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Week 2 - What to change
As you know I don't like the idea of trying to launch into a large list of resolutions or changes all at once. You're likely to be overwhelmed and discouraged, and that leads to failure.
At the same time it helps to have some idea in advance about what sorts of changes you'd like to make.
If you plan on making 52 weekly changes over the course of the year, I suppose you could just sit down and make a list of 52 items right now. But I say don't do that, because you don't know everything right now. You especially don't know what the future holds or what kinds of changes you will want to make a couple months from now.
For myself, I do know is that there are categories of my life that are important to me, and it is within these categories that I will want to make changes.
- Health. Physical and mental. The focus here will be controlled by some basic facts: I have a touchy back; I'm a recovering alcoholic; I'm living with prostate cancer. I'll have plenty to work with here.
- Spirituality. I used to believe in God. Then I became an atheist. Today I believe in God. I believe God is within every human being, every animal, every plant, and every rock. Spirituality for me is the process of renewing my conscious contact with God. The fact is I've been too busy for God lately, so there will be some changes here.
- Business. This is complicated. I own my own business. I serve as an arbitrator. I'm teaching half-time at a law school. I know I'm spread a bit too thin in the work department, so changes are coming.
- Myself. Here is the category for having more fun, going places, seeing great movies, ignoring the news and politics. Endless opportunities for change.
- Family. I am blessed. My lovely wife Layne, an almost-teen-age daughter, two grown-up sons, two almost-20 stepchildren, an older brother, a younger sister. Opportunity abounds.
You have your own list of categories. Please don't just copy mine.
So, each week I'll look at these categories and pick one, and then decide on one change that I can make for one week. At the end of the week I can decide whether to keep it going, increase it, or drop it.
How about you?
- Are there major categories in your life that are important to you?
- Can you make a list of them?
- Can you think of one thing from one category that you can change for one week?
Ross Runkel, Post Office Box 1031, Salem, Oregon
97308-1031.
Phone 503-399-8028. Fax 503-566-8844. email Ross@LawMemo.Com
