So it's been a long time since I was last here - makes you wonder why I bother right? And this is something I am really thinking about as yet another year comes to a close.
As most people do at this time of year, I am reflecting on 2014 and how the year has gone for me. It has not been my best year yet in many ways and in others I feel I have gained a great deal. Too many things are undone at the end of the year for me to feel 100% happy with myself. So I wanted to take a moment and reflect on my three words.
To recap they were Wellbeing, AccountAbility and Explore. At the time I thought they were very clever and perhaps they were too clever. Let's look at them one at a time.
WellBeing - this year I have had the worst health I have had in a long time, a symptom I think of being over-worked and pulled in too many directions. I had two month long illnesses requiring me to have extended periods of bed rest and double doses of antibiotics.
I have not scheduled the regular medical appointments as I had intended and as 2014 draws to a close I am nearly 10kg heavier than at the start of the year. On the plus side I have started taking some actions to resolve these issues. Exercising daily with Russ to help with motivation - a combination of HIIT and Yoga which seems to be working. I have also adjusted some of my diet and plan to tackle even more. But ultimately I am not a healthier, fitter version of myself. This has been a real struggle.
AccountAbility - This is a classic case of being too clever by half. This was split between delivering on promises and improving my financial education/health. I would say I invested most time and have had most success, albeit not as much as I would like, in the delivery side of things. I have still had some major failures in this area but by and large I have learned from them and have invested heavily in my personal productivity and therefore delivery this year. In this area I feel I have a decent foundation on which to build in 2015.
But in the area of financial health I have been a disaster. And I think the combination of two different things under one heading was what got me into trouble. Addressing my financial issues requires me to shed my shame. This is, I think, an area requiring a deeper dive in 2015.
Explore - this was rather amorphous. I liked it at the time because the idea was to open up to new things and stretch myself out of a comfort zone but I never put a frame around it that would see it actually delivered.
So as I reflect on my year and my three words a few things strike me. Be less clever and more specific. Be clear about my intent and spell out the things that are required to make a difference.
Translate that to daily practice. What I have learned most recently, especially when my youngest son was sick and in hospital, is that focus and daily discipline are actually key to achieving the things you set out to do.
So as I ready myself for 2015 I am holding these two things in my mind as I consider what my words are going to be for 2015. I want to give Chris's three words another shot. I still think the big story and vision I set out for myself is right, but my articulation of that into a daily way of life was way out of whack in 2014. Oddly enough simplify was a word I toyed with last year, perhaps that holds the key for 2015.
