Don't get me wrong, I am still going to go about each day being careful, masked in public, maintaining distance and picking and choosing times I will go places. But there are things I miss doing that gave me a sense of purpose that is missing from my life. So these are a couple of things I am ready to begin again.
1. Volunteering at IP. I miss seeing and interacting with all of the participants there.
2. Wednesday class. I went a couple of times and felt strange because people sat next to me. I will go, stay masked and sit on the outer reaches of the room. I don't mind explaining my actions to the rest of the people.
3. Bookclub. We met in December and it was wonderful. We are all of a certain age and have all been extremely careful about where we go and who we are around. (Two members still have their 90+ year old moms living and they are being even more careful than the rest of us) There are a few restaurants nearby that still have distance between tables and we can go on a Tuesday night (low crowd night) and be together.
4. Entertaining in my home. This one is dicey but I miss having folks over for dinner. I am going to start inviting just a couple to dinner at least every other month (Would prefer every month, but . . .)
5. Theater. We have season tickets to our local Broadway touring performances. They have established a mask mandate for the year so we plan to continue going.
6. Events at the Alys. The Alys is the best small performance theater in town and they not only require masks but they are selling only 1/3 of the seats. The tickets are a little pricier than they have been in the past, but to me it is worth paying a little more to make up the difference in what revenue they are losing just to keep the audience a little safer. Kudos to them.
But purpose does not mean just the fun and external. I have been lackadaisical about my days when I am at home. It is more than time for me to step up my days instead of having a pity party that life is not what it used to be. On days when I have nothing going on outside of the house I need to have a plan for the day rather than letting the day plan me. So for the year on unstructured days I need purpose also.
I decided I need to have an organized (yet flexible) daily list, and this is what I am thinking.
1. Eat one frog each day (Do some chore I don't want to do) preferably the first thing I do.
2. Tidy (Sweep, vacuum, clean as needed)
3. Make sure whatever needs to be thawed is actually out of the freezer
4. Maintain laundry (either actual washing or sorting into various baskets waiting for a full load)
5. Practice an instrument (piano or ukulele)
6. Self care
7. Read
8. Meditation and prayer
9. Fun
The same applies to both weekly and monthly plans
Weekly
1. Make master list of appointments/meetings/ aims for the week
2. Declutter
3. Clean at least one closet/drawer/pantry
4. Clean fridge and inventory cold food needs for the week
5. Shop for groceries and necessary personal items
6. Work in the yard
7. Create something (this is left open to whims as long as something is created)
Monthly
1. Make a list of known appointments/meetings/ social events/ monthly aims
2. Do one unpleasant chore (ex. clean the oven)
3. Run a cleaning cycle through the washer, dishwasher and Keurig
4. Inventory pantry, fridges, and freezers
5. Learn something new
6. Establish contact with at least one person I have not seen/spoken to in a while
And now I am beginning this year with a purpose. At least this week I am. I am hoping if I have to answer to someone other than myself I will be a little better staying on target. Do y'all mind being my monthly "someone"?
Here's to purpose filled days!
Ok, I'll step up to help keep you accountable, now I just need to figure out who will keep me accountable since I have have a blog. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Bobi! I figured I would do an end of the month wrap up post each month and alter my lists as I think they need altering.
ReplyDeleteGreat goals and ideas! I should adopt a few of them. I also miss entertaining at home, but it's not really because of Covid...just haven't had the get up and go to do it so much anymore...probably because I have also slacked in the housekeeping department and when I think about having people over I have to think about cleaning...and cooking...and...well, that's wehere I get stuck. It comes with getting older too I think. I hope you are able to maintain and achieve these wonderful goals. I will be watching and hopefully getting some inspiration from you as you go along. Thank you. I need a kick in the pants to get a move on! LOL.
ReplyDeleteA swift kick in the pants would certainly help me! Being accountable might also.
DeleteI like your word. I feel purposeless when my daughter's at school, I'm done with work and just do too much nothing with intent. I have my lists and will try and stay productive.
ReplyDeleteI just feel like I have been complacent and I need to feel like what I am doing is purposeful rather than aimless.
DeleteGreat word of the year! I think we all need a little purpose now after allowing ourselves to more or less drift since March 2019! Oh, and I really like your lists! Please may I adopt your lists?
ReplyDeleteDrift is the perfect word for what I have been doing. I have a rudder and I need to use it right now.
DeleteTake the list, add to it and let me know what I missed on it!
It looks like a very worthy list!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful year full of purpose and other good things
I hope for only the best for all of us!
DeleteGreat idea, these blueprints! Despite being a Pathological Planner, these last seasons of Covid -- coupled with Tom's caregiving -- have me in react mode. So ya, I love the pinball analogy! My favorite take-away? #5 learn something new. I'm looking forward to hearing more!
ReplyDeleteThere is no reason for me to not learn something new each month. I will put it in the monthly accountability post.
DeleteGreat lists and great word. I am with you on needing to do things with purpose. In fact I can relate to several of the items on your lists. I think we can help each other be accountable :)
ReplyDeleteI need to answer to someone else. Lately I have not been a tremendous self motivator!
DeleteRoll Tide again!!I start back to work tomorrow, part time, where I worked full time! I am just thrilled I was able to fly at Christmas and see my grandchild 2000 miles away. I do need to deep clean my house and organize it….ugh, such a mess. Cindy in the South
ReplyDeleteI am not being delusional about deep cleaning, but I need to hit the closets, drawers, and cabinets to do some intense decluttering.
DeleteRoll Tide!
You do live in Tuscaloosa, right?
On weekends I live in Tuscaloosa in what will be my permanent retirement house. It is simply my little weekend house at the moment. I work in south Alabama. Cindy in the South
DeleteGreat goals. Well done. I suspect I will continue to muddle along but you (and others) may shame me into a more active approach to life.
ReplyDeleteI have been too wrapped up in doing little with any sort of purpose. I have to get into some constructive habits.
DeleteThese are great lists! I am plenty busy, but could definitely do with more intention & purpose in my life as well. I'll be following along & cheering you on.
ReplyDeleteYou have no choice to be busy with work and 2 teens!
DeleteThanks for any cheering, I need it to stay motivated!
You're an inspiration to me. I've been sitting here waiting for this damned pandemic to end and truly beyond being there for my adult children, there really hasn't been much purpose in my life. I need a kick in the pants to get moving and while I can't/won't articulate as you have I'll be following along and using some of your ideas and goals as motivation in my own life. Learning something new sounds like a goal I can work towards.
ReplyDeleteAlso, eat a frog - I've never heard that expression before. I sure got a chuckle out of it.
The old adage is that if the worst thing you have to do all day is to eat a frog, then do it early and get it over with. So any frog eating is the most unpleasant thing I have to do all day.
DeleteWow! I envy your lists. I especially like eating one frog a day. Living a life with purpose is a great choice. I should make a list of my own too.
ReplyDeleteI have been floundering without intent. I have to start living with direction. I hate eating the frog each day, but if I do one undesirable task, it should make each week a little easier, or it will at least spread the crap stuff out a little
DeleteI,love the eat one frog a day, how funny. Covid does take the purpose out of life sometimes and it has gone on for so long that it is hard to get on track and stay on track. Actually, where is the track?
ReplyDeleteWhen you find the track please point me in its direction!
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed. You have so many goals to accomplish. I need to make some lists!!!
ReplyDelete