There’s one month left of the year! I’m in a completely different headspace than the start of 2023, thanks to changes to my calendar (like transitioning from full-time to part-time and going to grad school) and dedicated time by myself. Emotionally, I am more at peace with changes. Grief doesn’t have a hold of me, occasionally tugging. Progress.
Here’s my goals in progress for November:
- Make art for its own sake once/week
- Read through bookshelf
- Run for fun once/week
- Develop daily rotating ab/arm routines
Art occasionally looked like writing poetry and the beginning stages of some collages (thanks to decluttering). I am amazed I made time for art. And that’s key: Making time. Perhaps all the final papers and projects required a break, or maybe I am giving myself some grace (time) through intentional art breaks.
While I did not read much through my shelf, November brought many reads. I am not sure if I’ll meet my Goodreads goal for the year, but it has been a joy to read into the night, occasionally finishing books within 2 sittings!
Reading and running are my 2 favorite activities to do by myself. Runs have helped break up screen time, as well as social time. This month was chock-full of Thanksgiving meals, which I appreciate, but I am grateful for DU’s gym and my running capacity. I have begun consciously cutting, such as limiting drinks to 0-1/outing once again.
Runs and lifting at the gym are usually supplemented with ab time. As I’ve shared before, habit stacking makes legs, arms, and abs easier. But the environment of a gym is the biggest change this season. This month, compared to last, was easier to squeeze in a few hours of concentrated workout time. I don’t take the gym for granted and hope to regularly go, even when the weather turns to winter.
I have committed to these annual goals this month:
- Research for my book, Omit to Commit
- Take myself on weekly dates
- Support a nonprofit org once/month with time or treasure
- Continue swapping to vegan, sustainable, local wares
Omit to Commit is closer to a full-length draft, thanks to publishing on the 20th of every month in 2023! I will be reaching out to potential partners. Please support by sharing research, or please let me know your experiences with omitting and committing to habits. Or, let me know, shall I continue this documentation via regular blog in 2024? This was the most ‘external’ content of 2023, compared to ‘inner compass’ posts on the 10th, and these very goals progress reports on the 30th. I have 1 month to decide next year’s content calendar, but your thoughts are appreciated.
Alone time results in introspection, as well as external presence. My self-dates aren’t necessarily every week, but I have found $0 activities that do not need an audience or companion. New hikes and urban spelunks bring me joy, but in the same way, old trails are great for runs, offering gentle reminders that routines can be both physical and mental. Coupons and gift cards deserve to be used, not ‘saved’ for a rainy day.
I have excessively decluttered, including books, clothes, shoes, food. All that’s not serving me anymore. Minimizing seems to be triggered by the changing season, but it’s much easier to get rid of summer clothes in winter and the opposite. This weekend, I’ll try selling them to an upscale secondhand store. Fast fashion is real though, so who knows if they’ll purchase any from me.
Last, supporting nonprofits can look like time or treasure. Now that my network is expanding, tyhanks to grad school, I have taken folks to the Teddy Cat Café, a PawsCo partner site. I have also helped PawsCo, but am stepping back. Orgs related to DU are slowly taking their place.
This month, I omitted the following annual goals:
- Start designing tiny house
- Visit France over spring break
Home is always on my mind. Creating a sense of space is pivotal, especially during times of transition, because it is something to hold onto. Amazingly, members of my program, especially the 2nd years, have fostered a sense of belonging. My roommates, PawsCo fam, and college friends have supported my sense of home, too. Home isn’t necessarily the (tiny) house. Realistically, I won’t work on this goal until closer to 2025 graduation.
Likewise, big trips are inevitably going to wait until graduation. Unless there’s something (partially) funded. Certainly, I am grateful to have visited North Carolina for my friends’ wedding, and next month, I’ll be back in Wisco for a few days. But nothing overseas, which is a-okay with me.
I feel content with these changes, and I am now working on my goals for next year. Since I’ll be in grad school for the entire year with more difficult classes, my goals may reflect more emotional states of being, than concrete or physical things to do. Likewise, I’m giving myself time to figure out my word for the year.