New Years Resolutions
I'm coming back to my journal because I want to do a lot of things in the upcoming year. It's time to accomplish the things I said I would during my hiatus from school. This is going to be my attempt to record how things are going, as well as help me organize my thoughts on how things are going.
The first step obviously is to say what exactly it is that I want to do. I will probably add to this list as the first month or so goes on. For now these are the main things I have in mind.
1. Re-Activate my journal. This was something that helped me back in high school when I was going through therapy, and I think it will be a good thing for me to get back into the habit of doing.
2. Prepare a schedule of exercises, and perform these exercises each night. I already have the first 6 weeks of this planned out, as the Navy Physical Therapy has a very useful planner on their website. I have left myself some room to be creative, but ultimately I plan to follow the Navy standards. They have a system of grading your physical ability, and my goal is to at least score the equivalent of a B in all areas. This will require me to join the swim center, which is conveniently located only a few miles from my house. It is an extra expense, but a necessary one.
This goal comes to mind because as I've grown older I've gotten in worse and worse shape. In 2010, there was a time in my life when I was not able to run. The physical act of the exercise put a strain on my body that created a great pain. With my history of physical activity, whether it be all the weight lifting classes or basketball, it was a real bummer that I wasn't able to engage in something as simple as running. I vow that I can return to the physical shape I once was in, and the only way to do it is to buckle down and do the work. Physical fitness is worthwhile, and nothing worthwhile is easy.
3. Improve the effort I make towards saving money. I have noticed lately that I am living paycheck to paycheck in my current lifestyle. This involves several factors, not all of which I will list. However, the main goal is to get to a point where my savings begin to outnumber my spending. This is, unfortunately, not something I can say I currently am doing. I have lots of resources available to me, and I have to start utilizing them better. By doing so, I will be much more secure financially when I get back to school in a few months.
I plan to track my spending much carefully, and make sure that I am spending underneath a certain limit on a weekly basis. Visiting Firehouse Subs four out of seven days is not only bad for this resolution, but also #2. I must keep my spending down so that I can invest in the things that will help me most come August.
4. Practice on a more regular basis. I have a recital program in mind, I need to get the literature and get crackalacking. The key to this one will be my scheduling. I have two calendars, one which has my workout schedule, and the other which will be my practice schedule. On this calendar I will track how long I spend playing my clarinet, saxophone or piano, as well as how long I spend playing a video game or watching TV (shall be labeled "Non-Productive Time", or NPT) so that I can keep myself honest with how I'm spending my time.
If I find myself in a situation where my NPT is heavily outweighing my practice time, then I will commit to shut down those things that will keep me from practicing. On the other side, if that I reach certain hourly goals, I will allow myself up to a two day vacation where that NPT counts don't occur.
5. Approach each situation with a stronger level of calm, and understanding. In the book I'm reading, Joseph Campbell describes the power of reason as the power of godliness. The only true form of reason would require each experience and action be made while disregarding those elements that make us human, specifically passion or a preconceived disposition. Not quite jedi like, but more open minded for sure. I hope this will also help calm my nerves while living in Spartanburg, where I find myself (unnecessarily?) anxious on a regular basis.
This should also help me with the relations with my friends and family. I need to try to hear more each time, and speak with clarity and conviction. Patience is a virtue, and to me the reasonable thing to do is practice that virtue to the best of my ability.
6. Cut the smoking. Nuff' said.
That is the groundwork for what I want to accomplish this year. It will be an undertaking, for sure. But I can't stop waiting around. What am I waiting for? There's nothing that should stop me anymore. Time to run the race.
The first step obviously is to say what exactly it is that I want to do. I will probably add to this list as the first month or so goes on. For now these are the main things I have in mind.
1. Re-Activate my journal. This was something that helped me back in high school when I was going through therapy, and I think it will be a good thing for me to get back into the habit of doing.
2. Prepare a schedule of exercises, and perform these exercises each night. I already have the first 6 weeks of this planned out, as the Navy Physical Therapy has a very useful planner on their website. I have left myself some room to be creative, but ultimately I plan to follow the Navy standards. They have a system of grading your physical ability, and my goal is to at least score the equivalent of a B in all areas. This will require me to join the swim center, which is conveniently located only a few miles from my house. It is an extra expense, but a necessary one.
This goal comes to mind because as I've grown older I've gotten in worse and worse shape. In 2010, there was a time in my life when I was not able to run. The physical act of the exercise put a strain on my body that created a great pain. With my history of physical activity, whether it be all the weight lifting classes or basketball, it was a real bummer that I wasn't able to engage in something as simple as running. I vow that I can return to the physical shape I once was in, and the only way to do it is to buckle down and do the work. Physical fitness is worthwhile, and nothing worthwhile is easy.
3. Improve the effort I make towards saving money. I have noticed lately that I am living paycheck to paycheck in my current lifestyle. This involves several factors, not all of which I will list. However, the main goal is to get to a point where my savings begin to outnumber my spending. This is, unfortunately, not something I can say I currently am doing. I have lots of resources available to me, and I have to start utilizing them better. By doing so, I will be much more secure financially when I get back to school in a few months.
I plan to track my spending much carefully, and make sure that I am spending underneath a certain limit on a weekly basis. Visiting Firehouse Subs four out of seven days is not only bad for this resolution, but also #2. I must keep my spending down so that I can invest in the things that will help me most come August.
4. Practice on a more regular basis. I have a recital program in mind, I need to get the literature and get crackalacking. The key to this one will be my scheduling. I have two calendars, one which has my workout schedule, and the other which will be my practice schedule. On this calendar I will track how long I spend playing my clarinet, saxophone or piano, as well as how long I spend playing a video game or watching TV (shall be labeled "Non-Productive Time", or NPT) so that I can keep myself honest with how I'm spending my time.
If I find myself in a situation where my NPT is heavily outweighing my practice time, then I will commit to shut down those things that will keep me from practicing. On the other side, if that I reach certain hourly goals, I will allow myself up to a two day vacation where that NPT counts don't occur.
5. Approach each situation with a stronger level of calm, and understanding. In the book I'm reading, Joseph Campbell describes the power of reason as the power of godliness. The only true form of reason would require each experience and action be made while disregarding those elements that make us human, specifically passion or a preconceived disposition. Not quite jedi like, but more open minded for sure. I hope this will also help calm my nerves while living in Spartanburg, where I find myself (unnecessarily?) anxious on a regular basis.
This should also help me with the relations with my friends and family. I need to try to hear more each time, and speak with clarity and conviction. Patience is a virtue, and to me the reasonable thing to do is practice that virtue to the best of my ability.
6. Cut the smoking. Nuff' said.
That is the groundwork for what I want to accomplish this year. It will be an undertaking, for sure. But I can't stop waiting around. What am I waiting for? There's nothing that should stop me anymore. Time to run the race.