If something happens to me at the end of a month — like I’m traveling or I’m sick — and that something prevents me from making a resolutions chart for the next month, I rarely make a resolutions chart in the middle of the month. For some reason, I have a hard time starting in the middle.
So, I give myself the month off and my productivity plummets. It’s okay.
It just means I give extra attention to the next month. I didn’t make a chart for January, but my February chart is going to be good. I can just tell.
Workout time/activity
I tried skiing for the first time in January and I fell and sprained my thumb. It’s an injury called gamekeeper’s thumb. I can’t lift anything, so I’ve just been doing Pilates for the last couple of weeks. I’m itching to go back to lifting weights.
Meditate
24 minutes.
Go with hedonism
Have fun. Say yes. Do things. Indulge.
I don’t know if you can tell, but I think I’m wound a little tight. This is a reminder to relax and enjoy life.
Go outside for twenty minutes.
Oh, it’s so easy to hole up in my apartment in the winter. But I think going outside is good for you for some reason. I just read a book about it.
Smile
Like I said, I’m wound a wee bit tight and can get lost in my head easily. While I’m outside, I plan to smile.
I think I read somewhere that smiling tricks you into thinking you’re happy. Smiling is good for you.
I hate when other people tell me to smile, so I wonder if telling myself is going to irritate me.
Be generous
Have you read the Book of Joy? I read it years ago, but still think about it often. One of the eight pillars of joy is generosity and it’s one of the pillars I struggle with.
For this month, I’m going to make a conscious decision to be more generous.
Write 750 Words
I’m reading through the six books I’ve started writing, trying to decide which one to edit. It’s time to pick one.
Record phone screen time
I scroll mindlessly through my phone a lot and it’s a habit I would like to break. My goal is to get down to thirty minutes a day at most.
No Reddit
This resolution was my only new year’s resolution.
Intermittent Fasting
I fell off the intermittent fasting path at some point, but I remember really liking it. I’m only going to eat from noon to 8 p.m.
Floss
It’s easy.
How’d you do in December?
In case you’re wondering how I did in December for my resolutions, let me tell you.
I stopped keeping track around December 23rd because of travel and the holidays and then a bad cold, but I worked out for at least 1,148 minutes that month or thirty-seven minutes per day. There were a few days I didn’t record, so those numbers are actually higher.
I gave myself a pity A+ for meditation because I meditated every day I kept track. The pity part is that I know I didn’t meditate some days toward the end when I wasn’t keeping track.
I also gave myself an A+ for keeping my phone away and keeping my apartment tidy. Both pities. I got a B on eating something green and leafy, Operation Enjoy (going out every day), and reading a book a day. Pity B’s. I think in actuality I read 24 books in December. 24/31 = 0.77 = 77% = C. The proof is in the pudding.
Besides the sickness at the end, December was a good month. I kept muttering to myself, “health is a crown only the sick see” and it’s a phrase I’m going to mutter at least once a day by putting it on my February chart.
“Be generous”.
With time or money or effort?
With everything
You read a book a day?! What? How??
I don’t have a job…
Regarding being irritated by smile-requests from yourself my prediction is that you will not be annoyed by yourself.
This conclusion is based on a sample size of 1 and the author does not claim statistical significance.
As for illness I usually take a deep breath through my nose everytime someone mentions a cold.
Taunting the gods. I love it.
I think lawyers have a great deal of trouble doing some of the things you mentioned. We’re more than a bit hard on ourselves.
For what it’s worth, I read a great book recently about ways to reduce the use of phones and social media. Digital Minimalism. Don’t know if you’ve read it, but I highly recommend it for everyone.
Yes, I just read it! My review:
I practice what you’re preaching, brother.
I agree with the author wholeheartedly. Minimize social media and screen time and you’ll have a better life. Be intentional about your time and your minutes. Don’t mindlessly scroll.
He quotes Thoreau:
The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.
Very FIRE-y, eh?
Who could justify trading a lifetime of stress and backbreaking labor for better blinds?
Not me.
The author quotes Mr. Money Mustache and Frugal Woods. It’s a very FI-oriented book.
I just read this…based on your review! Excellent book, fairly quick read, really has helped me focus on stripping out mindless phone-scrolling from my life. I too, am off Reddit.
Cool beans, dude!
Hey there, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been reading your blog for years, since you first started it really, and I’ve always enjoyed seeing how you chronicled your journey. Your voice is one of my favorites to hear from the FI community, and your perspective is so refreshing. So thank you and I hope you always continue to give us updates!
As for quitting reddit, it’s funny you mention that because that was my New Year’s resolution too. I don’t know what it is about reddit, but I find that site has an insidious way of leaking negativity into my life and making my mental health much worse. It’s also a massive time suck!
Thanks so much for your kind words. They are needed and appreciated!
I just realized there’s an app on my phone that shows me how much time I spend on it when I’m not being conscious about my use, that amount of time is shocking!
I also write down things to say to myself daily. Yesterday, I read a comment to an article that said “Wear life like a loose garment.” I like it and I am going to try that one for a while.
Oh, I love it! What other phrases you got?
