I just opened an automated email from the website www.43things.com. This website provides a place for people to record what their goals and resolutions are and keep track of your progress in achieving them. I heard about it last December and went a little bit crazy. I wrote up 32 different resolutions, closed the window, and promptly forgot all about it. When I opened the email today I was sure that I would find a list of things that I had failed to accomplish so far this year. To my surprise, I found that I have either kept or made plans towards 16 of my 32 resolutions, which (interestingly since it happened completely by chance) is exactly 50 percent. So, here we are, only four months into 2011 and I've kept half of my resolutions without even consciously thinking of them as such. My favorites among the resolutions I've managed to keep are:
-Start a blog.
-Worry less about what others think of me and more about what I want for myself.
-Find out what I want to do with my life.
-Go on a vacation/pilgrimage (I am going to Rome with a close friend next month).
It was a huge boost to see that the things I thought about as being important in December have really infused themselves into my daily life. I still have no concrete plans to "see the northern lights," cannot say I have any direct power to ensure that I "get published" and don't think that the people staying in rooms in the vicinity of my hotel rooms would appreciate hearing me "learn how to play the flute," but those are things that are lower in importance than the things I have already started doing.
"Get in better shape" made the list, too, but almost out of a sense of obligation more than a sense of passion. I'm sure my friend Laura will continue to invite me to races and workouts and send me the occasional email about the health benefits of a certain food, but I cannot say that I will ever pursue this goal with as much energy or passion as the goal of finding out what I want to do with my life. (Don't worry Laura, it is one of the things that I love about you, because it is so much a part of who you are).
Besides, on a rather huge side note, I really do believe that when you find where you are meant to be in life that your appetite and eating habits fall into place on their own (to an extent). I think that a lot of people (myself included) eat to fill a hole in our lives. We eat out of a sense of boredom, dissatisfaction, frustration, and even fear. We eat because we are tired of moving in the direction in which our life has somehow progressed. The truth is, however, that food does not provide the sort of energy that relieves that sort of exhaustion. When we look at the compass of our lives and change direction to follow our personal 'north,' we gain a tremendous amount of energy that relieves the unnatural craving for food that so many of us struggle with. I know that diet and exercise are also key, but I think that finding the path in life that is true to yourself is what makes all of the gears fit together the way they are supposed to and helps your life run smoothly.
Anyway, if you feel that you are more likely to keep to your resolutions if you record them somewhere, you can go to www.43things.com. You can even set it up so that they send you an email to remind you about your resolutions. If you prefer a smaller community and some feedback from me or from other readers, you can post a comment here on the blog to share what your goals, resolutions, or dreams are.
-Start a blog.
-Worry less about what others think of me and more about what I want for myself.
-Find out what I want to do with my life.
-Go on a vacation/pilgrimage (I am going to Rome with a close friend next month).
It was a huge boost to see that the things I thought about as being important in December have really infused themselves into my daily life. I still have no concrete plans to "see the northern lights," cannot say I have any direct power to ensure that I "get published" and don't think that the people staying in rooms in the vicinity of my hotel rooms would appreciate hearing me "learn how to play the flute," but those are things that are lower in importance than the things I have already started doing.
"Get in better shape" made the list, too, but almost out of a sense of obligation more than a sense of passion. I'm sure my friend Laura will continue to invite me to races and workouts and send me the occasional email about the health benefits of a certain food, but I cannot say that I will ever pursue this goal with as much energy or passion as the goal of finding out what I want to do with my life. (Don't worry Laura, it is one of the things that I love about you, because it is so much a part of who you are).
Besides, on a rather huge side note, I really do believe that when you find where you are meant to be in life that your appetite and eating habits fall into place on their own (to an extent). I think that a lot of people (myself included) eat to fill a hole in our lives. We eat out of a sense of boredom, dissatisfaction, frustration, and even fear. We eat because we are tired of moving in the direction in which our life has somehow progressed. The truth is, however, that food does not provide the sort of energy that relieves that sort of exhaustion. When we look at the compass of our lives and change direction to follow our personal 'north,' we gain a tremendous amount of energy that relieves the unnatural craving for food that so many of us struggle with. I know that diet and exercise are also key, but I think that finding the path in life that is true to yourself is what makes all of the gears fit together the way they are supposed to and helps your life run smoothly.
Anyway, if you feel that you are more likely to keep to your resolutions if you record them somewhere, you can go to www.43things.com. You can even set it up so that they send you an email to remind you about your resolutions. If you prefer a smaller community and some feedback from me or from other readers, you can post a comment here on the blog to share what your goals, resolutions, or dreams are.
1 comment:
That's great that you have either achieved or on track for 50% of your goals. Hopefully others will post their goals and we can cheer them on too.
My goal (let's see if it's attainable) is to place in my age group in a biathlon either this year or next year. And to receive my B.S. in nutrition so I can love what I do and want to go to work everyday.
I'll help you to learn to play the flute :)
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