Over on ITFF, a few weeks back, they were talking about "light hearted goals" for the new year - like resolutions, but fun. (Too many resolutions are along the lines of "spend less money, eat less, exercise more...")
I opined that I was having a hard time coming up with any. Part of it is my regular resolution (for the past couple years) has been "have more fun" but it's really hard for me to make that concrete: there's not a lot of FUN things for people like me around here. Going hiking alone is a bad idea, and there are no Volksmarcher or similar groups, and I don't have local friends to hike with. And buying more stuff just doesn't seem like an option. And a lot of the "fun" I can think of involves other people, and sometimes it's hard to arrange that, or, people don't want to do the same stuff as I do.
There aren't a lot of continuing-ed things at a time I can do them. (Like: my parents' town has a gourmet shop that does fun cooking classes, but that's not a thing here). Going out for a long-distance trek at night (like to Sherman) is kind of out; I really dislike driving on the interstate at night and I can't quite countenance paying for a hotel room just so I can go to a meeting or some such.
What I need to do is find a more specific thing. And something that isn't just pencilled in. (One year I had a resolution to try a new recipe every week, but some weeks I didn't do that - didn't do it more often than not, in fact - because I'd get busy and tired and not want to do it, or I couldn't get to the store to get ingredients, or something)
I've also done things like said "Every Friday night I'll watch either a favorite movie or a new movie" and I also get away from that.
Perhaps part of the problem is I'm bad at taking time for myself?
But I wish I could come up with a more concrete goal: people on ITFF were talking about things like taking tap-dance lessons, or learning to rock-climb, or....well, lots of things I 'don't have ready access to here.
1 comment:
I was toying with the idea myself of getting all the cookbooks I have and sitting down and marking pages of recipes I would like to use. I have gotten in the habit of just using the internet when I want to find something. And I have so many cookbooks (I ask for at least 1 a year) that I have never done a single recipe from. I like your idea.
My other idea is to actually do more sewing this year. I am behind on some quilts (at least 3 I had internal dates that have flown by). I don't think I made any this year at all. And I don't want to have to buy anything for them unless it is batting or backing. I have so many things about the house for sewing and I never really use them all. So perhaps that will be something on my list.
My wife did a read the books from the shelf thing last yr. I did one a few years ago. Books I bought that I had wanted to read but never got around to. 12 of them. I wrote them down in january and tried to read them before december. I ended up reading 10 of the 12. which isn't a bad idea again.
perhaps inviting someone for church over once a month and make a meal? you provide say.. the main dish and your friend provide the side dish? that way you have both a sharing component and a community component? and the timeline is finite? I know inviting someone in your house isn't something you really like, but as they are church folks, they might not be judgey and sometimes they might want community as well.
doing something for someone that is only known to you.. like giving a toy away each month that you pick yourself or sending a gift to someone you know who is in need every month. this way it doesn't have to feel like a chore and it has a longer timeline. I know you are already a generous person but I feel like doing something for someone else is one of the better things I do. like making brownies for a friend just bc or making a stuffed toy for a daughter of a friend. (right now I am making a football themed cowl for a friend. I can't stand football, but she adores it. I know it will make her day.)
these are all idea tho. not mandates. I hope you find something you love to do that is new to you this year.
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