"There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded” – Mark Twain
This is a story of a woman on the verge of greatness, always just on the verge, never quite getting to the “great” part. Years ago, I started a book called “A Year at My Best,” which was intended to document twelve months of self-improvement in various aspects of my life. I completed one and a half chapters. The book morphed into a book on procrastination called “This Time, No This Time, No This Time…” Ironically, (or predictably,) that book also never saw the light of day. I thought maybe a simple autobiography entitled “Slow” might have a better chance since it’s very title gave me the luxury of time to think and write at a nice, leisurely pace. Then with my impending 40th birthday upon me, I realized none of these ideas were actually leaving the cave, so to speak, and that this very fact was the story of my life. Always on the verge of greatness. Never quite getting to the “great” part. It was time to flip the switch.
The times that I have actually accomplished tasks, I noticed the “one thing at a time” approach has always been most effective, so here goes. One month at a time, one day at a time, one moment at a time. Each new moon beginning in January, I will introduce a new monthly mission. Why the new moon, you ask? Why not? (Honestly, it's a combination of me liking to start new things at the new moon and also of me not having my shit together any earlier than the 17th of January.) I'm a collaborator by nature and wanted to use this opportunity to chat with/read about/talk about people I admire and who may be able to give me a deeper understanding into the topic at hand.
I want to be clear that these monthly missions are not attempts to change me into something I am not. An adulthood of self-study have given me a whole lot of insight into who I am. Instead, this project gives me the opportunity to look deeply at what patterns are working for me and which ones aren't. When the "experts" say "Let what no longer serves you drop away" what are they talking about? When Don Miguel Ruiz, in his brilliant revelation "The Four Agreements," talks about "Doing your best," what does that look like?
These missions will be comprised of areas in which I need to build habits of health. Note these are areas in which I need to improve. You, dear reader, are invited to make these habits a part of your daily life as well, or you can play the Emperor to my Gladiator and watch me battle from the safe benches of the Colosseum audience. With any luck, I will, as they say, slay. Or die trying.