ONE MONTH...AND WHERE AM I?

It’s hard to believe that a month has passed since I gathered with my friends to celebrate my 40th birthday.   Lots of questions come to mind as I recall the last month of my life.  Does 40 feel any different? Have I made any significant changes in my life?  Am I happy with where I am? If not, what are my roadblocks and what am I going to do to overcome my obstacles? 

If I’m being completely truthful, nothing has really changed in my life since I turned 40. After entering my new decade, I don’t feel any different, look any different or really act any different.   There haven’t been any significant changes in my life.   Essentially, the only thing that has changed is that I am officially 40. 

However, I must enter the confessional for a few minutes.   I have taken a break from blogging for most of the month, partly out of laziness and partly because I haven’t found any topics about which I felt passionate enough to write.  Writing, I must admit, while it isn’t always easy, is cathartic.   And, well, writing is something I MUST do it more often.

Am I happy with where I am in life?  Honestly? No.  However, the truth of the matter is that I can’t blame anyone other than myself.  It’s time to dust off the list of goals and put action behind them.  Before tonight, haven’t been to the gym in a couple of weeks—partly because I was sick last week, but MOSTLY because I’ve been lazy. One thing I am happy about is that I have spent a little more time at the piano learning new repertoire.   Yet, that barely scratches the surface on the “things I really need to do” list in my mind.

Here is my confession:  As I’ve contemplated where I am, where I am heading and how I will go about getting there, I have realized that I tend to have too many things on my plate at one time.  I'm a procrastinator to the N^th degree.   The time is now to really, REALLY examine my goals, to prioritize those goals and stop thinking and start doing.   I've already let a precious month slip by with no plan.  That ends today.   What really matters?  Taking care of my body—physically, spiritually and intellectually are crucial to me, along with being accountable to myself financially.  

Significant changes will only occur one step at a time, one day at a time.  Overwhelming myself with large goals is not the solution, and, I imagine will only serve to stagnate my progress rather than propel me forward.  I believe the solution is to stop once again, look at the man in the mirror, and for once take a long, close look, and ask him to change his ways.   At the end of the day, I have to answer to the man in the mirror.   Tomorrow is a new day, and when I visit my progress one month from now, I hope I will be pleased with how far I have come.   Goals: get ready.  I’m coming for you.