’t always be able to insulate myself from situations that are troubling or frustrating, but I can do more to prepare myself and to hit my “welp, I no longer give a fuck” button.
- Creative expression – I have a lot of ideas and passions, but I allow them to overwhelm me. Will I ruin a canvass? Will I delete the wrong photo? Will my essay piss someone off? I have to strive to dispose of the hurdles that prevent achievement.
- Suffering fools – I have to be real with myself…I will never have a lot of patience for certain characteristics, behaviors, or personalities. If I am too smart to have to deal with some people, then I am smart enough to let those morons hang themselves while I come out looking like the good guy. I can always deliver the proverbial kick to the teeth if needed.
There we go. That is the plan. No promises, but if I follow them, I may have a better year.