What I've Been "Do"ing

This year is already nearly a quarter over and I realized that I hadn't updated on my one word. I chose "do" as my word to shape 2012, and it's been interesting to keep that in mind as I go about my days.

I would say that thus far, I have had mixed results.

In the arena of personal health, I got back to running. I kind of slacked off during the first part of the school year, only getting out on the rare occasion to put feet to the pavement. I joined a local fitness center so that my whining about outside conditions can be thwarted as soon as they pop into my brain.

I have not been nearly as justice minded as I feel that I should be. There are places where I need to become more personally involved. Donating money is good, but I feel like I need to be getting my hands in the mix a bit more. This is an area that could use significant improvement and I'll be tackling it a bit more aggressively in the coming months.

As far as writing goes, I feel as though I've been making some good choices. I've been posting a bit less than last year, but I've also been trying to be more pointed with my writing. In addition to the blog, I've also been working on some other projects that I'm excited about and I hope to be sharing more about that in the coming weeks. (By the way, don't forget about the Not Afraid book - submissions are due this Friday!)

Musically, this has been a very interesting year. I followed up with an opportunity recently that presented itself, so in that regard I feel as though I followed through with my desire to "do" this year, however, I ultimately turned it down. This leaves me feeling a bit conflicted. There's no question in my mind that I made the correct decision, however it feels a bit like a failure to "do." On the other hand, doing just for the sake of doing does not seem to be in the spirit of the one word.

With regard to making some virtual connections more human, this hasn't happened yet, but it's very close. Next month is the Sacred Friendship Gathering, and I'm very much looking forward to meeting several folks out there. If you're in the Chicago area during the last weekend in April, let me know and we'll see what we can work out. And of course, be sure to check out the conference. I recently got a look at the itinerary for the weekend and it's going to be an amazing time. I'm also working on a trip to visit some friends in the Ohio area. So while that hasn't happened yet, it's in the works.

As I said, mixed results.

It can be easy to look at the areas where I have yet to really apply my one word and obsess about them. But I need to remind myself that "obsess" was not my one word, and continue to do where I have begun and look for ways to do in the areas where I have not.

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Are you participating in this year's One Word? How is it going? What have you learned so far? How can I encourage you? And if you're not participating, please enjoy this Homestar Runner video that I think of every single time I say the word "doing."

Should-ing Myself

The first post in the new year. It feels like it should be a momentous occasion. I mean, in the past two weeks, I've only written two new posts, so it's definitely time to pull out the big guns and write something that is profound and hilarious and proves that I didn't completely lose it while I was resting.

Except that's not really how it works.

Inspiration doesn't seem to know when it should strike. It doesn't wait for a new year or a birthday or a new blog or whatever milestone I've got planned. Inspiration does NOT follow my time tables. Which is really inconvenient on days like today when I feel like I should be bringing it.

At the beginning of the new year, it's easy to look back over the past year (or past mumblemumble years) and think, "I suck. I should have given more. I should have exercised more. I should have read my Bible more. I should have created more. I should be more."

When I start should-ing myself, I find that I just shut down. I'm not good enough, I'll never be good enough, so why bother trying. One place where I am quite talented is in the realm of talking myself out of doing things.

Something that I've discovered about inspiration is that it actually does show up rather often, but it requires me practicing the discipline of doing to reveal itself. When I sit down and write every day, I can see a bit more clearly the story behind the story that might be worth our time (mine in writing, and yours in reading). I stop worrying about what should be happening, and focus on what is happening.

Something that I'm learning about myself is that when I stop worrying about what I should do and just focus on what I am doing, I have greater success. Because I can build on what I am doing. Recognizing areas where there can be improvement doesn't negate progress already made.

Part of my do year is to stop should-ing myself.

You should I invite you to join me.

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How do you deal with the "should-ing" that you do to yourself? What one thing are you already doing that you can make small improvements on?

One Word: Do

I talk. All the time.

I plan. I discuss. I pontificate.

That's all well and good. I can't change who I am and really, I'm not interested in doing that.

But I want to be more than a talker. I want to put more action behind those words.

I don't want to just talk about writing a book proposal, I want to write it.

I don't want to just talk about meeting folks in the virtual village, I want to go visit with them.

I don't want to just talk about helping the poor, I want to spend time at the soup kitchen.

I'm going to keep talking, but this year there's going to be more.

This year I'm going to DO.

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply.

Willing is not enough; we must DO."

(This quote was attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,

Leonardo da Vinci, and Bruce Lee.

Take your pick.)


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I'm linking up with Alece over at OneWord365. If you want to be a part of this movement, pick your word for the year, and join us.