In 2016, my resolutions concerned trying to craft a life amid the enormous amounts of work that I do. We are all storm-tossed as we sail the seas of career, personal goals, and relationships. I made it my aim to be mindful and examine the different elements of my life and try to find myself in them. In that, I feel I met those resolutions. 2016 was a year of growth and self-awareness. A good year.
In terms of health and fitness, I definitely got somewhere. First, I became pescetarian then vegetarian. Then I lost 20 lbs, going from 192 last New Year’s Day to 172 today. I can run and swim now, too.
Here are my resolutions for 2017:
- Write a book. I have been thinking about several themes and gathering data for a while now. I am now ready to give shape to these patterns of thought in long form. I haven’t really felt ready until now.
- Pray, meditate and be mindful. I will continue along the path that I started on a year ago and try to meditate and pray daily. I have been starting the mindful practice of saying a quick, silent, unobtrusive prayer of gratitude before meals – no one even notices! Prayer, meditation, and mindfulness don’t feel like a chore so much anymore, so I am hopeful for this year.
- Build on the basic fitness I have achieved to become an athlete again. Last year, I invested time and became quite good at running and swimming. This year my aim is to learn to cycle effectively and maybe complete a triathlon. Not to compete, just to finish. This will mean getting overall weight down to a lean, muscular, 150 lbs or so.
- Find time to build a real life. I work incessantly, but I am feeling that neglecting my personal life has actually been holding me back from achieving the things I want. Right now, relaxation seems to involve mostly just collapsing exhausted in front of Netflix. I need to find time for true rest and leisure – actually spending time doing simple, fun things, maybe even with other people.
So there you have it. Let’s see how it goes.