I Will or I Won’t

In an age of primetime scandals and uncertain politics, there are four things I like to watch: fun TV shows like Steven Universe and the Punisher, fun YouTube videos from creators like Lockstin & Gnoggin or Bird Keeper Toby, satirical news commentary from personalities such as Seth Meyers (if only he were single) and John Oliver, and TED Talks.

TED Talks, as it happens, also form the basis of the mindfulness elective I’m currently teaching. Inspired by the works of Kelly McGonigal and Brene Brown especially (my self-help gurus), this course strives to provide my students with a stress mindset intervention as well as strategies they can employ to conquer stress and shame and boost willpower.

Rather than a large number of quizzes and exams, most of the course is driven by self-reflective journals, and throughout this month, I’m committing myself to reflecting on each of these journals alongside my kids. Practice what you preach, right?

2014 Goalkeeping #2

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in on my goals this year–but mostly that’s because I’ve been keeping to them well and I haven’t had much to write about. Now that I’ve achieved a few of them and the summer is about to start, it seems fitting to look at them once more.

As the Summer Draws to an End

It’s been no secret my summer is unusually short this year, and as such, it’s been no secret how hard I’ve had to push myself to complete not only my manageable goals for the year but also my stretch goals for the summer.

Although it’s hard to realize (and harder to say), this is my last monthly goal report before my summer shrivels up and leaves me in the midst of an extraordinarily busy semester.

An End Again

So yet another year draws to the close, and I find myself here with little additional insight. It feels a lot like my birthday has felt for the past couple of years: “So it’s my birthday. What’s your point again?”

Of course, as I write these things, insight always tends to arise. So will you join me one last time before another year dies?

Running at the Front

It occurred to me halfway through dinner that I never actually got around to reevaluating my goals for this month. See, I had hoped to do it a day early, but that fell through and I didn’t realize it hadn’t been done. But it’s a worthy wait, because tonight I can talk even more about my goals than I could’ve then.

If inspiration can be stolen, opportune moments can only be stumbled upon, and until you’re lying face-first in the middle of that perfect, indescribable instance, you really won’t have a clue what hit you.

Going for Gold

My childhood is pockmarked with memories of the Olympics. I especially recall gymnastics, figure skating, speed skating, and swimming–it seems like these are all the popular sports in my family. Fencing, archery, curling–these things were never as compelling. Snowboarding and slalom? We’ve watched a little of late, but historically, these four sports were the ones we watched religiously.

Watching the Olympics now has taken up more of my time than I think is wise to admit. I’ve not just watched the Olympics, though: I’ve also read about them, almost daily, in the news. Record-breaking scores and medal counts are amazing, and even when other countries win, I’ll still cheer for a good game.

It came in an article earlier this week or late last week that certain Londoners are feeling bad about their body images because of the Olympic athletes walking up alongside them and dwarfing all their scrawniness and flab. At home, I sit and watch and catch myself drooling at how remarkably in shape these guys are. It makes me feel my efforts are weak and insubstantial. But it also compels me to fight even harder to achieve my goals.

Still At It

I am proud to say I have successfully surpassed half the year in keeping my annual goals–or what others might have called their New Year’s Resolutions. I sometimes wonder how many other people have kept at their yearly goals this long, but then I remember my success isn’t measured against theirs–it’s measured against mine.

This past month has been wildly successful in some areas–transcribing my math notes, blogging, driving, and exercising–wildly non-observant in others–namely journalling–and rather lax in a few–such as drinking water. I’ve done it, I know I have, but I haven’t kept track of how much, so it’s hard to say if I met my goal or not.

This month, I’m adding to my goals–and disbanding some others.

Reinventing Writing

I had never used cursive since maybe the third grade when I learned it. “You only need to know your name,” I was told, and the other sixteen letters of the alphabet vanished from memory. I had no need to even be able to read cursive until this last spring when my literature professor wrote exclusively in this flowing form of script.

I never expected that would become my gateway back.

Unlisted

I have a few things to discuss, a few things that–come next month–I must definitely find a new way of discussing. It’s only been one update so far of this sort (if that gives you any substantial hint what I’m about to do) and already the list-likeness of it makes me want to stop.

Lists are not fun.

But in the meantime, while I consider alternate methods of assessment, let’s look at my goal progress this year.

Restart (Rewind Button Malfunction)

It’s not that I didn’t want to, it’s simply the fact that I couldn’t. Well, I could, but I didn’t. Either way, point being, to tell the truth, I just didn’t make time to do it.

This past week I had an extended work load at school and I’ve been fighting off a sinus infection (it’s this unseasonable weather, I swear!). None of this changes the fact that the month just changed, and since I can’t rewind time to do over what I didn’t get done, this new month allows me to restart my self-conditioning with another set of monthly goals.

I really do say too much before getting to the point.