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Hi friends and happy May!
We’re more than a third through 2020. Actually, this year, the movement of time does not feel as fast as it does normally. I guess there are some benefits to this enforced collective slowing down after all!
Despite the current craziness which is strangely starting to feel more normal, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the goals I set at the beginning of the year. I love to make lists and to plan. Part of why this current season has been hard for me, is because everything is so unpredictable. But I can still make small plans and work toward my goals to some extent.
So checking in with my goals and tracking my progress is one of my strategies in finding some normalcy and purpose during this time.
Take a Sabbath every week
We have started this “properly” around 10 weeks ago or so and it has been such a live-giving practice. By taking a Sabbath I mean to have a day on which we stop. Stop working, stop buying, stop worrying. A day dedicated to rest and worship. We are still learning. And currently we are also facing the challenge to keep doing this, even though the novelty and initial excitement about this new routine has worn off slightly. Hopefully I can write a proper blog post about the concept of Sabbath and my thoughts and experiences.
Read through the Bible chronologically
I have loved this one. Currently I am reading about King David, which means some mornings I am reading psalms, then passages in 2 Samuel or 1 Chronicles. So, I am getting a bit of a close up story about David, then a view of what is going on in Israel as a nation plus David’s personal thoughts and prayers. I would definitely recommend following a chronological Bible plan if you would like to read the Bible as a whole. (If you haven’t done much reading in the Bible before, I’d definitely recommend starting in the New Testament, reading about the life of Jesus. You could say he is the main character of the Bible.)
Go on 120 runs
So far I have been on 38 runs, so I am slightly behind on my goal. I am still pretty confident that I can complete 120 runs by 31st of December. We will see how bad my hay-fever will get in the coming weeks… Maybe I just have to go hard in autumn.
Read (or listen to) 50 books
I am on track with this goal with a current total of 16 books. 7 of those were audio books. I am currently listening to Selma Lagerlöf’s “The wonderful adventures of Nils Holgersson” which is all kinds of marvellous and just started reading “Sung’s Laden” by Karin Kalisa last night. I only managed one chapter as I was very tired but I am reading it based on my mum’s recommendation, and she normally recommends excellent books, so I am excited to read more.
Try tap-dancing
I haven’t done this yet and I am unsure when it will be possible to go to a class. As far as I know, sports facilities are staying closed here until the end of the summer, so we will see! Maybe I can find a YouTube tutorial though!
Dedicate more time to the blog
Well “more time” is kind of vague (maybe I need to read a book on smart goal setting or something ha!) but I have posted on here every month and I did the Love Blog challenge which I have loved, so I think I am on a fairly good course.
Get back to regularly practicing guitar
Again, I was pretty vague here… However since social isolation I have spent quite a few evenings playing guitar which I have loved. Definitely want to do it more though. Maybe I should shoot for practicing at least twice every week.
Get more involved with the local green party
I actually haven’t attended any green party meetings at all this year. Obviously all physical meetings are cancelled now anyway but a lot is happening online. To be honest, as I am spending so much time each day speaking to people at work over the phone or video chat by the evening I want nothing less than to join another zoom call. Maybe this goal falls in the category ‘to let go off’…
Record 1 second of video everyday
I am using an app called “1 second everyday” with which you can make a film made up of 1 second long snippets. It’s great. I have been recording every now and then but definitely not everyday. Just because I forget! I need to get back on it. It is such a great way to record a bit of everyday life (literally).
Why goals can be helpful right now
How are your 2020 goals going so far? I am really glad I have some things to work on, but equally that most of my goals are fairly low-key. We all react different to social isolation and the threat of the corona virus. If working toward goals right now is the last thing you want to do: that’s okay. But if a goal to read more books motivates you to stop scrolling the news and get stuck into a novel, then: great.
The whole reason I set goals is that there are things in life that are good for me but are hard. Or at least harder than switching on the TV or scrolling instagram. I feel better when I go outside and run, I am happier when I work on a creative project and I thrive when I can learn something new.
I hope you are doing well and you are finding things you find joy in despite all the suffering.
Stay bright and bold, Britta
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