…on my optimistic January post I can’t help but feel a little disappointed at my lack of progress.
Here’s an update…
Simplify
Not a complete failure here, I have been quite ruthless about simplifying some areas of my life. The ridiculous amount of online activity for a start. I now have Facebook, Twitter (which is still under review) a couple of forums I contribute to irregularly and the very few blogs which I now read from Google Reader*. My own blog was never on the hit list for online simplifying but it seems to have been an unintentional casualty anyway.
There are many other areas that I have not yet simplified. I did write a ‘20 things’** list and I probably need to revisit it. 4/10 for simplifying.
Enjoy Peace
Hmmm, well I do still attempt this and have had some success. My meditation practice is erratic but at least more regular than it has been for a couple of years. I attended our Parish Retreat a couple of weeks ago which was a wonderful day of peace and intend to more of those this year. I am being more conscious of my busy-ness and stress levels, trying to breathe more. I’d give this 3/10.
Create
Fail. Absolutely no creative work has taken place, some of my job type work requires a certain amount of creativity but that’s not what I had in mind here. No art, no craft, no knitting or even interior decorating to express my creativity. 0/10
Write
Reports and project work yes – and that has its place. The kind of writing I want to do. No. 1/10 (because those reports require effort).
Hug trees
This is meant to encompass any communing with nature. I’ve planted some flat leafed parsley. ‘Nuff said. ½ /10
Rest
I wish. 0/10
Clearly I was either over-optimistic about what I can achieve or I’m just not trying.
* The downside of viewing in Google reader is I can’t comment which I find a bit frustrating. The alternative is to click over to the blogs and comment…which defeats the purpose of reading them in GR. I need to think more about this.
** I use a ‘20 things list’ for all kinds of projects. If there’s something I want to do, some project I want to complete or a goal I want to achieve, I quickly jot down 20 things I need to do – without thinking too deeply about it. Sometimes there are more than 20, but I always start with 20 or I get overwhelmed. It’s just something that works for me. Usually.
Do read blogs properly. Blogging is about interactivity. If you don't comment you're not doing it properly (and we miss you).
ReplyDeleteDo keep trying to breathe too.
I've still got a lot of blogs bookmarked in Google Reader but always click through to some blogs and sometimes to others. However, my simplification is that when it gets too much, I click on 'all items' and then 'mark all as read'. I don't do that when there are friends' posts to be read though, I quickly scan through them first - and I still click through if I want to comment.
ReplyDeleteI've got limited time to enjoy peace, but I've finally learned to unwind quickly and totally when I have a chance.
I shall do my best Dave. With the reading, commenting and breathing. Especially the breathing, I suspect that's quite important.
ReplyDeleteI think I need to follow your example Z. Some blogs I 'read only' and they're often the ones that average 600 comments on every post and they don't know I'm alive anyway. Others I consider friends and they should therefore have to put up with me putting in my ten cents (pence) worth.
Jolly good.
ReplyDeletehey Caitlin, I emailed you.. new email address so may have gone to spam :(
ReplyDelete