It’s way too early to start thinking year-in-review post. But an email yesterday from Rob Hatch started me thinking about how I’ve done this year. It’s only slightly depressing. But then again, I don’t set specific goals, I list my annual More or Less with areas plan to work on. But here, nearing the end of November, I find that I’ve not worked a diligently in some areas as I should have.
I find that there are too many things to do. Too many shows to see. Too many books to read.
And the reality is, I’m just not going to get them done.
I’m not going to make my Read 40 Books challenge on Goodreads, unless the last 8 or so are really short books. But for the record, I’ve finished 31, and am in the middle of two more. That’s just not too shabby.
I’m not going to finish the novel. Yet again. Actually, I still sort of have hopes for this. At least over the Thanksgiving weekend I want to try to crank out some words. Right after I take care of leaves (again) and get the Christmas decorations up.
I’m not sure I’m going to get out the canvas. Although I do have an art project for an upcoming event that is sort of like canvas. But not really.
I’m not going to be 50, or even 20 lbs. lighter. In fairness, I was derailed by the foot injury and now the shoulder. Still, I could have done better.
I don’t know that I’ve prayed or worshiped more. Actually, I’ve prayed more. I’m just afraid that far too often that has been more prayers of “please help me” than of “thank you, please help someone else.” I’m trying.
I haven’t actually acted more than in 2013. But I’ve had better roles. And I’ve set the stage, so to speak, to continue acting next year. I have managed to actually see more theater. So that’s been good.
But, in his email, Rob Hatch said:
On the projects I fell short on, the pressure builds almost instantly with thoughts of, how can I still get them done beforeDecember 31st? I can feel the anxiety creep in as I wonder where it will fit into my schedule and I start to get a little overwhelmed with what the next few weeks will look like.
And then I stop, and start to coach myself through it.
- Worry isn’t helpful.
- Most of the deadlines aren’t real.
- I can only do one thing at a time.
- What’s the most important thing for me to be doing right now?
Hatch goes on to talk about the fact that because the deadlines were self-imposed, he can remove them from the list. Meaning that he may have wanted to accomplish those things this year, but he’s not going to sweat it now. He’ll get to them.
So, while my More or Less list didn’t contain specific deadlines it was, and is, a list of things I wanted to get done. Actually things I still want to get done.
But I have to ask myself what is the most important thing for me to be doing right now? Actually it’s still a list of things.
For me, I need to be looking at my physical as well as emotional health. I’m not out of the woods yet. Read into that what you will.
I’ve also picked up additional responsibilities with my day job because, silly me, I asked for them.
I need to be writing daily.
And I need to be getting ready for the holidays.
So what if I don’t finish forty books before the ball drops in Times Square?
I may not drop the extra pounds but, working within my current physical limitations I can still be moving the scales in the right direction.
There’s more, but I think you get the idea.
And I promise that I am absolutely not going to get stressed out over this article:
The Blogger’s Bucket List: 20 Must-Reach Milestones on the Path to World Domination
I don’t necessarily want world domination. Okay, that’s not quite true, but I’m not really obsessed with it.
I’d just like to run an awesome blog with lots of readers. The article has good tips for doing that. And I’ll get to them.
Just maybe not by the end of the year.
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