Saturday, January 1, 2022 (Day 1)
Relaxing Music for the month: Healing Hands: Liquid Mind (12:01) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hdwGhA4l50
This year, I’m going to focus my time on reflection, since it looks like I’ll be making some serious changes in my life. After spending the last year every day reflecting on a journal question, I decided to take on another 365-day Project, but this time reflecting on interesting things that happen in my life, through reading, writing, conversation, etc. For example, I have been asked to give a guest “sermon” on purpose tomorrow morning at Unity Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. The congregation will be asked to answer a couple of questions related purpose exploration, which I’ll share tomorrow. I’ve been reading at least a chapter a day in books, as well as 2-3 Brian Johnson Philosopher’s Note (https://www.optimize.me/) several times a week. I want to share the wisdom that I find with you, in case there’s SOMETHING that you might find that could help you – or you share it with someone else and it helps them. As a continuous growing machine, it’s important to do something that makes me 1% better every day. And as I wrote that last sentence, I thought it would be great to start a 1% Better Club, where our main goal is to track how we are doing at least one thing to be 1% better every day. Maybe even a journal, with an inspirational quote or something. Sounds like something I need to explore, right?
Before I end “The Year of You” Project, I do need to reflect on both the past month’s topic on “Future,” as well as reflect on the Project as a whole. Right now, I’ll focus on the month’s topic:
What did I learn about myself this month?
Thinking about the future really helped me get clear about the work that I really, Really, REALLY want to do, which is Life Design Catalyst work. And it’s as clear as day that I need to be doing LDC work 24/7, either at an institution that would truly value the work, or, which will most likely happen, on my own with a few select people. And I believe that I have some really great people interested in doing LDC work on a much bigger scale! Let’s do this!
Which of the prompts were most challenging?
I don’t know if there was a prompt that was challenging, but I will admit that it was hard to write on some of the days because I was too drained from facilitating our Life Design Catalyst Training in the middle of December. It’s one of those experiences that drains a lot out of me; and when we extend the conversations over dinner each evening, that makes things even tougher. Definitely enjoyed my time, but hated to miss a couple of days of writing. I must say that the prompt that asked me to write a letter to myself one year from now was a great things to challenge myself to do, which I plan to work on at some point this month (maybe on my Birthday). It would be interesting to write a story for December 31, 2022 – and see how close I come to getting there.
Which of my answers most surprised me?
I don’t know if there was an answer that surprised me, but I will say that I was excited when I decided to explore the possibility of retire from UNCG vs quitting my job at UNCG. I don’t think that thought even crossed my mind until the past couple of weeks of writing – and I’m sure that writing this stuff out helped gain that clarity. So that was definitely a plus!
Based on what I’ve written, one action I want to take over the next month is…
Make sure to meet with UNCG’s Human Resources Department to get my retirement plans set in motion. Just the thought of having time to devote to LDC work on MY schedule is the blessing I needed. My biggest worry was health insurance; and know that we’ll be able to get coverage at a reduced cost is definite a life-changer for me – and Rebecca.
The Dream Dean 