Designing a Well Lived Life: Checking In (September 2022)

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.

Craig Maloney More than you cared to know

Other articles

We'll call it a plan (until it isn't)

Wiped

What is essential?

The story so far...

navigation

Other articles

navigation

links

social