Midyear Review, Part 2

mohamed_hassan via Pixabay

Three days into my virtual writing retreat, and the routine is starting to take shape. Reviewing my 20 for 2021 last week was fun, so as a final step in my mid-year review process, I thought I'd take a crack at some goals I set as my ABCs of January. I thought perhaps my winter between-semesters time off might have value in planning my summer between-semesters time off. 

A: Awareness (January) -- a chance to zoom in on things that busyness can keep me from paying attention to. June: At the top of that list is how much of my vacation time I devote to my job.

B: Balance (January) -- I'm keeping track of a number of how much time I spend on various pursuits, trying to tip the scales away from immersing myself in one thing to the exclusion of everything else. June: Not a problem -- LOL! There are so many things I can't wait to do that I'm not in the least bit concerned about monitoring variety.

C: Characters (January) -- Old and new. And that's all I'll say right now :-) June: Ditto.

D: Decluttering (January) -- Although it's happening more slowly than I'd like, piles are disappearing. June: Many fewer piles, but my office needs a serious sorting/purging and cleaning session.

E: Education (January) -- I love to learn. I spend time daily on Duolingo to improve my French (and, to a lesser extent, my German, and to learn Spanish) and I'm taking a course on social media marketing to better understand the platforms. June: Closing in on the one-year mark on Duolingo. I finished the social media marketing class and am taking one in graphic design, which is much more challenging. I am not an artist!  

F: Flexibility (January) -- Switching gears can be hard for me when I know my open schedule will close up all too soon, but learning to be better at this is better for my relationships. June: Ditto.

G: Gratitudes (January) -- My daughter and I have developed the daily "3 things" habit. Like so many other things, this practice works better with an accountability partner. June: Ditto. And, after a semester of teaching positive psychology, I'm even more aware of the benefits of this practice.

H: Home (January) -- Don't get around much anymore, as the song says. Under the current circumstances, I'm okay with that. It was kind of surprising to discover just how content I can be within the confines of my home. June: Time to start getting around some more. Fully vaccinated, I need to work on leaving my mask and my fears behind.

I: Interiors (January) -- Mine and my house's. Spending so much time here leads me to want to improve the overall status of everything, beyond simply decluttering. June: In progress! House projects big and small. :-) My own interior is starting to take shape, too.

J:  Jammies!! (January) -- or a reasonable facsimile thereof. In an interview on Colbert's (A) Late Show last week, Rachel Brosnahan (Mrs. Maisel) talked about not wearing "hard pants." What a great description!  June: Ditching them. Begrudgingly. Rediscovering casual dresses, which have many of the same benefits.

K: Kindle (January) -- for both my reading and publishing pleasure. June: Published projects behind me (for now), I'm nurturing my daily reading habit.

L: Loved ones (January) -- grateful to have my husband and daughter around (though the non-flex part of me wishes we could land on a regular schedule). It's a lot more challenging seeing those who don't live here, though, and that's sad. June: Making plans to see those I've been away from for too long.

Counselling via Pixabay

M: Mindful (January) -- one of my 20 for 2021. I'm not a patient person by nature, and am trying to use situations that require patience to nurture my mindfulness goal and to perhaps even slow down a bit. June: Um...did I really set this goal? LOL! Clearly still need to work on it.

N: No hard pants (January) -- (Couldn't resist). :-) June: Ditto....okay, some of the time.

O: Outreach (January) -- After all these months indoors, it's all too easy to stay in my little bubble. I'm trying to be mindful (there's that word again) of making connections, even if they're virtual. June: Time to reconnect with a couple of long-distance friends who've been like ships in different harbors.

P: Positive Psychology (January) -- Teaching this course beginning next month means preparing for it now. There's never been a better time to focus on optimism! June: Successfully completed, but I bought a new book to potentially use next time around.

Q: Quiet (January) -- my favorite work dynamic. Due to some family schedule changes, I'm getting more of it than I was, which helps my productivity. June: Seeking estimates to put a door on my office!

R: Revising (January) -- my #1 writing goal for January was finishing Courting Peace. I also have another novel ready for revision, and am hoping to transfer my grudgingly developed revising habit to this book. June: One of my writing retreat goals, in the hope it will carry over after the retreat ends.

S: Semester planning (January) -- can't forget this one since classes start again February 1. June: Yes -- for fall. After a two-week vacation once my summer class ends.

T: Timing (January) -- With no deadlines and no real schedule, I've allowed my body clock (stay up late/sleep late) to run the show. I'm trying to get it back to something that's a better match for real-world rhythms. June: Ditto.

U: Undoing of knots (January) -- both personal and object-related. June: Not sure what I meant by this.

V: Virtual writers' groups (January) -- My critique group went virtual last fall, and I joined another group at the college where I work in November (I think) and I enjoy both the camaraderie and the professional development. And, my accountability partner and I re-started via Zoom just before Thanksgiving, too. All of this nudges me forward. June: In the middle of one right now.

W: Writing! (January) -- but you expected this one. June: Ditto.

X: (E)xcavating inboxes (January) -- still trying to get those numbers down. June: Ditto.

Y: Yes to chilling out (January) -- physically, mentally, and schedule-wise. June: Ditto. And am doing so in a more guilt-free fashion as well.

Z: Zzzz (January) -- getting enough sleep for once. Now I need to work on starting this process at a "reasonable hour." June: Ditto. Not sure I'm motivated enough to ever conquer the "reasonable hour" bedtime.

So, that's me. 2021 has a little less than six months remaining, and they look to be (we hope) freer than the first six. What will you do with your time?