1-2-3 Sundays: Christmas Shopping, Music and Frosty Mornings
1 Theme
Reflection And Planning
One of my favourite parts of December is the opportunity to reflect on the year.
These 4 simple questions make up the basis of my end-of-year review:
- What went well?
- What didn't go to plan?
- What have I learned?
- Where could I improve?
It's also helpful to find any goals you wrote down at the start of the year and see if you accomplished them or moved closer to them. Also, think of your progression as a person. How have you changed?
Reflection is the first step in the process. Planning for the year ahead is the next.
An important point to decide is whether you want to hit the ground running at the start of January or flap without a clue where to start.
I find the natural break over the holiday period the best time to figure this out.
Start by writing down where you want to be this time next year. Then break it down further into quarters, months and weeks. What do you have to do each week to get you closer to the person you want to be?
Making a plan is great however sticking to the plan is the biggest commitment.
2 Positive Outcomes
Focusing On The Controllables
The cold weather this week forced me to adapt my training.
I opted to run on the treadmill as I didn't want to take the risk of running in frosty and icy conditions and ending up with a serious injury.
It might not have been ideal but choosing to still run was in my control. It would've been easier to not run as I don't like the treadmill.
Instead, I told myself it was a learning opportunity for me to learn how to deal with the mundaneness of the treadmill.
We can't control the weather but we can control how we react.
Christmas Shopping
I don't even hate it.
The mindset I have is just to be decisive with what gifts to get and finish it. So often I say/hear "I don't know what to get someone" or when asked, "I don't mind".
The reality is I'm not thinking hard enough and I simply need to give it 5-10 minutes of thought.
Anyway, I'm finished and all set for next week.
3 Things I've Learned
The Best Music For Concentration (IMO)
I've been curating a playlist of YouTube mixes to listen to while working.
Most are house/techno because that's what helps me get into the flow state.
I'm always looking to add to the playlist so hit me up with some recommendations.
Cold + Sun = Beautiful
I love it when the sun comes out.
Especially on a cold, frosty morning.
Those days are special because they represent opposites and aren't often associated.
You get the chance to appreciate the sun on your skin.
Bullet Journaling
This is something I've been trying for the last couple of months after watching this video and then this one.
I wanted to see if there was a better way of organising my daily and monthly tasks in a mindful way. I have tried structured journals before however I often find myself wandering from them.
By the end of the year, I'll have completed 3 months. I'm going to share my experiences so if you're interested in this then let me know.
Without going into too much detail, it serves more as a mindfulness tool than specific planning. It's way less formal than using Google Calendar and a journal with prompts. Instead, you can create your own prompts if that's what you choose to include.
The main benefit for me is it's easy to do and doesn't take up lots of time.
Plus, it's satisfying to write everything out by hand.
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