Category: resolutions

Resistance, Distraction, Unbearable, Oh My

Resistance is in full swing here this winter. Coming out of this one is going to be like wrestling with spaghetti: messy. “Doing” was a good idea, but doesn’t look like one that’s going to get a lot of traction. 

Apples on Cloth, Watercolor,  9×10 @Dora Sislian Themelis

Goals? Resolutions? Doing? All a distraction from actually working on anything.

It’s the end of January already. Is this what the year ahead is going to look like? If so, it’s going to be a rough ride. Better buckle up.

Ground hogs, bears, and all manner of beast that hibernate through the winter have the right idea. Let’s just sleep through the whole thing, and wake up when the sun is high in the sky making the weather bearable. I have had enough of winter.

However, Mr. Resistance likes to visit in nice weather, too.

Like I said, better buckle up. Mr. Resistance is very chummy with his good friend Mr. Distraction, and they like to get together often, it seems.

I am going to need ammunition, tools, plans. 

Doing, to Move On

In this new year of goals and objectives, I may be changing it up some. Maybe not completely. Not in my work, but in my approach to work. 

In earlier posts I told you how I don’t do resolutions. I feel better about meeting a goal, but I ran across something someone else wrote and it changed my thinking. That person discussed setting aside resolutions, goals, etc, for Doing. 
“Doing” makes sense.

In Progress Work ©Dora Sislian Themelis

Now, I could be a big Not Doing person when I’m on a roll. I’m sure you must have guessed that by now, how I let Mr. Resistance take up residence here and mess up my mojo.

It’s been a dilemma lately. My flow gets disrupted by whatever and I’m doomed.

So, when I read that Doing might be better than a goal it felt right. Doing, instead of Goals. Doing connotes Action in my mind. Maybe Action is also a good word.

In that context, here is my first “Action” in this year of “Doing”. I may have decided I can no longer continue on this watercolor painting I stopped working when the hurricane hit Long Island. It’s a possibility that I’ve been holding off because, in my mind, it’s done.

Although, if I look at it too much longer I might want to add some brush strokes, but then again, maybe I’m over it.

Doing has to also mean Move On.

A New Year

The new year has begun. The excitement of Christmas has passed. The baking, cooking, wrapping, decorating, celebrating, all finished. The anticipation of the new year’s start is over, as well as the very first day of 2013. Hopes and wishes for good health and happiness extended to family and friends.

I’m not one to make resolutions like many people like to do at the new year. However, I do enjoy making lists of goals to accomplish.

A New Year  ©Dora Sislian Themelis

Resolutions.

The word feels like a defeat from the start. We resolve to…something. As if we were delinquent, not up to par, and we need to get a slap on the wrist by resolving our bad behavior?

I’ll pass on the resolution to be a better person thing.

I want to DO better. Meet a challenge. Cross items off a list. Feel a sense of accomplishment.

Goals are upward moving. So I’m making a list of goals to meet in the year ahead. The list evolves as I move along in time. Here’s a start:

  • Walk every day
  • Start, and finish things
  • Schedule each day and block out hours of activity
  • Make better use of computer: web site, email list, contacts, etc
  • Continue working on art making
  • Participate in more events to show my work
  • Relax
  • Connect, network, smile
  • Expect abundance and be grateful

It’s a beginning. As I said, the list can, and will, change.

Last year, some goals I planned to meet ended up being abandoned. Others I decided not to act on at all. A few I met with flying colors.

I have no expectations other than to review the list each day, each week, each month, and revise, cut, add, change.

Things are going well so far. Today I walked.

It’s a start.

A New Year Ahead Without Resolving Anything

I apologize, once more, for the delay in posting here. It’s been a rough few weeks of holidays and it isn’t over yet. Soon, soon.

And so what about resolutions for the new year? Who is and who isn’t doing them? I can tell you that I’m opting out. No resolutions for me. Why? Because I never do them. Everyone wants to lose weight, exercise more, be a better person, and on. I could try to do so many things and fall flat a month from now so I’m not going to bother thinking about it.

The one thing I will do is break my day into 15 to 20 minutes chunks of time. As this past year has shown me, I can do anything for 15 minutes. Whether it’s organizing/cleaning my space, painting, or some other activity, I can slowly get something done and finished if I make tiny goals. The huge to-do list will be tackled that way. One thing at a time and in small bites.

Last year I read Walking in This World, by Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way. I loved every minute of reading the latter, never walked with the former, which I had hoped would become a habit. Nope! Didn’t happen. So forget it. If I start walking it will be a miracle. And I would have to wake up at 5A.M. to get everything in before my granddaughter comes for the day. I read somewhere that I could walk out of my house for 7 minutes and return, making the trip 15 minutes of walking. I can’t get to do that either. I know, I’m a slug. I own the next installment of this series of anti-resistance courses so let’s see where that goes.

Same thing with painting, but I think I need to move on past the 20 minutes I had allotted myself. Maybe I can try it on a larger work? Ugh, I don’t even want to think about it. Twenty minutes was working out well and maybe I will just keep it just like that.

If I can cross off some things from the to-do list once a month I’ll be thrilled. Small goals, one at a time should become my mantra.

Like posting here on the blog. I have so much to put out here, but by the time I have time I realize I didn’t take photos, forgot my thoughts, I’m too tired to type or think. But if I could be awake for 15 minutes, maybe something can show itself here.

As far as being a better person? I think I’m the best I’m going to be right now. Maybe when I grow up I’ll decide to be someone else, but for now you’re stuck with me.