This is the second stop of my 11th month journey to create life-long habits for myself. The full write up on this is now hosted in the Archives. I’ll be taking this year-long trek up to December 12th (12/12) and will stop and reflect on my progress each month until then. These will be known as monthly waypoints. A waypoint is a reference point that helps us know where we are and where we’re going. Whether we are walking, driving, or navigating a journey to better yourself, waypoints help us find our way. So how am I doing so far? Nutrition & Training Horrible month of nutrition. I probably had a few home cooked meals but mostly have dined out. Disgusting. Prices have gone up, salt intake has gone up. Disappointing. Enough of this convenience, it is pathetic. I am still eating out more than I like because it is too convenient. Dropping the idea of paleo and keto diet and want to integrate more fruits and vegetables so Mediterranean diet. Training? Could have been better. I have been desk-bound trying to wrap up our work contract the past few weeks. Now that this is over, I can focus on myself for awhile and I am going to do just that. More gym combined with spring time outdoor exercise and workouts at home with Apple Fitness+. I threw out all of the tobacco pipe paraphernalia and tobacco. I was solid for two weeks until we found a stash of more and well, we couldn’t let it go to waste, right? After that, I purchased another pipe, more tobacco and here I am. I didn’t appreciate what addiction can do until then. Now I can sympathize with others. Total pounds lost this last month: Five. Pounds regained: 3. Yoga & Meditation My body is sore from yoga and even a few pilates exercises. Don’t let anyone think less of you for practicing these. You use muscles that you forgot you had in every session. I enjoy yoga and plan on deepening these sessions. On meditation, I have realized it can be done anywhere at anytime there is even a free minute. This makes me happy and gives me zero excuses to not focus and relax. It can be pure joy to take a moment and just breathe. Now that I have some time to myself I can do more of this. I can relax, breathe and turn my brain off for a few moments throughout the day. Photography & Writing No change to either of these, again due to work stresses. So, I will simply cut/paste from the previous month as it still applies: Other than ”snappy hour” every day before sunset, I have not photographed anything I wanted to. Again, the extreme weather is not helping. That will change, even if I have to do tech stuff laying around the office and call it ”still life.” Regarding my two decades worth of unorganized images: progress. I will get the archives organized this year. Only then can I advance in what I really want to do with them. I intend to make memories by developing physical prints, books, and even zines. I’ve also switched up my genres to focus on landscape and urban photography. A lot to learn here this year. Writing? I’ve made a decision to do more blogging/journaling both analog and digital this past month. Blogging was hampered while consolidating my websites and moving them to my own server. Also, I’ve been reading, a lot. Two books in about seven days. Writers are readers so they say. One Last Thing: Now that spring time has arrived I plan on being outdoors more frequently and this makes me happy. More hiking, geocaching, photography, disc golf, and aero photos. Time to get back on the trail because I have a long way to go. The next waypoint check in is on 5/5. Happy trails.
Category: Journey
The Journey Begins
Today is the day! February 2nd is the annual, eleven month trek to better myself. Nutrition and fitness are the priority followed along with improving on my hobbies.
I’ll check in at various waypoints through the year. The first waypoint is on March 3rd. Down the road will be the 4/4 waypoint, etc.
The Keto diet is in effect today. No added sugars, mostly meat. I tried this before with great results and I am eager to see it again. Already my body is feeling lethargic and craving that sugar. Like most journeys, the first steps are always uphill. I hope it levels out soon.
The Journey Changes You
Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable.
Anonymous
Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But
that’s OK. The journey changes you; it should change
you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your
consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You
take something with you. Hopefully, you leave
something good behind.
The 11-Month Journey in 2022
It’s almost that time of year again! The 14th annual intent at creating life-long habits for myself (formerly known as Ground Hog Resolution Day). I’ve discovered that because of the after the end-of-year holidays, I am not mentally or physically capable of sticking with resolutions for the upcoming new year. (Truth be told, I was failing at this for the rest of the year too.) The idea was to take January as a break, so I could reflect and plan. And I have given a lot of consideration to dropping the Groundhog Resolutions altogether to come up with a more do-able plan.
I’ll be taking this year-long trek up to December 12th (12/12) and will stop and reflect on my progress each month until then. These will be known as monthly waypoints. A waypoint is a reference point that helps us know where we are and where we’re going. Whether we are walking, driving, or navigating a journey to better yourself, waypoints help us find our way.
On 2/2 I will start at the trailhead of this journey to the first waypoint check-in on March 3rd (3/3). The next waypoints will be on 4/4, 5/5 to the end of the trail on December 12 (12/12.)
Since this will be a long trail, I need to pack light. The previous years have been weighed down and overburdened with too many goals and habits, and then failing at most of them. Time to lighten the load and focus on the essentials.
Nutrition & Training
This is priority one. I am not at my heaviest, but it feels like it. I feel it daily, and I don’t like it. This means I have to focus on my nutrition first. Eating out almost daily for lunch and then sitting at my desk during the workweek is hurting me. I’ll need a lot of help with this one. There are too many temptations out there for me. But I want and need to eat cleaner. This means I will be cutting out most sugar and hopping back on the Keto diet.
Next up is training. There are numerous activities I am interested in to help my goal of dropping those forty pounds. Health calculators project 24 months to safely lose 40 pounds. I’ll do my damndest to knock at least half of that off before journey’s end. Strength training will help burn off some fat and regain some muscle definition.
Let’s throw in some other issues like smoking and drinking. Once the tobacco runs out, I will clean out the pipe and store it. Alcohol intake has been limited, and I will do even more than that. Beer has carbs, and the keto diet hates carbs. Maybe some whiskey every two weeks at the pub will suffice. We all want some small vice, don’t we? I’ll start to wean off the diet soda, too. Enough is enough.
Yoga & Meditation
I have participated in a few group yoga practices, and it was lacking. I find yoga to be a personal endeavor as I try to relax and concentrate on what I am doing. A guru just gets in the way instead of guiding. I’ve subscribed to a fitness app that provides guidance and can be silenced as I work out.
On meditation, I have realized it can be done anywhere at anytime there is even a free minute. This makes me happy and gives me zero excuses to not focus and relax.
Photography & Writing
Here we go again- the annual intention to enjoy my hobbies properly. Regarding my two decades worth of unorganized images: progress. I will get the archives organized this year. Only then can I advance in what I really want to do with them. I intend to make memories by developing physical prints, books, and even zines. I’ve also switched up my genres to focus on landscape and urban photography. A lot to learn here this year.
Regarding my writing? It seems I enjoy writing about my intentions rather than just writing the damn things themselves. No more. I am hoping a clear mind and a healing body this year will assist in putting words down.
Journey Prep
I need to find ways to quantify and track these individual goals that makes sense to me, both analog and digital. This year, I am not adding or subtracting to these intentions. I am taking all of these on this year-long journey, and I am not leaving anything behind. I am positive, I am optimistic, and I want these changes, hell, I need these changes to happen.
I’m starting at the trail head on February 2nd and not stopping until December 12 with these goals accomplished.