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.
Recently I wrote about my software and services that I pay for to create with. This was an eye-opening post at all the money spent going into these services. After analyzing some options and costs, I’ve decided to post an update for myself reminding me why and how I choose services going forward.
Adobe Photography Plan- I’ve been using Adobe products for 15 years and hated it when they switched to subscription model. A lot of value here for $10 monthly. Plus, they host my photography website. Is it possible to do without it? Yes. I have made software purchases ahead of leaving Adobe, but…it’s a tough one. I have canceled my Adobe plan in favor of the one time purchase of Pixelmator Pro. This software is compatible with all of my devices and ties into Apple Photos. This means my photography website, once hosted on Adobe Portfolio is now moving over to WordPress. $120 annually in savings.
WordPress- My website host for the past 19 years. They’ve been outstanding but lately quite proud of their offerings and the subscription costs jump as a result. This is why I’ve been looking at Micro.blog as an alternative. $80 annually. This past weekend I created a self-hosting option from WordPress to shave that cost in half. This ended in disaster. Nothing worked right from the installation into my server, all the way to the basic coding scripts. Multiple errors and frustrations. The hosted (costlier) version of this website stays. WordPress have made their hosted version foolproof and therefore worth it to me to stick with them.
Feedbin- Consider it to be a podcast player, but for blogs, YouTube videos, newsletters and more. There are other feed readers out there for a hell of a lot less but FeedBin checks all the right boxes, and it has been great, but $50 a year with no software improvements? Why? Subscription ends in February and I will not renew in favor of a one time purchase called Reader. Compatible with all devices. $50 annually in savings.
Micro.blog- I was looking for alternative blog hosts such as Ghost.org or Micro.blog. Both have amazing features but I cannot see the difference from where I am at now.
Ulysses- One of the best software tools around for writers. $50 annually versus the one time paid app I also have called iA Writer. I’m typing this up with it now. Subscription renewed in November. Status is: will not renew Ulysses. $50 annually in savings.
I’m coming out of a gorgeous winter weekend filled with disc golf and geocaching.
I’ve only played disc golf a few times but it is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I’ve been geocaching for over ten years and it just keeps getting better.
This year I set myself the target of writing 100 posts for this website. This post makes up #35 and it is still January.
It is difficult to find the motivation to start when all of my ideas seem terrible all of a sudden. So I will keep reading, keep creating and maybe I’ll post something interesting along the way.
Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. 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.
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.
When you are a young person, you are like a young creek, and you meet many rocks, many obstacles and difficulties on your way. You hurry to get past these obstacles and get to the ocean. But as the creek moves down through the fields, it becomes larges and calmer and it can enjoy the reflection of the sky. It’s wonderful. You will arrive at the sea anyway so enjoy the journey. Enjoy the sunshine, the sunset, the moon, the birds, the trees, and the many beauties along the way. Taste every moment of your daily life.
Chris Denbow [.com] 