Day of Reflection

Hey! Its our Day of Reflection, a day to honour our own past and future.

So, in honour of today, what do you feel you've accomplished this year, and what do you hope to do in the coming new year?

I was thinking about posting a similar question. Today is the "resolution making day," so to speak. Many people are pulling out their notepads and listing all these things they're gonna do over the next year. Exercise more, weight loss, less credit card use, less video game time... Etc etc

My question was gonna be what small habits do you want to begin. Not resolutions, per se ...

For example, I'm wanting to do a daily project this year. I haven't decided which, and maybe I'll do more than one. I've considered daily sketches, finding something to do daily writing about, etc. Little things. One project I've toyed with for a few years now is a year timelapse video... Finding something that obviously changes and taking a photo of it every day.

So in short, for me, I'm wanting to get into some sort of consistent, creative type of thing. Nothing major, nothing that requires a ton of time. Just the development (...redevelopment?) of a daily creative habit. Things I've noticed I've stopped doing over the last year and want to resume again.

I hope the form of kindness, although awkward it may be, I give to the people within my circle of existence made a difference. In working within mental health, much of my time is spent sharing weighted experiences with people and often, not very often, but often, I tend to lose sight of caring for myself...I have chosen to devote my time to heal others, to raise a family, and to serve here, and often at the end of the day, I just want to simply be for a while. I've taken some note of this a few months back and have shoved, squeezed, and gently forced time for things that just simply are to build my sense of being. I don't want to call them fluff stuff to pass the time, but rather, feel goody stuff that simply can be whatever the day brings. More recently I've picked up chess again (that's been challenging, but really fun), and I'd like to devote some time back into creating...I gave a hand made paper present to each of my clients this year and I thought that was nice too. Maybe I'll finally expose myself to the piano frequently enough to learn how to play it without feeling intimated.

I did a fantastic job this year teaching others to make use of their space, but as of the past few months, it feels nice to remember me and refuel my spiritual cup. Here's to another year of it.

In regards to the making of “resolutions” I think it is a great way to make promises to yourself and others that you never intend on keeping. If you are only willing to make changes “for the new year” they will only last about a month at the most.

I set goals every month and push myself to complete them. Some I hit and some I miss. I also have 6 month and 1 year goals. I’ve hit my 6 month but didn’t get my one year because of finances and poor credit (buying a house). If you set daily, weekly and monthly goals they are easier to commit to and achieve.

For me looking back over this year, this year has sucked and one of the worst years I’ve had in a very long time. But it was also a learning experience, an opportunity to grow and fight through all the bad. I will be honest, it almost ended me. It took me down into the deepest, darkest pit of myself and broke me there. I came back to the Temple as a shattered husk of my former self but thanks to my wonderful wife and the awesome people here, I got through it and getting stronger. Having been in that pit I want to keep training here as Clergy and as a Knight (which I’m hoping to become in 2019) so I can help others who have fallen into that pit and need a light to guide them out of it like what was done for me. That is my past and future look.

May the Force continue to guide us all.

I had to privelege of working yesterday (and today), so I got to spend that "reflection time" in my place of employment - given that it is where I spend most of my time and efforts (whether or not that's how I would like things to be is another matter) I was able to ponder "what was it all for?"

And there were some highlights I suppose - I have probably changed a few peoples lives (that's not as hollow as it sounds, I deal with a lot of young people, often their first jobs and so for better or worse, I am occassionally cast as a mentor (or tormentor, depending on which ones you ask) so it's possible my influence (good or ill) will echo for years to come.

on the other hand, (like a lot of things in small organisations, not unlike this place) some of the "big events" the ones that causes stand-up shouting matches and grudges and high blood pressure and what-have-you fade into nothing, and perspective shows that most (if not all) were a terrible waste of time and energy.

two thousand odd hours (plus travel time) spent on....nothing of consequence at all. Honestly, the time may have been better spent playing video games.

I more or less want the same thing today as I wanted yesterday, which is similiar to what I wanted this time a time a go. The only thing really in debate is at what cost? and (like inflation) it is easy to lose the value of your time by trying to put it in the bank - it simply withers.

Interestingly enough, this year I also achieved the thing that the absence of which has defined me as a person for the greater part of two decades. With that...purpose now removed, I no longer possess any real drive at all. I reached the end game, beat the final boss, collected all the stars, and now I'm just waiting to be found dead in my pool.

I fought cancer and I won.
I found a new job, at which I am reasonably happy. (How happy do you want to be at your job?)
I learned five new kata, despite training through chemo.

I saw who my friends really are. Fortunately, that was basically an easy good. Everyone I expected to be there for me was. Most of the people I expected to evaporate when I needed things did. The surprises were basically all in people who stuck by me when I expected them to cut and run.

It was a hard year, but I think it was a good one. I would like next year to be less hard.

