January is now behind us and we’re a couple days into February. How’s everyone doing with their resolutions? Wait, maybe don’t answer that.
Whether you’re plowing through and winning the year or if you messed up around the 2nd of January, it’s okay. Me I’m doing pretty well all things considered. I’ve written in my journal every day for thirty three days (and counting). I’m really proud of myself for that accomplishment alone. I’m nowhere near close to me longest streak, but I mention it because I’ve been using the journal pages to concentrate on creative thoughts (mostly). So, of 33 days I’ve probably got about a week and a half of notes for stories I’m working on, two completed short stories and some random thoughts on movies I’ve seen.
Here’s where I could be better about my goals. I should be able to update my blog at least once a week with new content. I have failed in that regard. This is what usually happens: I get up early enough to journal, copy what I’ve written into a blog post, then promise myself I’ll edit it and post later in the day. ‘Later’ never actually comes and before I know it, three more days have gone by and what I intended to post isn’t even relevant anymore. So, my goal for the month of February is to stay on top of these potential posts and ‘get ‘er done’!
Old meme mixed with other catchphrase equals win?
Here’s another goal I’ve committed to more often then not: I’m getting up earlier to squeeze more time out of the day. My body is actually conditioned now to wake up around 6:10am before my 6:30am alarm. Now, I usually convince myself to go back to sleep and then snooze two more times when the alarm does go off, but I’m making progress. Baby steps people, baby steps.
Here’s a goal I want to be better about: my reading. My plan is to finish at least two books a month. For January, I finished: one. It could have been worse, and I feel like I cheated because the one book I finished was an audio book (it still counts right?). I don’t have any excuse. There have been a few nights where I said, “hey, there’s nothing on TV, read a book.” To which I replied, “maybe I’ll watch that DVD I’ve seen a thousand times instead.” So yeah, utter fail. This month I have to finish the audio book I started and two books from my physical bookshelf. I’ve got one extra day to do it in too (because 2016 is a leap year, I just found out yesterday).
I could have fund a better image but I’m lazy.
You know what else I’ve failed so far? My exercise goals. To be fair to myself, I purposely put it off. I needed to make a doctor’s appointment so I can start clean and setup some realistic goals. I’ve done that and I have a follow up appointment in two weeks. So at least I can say I started the process (don’t judge me! I can feel you judging me, stopit!)
You want to know what goal I’ve been killing? The ‘say yes to almost everything so you can get out of the house and your shell’ goal. Yep. Thanks to Kenneth’s friends who I have co-opted as my own, I have been to a costume themed birthday party, I’ve seen live stand-up, and even almost went out on stage to do improv. That last one isn’t really true, I was just backstage when another performer asked me if I was going out as well. I gave it about six seconds of consideration before saying ‘nope’. Maybe next time.
My improv peeps will get it…
That’s all I have to report. Some on, some off, but steadily working at being better. Let’s do this again around March. Hopefully some of you are back on track by then as well. And for the rest of you who have also been killing it in the resolution department, sound off in the comments. I’ve love to get your feedback.
Gavin Kingsley