Improvement
August 16, 2019
The last couple weeks have had a definite theme for me of improvement. My company hosted a guest speaker to discuss better control of one’s life and how to make incremental improvements. I also have been debating with some career decisions and the necessary improvements I would have to make to pursue those. Happily, I had a week off in the ever-beautiful Hawaii to weigh these thoughts.
I have seen some traits recently in others that I see in myself. These are not traits I’m particularly fond of, but I have never tried to improve either. I think sometimes exterior perspective is necessary for these types of things to really sink in. I don’t feel the need to name them here, but I’m going to be mindful about making these changes, these improvements, over the next few weeks.
With a great deal of irony, I think one improvement I need to work on is contentment. I tend to try for improvement furiously. Not necessarily because I want to, but because I fear the consequences if I don’t. There is no peak to this mountain and that is dangerous. I need to be more focused on achievable and productive goals.
To this end, the improvements I will be seeking are not to learn a new framework or start another project. They will also not be work problems. To the contrary, I will be working towards separating my self-worth from my career knowledge and aptitude. If I look objectively, I am performing well on that front, but have been letting other areas suffer. The pursuit of one goal has been at the center of my life for close to 2 years now. But it isn’t the only thing I want out of my life and there is no way to make more time. I will have to shift my priorities meaningfully and intentionally if I want to see change.
This week I will be working on being marginally more healthy in body. I think this is a key to making mental changes. Maslow was onto something. I never feel capable of change when my body’s needs aren’t taken care of thoroughly. I will be eating better and going on walks/runs to get some energy out and hopefully improve my sleep quality as a result.
Once I feel I have made improvements on this front, I will move onto whatever feels most important from there.
This should be a fun journey.
