2017: New Focus, New Energy

2016 is in the rear view and with it the general sense of dread and weariness. I know a new year only holds the power that you want it to hold and that change comes from within. That said, the symbolic fresh start has been accompanied with a laser-like focus and drive that I have not had in a number of years. Major things are going to happen this year. There is a lot that will be accomplished. I use “will” instead of “may” because, quite honestly, I do not see another way for it to go. I am excited to share some of the items on my 2017 To-Do List.

BODY
•Work out twice a day. Sometimes it is difficult to accomplish everything I want to accomplish from an exercise standpoint after work when I am worn out from a long day with my 110 rascals. I have purposed to wake up earlier four days during the week to take care of my cardio before work. It is my hope that accomplishing that will also revitalize me in the classroom
•Drastically reduce sugar intake. Goodbye, soft drinks (and yes, energy drinks. Farewell, Full Throttle). See ya, candy. Deuces, refined sugars, cookies, and other sweets. I don’t know that I will be able to cut out gummies completely, but I will greatly minimize them. This won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. After all, I will be 30 in a few months. Gotta start looking out for myself!
•Find an ab routine that works and stick to it. For years I’ve gotten into routines to varying amounts of success, only to get off of it after a while. I did pretty well in the first half of 2016, but various stressors and a general dislike for the routine caused me to lapse during the later portion of the year.

SOUL
•Get back into a regular writing routine and complete 30 posts this year. Over the years, writing has been an excellent outlet for me both communicatively and creatively. In 2015 and 2016, my writing was sporadic. There are any numbers of factors to blame for that, but that does not matter at this point. What does matter is that I get back into it. With a milestone birthday approaching, I really want to get my story out there to this point. April 4th starts a new story. It has the same character (me), but it is a new story. I want to finish my story and do my best to share who I am and why I am who I am. Some posts may be amusing. Some may be a little difficult to read for some, but I purpose to finish my story.
•Spend time with Myrna in person when/if it is the right time and situation for her. Self-explanatory.
•Tie up loose ends. Whether it’s a conflict left unresolved, a friendship floating around with no real progress, or anything in between, I have left some things unfinished in my life. I do not have the time or room to be burdened by anything from the past as I travel to where I plan on going with my life. Some people need to be forgiven. Some need to be confronted. In some cases, difficult conversations need to be had. It’s time.

SPIRIT
•Trust myself. In my past, I have been prone to fall into a couple traps during my decision-making process. At times, I did not trust myself at all, so I would not act at all because I could not live with the idea of making the wrong decision. I have also asked dozens of people for advice on simple situations that I could have and should have figured out on my own. It is great to have friends and their counsel, but in some cases, I need to figure things out for myself, by myself.
•Make decisions for the primary reason of giving myself peace. Though I may not always seem it, I do care about appearances and the ramifications of my decisions on others’ opinions and approval of me. That is no way to live. I will never stop caring about certain people and will make sacrifices for them until I am no longer able to do so, but in terms of decisions that primarily affect my life, I have to do the things that give me peace. Maybe that will lead to a change of scenery or vocation. Who knows? All I know is that it is time for make my best moves.

This year’s goals are heavier in nature. I know this. I also know how focused I am at this point in time. I am excited to see where my journey leads, and I look forward to reflecting on my triumphs at the end of the year.