Three hundred and sixty-fifth day

Last day of the year!!!

I've written this blog post a couple times already.
My first thought was that 2017 wasn't a good year. 
I can think of not good things that happened this year, but honestly, there were some good things as well.
I found a dentist I like and we're almost done with my first tooth implant.
I said 'yes' to going out with people a few more times than I normally would have and enjoyed myself.
I've learned a LOT about the bare bones of me - the more I strip down, the more layers I've discovered.  I had the luxury this year of the time to be stripped down.  I appreciate it.

I wrote in yesterday's post about my struggles in 2017, but overall, many things are good and I'm grateful. I have a home, a job, a family, friends, and my health.  I haven't done as much to EARN these things as they're worth, but I am smart enough to know how lucky it is I have them and to be grateful for them.
I hope I can repay some of that luck I have by working hard and being a supportive friend and family member.

I will say, this is the least active I've been in my life.  I'm not an active person by nature, but I've taken it to new heights this year.  My favorite place to be is in bed. 
I'll make more of an effort to be active in 2018.
The bar is pretty low if the only goal is to be more active than 2017.  HA!

I don't think I accomplished my goals in 2017.  The big question is why?
I'm easily distracted, take the easy way out, I procrastinate, and maybe deep down, I don't see any great benefit?

I need to counteract those natural instincts for 2018.
My plan this year is checklists.  I love checklists.
It's very satisfying when I can mark something off the checklist.
The key to a successful checklist (I learned while preparing for Christmas this year) is to look at it often. 
These are all things I've CHOSEN to do, so accomplishing any one of them should make me happy.

My focus in 2018 will be CHOOSE TO CHECK!
I am choosing things to check off my list of things to do.
Even if they're not 'fun' things - getting the items checked off the list will make me feel productive, satisfied, or responsible.

Who am I responsible to?  Myself, my family, my friends, my work, my city, my county, my state, my country, my world.

Okay...I didn't think I'd come up with a 2018 focus in this blog post, but it popped into my head (as these things often do).  My focus isn't to be better, read more, save money, minimalize more, cook more, exercise more, etc.  Those are things I've focused on in the past and nothing was accomplished. This year my focus is on a TECHNIQUE that I hope will help me accomplish all those things naturally.  It's not that I've never WANTED to do those things.  I never knew HOW to do those things. 
Maybe this year I've hit upon something.

I'm always very optimistic at the beginning of the New Year! :)



On my checklist of things to do today I'm looking for a good checklist app.  It has to be available on my iPhone and iPad because I can easily check them throughout the day.  In the last couple weeks I've been using my NOTES app. It's worked well because it's so basic.  But, I wouldn't mind a day to day checklist app. 
Enough rambling for now.
Thank you 2017 - you gave me the space to gain insight into myself.  Thank you.

And 2018?  It's the year I...