I did a terrible thing today. I found, buried between a couple of books I had not read lately, a spiral notebook that looked as if it had not been opened in months. Upon closer inspection I found that the notebook heralded from the year 2015, and contained some personal goals I had written in July of the year.
I opened the notebook and began reading. Like I said, the things I had written were NOT New Year's "resolutions," but were tangible things that were both helpful to me and within my grasp, things that I thought I could accomplish at least by the END of 2016, a full year and a half away. These were simple things like daily prayer, daily writing, daily exercise, meditation, etc. Yet in 2017 I find that I am lacking in all the listed areas.
Even though doing those little things every day did not seem like much to ask of myself, it is obvious looking back, that I did not put in what little personal effort it took to accomplish these goals. Then I turned the page and found a yet another list of things to do, a program if you will, that I had come up with to see that I reached my goals.
The program had broken down all the goals into tasks, some daily, some weekly, and some longer term. In any case, all the things I wanted to accomplish, all the changes I wanted to make, were all listed neatly in a 1-2-3 progression. There were also short- and mid-term goals, and the steps to make those goals happen.
In fact, in July of 2015 I came across a book that struck a cord with me, and shortly after that, another. I found a book called the Path of the Psychic Heart, and Millman's The Path of the Peaceful Warrior. It was largely from these books and another small volume, simply called It Works, that I customized a program for myself made up of elements from all three works - a life-changing, even a life-SAVING plan. I read over this plan again and again. And then, it seems, I promptly put away my notebook, in which I had written my program. I had some other books that I placed on a book shelf, and for safekeeping I put my spiral notebook between two of these books. Then I promptly forgot where I placed it.
I worked my program for a month or two, really actually finding some degree of peace with my new program, but after a while the program just went away. It was out of sight, out of mind. After another few months, the program was forgotten. A few months after that, I went to the doctor for my six months appointment, and found that I weighed about the same as I had six months earlier. Weight was one of the primary things I wanted to change about myself. But there were other goals that fell by the way as well. No daily writing, infrequent blogging, little exercise, and definitely the Way of the Psychic Heart had become a just long and winding road that did not seem to lead anywhere.
So I found my notebook today, and reviewed the goals, the dreams, the program with the necessary steps, and I sat in in shock and awe at the opportunity I had missed, or at least had put on the back burner for nearly two years. But I sat there just a little while, had a short pity "party" for me, myself, and I, then made a decision. I would review all this material and re-read all three books. I would get myself back on that path that had been so beneficial to me in the short time I actually followed the "program."
The goals in the plan are still the ones I want to achieve, and I know this time I will keep on top of my program since I know now where to find that dusty yellow notebook. I punished myself a little, like I said, with that pity party, but then I resolved to put that behind me and get on with it. I am happy with my decision and really happy that I decided to look at that battered spiral before I threw it away. What a treasure I had actually found. Not some old New Year's resolutions, but a map for a new life plan.
One more thing. Maybe you yourself have "lost" your life's plan, or even your New Year's resolutions. Maybe, like me, you had created a set of goals, affirmations, or even a "program" like I did, to keep you on track, and help you track your progress. It is not too late to start again, to resolve again, to take aim again at those goals that are important, even life-changing. No, it's not too late, but there is no better day than today, no better time than right now. Don't procrastinate again, don't fall by the wayside again...and above all, don't hide that good-intentioned plan for your life. Don't let it sit on a bookshelf gathering dust. Put it into action now...right now! February 4th is just as special as January 1st, if this is the day you decide to take that first step...again. I would wish you luck. Instead, I wish you determination and success.
May God bless you...
And May God Bless America
I opened the notebook and began reading. Like I said, the things I had written were NOT New Year's "resolutions," but were tangible things that were both helpful to me and within my grasp, things that I thought I could accomplish at least by the END of 2016, a full year and a half away. These were simple things like daily prayer, daily writing, daily exercise, meditation, etc. Yet in 2017 I find that I am lacking in all the listed areas.
Even though doing those little things every day did not seem like much to ask of myself, it is obvious looking back, that I did not put in what little personal effort it took to accomplish these goals. Then I turned the page and found a yet another list of things to do, a program if you will, that I had come up with to see that I reached my goals.
The program had broken down all the goals into tasks, some daily, some weekly, and some longer term. In any case, all the things I wanted to accomplish, all the changes I wanted to make, were all listed neatly in a 1-2-3 progression. There were also short- and mid-term goals, and the steps to make those goals happen.
In fact, in July of 2015 I came across a book that struck a cord with me, and shortly after that, another. I found a book called the Path of the Psychic Heart, and Millman's The Path of the Peaceful Warrior. It was largely from these books and another small volume, simply called It Works, that I customized a program for myself made up of elements from all three works - a life-changing, even a life-SAVING plan. I read over this plan again and again. And then, it seems, I promptly put away my notebook, in which I had written my program. I had some other books that I placed on a book shelf, and for safekeeping I put my spiral notebook between two of these books. Then I promptly forgot where I placed it.
I worked my program for a month or two, really actually finding some degree of peace with my new program, but after a while the program just went away. It was out of sight, out of mind. After another few months, the program was forgotten. A few months after that, I went to the doctor for my six months appointment, and found that I weighed about the same as I had six months earlier. Weight was one of the primary things I wanted to change about myself. But there were other goals that fell by the way as well. No daily writing, infrequent blogging, little exercise, and definitely the Way of the Psychic Heart had become a just long and winding road that did not seem to lead anywhere.
So I found my notebook today, and reviewed the goals, the dreams, the program with the necessary steps, and I sat in in shock and awe at the opportunity I had missed, or at least had put on the back burner for nearly two years. But I sat there just a little while, had a short pity "party" for me, myself, and I, then made a decision. I would review all this material and re-read all three books. I would get myself back on that path that had been so beneficial to me in the short time I actually followed the "program."
The goals in the plan are still the ones I want to achieve, and I know this time I will keep on top of my program since I know now where to find that dusty yellow notebook. I punished myself a little, like I said, with that pity party, but then I resolved to put that behind me and get on with it. I am happy with my decision and really happy that I decided to look at that battered spiral before I threw it away. What a treasure I had actually found. Not some old New Year's resolutions, but a map for a new life plan.
One more thing. Maybe you yourself have "lost" your life's plan, or even your New Year's resolutions. Maybe, like me, you had created a set of goals, affirmations, or even a "program" like I did, to keep you on track, and help you track your progress. It is not too late to start again, to resolve again, to take aim again at those goals that are important, even life-changing. No, it's not too late, but there is no better day than today, no better time than right now. Don't procrastinate again, don't fall by the wayside again...and above all, don't hide that good-intentioned plan for your life. Don't let it sit on a bookshelf gathering dust. Put it into action now...right now! February 4th is just as special as January 1st, if this is the day you decide to take that first step...again. I would wish you luck. Instead, I wish you determination and success.
May God bless you...
And May God Bless America
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