January 16*
(*the amount of friction I have removed from writing here more by simply titling these with the date is huge. “Thinking up a title” can sometimes just stop me in my tracks entirely.)
Pretty things. I set myself up with some pretty things at the start of this year. “Beautiful tools make work a joy.” I purchased a planner with a tiger pattern that reminds me of the riotous jewel-toned decor in our Amsterdam hotel from this past summer.
As I hung up this year’s Este MacLeod calendar, I took down last year’s (and chuckled because I had just chosen this one after perusing a bunch and only later realized I had bought the same artist’s calendar . . . I guess I like what I like). I pulled the 2023 calendar’s pages apart, then super glued them together to make a reversible desk pad. I took it to the FedEx shop and had it laminated for $20, and voila!
I also got a small faux-suede covered French memo board to hang up in the narrow strip of wall next to my computer, where I had been taping papers. Now I can pin them! I am resisting turning my bedroom into an office entirely, but this was pretty enough that I thought it would not scream OFFICE! THIS CORNER OF THE ROOM IS AN OFFICE! WORKY WORK WORK!
Habits and Happiness. In 2009, my happiness guru Gretchen Rubin did a yearlong experiment she called “The Happiness Project.” Each month had a theme (“Energy,” “Work,” “Play”), and she tackled each theme by taking practical, measurable steps towards doing more things that make her feel good and fewer things that make her feel bad (which she says is the more important of the two). On the fifteenth anniversary of the project, she’s doing it again and leading a bunch of readers through the journey with her – including yours truly. These are the themes:
- January: Laying the Foundation
- February: Energy
- March: Organization
- April: Friendship
- May: Play
- June: Family
- July: Creativity
- August: Love
- September: Work
- October: Mindful Investment
- November: Meaning
- December: Onward
She also encourages everyone to choose a word for the year, which I have done. My word is “TEMPLE,” and besides taking an inordinately long time to do a very basic drawing of a temple in my handbook for this course, I have also saved a bunch of pictures of temples off the internet and have my work desktop background rotating through them every hour. It’s the little things.
And that’s precisely what Gretchen Rubin is all about, really. Her phrase is “you can change your life without changing your life” – in other words, you generally don’t need a giant upheaval to improve your happiness. Little changes, small habits, tiny boosts can do quite a bit.
Why TEMPLE? I thought you’d never ask!
- My body is a temple: There are a couple of long-standing problems with my flesh prison that I’ve decided I must fix, they can’t wait anymore. If I’m lucky, at 45 I’m only about halfway through this thing and certain parts of me hurt way too much way too often. These include: (1) sciatica, a sore left foot, and left-side IT band issues, all arising from nerve issues out of breaking my back in 2011; (2) digestive issues that lead to a distended belly and low vitamin absorption; and (3) joint weakness that keeps me from lifting as heavy as I want to in my strength training. By declaring 2024 the year of the temple, I am giving myself permission to invest time and money into fixing these problems so I’m hearty and strong for years to come.
- Between my two temples is a brain. It races a lot, and spins and spirals in anxiety. I’m doing a lot better after a few years of meds and therapy, but can always improve more. I want to feel panicked way less often than I do!
- I go to a temple weekly for spiritual wholeness. I am a church Elder this year – was just ordained – and I going to post my “faith journey” in a separate post. I am finding that a big way to support that second bullet point (reducing anxiety) is to increase the amount of quiet, contemplative moments in the day. Meditation, praying the Divine Hours, and using the Apple Watch Mindfulness app to remind and support mindful moments is increasing my happiness already.
- Buildings. I really want to see some actual temples after studying Latin from age 12-22 and seeing so many pictures of ancient Italy. The trip may not occur in 2024 but I have promised myself that I would plan a trip to Pompeii, Rome, Naples this year. It’s been almost 35 years of daydreaming a trip like this – no time like the present!
It’s sleeting outside – a quick turn in the weather has led to some unusually cold and wintry conditions. The dogs are snoozing on the couches, our gas fireplace is warming up the house, the Mardi Gras decorations sparkle on the mantel, the coffee is warm in my cup. Happy Tuesday.
