Checking in for September for my "Designing a Well-Lived Life" blogging. This is about making small changes during the year to make larger changes.

• Focus on health (exercise, eating, stress): This continues to be a focus, though more on the cancer mitigation / removal side of things. Otherwise I'm doing my best to get rest and relax. The spate with COVID really knocked me for a loop along with the chemo treatments.

• Complete my game design projects to allow others to enjoy them: This one really took it on the chin this month. I did make some progress but overall I stagnated throughout the month. Hoping to re-light these fires.

• Do more non-work programming and chase my "white whales": Also found stagnation here. I did play with TIC-80 some, but I haven't touched that in a bit. Am going to give that another go this month.

• Be more mindful and focused in my day-to-day activities: Early on I wasn't so good about this, but something changed recently where I've found myself able to really concentrate on tasks and finish them. I've been focusing on single-tasking as of late and that has helped me really cut a lot of the overhead crap that I've experienced before. Going to keep playing and practicing in this space.

• Add more joy into my life, either with games, reading, or other relaxing activities: Not-so-good this time around. My recreational reading has been pretty sporadic, and I haven't played many games. Not sure how to bring this one back, but perhaps some new-found passions will help me in this regard.

• Allow myself to do more with less (distractions, acquisition, commitments, etc.): This month I made the challenge to spend less and not pick up so many things. I'm happy to say that was a resounding success. I added a bunch of things to my wishlists and what-not, but the number packages coming to our door has been greatly reduced. Unfortunately that's also because I was pretty tired and wiped so I did less with less. But I'm still pretty happy with the results and hoping to continue not spending as much money and being content with what I have.

• Notice when I'm overwhelmed and let go as much as I can: This happened a lot with COVID and chemo. I felt pretty overwhelmed and stuck for a good many times during this month. I learned to drop a lot of the resentment I have around the treatment of my cancer and just accept what is going on as part of the process towards healing and quality of life.

• Declutter: I keep working at this in many different areas. I'm finding that the more I declutter the more energy I seem to have and the more engaged I am. It's frightening how much we numb ourselves with stuff. Keeping on with these discoveries.

• Continue removing debt: Looking forward to having another credit card paid off next month. I can't wait.

This month wasn't my most productive month but it was the one where I felt like I did a lot of deep thinking and consideration. It's also the month where I made some pretty startling revelations about myself, which I'll likely be blogging about in the coming weeks. For now though I'm looking forward to what lies ahead in October.