The Year
The warm weather allowed the holidays sneak up quicker than expected. It barely feels like we set up the tree and already it's begging to be torn down. A few days of work peppered between the long weekends gave a distraction that lead straight into the terminus of the year.
The end of the year serves as a great milestone for reflection. As I was dipping some fruit into a simmering pot of chocolate, I looked back over the past year and considered the promises I made to myself. I was able to take on most of the tasks that were taken to heart a year ago, but very few were taken to the extreme that I had envisioned. The main, overriding goal was to get myself on track for retirement. Whenever this fictitious date happens in the future, I want to be prepared for it. Furthermore, the more comfortable my lifestyle is at that point, the better. To that end, I finally turned my financially tuned magnifying glass towards myself. I removed a boat load of bad debt, refinanced the stuff that I need to carry, and read absolutely everything within arms reach to help me reduce my taxes. In order to maximize profits a lot of time was spent learning how this stock market thing works. I've learned many tactics to help maximize my returns while hedging risks, and with this new foundation and knowledge I am much for comfortable about where I'm going than I was last year.
Which leaves this year.
Using a banana to scrape more chocolate off the side of the pot, I wondered what goals I should strive towards this year. Some were goals that aren't optional, such as another round of renovations to the house, and the usual dropping of a few pounds. Then came the great debate.
Half of my brain wants to become a machine of incredible efficiency; to turn myself into a metronome of goal accomplishment and getting things done. Have a detailed plan that will get me to where I need to go, and break it down into the individual steps that need to be accomplished every day in order to accomplish absolutely everything I prioritize.
The other half wants to smell the roses. Being able to pick apart the last few years is becoming increasingly difficult as they blur together into a thick ball of memories. The real clear moments are always when time stood still. These pools of perfections all seem to revolve around being absolutely content being where I was at that moment. Watching frozen water and liquid sunshine play, enjoying a fireside lunch while menacing clouds roll by and observing the Eiffel Tower are all solid memories I can rely upon. Noteworthy is that at none of these times was I trying to get anything done.
So, where do you find the balance? How can I enjoy the limited time I have on this earth, while still working towards goals? I hope to find out.
