Monday 2 January 2017

2016 Goals Review and 2017 Goals

 
Writing this year's goals, or getting the motivation to write them, is more difficult this time around. I have a lot of trepidation about the future from this point onward (not uniquely, I'm sure). I'm posting them a day later than normal. I spent this afternoon vacuuming, finishing laundry and, most importantly, moving books around. The last one is the most important because, like my intellectual mind, my suite has been filled with piles of books and putting them in order felt like doing the same mentally; I first realized this years ago. I dusted off my shrine after years and moved my Buddhist books back into its shelves. Likewise I rearranged books in all of the other topics, music and pop culture, gardening, food and permaculture, literature, social justice and black history. My mind is clearer and my priorities have come into focus.

Here is what I posted last year:

"Health will continue to be a top priority: overwhelm, sleep, mood, nutrition and diet, and fitness will remain important. This year, I have three goals:

1. Finishing my recovery period
2. Improving my overall health and fitness
3. Focusing only on my writing (outside of work) as a creative activity

To elaborate:

1. I will continue to follow my aftercare (dilation) schedule which is currently once daily and will change to once weekly starting March 21 and continue that way for the rest of my life. Also, I will get regular check-ups, lab tests and any other health care service I require as soon as required.

2. I will (other than this blog) avoid social media involvement after 11:00 pm nightly and will get to sleep promptly, doing anything I need to do to facilitate the proper amount of night time sleep. I will eat a more balanced diet (I have a sweet tooth which I am sure has deep emotional roots) and take up a fitness routine, likely something t'ai chi related along with some light cardio.

3. For years, I have tried to do as much as possible: I can no longer sustain this. I choose to focus on writing this year as I would to further develop some ideas I have had in mind."


I succeeded and completed number 1. No complications to date and my weekly schedule continues. I struggled with the second goal throughout 2016 thanks to the many curve balls thrown on various levels, but I persist. I will renew, with slight modifications, my commitment to it in 2017 (more later on in this post). Regarding number 3, my (paid for) writing and other creative activities saw fruition with the completion of a radio documentary and the screening of a TV sitcom which I contributed to a few years earlier. I nurtured a few other ideas, but they are to date still at the concept stage.

For 2017, my goals (outside of my career) are split. There are my personal (health) goals and there are my activist goals. My personal goals are as follows:

1. I will (other than this blog) avoid social media involvement after 11:00 pm nightly and will get to sleep promptly, doing anything I need to do to facilitate the proper amount of night time sleep.

2. I will eat a more balanced diet and continue t'ai chi classes and related fitness activities along with some light cardio (walking).

3. I will also get some bodywork (massage, chiropractic or shiatsu) done to relieve and release stress in my body.

4. I will reintroduce meditation into my schedule and consult with a psychotherapist (as I did in 2016) whenever required.

5. I will continue to write and blog.

6. I will finish up any last ID changes (provincial and passport) that need to be done.

7. I will, with help, set up a financial plan.

These seem like more then enough for one year and will likely continue past that.
 
Because of the oppressive trends (none of them new) that became more visible in 2016, my activist goal is:
1. Participate in a local social justice organization.

2. Get involved in a local permaculture organization.

3. Continue to educate myself about intersectional (race, gender, class) and environmental issues through books and other media.

These are my 2017 goals. Best of luck with whatever goals you may set for yourself!


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