Hello readers. I wanted to take a moment to address the issue of "Closing out the Year." I don't mean this in the business sense, I mean this in the personal sense.
In order to give some context about my frame of mind as I draft this, please allow me to share that I am lounging, in fuzzy pajamas, sipping coffee, and that is pretty much all I plan to do today. In DC today, Carpenter is on the docket; elsewhere in the world, trials are being delayed, slaves are being sold, provocateurs are provoking, and all of that is worthy of the attention it is receiving, and perhaps even more, but I will be content if I can publish this blog post today.
So what does that mean, to close out the year? You may recall from a previous blog post the notion of "taking some time to contemplate, aiming for an improved perspective, while observing the cycle of life." I try to do this at least once a year. The last twelve months have forced my hand a bit on the issue of personal reckonings, so it is even more important to take this time to scan the horizon and look at the big picture. Be wary of tunnel vision.
One helpful item with respect to closing out the year is to reiterate one's tautologies, if one has any. You can go ahead and make a list of these if you think it will help.
Two: Consider what has changed, and how it affects your plans for the coming year. It's good to set some time to specifically consider which of your life's conditions has changed in the last 365 or so days, almost as if it was an administrative task.
Three: Consider the people in your life. There are some things we can control, and there are some over which we have no control. Many wise people have observed that an important process in life is to learn to tell the difference between the two. I would add that once this is done, take a look at the parties with whom you find yourself surrounded and consider whether they continue to merit a place in your life. Who can you help? Who must you learn to forget?
Four: Consider your surroundings. Do you like where you find yourself? I seriously love New York, as you may already know, however, relocating can be a great thing, for example, for one's career. Spending the months that are typically cold in New York City, in a milder place such as Las Vegas, or France or something along those lines is what seems to have worked best for me. It can be a lot of work to maintain a residence you don't see that often, so remember that the goal is comfort, not exhaustion. Whatever your preference, as you consider 1-3 above, (especially three) consider such within the context of four. If you have had to make hard decisions in life I'm sure you already know that you can think someone is groovy, but if they do not share your ideas about surroundings, it is best to not over-invest in that relationship, because you are not going in the same direction.
Five: Execution. What will you do in the next 365 days to make this vision of your life and who you are, into a reality? What can you refrain from doing?
My best wishes to you as you close out the year,
Martha
In order to give some context about my frame of mind as I draft this, please allow me to share that I am lounging, in fuzzy pajamas, sipping coffee, and that is pretty much all I plan to do today. In DC today, Carpenter is on the docket; elsewhere in the world, trials are being delayed, slaves are being sold, provocateurs are provoking, and all of that is worthy of the attention it is receiving, and perhaps even more, but I will be content if I can publish this blog post today.
So what does that mean, to close out the year? You may recall from a previous blog post the notion of "taking some time to contemplate, aiming for an improved perspective, while observing the cycle of life." I try to do this at least once a year. The last twelve months have forced my hand a bit on the issue of personal reckonings, so it is even more important to take this time to scan the horizon and look at the big picture. Be wary of tunnel vision.
One helpful item with respect to closing out the year is to reiterate one's tautologies, if one has any. You can go ahead and make a list of these if you think it will help.
Two: Consider what has changed, and how it affects your plans for the coming year. It's good to set some time to specifically consider which of your life's conditions has changed in the last 365 or so days, almost as if it was an administrative task.
Three: Consider the people in your life. There are some things we can control, and there are some over which we have no control. Many wise people have observed that an important process in life is to learn to tell the difference between the two. I would add that once this is done, take a look at the parties with whom you find yourself surrounded and consider whether they continue to merit a place in your life. Who can you help? Who must you learn to forget?
Four: Consider your surroundings. Do you like where you find yourself? I seriously love New York, as you may already know, however, relocating can be a great thing, for example, for one's career. Spending the months that are typically cold in New York City, in a milder place such as Las Vegas, or France or something along those lines is what seems to have worked best for me. It can be a lot of work to maintain a residence you don't see that often, so remember that the goal is comfort, not exhaustion. Whatever your preference, as you consider 1-3 above, (especially three) consider such within the context of four. If you have had to make hard decisions in life I'm sure you already know that you can think someone is groovy, but if they do not share your ideas about surroundings, it is best to not over-invest in that relationship, because you are not going in the same direction.
Five: Execution. What will you do in the next 365 days to make this vision of your life and who you are, into a reality? What can you refrain from doing?
My best wishes to you as you close out the year,
Martha
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