Lyrics: “Feeling Good”, 1964
Happy New Year and all that. I never considered doing a recap of 2024 here or resolutions for 2025. I do have some vague ones, but I’ll keep those to myself. Finding purpose for this space might be among them.
I had a few days off over the holidays and even if I didn’t really DO much, I spend some time on introspection. For the first time ever I actually filled out most of the prompts of the “Ein guter Plan” reflection.
I set up my new tablet. Apps, necessary passwords and stuff. I started to re-organize and delete some of my digital clutter on my desktop / tablet / phone : Photos. Files. Notes. Articles / links stored in my bookmarking app. Podcast links and episodes.
I read a lot of the articles saved in my bookmark app. I listened to podcasts. Memorable from last night: “On Purpose with Jay Shetty – 10 Things I’m Leaving Behind in 2024 To Make Space for 2025”
On not being afraid of making mistakes and on leaving self-consciousness behind:
No-one is watching or judging you with as much focus or in as much detail as you are observing yourself.
You are fearful, because you’re scared of what people will think. You’re not chasing your dreams, because you’re scared of what people will think. You’re not persuing your passion, because you’re scared of what people will think. [….] No-one is really thinking about you, because they are thinking about themselves more. No-one is really judging you for that long, because they are judging themselves more. No-one is really critcising you that much, because they are critcising themselves more. Give them and yourself some grace and compassion.
On leaving self-criticism behind:
Retain the right quality of self-criticism. The kind that makes me better, kinder, more positive and more productive.
We don’t have to denigrate ourself in a way we wouldn’t talk to anyone we love.
On not waiting for the perfect time:
There is no such thing as the perfect time. There is no such thing as the perfect moment. There is no such thing as the perfect anything. Perfect is a concept taken from eternity. Perfect is a concept we’ve subscribed to for far too long. And it’s blocking us from starting. Don’t let perfect stop you from starting. Don’t let perfect stop you from creating. Don’t let perfect stop you from trying. Don’t let perfect stop you from practice. Don’t let perfect stop you from progress.
While I was listening to podcasts and at other times I was “zendoodling” quite a bit, which I realized I missed doing and I am planning to do a bit more of that again this year.
I booked most of the big items (flight, rental car, lodgings) for my Scotland vacation in September and felt humbled and grateful that I am in a position where I can just do that. Time wise and financially.
And on the first day of 2025 I finally after months of not really being interested in new TV show and instead having old (worn and comfortable) ones on in the background, while I read or did other stuff, I’ve started watching a new (to me) show: “The Diplomat” on Netflix from 2023.
A few days ago I read a short recommendation for the upcoming season 2 which mentioned similarities to “The West Wing” and I thought, it might be a show I’d enjoy. And oh boy, do I! I like shows about politics and interesting complex characters where you don’t know yet how their relationships will evolve, good or bad. Today I’ve binged the first 4 of 8 episodes in season 1 and the ambassador will have a fling with the UK Foreign Secretary, right? At least I hope so, I feel the sparks. But then of course there also is her (still) husband, who is charming and sexy in his arrogance. It’s a bit weird to see a Brit play an American in a show set in Britian, but I deal with that. And I do think he loves her though. Not as much as himself maybe, but he definitely has feelings for her. I’m a sucker for that kind of emotional mess. And then of course there is all the wonderful footage of London and the UK countryside, you can never go wrong with that.
And with that I’ll end this post and finish watching episode 5, before I try to get a good night’s sleep before the first day of work in 2025 tomorrow.