Not sure if I’m the broken one or not. But I find it fascinating that people desire spreadsheets in order to remind themselves how to live in some “right” way. Very interesting. This isn’t a knock or insult. Just an observation. It would never occur to me that I need a spreadsheet to remind myself how to be happy. But if it works for you, I’m very happy you’ve found that magic formula. (And formula’s are so much easier in spreadsheets… so there’s that. Lol!)
It’s an imperfect system, but it’s better than the status quo. For me, anyway.
“mindless scrolling” and “Reddit”
I want to do better at these myself. And, by better, I mean, F these.
Love your writing approach. I need to adopt better habits around “just doing…”
It’s not producing anything I’m proud of yet, but I like doing it.
I’m a full on hedonist – I love all of of it! Booze, sex, chocolate, hot tubs, massage – sometimes all at once! Why sip from the teacup when you can guzzle a half gallon of beer, slam the giant 5 lb mug on the table, yell out “Another!” then lock arms with your new best friends and start singing German drinking songs at the top of your lungs? It’s FUN, that’s what life is about. Remember that this country was started by Puritans that were so fu***** annoyingly conservative and uptight that they risked a 50/50 shot of dying just to get away from persecution – don’t let them get in your head. The Fun Kids stayed in Europe where 80% of the population is not on anti anxiety/depression meds. Go have some fun!
I don’t think you’re supposed to have sex in a hot tub.
Of course one can have sex in a hot tub, one can have sex wherever they want including their parents bed if that’s their thing. Worry less about your conditioning and belief systems, you’re gonna be dead soon and shortly after you die no one will remember you
I find that oddly comforting
Just curious, why IF? It seems you are quite fit and healthy. I am an avid reader of your blog and read the book you wrote a while back. Keep up the good work.
I’m not as fit and healthy as I was at my fittest and healthiest. I know I can do better.
Thanks for your patronage. Is that the right word?
Being generous feels so good! I like to think that I am generous with my “goodwill toward mankind”. Not sure what else to call it, but I try to make small interactions with other humans, like cashiers and clerks entertaining/pleasant/sympathetic. When there is time and they seem interested I try to have a short conversation or compliment something or commiserate with them. It takes only a little effort on my part. The stakes are low so if it doesn’t land no big deal. And it is cheap 😉 YMMV
I do that when I have extrovert resolutions on my chart! That’s funny that I never thought of it as being generous, but you’re right!
I really like the intermittent fasting resolution. I’m going to try that. Just saw Dr. Oz on TV talking about the benefits. As for being more generous, I’m having difficulty with this. Everywhere you turn there is some charity asking you for money. I feel overwhelmed and therefore I tune out. Any one else dealing with this?
Yeah, I’m going to write down my act of generosity for each day and hope to vary it up and not just be money-related. I have no problem saying no to charities. I want to give away my money efficiently.
I’ve been wondering about your charts! So glad you updated.
As for mine, I’m on track to make mostly As and one B+ this month and am finally (after 5 months) starting to feel like I’m building good habits. Your posts give me a gentle nudge in the right direction, so thank you.
Mostly A’s and one B+! I’m so impressed and so happy the charts are helping you!
Thanks for this, I love the resolutions incl chart and hope you keep posting about resolutions!
Lazy me is asking: you don’t happen to have a shorter version, with boxes I can colour when I’ve done the action?😬
(I know I can and should do this myself!)
Books: When I was young I read Wise Child by Monica Furlong. I can imagine it may be too ‘simple’ for any adult reading this for the first time. I still find it beautiful and it brings me back to 9y old me.
Did you read Vanity Fair (Thackeray)? It’s much better than any film ever made of it.
I like the idea of coloring it in when you do the action. I miss coloring.
I’ve not read vanity fair, but it’s on the list now. Thanks!
I suffered from gamekeeper’s thumb a couple of years ago after falling from my mountain bike. I won’t tell you how long it took to fully recover because I don’t want to discourage you, but I understand your misery in not being able to make full use of your hand. It’s a truly miserable injury to endure with a painstakingly long recovery. Anyway, I think the trick is to wear a thumb brace long after you think you need it to avoid re-injury from bumping it at the wrong angle. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Oof. My doctor friend looked at it and said it would take months to heal. I’ve already ditched the splint though. Maybe that was premature. 🙁
Good god, a book a day? I’m exhausted by just looking at your list. Give yourself an A+ for being productive and maybe a B for relaxing? 😁
I’ll take a B for relaxing!
Hello Anita. Just wanted to say hello. Hope this doesn’t sound too weird, but I’m a long-time “fan” of yours and felt compelled to reach out today. You continue to inspire my journey. Every few months or so, I remember to come back to your blog and read your insights. I’m a pharmacist of similar age, hoping to go part-time in a few years before fully pulling the plug. I am right now at about 1/3 of your net worth. I have a boyfriend (met on a dating app) on this journey with me. Anyways…I love reading your thoughts and feel like we are kindred spirits. I long for the days of early retirement, but struggle with thoughts of whether I’d be able to entertain myself. I too try to optimize health, with strategies like intermittent fasting (which confuses many since I am not overweight, much life yourself.) I struggle to stay away from Reddit, floss, meditate, exercise consistently, etc. Your musings are therapeutic for me. I have family in Denver, I’ll be spending a few weeks there this year. Thanks for sharing your story.
Reach out when you’re in Denver if you’d like to meet up. You sound like a kindred spirit!