It usually happens around December 5th. Something in my brain clicks over and I start to defer every thing I need to do to ‘next year’.
Even though I’ve got weeks left in this year… my brain has thrown in the towel.
Don’t pretend that you don’t know how it feels. It feels like there’s no reason to invest in big change. No reason to start something new. No reason to even do some of those little things that I’ve been putting off for most of the year.
I’ve pretty much decided that 2015 is over.
Which is a little crazy.
December is a weird month
I usually end up spending a big chunk of December back on the homestead (in good ole Winnipeg, Manitoba). It’s great to see friends and family, but it’s always weird to be tossed out of my routine for a few weeks. It’s a new place, it’s harder to get work done, there are so many events related to the holidays, so many people to see. It’s easy to decide any personal progress must wait!
There are just a lot of distractions in December.
But riddle me this…
Are those distractions really the reason I’m not doing any work or have I just decided that I don’t want to?
There are some December distractions that only happen once a year and I’m so grateful for them. Coffee with friends I barely see, moments with family, and even a few real minutes of the kind of absolute rest that everyone deserves after a long year.
But if I’m honest with myself, there’s still a lot of time that I spend wasting and making excuses. So here’s what I’m thinking…
What if I didn’t wait to till January to get started?
I dream all December of the hyper productivity that the month of January will be. I will be better, different, perhaps even awesome. I spend most of the month building lofty expectations, tack on a few resolutions at the end and then jump into the month so lethargic and weighted down by ridiculous goals that I’m instantly overwhelmed.
It’s inertia my friends.
An object at rest (December Chris) will not immediately become an awesome ball of change, just because the calendar flipped over. #Science
So this year I’m going to try something different.
My head has been bouncing around lots of idea of things I want to do in the New Year, and instead of waiting, I’m going to pick a few of them (it is Christmas after all… a few is enough) and get started right now.
#1: I’m going to chase the dream of inbox zero
My friend Cait who blogs over at Blonde on a Budget (awesome blog… you should read it) mentioned the idea of inbox zero in her last post (if you’re not sure what it is, it’s really well explained HERE.)
For an organizational disaster case like me it’s a wonderful, and seemingly unattainable goal. One of my big hopes for 2016 is that I can get my records and general life into a bit more of an adult structure. So here’s one of the biggest things I’m going to try to do in the few weeks left in 2015…
There are around 10,000 unsorted emails in my inbox right now. Ya… it’s gotten a bit out of hand. If I can get my inbox cleared out and sorted, I’ll be ready to actually achieve and maintain inbox zero in the new year.
This is one of the biggest jobs I’ve set myself for the rest of 2015, but I think I can do it. GOOO CHRIS!
#2: I’m going to work on my un-resolutions
This one was also inspired by another favourite bloggers, Regina over at www.byregina.com sent an email out a few weeks ago challenging here readers to think about what they’d like to ‘un-resolve’.
I have so many lists of goals. I made a list just a few months ago that I actually called “my super unrealistic list of goals for 2015”… and they’re insane. I have achieved one of them, and it was by accident. That list was not great for my morale.
Goals are great, and I’m not going to stop making lists, but when you get 100 items deep, you know what goals become? Weights tied around your neck. And every day in which I don’t somehow achieve all of them, is another day that I have objectively failed at life (there’s a little artistic dramaticism for you).
So before I jump into new years resolutions, I’m going to start un-resolving a bunch of stuff. I’m going to go through those lists and start stroking off items that are just stressing me out.
A clean slate in 2016 can’t happen if I don’t actually clean the slate.
#3: I’m going to delete a ton of stuff off my phone
For the last six months I daily get a reminder from my phone that the I have no storage left. When I want to take a picture I need to delete a podcast. 6 MONTHS PEOPLE. I’ve somehow decided that it’s okay for my life to be this way.
No more.
Things need to be deleted. I have over a 100 podcasts downloaded and ready to be listened to. I’m not going to listen to all those podcasts, and I don’t need to have them all prepared, ready to go at any time.
Does this affect my finances or my business? Um… I’m going to say yes, because it’s really annoying.
My phone will be free. This is the definition of the least I can do! #andtheexpectationsbegin
#4: I’m gonna build some awesome finance stuff for all y’all
It’s been almost a year since I started talking artists and finance, and I’ve got to say I’m having a blast.
After a whole year, I’m more convinced than ever that we have to blow up the conversation about money in the arts, and I’m so excited to try out some new ways of doing just that come 2016.
But I’m not going to wait either.
I’m working on a course for January that I’m super pumped about. I’m pretty sure it’s something that will help people who have maximum stress around money start to realize how it can be used as an awesome tool for their awesome artistic lives.
If you are a person who wants to change their money habits, but really has no idea how to get started (or you know someone like that) stay tuned, because this course is definitely for you!
#5: I’m going to connect to my base
I love being home. Being near the farm grounds me. Being around family and old friends grounds me. But sometimes I get so concerned about all the things I ‘should’ be doing that I don’t really let myself take advantage of it all.
It’s a huge advantage to be home, with the time and flexibility to spend a ton of quality time with the people I love.
In the few weeks left to 2015 I want to take in all that love so that I’m ready to hit the ground running when the calendar does finally flip over.
Real rest.
Because it’s going to be a great year… and I’m not going to wait to get started!
What if you didn’t wait until January? How could you get the ball rolling for 2016? What would make your New Year’s resolutions way more possible if it were done before the 1st?!
