12:24 PM: My primary objective of this year will be to cease stifling growth with intentional overwhelm. Up until sixty-five days ago, I had filled the empty spaces in a self-medicated stupor. In the past sixty-five days, I have left no empty spaces.
I am going to try a five minute morning and evening journaling practice. The most difficult aspect may be keeping the practice to just a few minutes, but I feel this is important. Allowing the practice to grow uninhibited could result in abandoning it altogether.
Today my focus will be on reading my 2016 journal, begin establishing goals for the coming year, performing a few minutes of negative visualization, and finishing my paperwork for home health.
11:49 PM: I read through my 2014 and 2015 journal in approximately a half-hour. Maybe less. The 2016 journal was much more substantial than I had realized and I am only about halfway through. The process has been enlightening on many fronts. My resolve to not drink has been further fortified. My resolve to be more rather than do more with each day has been reawakened.
I will spend the next few days setting goals for the year. Broadly my goals for January include journaling each day on gratitude and fulfillment and nurturing the former while relentlessly pursuing the latter. I will also make jiujitsu a higher priority while reconsidering my approach to lifting. I wish to reconnect with family and friends without spending exuberant sums of money. I also plan to save 75% of January’s paychecks, clear the downstairs bedroom, and finish the downstairs bathroom.
Today I am grateful that the Steelers vs Browns game went exceptionally well for Suzi and her brother. The seats I’d purchased her for Christmas were closer than I’d thought, the weather seemed acceptable overall, and the game went into overtime with the Steelers winning in the end. While entirely egocentric, I am happy that the money was well spent.
I also felt a sense of fulfillment from the appreciation I received from several of my patients and their families today.
