An As-Yet Unattained Goal

If you're like me, you have some lofty goals of how, in a perfect world, your life would unfold. The things you'd be able to accomplish, the goals you'd attain, the balance you'd magically be able to find.

For me, I often dream big. I think of all the stories I could write, if I could only free up the time, discipline myself, and generally do what should be done.

At the same time, I also think of all the other elements of my life that I'd like to work in time for. All the hobbies that I'd like to chip away at. The housework I'd like to actually accomplish, rather than letting it hang around until I'm too embarrassed to let it wait another season. All the little things, like getting enough sleep, eating right, losing weight, and still keeping up contact with friends and having, gasp, some sort of social life.

In the past, I've found that I can hit my marks with a few of these goals at once, but I've always fallen short of getting everything working at once. My big, complicated machine never seems to be able to hit on all cylinders at once.

Maybe I'll be working out and eating right, but I'm not getting writing done. Maybe I'm doing great at work, and I'm hanging out with friends, but I'm eating badly and not getting any exercise. Maybe I'm on a writing jag, but no one's heard from me in two months, and I've forgotten what it's like to be outside.

So, then. Once more, I'm trying to get it all together and live the life I dream of living. Let me tell ya, it ain't easy. Thus far, in recent weeks I've gotten many things going.

1) Exercising--three times a week with both weights and cardio, plus extra work on the grip/crush stuff.
2) Getting enough sleep--actually doing it!
3) Eating well--most days, yep!
4) Social life--actually talking with friends and relatives a few times per week, so that's an affirmative.
5) Reading--like we writers are supposed to, and yes, I've finished reading two books this week.
6) Writing--er, well...not as much as I want to. That's still got to improve.
7) Hobbies--I've taken to riding my motorcycle over to the gym, so I suppose that counts, but I've fallen off on my target practice.
8) Housework--not too bad, but could use improvement. There are tasks that I'd like to accomplish that I've been slacking on.

All in all, I feel pretty good about the progress I've made. I just have a few more metrics to bring up into the acceptable/good level, and I'll have done something I've never done in the past, which is to live a balanced life and actually move forward in all my pursuits at once.

Wish me luck!