This week's commitments

These are really lifetime commitments, but - as with almost every practice that is good for the soul but hard to begin and maintain for whatever reason - it's easier to do them if I/one commit(s) to doing them for a finite period. So, I'm committing to doing the following things this week. And if that feels like too much, then every morning, I'll commit to doing them for just that one day. And then the next. And the next.

Requisite disclaimer: of course: I know this is just boring personal everyday stuff, and I could just write it down in my own private journal, and by putting it out here on the web I'm contributing to that Oprah-inflected TMI-soaked culture of confession and public disclosure that some say is eroding the sturdy American tradition of keeping important things to ourselves, but sorry y'all, it helps me to say this out loud, to make the commitment in public. So if you don't want to read about my daily routines, eating habits, etc. - and honestly, I don't blame you if you don't! - feel free to ignore the following. If you do read it and hear me faltering in my commitments, feel free to give me some constructive coaching. (And if I don't want to hear it, I'll let you know!) Thanks.

Big commitment #1: go to bed earlier and start my days earlier, making/taking time in the morning for daily practices. (Goal: bed by 11pm, waking up by 6:30-7:00am) These practices are:
- Walk dog for a full 20 minutes before spending time @ the park. (Means must allow about 45 min for dog time).
- Read Rumi for about 10 min (while heating water for coffee).
- Meditate for 10-15 min.
- Yoga for 15-30 min. (Re-learn sun salutation and 3-5 other basic poses to do every day).
- Every other day: blog for 10-15 min. (Instead of doing all posts at the end of the day when I'm too tired!).

Big commitment #2: become more conscious of my eating habits and make better choices.
- Eat all meals sitting down at table or in living room, not standing up in the kitchen.
- Related to that: make the time to take all vitamins every day.
- Track breakfast and all food via Weight Watchers.
- Cut out all sweets except dark chocolate (and the remainder of that giant chocolate chip cookie in the fridge).
- Work harder at making vegetables part of my everyday meals. As in, take the extra 10 min to cook the damn vegetables or make the damn salad instead of taking the easy way out by microwaving yet another boca burger and calling it lunch.
- Make food on the weekends that I can take to lunch during the week so I'm not spending a bunch of time and money buying lunches that are probably more fattening than I want to admit.

Big commitment #3: Re-structure my process of working on grants, the DVD project I'm working on, and other deadline-based projects.
- Start project by looking at the end goal and working backwards.
- Start at least a week before I think I need to, because it ALWAYS takes longer than I think it will.
- Break down every project into individual tasks and create a schedule by which to complete each task.
- If someone else is part of the process (boss, editor, etc.) include them from the beginning: don't be afraid to ask questions and ask for assistance if needed - and do this sooner rather than later so that they have a chance to give input without being rushed.
- Leave plenty of time to check, double-check, triple-check everything.

Big commitment #4: Re-start my creative life
- In blog posts and/or journal, write down one writing idea or other creative project idea per day. (Even if I never do any of these it'll get the juices going.)
- Start/sign up for a new class: UCB, Neo-Futurists, or...class on generating new solo work, or documentary film class, or class at UrbanGlass

Big commitment #5: find new service project
- Explore opportunities to work with seniors and youth, either in my physical neighborhood/community or in a community to which I feel a particular connection
- Find the opportunity that most inspires me, even if it doesn't seem like something I would "normally" do
- Commit to a project - maybe start in a small-scale way, assisting with one or two events - and move forward from there.

And that's it - for now.
Ahh. Feels good. To have written that. Now to do it!