New Year's Resolutions

 

Since 2011, I’ve posted my New Year’s resolutions at the end of each year.  It’s a good way to do a year-end check-up and see how I did and what I need to recommit to into the New Year.  So without further ado: 

1. Body - run 720 miles, swim 120 miles, lift 240 times, bike 600 miles; eat better.

Actual counts for 1st 11 months of 2022: run 665 miles, swim 107 miles, lift 221 times, bike 519 miles. Glad to have settled into a workout routine that keeps me in shape and gives me the energy boost I need to start every day. Also glad to have life-hacked my way to healthier eating by forcing myself to take and post pictures of all my meals. On this side of 50, you have to do these things for everything else to fall into place. Grade: A

2. Civic – leverage skill/opportunity for maximum social impact, make a difference on the hard issues. 

My service at Missio wound down as we transitioned the entity into a network of seminaries. Upped my commitment at PIDC by agreeing to serve on its loan committee to vet applications for financing. Still on the advisory board for Penn's design school, which I know my mom would be proud of. Glad to dig deeper into public health issues through YMCA and PHMC, given how important that is for strong communities. Wishing I had more time to be more involved, but happy I can help where I can and proud of the orgs I get to be associated with. Grade: A

3. Friends and family – quality if not quantity, be there when needed. 

Golf has been a delightful source of quality time spent with good friends, new acquaintances, and long-lost buds. Alas, outside of that I've fallen off with too many dear people, as my occasional check-ins and chance encounters run fewer and fewer. Not being naturally generous or empathetic, I experimented with gift-giving this year and need to lean more into that as a way to surprise and connect with people. Grade: B

4. House – an ounce of prevention, making it a home. 

Still embarrassed at how undone and unkempt our house of 23+ years is but largely diligent with the things that needed to get taken care of, whether big projects or routine cleanings. My four rental properties are doing well financially and structurally even if they keep me on my toes. Grade: B

5. Kids – 1-on-1 times each quarter. 

Wish I had more time and regret not doing better with the time I did have. But no need to beat myself too much, as I made the effort to connect, correct, express affection, and make memories. How we "did" or how we're doing is less important than their experiencing different ways of their dad loving them. Plus, we did a bunch of trips and made some good memories along the way. So I'll take the W. Grade: B

6. Marriage – three kid-free trips. 

Failed on long trips and grand gestures, but did try to "win" the quiet and brief moments, if only to survive the roller-coaster that is two flawed working parents trying to grapple with three kids at different stages in life. Marriage is hard work! Grade: C

7. Mind – read 50 books. 

Fewer and shorter books than previous years. Later this week I’ll post the 50 titles I read over the past 12 months. Wishing I had more time for this, as I had some truly magical reads this year. Grade: A.

8. Self – three hours per week of uninterrupted me time, three personal day getaways. 

Improving my golf game, and my mental approach to it, is part and parcel of giving myself permission to get away from the rest of my crazy life and do something for myself for the sheer leisure and craft of it. Happy to report that I took four personal days too, golf being involved in each one of them but also the usual bicycling and gardens and museums and me time. Really tried to prioritize self-care and thankful to break through to some good habits in this space. Grade: A

9. Spiritual – 100 Bible memory verses, time each morning for Bible/prayer. 

Time didn't always permit, and when it did I often felt distracted or rushed. As with everything else on this list, you make time. This too is part of the self-care I'm trying to commit to amid all I carry in my life. Grade: C

10. Work – set the course for the firm. 

A bumpy year, as professional services sometimes is. The work itself is a delightful slog, bringing in work and setting the strategic course for the firm an all-encompassing challenge. What undergirds it all is establishing a culture and integrity for the place, which is where I felt I spent a good chunk of time, thought, and effort, and while I didn't always get it right I'm proud of the effort I put in to get it right. Grade: B