Getting Control in 2022

It's surreal to say it out loud: 2022. Time flies!

On the second day of 2022, I'm spending quiet time getting myself in order. A stiff, sore neck from a week ago has yet to resolve, so I got a good long massage, which felt good but didn't fix the problem. I took myself out to lunch and read a book. I asked a friend to hunt down a medicated patch for the achy spot on my back. I brushed my shedding dog (and considered bathing him, but haven't ventured that just yet). 

This year, my main goal is to get control of myself. It sounds funny, because really, life is pretty darn good. Cambodia remains an interesting and engaging place to live. I continue to enjoy my work and colleagues. Achy back and sore neck aside, I'm in good health. 

However, for a long time it's felt near impossible to do the things I know would make life even better: get more (and better) sleep; stretch; exercise; eat healthier; host friends for a meal; and other things too. Even though these are all within my reach, it's been hard to flog myself into DOing them. I know I'm not alone in this, too. But I'd like to make a concerted effort this year, and to do so in a focused way without overwhelming myself with expectations. To that end, I made myself a poster that I put up on my wall at home, titled: 30 days, 3 goals, 3 good things. 

30 days - Gives me a finite timeframe, a finish line to look forward to. 

3 goals (that aren't absolute): More movement, less social media. More healthy food, less fried food. More meaningful connections, less gossip. I'm not trying to cut anything out, or only do certain things... just adjust my current actions to do better! I've suspended my Facebook account and managed to avoid fried food for two whole days so far. Hopefully some yoga or swimming will make its way into my days and I can take advantage of some of the wonderful people around me here. 

3 good things - This is a game I played with a friend when posted in Bamako, Mali. It was easy for us to bitch and moan about things all the time; it was a tough place to live and our work lives were incredibly stressful. One day, one of us said, "Ugh! I'm tired of talking about all the bad things. Tell me three good things that happened today." We both laughed, but then actually thought about it, and came up with three things each. Sometimes they were small: "Today I at a nice breakfast," or "Today I slept in." And sometimes they were bigger things, accomplishments or goals reached. Mostly they were small. Thinking about things in a positive light forced us past the glaringly obvious difficulties we faced. So, I will write three good things that happen each day, big or small, for thirty days. 

Do I have bigger goals? Yes, of course. But January is the start of a new year and so I'll approach my goals as the start of going in the right direction. 

And no matter what, successful or not, this face will be around to beg pets from me, so I really can't lose: