Running Dive

Let’s put a little structure to the vision.

In order to achieve a strategy, you have to make progress toward the steps that take you from Point A (where you are now) to Point B (where you want to go).

Looking at my vision, the areas I need to focus on are:

1. EXERCISE
2. EATING
3. RELOCATION
4. FINANCE
5. MEANING
6. MINDSET

All my posts and all my efforts are going to fall into these categories.

Focus 1: Exercise

Step 1a: Start by doing situps every day, at a very minimum.

Step 1b: restart my karate training, in Vancouver. Those two things by themselves should give me the impetus to take my physical health and exercise level up a notch or two.

Focus 2: Eating

I am your classic Expense Account eater, which means I spend a lot of time wining and dining others. That can be VERY BAD FOR YOU, because it means a steady diet of expensive food in large quantities along with a lot of drinks. And I wonder why my waistline’s expanded by two inches.

Step 2a: my Vancouver pad will have nothing but organics in the fridge and pantry. That should be a relatively easy step. As far as saying NO to big meals, that’s super-challenging when I’m starved. Getting my metabolism up and burning off the extra calories will help.

Step 2b: Gotta figure out how to eat so that I’m not feeling starved all the time and yet not losing muscle mass from starving myself.

Step 2c: Drink a lot more water. That’s not hard. Every day is Bring Your Aluminum Bottle to Work Day!

Focus 3: Relocation (on hold)

I can say right now that Relocation is not in the immediate future. I’m reloing to Vancouver next month but that’s not a move toward a sunnier locale! But, it will provide me with the career and financial inertia to one day move somewhere warm. So let’s ignore Relocation for now.

Focus 4: Finance

Time to get in touch with my inner accountant. To be honest, nothing bores me more than money. God, who cares?!? Maximizing every penny for the best long-term gain? What a collosal waste of time. Yet financial security is perhaps my wife’s #1 focus and priority. So it’ll have to become mine as well.

Step 4a: sign up for Mint.com and enter all my expenses.

Step 4b: stay on top of taxes.

Step 4c: stay on top of expense reports. I lose money at every company because of this. Such a waste.

Step 4d: make it a ritual to check my account balances and cut extraneous costs on a weekly basis.

Focus 5: Meaning

How do I have a life with meaning? By doing things to give back, that’s how.

Step 5a: expand efforts to help the homeless. This past year, I’ve joined an End Homelessness coalition and attended meetings to learn more about the realities of homelessness. My wife and I have done cooking for the homeless, which has felt great. We even donated a car to help one hurting family out. Time to do more.

Step 5b: expand knowledge of renewable eenrgy. I’ve been a member of renewable energy groups in Seattle, now it’s time to connect with like minds in Vancouver. I think working with both Puget Sound Energy and BC Hydro will help further my learning in these areas a lot. And working on these brands will really help me feel like my work has meaning.

Focus 6: Mindset

Saved the hardest for last. I have GOT to become less negative and let go of my worries that others will negatively impact me (or my family) through their own issues. I’ve got to understand where all this anger comes from and learn how to process it.

Step 6a: continue hypnotherapy and counseling. This has been a huge help for me, but it’s also like dredging up the silt in a seriously polluted river. All sorts of toxins have been brought to the surface—but at least, they can flow out to sea once they’ve been dredged. Lisa has been a HUGE help.

Step 6b: practice letting go of anger. This is tough. Particularly when the number of idiots cutting me off in traffic (or pulling out in front of me) (or pedestrians selfishly stopping traffic because they can) seems to mushroom. Some days it seems the ENTIRE WORLD IS POPULATED BY THE SELFISH, THE STUPID and THE LAME. Yet right there, that’s incredibly judgmental and self-focused, right? See what I mean?

I have GOT to adjust this mindset or I’m going to die of a heart attack or aneurysm at age 50. And THAT will be my legacy. Whoo fucking hoo.

Step 6c: get positive. My default setting, since I was a kid, was always positive. Until now. Marital and work-related betrayals have made me incredibly bitter and angry. Without step 6a, I’d say this would be impossible. But counseling will help a ton. I just have to force myself to see the positive in everything. NOW, DAMNIT! ;)

More later. Time to get ready for a barbecue. Here at the house!