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Don't add to the clutter.
Non-physical things I want:
good advice when I need it
good ideas that will help me in my pursuit of a portfolio career
time
Physical things I want:
a good yoga mat
Dan Coates Complete Advanced Piano Solos
free tickets to concerts, shows, movies, exhibitions that I'd like to see
airmiles
extension or conservatory
efficient electric heater
Physical things I want to get sell:
Physical things I want to upgrade or replace:
telephone
computer monitor for flat screen
Physical things I want to give away:
new gifts that I don't want
perfect and new things that I no longer use
Bon Journal
Modified new year's resolutions
I'm on a life coach's mailing list. He calls himself the Time Freedom Coach. Here's what he wrote (in bold) and my answers.
1. Resolve not to make any of the same resolutions this year that you made last year. If you didn't keep them last year then you won't keep them this year. Find something new and better!
Not sure if I made any new year resolutions for 2002. If I did, surely one of them must have been to free myself of clutter and get more time for myself. Unfortunately, my clutter control is still as bad as my struggle against the passing of time. How could anyone in this state of chaos develop shopaholicism or find the time to work? Indeed, I've developed an allergic reaction to shopping. To me, all that glitters is not gold, but utter clutter. As for time, I still don't have enough of it.
2. Resolve to keep a date with yourself once a week in which you go out on your own and do something you really want to do. Make this a top priority.
I do this everyday so I don't think I need to resolve to do it just once a week!
3. Resolve to look through all the activities you are involved in and ask yourself "Why am I doing this?" Set yourself a target of weeding out at least a quarter of them.
Why am I still on dial-up internet when ADSL (broadband) is now being offered in my neighbourhood? Why do I continue to update this Bon Journal religiously? Why do I bother answering e-mails from people who can't download my music scores in PDF because the fonts don't work? Why do I continue to answer questions from doctoral students about their research when I never had the luxury of the Internet in my day?
4. Resolve to do at least one thing this year that you have always wanted to do but have never had the time/money/opportunity/whatever. Take the first step to get it under way this week.
I've always wanted to write a book. Now I've signed a book contract with firm deadlines. Guess I'd better get started.
5. Resolve that you are never going to worry again about at least one subject. It's up to you what it is. A few suggestions: your weight, your looks, your education, your children, your income, your health, you name it. If you don't like the way it is, either do something about it or don't do something about it... the choice is yours... but stop worrying about it!
Yes. Stop minding someone else's business. How other people bring up their children when I have neither the experience or children of my own to speak of. I must resolve not to worry for other people. Sure, I wish they would pick up a musical instrument and a foreign language at an early age and never pick up a cigarette during their lifetime. But they are after all other people's children and other people's problems --- not an opportunity for me to preach.
6. Resolve to choose one major goal for this year. Pretend that the world is going to end at midnight on 31 December 2003 (perhaps it will!) What is the one thing you would like to have achieved by then?
Be with the one I love. Health and relationships are the most important things to me. And I want to continue to be healthy and happy.
7. Resolve to identify one person whom you need to mend your fences with. Then take the initiative to do so.
Not sure I'm ready for this. It takes a certain amount of maturity, humility, and generosity to be able to forgive and forget. Deep down, I'm still a teenager.
1 January 2003 Wednesday
Note: Background images in December 2002 and January 2003 journal entries are selected from Frances Ku's collection of her original watercolours. |
