Life Overhaul 2014

My beautiful sister, Daniella, posted to facebook something to the effect of: I have so many New Year’s resolutions, that I think I actually need a life overhaul.  In the last few weeks of 2013, I did some serious research (actually, rabbit-hole style internet browsing) around the topics of life-planning, project-planning, goal-setting, habit-forming, etc.  What is clear to me, is that I have something upwards of 10 habits that I want to change, some two or three dozen goals and project I want to work on, and so many life plans, so many… 

For day to day I am going to rely on HabitRPG.com to keep me on track for committing to new habits.  Lift.do is also a fun resource for taking on some new habits that I hadn’t really known how to approach.  From Lift.do, I am starting a Jump Roping routine, a daily writing habit, and a 30-day de-cluttering that I will probably run on loop every month.  I only just arrived at Level 2 on HabitRPG and am looking forward to when the real fun begins.  Right now, it seems just a little lame.

Taking a cue from The Happiness Project and Zenhabits, I realize that it will be tough to change 20 habits at once, so I am going to stage them out by month.  I will not entirely ignore the other habits, but I wont hold myself super-accountable to them.  I will focus on maybe 2 at a time.  I thought one would be a habit that I want to keep, and one would be a habit that I just want to try out.  I also have so many projects, that I will probably stage those out too.

How did I come up with this list?  I imagined a good day.  What would that look like to me?  What habits help set me up for a good day?  I realized that most of the things I came up with take place between when I wake up and when I leave the house for work, so I decided that my very first January goal would be to wake up at the same time every morning, starting with 7:00am, and progressing to 6:30am by the end of the month.  I already noticed this morning that I had extra time in the morning to eat a good breakfast, and just have an easy relaxed start to the day, instead of rushed.  I even got some work done this morning!  So, without further ado:

January Habit Goals:

1. Wake up by 6:30 a.m.  Some tricks that will help make this happen: First, if I hit the snooze, go back to sitting upright in bed, rather than laying down.  Sitting upright will gradually help your brain wake up.  Second, drink a huge glass of water and then a second one. You are dehydrated after sleeping all night without drinking water in your winter-bone-dry air. Water will also help get you going. I did both of these things this morning and it really worked, especially sitting upright in bed, rather than laying back down. I also need to move the dawn-simulator back into the room.

2. Take Happy Pills every day. I am currently taking a daily multi-vitamin and Fish Oil, as well as a pretty low dose of sertraline.  Once the current bottle of fish oil runs out, I want to get a combo fish oil and Vitamin D.  Vitamin D is supposed to be very good for the winter blues.

3. Omit Caffeine. Yep, I’m trying to give up caffeine at the same time!  I’ll drink green tea for a couple of weeks and then move toward entirely caffeine-free by the end of the month.

4. BHAG: Guatemala Estate - get it done already

LIFE OVERHAUL 2014:

January: Create Time and Space

1. Out of Bed by 6:30am (start at 7am the first week)
2. Give up Caffeine - Drink Green Tea, and gradually go non-caffeine tea
3. Take Happy Pills Every Day
4. Project: Guatemala

February: Pause and Reflect

1. Mindfulness Meditation
2. Write Every Day
3. Project: Get a New Job 
4. Project: Salt Lake City

March: Get moving

1. Exercise every day
2. Walk with Sammie every day
3. No sugar for one month
4. Project w/Natalie: Financial Planning
5. Project: Start Seeds for the Garden:  http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/WI/Madison

April: Clarity

1. Make the Bed every morning
2. Daily Declutter
3. Project: Keep tending garden seedlings
4. Project: Plan Wedding

May: Relationships

1. Bike to work for one month 
2. Spend more time with Natalie, friends & family
3. Project: Patio & Garden