A Plan is a Good Place to Start: Resolution Reboot Update

Riding home from work the other day: the air was crisp, and the sun was as bright as it’s been this year with just a spattering of airy white clouds. People were out, blossoms scented the air, and as if perfectly timed “La vie en rose” shuffled onto my iPhone. It slowed me right down.

I took in the scene, pumped my pedals rhythmically to the chords, and my mind wandered back to a time long ago, riding through the streets of Osaka. I would meander my way home late at night belting out tunes through deserted streets after most people were snug in their beds. I remember feeling at that time like I was exactly where I was meant to be. Anxiety was minimal and I often felt moments of pure bliss and peace. 

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not there now. Not by a long shot. But hearing that song, feeling that wonderful sensation of rolling through streets full of life made me feel that somehow things will be okay.

While it’s not been the best month ever, it’s made me realize that I have a great network of wonderful, supportive friends and family. I feel so lucky for the rich experiences I have had and continue to have.  And sometimes just being in the moment, blasting a true classic down a sunny street makes it all worthwhile.

Resolution Reboot

I spent the last couple of months focusing on my “Resolution reboot” and it’s gone pretty well despite having to deal with a difficult situation, perform in a legendary (in my life at least) concert and complete some pretty intensive training at work. I found it helpful to have a focused weekly plan, despite it being a bit ambitious. In many instances, the plan served to overpower the devil in my brain telling me that it was okay to take the night off from moving toward my goals.

Use it Up, Wear it Out

Part of my plan was to use and enjoy the things I have and not buy anything new. I have to say that not buying things and making do with what you have takes a whole lot of anxiety out of life. You’re not worrying about how to fit new things into your packed closet, how the thing will look on your credit card, how you will find time to read that book or magazine etc. BUT…

The girl in the mint cardigan...

Early in my plan to only wear the clothes I have and to make it fun by incorporating three new things into my wardrobe every day (accomplished) and taking fun pics (below), I saw a friend wearing a perfect mint-coloured cardigan and I thought “I have to have that cardigan. I want to be the girl in the mint cardigan.”  And my brain shifted into obsessive compulsive shopaholic mode. I thought all might be lost. Luckily I had a plan to keep me grounded (counting my existing cardigans helped).

The desire to amass more clothes despite the fact that I can’t even physically manage the ones I have is a crazy pull.  Now I am by no means bragging here about some fancy pants wardrobe. I impulse buy like the best of them at Joe Fresh and as a result, have a bunch of disposable clothing that I feel bad about getting rid of.  What I have however realized these past two months is that while those clothes feel like must-haves in the store, I don’t often get really excited about wearing them and the anxiety around picking from mounds of mediocre clothing drives me to wear the same things over and over again. 

That t-shirt is not your mother

I also have a bunch of stuff that has been given to me, but that doesn’t bring me joy and clutters up my life. One of Oprah’s guys mentioned in a decluttering issue that the “insert gift here” that your mother, sister or brother bought you is not them, and getting rid of it does not say anything about how you feel about them.  This has helped me to be okay with getting rid of some stuff that I don’t love.

Life is short, wear your party pants. 

 

Another aspect I’ve really embraced through this process is the whole “Life is short, wear your party pants” philosophy.  So I packed away all of my boring dishes and cracked open all of those gold-rimmed antique finds I’ve been saving for that time when I start having dinner parties, or a house, or more space, or someone else to share a meal with. 

Pizza is my panacea

Eating less was the toughest part as I predicted, but I did manage to fit in all the crazy exercising that I promised. And to make up for time lost eating Thai food and pizza I completed some days on “The Plan”, which is basically an elimination diet. I felt good after. Not at my happy weight, but the battle continues!

Draft Three, I’m ready!

And I finished the second draft of “I Love Here”!  My creative non-fiction. Big win. Still a mess, crazy long and mounds of editing to do, but I accomplished the goal and am one step closer to something. 

Editing is way not sexy or romantic. It’s no sitting in Starbucks watching people lining up for their lattes and imagining the tedious tasks that make up their interestingly unique yet similar lives. Editing is (for me anyway) boring and time-consuming and soooo frustrating as you try to fit together puzzles of dialogue and description, tie together disparate storylines, add things in or take things out and then wonder why, etc. But I made it through one more draft and for that I am sublimely happy.  

Give me Five More Minutes!

I couldn’t get it all done. What suffered the most I would say is the sleeping 7 hours. I used a new sleep app and found out that while I thought I was getting 6-7 hours, with restlessness and bathroom breaks it’s really more like 5-6 and that ain’t great. 

I do plan on doing this sort of re-focus every two months. It was a great way to make some real progress in certain areas. 

See ya in a few!

As I said it’s been a hard month. In a lot of areas of my life, I’ve been suspending disbelief. I had to face reality in one of those areas this month and it sucks. Sometimes life’s circumstances conspire against you. But I’m off to Scotland for a week, then Morroco, England for a couple of days and Iceland to cap it off. A mini-adventure and I can’t wait. 

And while I’m sure there will be moments during the trip where my mind runs away and I obsess over the stuff I’m “going through,” I’m going to remember something that one of my friends re-quoted last week, source unknown:

Stop thinking your ship has sailed.  It’s not your )*(%&*$%^ boat!!!

What are your travel plans this summer?