"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation"
Happy New Year everyone, I hope at day 5 we have all still maintained our resolutions and goals. Personally I haven't made any resolutions this year, I don't even believe that I've made any resolutions in the past five years. I do however consistently use the month of January to compile my yearly goals that I work towards achieving by December 31st. I not only use the entire month to compile the list I also take a look back at the previous year's list to see what was accomplished and what is still left to do. Without fail every year there are always several goals left over that I fall just short of reaching. It isn't as depressing a process as it may sound, but more so a trip down memory lane and a learning experience.
I increase the amount of goals I'd like to achieve by one each year in order to always strive for more or better than what I've already done. So this year I have 113 slots to fill with dreams, aspirations, objectives, and goals. I have 113 different opportunities to reach out and do, feel, and think about things differently than I have before. I have decided that the goal I'd like to add into that new 113th spot is: "to play more". In 2012 I learned, experienced, and achieved so many wonderful things that have provided me with opportunities to further my long term career and life goals. The positive aspects however did not come without consequences. I found myself plowing through deadlines, meetings, and classes without ever coming up for air. Even in social settings my mind was often focused on the next bill I would have to pay, or the amount of sleep I would need to get in order to get up for work the next day. Being present in the moment was very difficult for me in 2012 as emails and text messages interrupted every aspect in the "living" part of life.
In the last few weeks of 2012 I sat down with three close friends on three separate occasions that think and live completely different lives. We sat together in moments of stress, relaxation, and holiday celebrations and at the end of each encounter I realized they were more alike than I thought. With wisdom beyond their years, they all subconsciously reminded me that plans and provisions shouldn't be the only part of my life. I was placing too much value into one aspect of who I am and painfully forgetting that I am deeply loved for who I am at the core not just the surface. The core of who I am doesn't revolve around how many emails I can send or how many problems I can solve in one day. The core of who I am is wrapped up in experiencing everything life has to offer and losing sight of that would drastically change the person I am.
At 24 its hard for me to realize that taking myself or life too seriously hinders true appreciation of life and all it has to offer. I don't plan on losing my focus but I do plan on allotting more time to just live. My calendar doesn't have to be jam packed in order for me to consider myself as productive. Valuing the "oh shit" and "did that just happen" moments are just as important to acknowledge and celebrate as the planned successes and triumphs you achieve. My mental, physical, and emotional health must all be tended to equally and with the addition of more play time I believe I will be doing just that.
"it is a happy talent to know how to play…"
MJB
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