Guess its my turn, eh? ;p

Lets see. 2018 was a hell of a year. I graduated from college, moved to England, and got an awesome job. I also completed my apprenticeship. Been an amazing year, despite its down moments.

So what of the next year? Well, there is quite a bit I want to accomplish. I'm getting upgrades for my lightsaber, so I want to master that alternative style. I'm also joining a group of local lightsaber duellists (been long enough, eh? been focusing on work). Other than that, I hope for many things. Perhaps a supervisor position, or perhaps moving back to the office to help with the administration of the hotel.

May the Force continue to guide us all into the New Year and towards our goals.

My turn.

2018 has been quite a year. To start the year I made a resolution to spiritual and mentally better myself. I found our beloved temple almost exactly a year ago. Completed the IP and learned more about myself then I thought possible. Then begin apprenticeship at a super busy time in my life. Having not got as far as I’d like is my only regret from this past year.

With my home life, all my kids are very healthy and thriving. My oldest is a straight A student at Indiana university medical. My youngest is a wild kindergartener who wasn’t to use his new lightsaber like his daddy does. My first grader is learning to read and reads me a bedtime story every night and my high school sophomore is finding herself and become quite the big deal on the school archery team. My wife is almost done with her masters degree in medical biology and just received a job offer from the largest hospital in Maine to be a medical laboratory scientist. I finished the largest engineering job of my civilian career (3.7 milllion U.S. dollars) and I must have done somthing right because I was offered a repeat performance starting in April. And to top it all off I feel better about myself as a person both spiritually and mentally. Oh and I began construction on our 5 bedroom 4 bathroom dream home on my own 4 acres not far from work and my wifes new upcoming job.

In 2019 I plan to complete my apprenticeship, and seminary training here at the temple. My goal is to turn-in at least one lesson per day between now and April before work begins again. Also found out yesterday that I’m going to be a grandfather! My oldest is pregnant and I’m happy for her. She’s 20 and made it a lot further than I did. I was 17 and a brand new private in the army when she wa born. I wanted her to finish school first but she’s a good student and will finish what she’s started. 2019 has a lot in store for me from being a grandfather to finishing my dream house to starting another big project for work to advancing here in the temple with my new family and friend who are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met,......bring it on 2019

This year has had its ups and downs but in the end, I realized that the only way to be happy is in the true service of others. I am looking forward to the year ahead full of seminary studies and teaching people how to stay out of their head and in action through trueawesomelife.com.

May everyone feel the presence of the Force!
You are loved!

2018 was a wonderful year.

I was able to get a promotion that meant changing my schedule big time, and spending more time with my wife and daughters.

I’ve also been able to speed up my debt repayment slightly, and expect to finally be out of the red by late 2019 (and not 2022 as previously expected).

Spending more time with my wife has brought its own set of challenges, as we’ve had a bit more friction, which was previously avoided by not seeing each other. But that means we’ve also needed to communicate more.

2019 is going to be a year full of challenges and new projects. Bring it on!

For us , last night was wet. Rain and all. We burn our holiday tree night of the turn of the new year. Way to wet to be outside or even burn anything. We place the old year on the tree and light it up with fire. Usually I’m holding it in hand as a symbol to light the new year way with it. This past year was tough on the family. We ask the Force tonstremfjten us this year as a family so guess what happen? We had many opertunity s to be able to express the practice we wish to see. We as a family spent the end and beginning of the year un employed. Fired a few weeks before Christmas and the wife was 9 moths pregnant. To list the things that went on this past year for us would sound like complaining so I won’t.

It wasn’t until the half of the last year we began to work out of the hole we found ourselfs in. We did it ! Togeather ! That doesn’t mean the car didn’t break down 3 times and my little brothers truck needed parts like the starter - water pump - belts - things like that this year that needed done - just quit at random moments. All in all - with a focus of what we chose for this year past - we kept to our resolve and made it! My hope is that we continue to do as we did and learn to leave room for glitches and moments to share more than glare this year.
Here to hope !

Arisaig wrote: what do you feel you've accomplished this year, and what do you hope to do in the coming new year?

2018 started off with several major mistakes that I will never make again. But I do believe those mistakes were essential to me finally finding out exactly what I am capable of. I feel healthier, I finally feel like I'm healing. Isn't it funny, you have to see the end to start letting it all go and get busy healing? The year ended with me jumping into my dream with both feet. I'm finally putting myself out there. Burn the ships.

2019 will build on the positive momentum that 2018 ended with. More poetry, more time with my daughter and best friend, less concern with the things that simply do not matter, and there are so very many of those. If I get the chance to create one of these for 2020, I expect it to be of a similarly excited tone and with fewer BIG mistakes starting it all off! Small mistakes are welcome, but it's time to leave those childish ones behind.

*edit: and yeah, I'd like to begin an apprenticeship once I get through the IP again