Preparing for the Year Ahead

How I intend to look after myself and do more of what I love

So, you know the part-time contract with my work that I keep harping on about in order to free up some time? Well, it starts next week! I mean, technically I have the new days off this week, which is why you’re getting this post on a Wednesday instead of a Friday, but I thought that I would lay out the plan for the year with you to make sure we’re all on the same page. I’m really looking forward to writing and releasing more consistently with a set schedule.

I’ve decided to separate The Drip Tray into two weekly newsletters: Wednesday Fix, which will be philosophical reflections, and Sunday Fluff, which will be art commentaries. I’ll also be asking a question in the chat every Monday and I would love for you to engage, though you’ll need the (free) Substack app to join. And yes, I’m taking a plunge and milking the coffee puns for all they’re worth (still not sorry). So, let’s get straight into it!

I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions because you can implement change whenever you want, but starting something in January admittedly makes progress easier to track. As you know, I’ve been journalling for years to process my thoughts and manage my emotions with profound results. I was humbled to hear that my good friend Tony has been inspired to start this daily ritual for himself – with pen and paper, of course. Perhaps you could, too?

I have six journals, each for different things. I recommend starting with a lined A5 notebook.

As we wade into the quarter-century, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to achieve this year – especially now that I’ll have more time to do it. More importantly, I’ve carefully considered what matters most to me and built my plan around that. Rather than setting goals of things to get, I found myself striving for things to do. Only at the intersection of desire and necessity are we truly content. But how often do we actually get there, or will we ever?

First and foremostly, I want to focus more on my self-care. I want to sleep better, exercise more, and eat healthier. I want to work on “filling my cup,” too. I want to read and write every day. I want to reconnect with good friends I’ve neglected. I also want to learn new hobbies, like screenwriting, and master old ones, like producing. You’ll notice that none of these are things that you can buy or make. All of them are experiences.

This was partly inspired by a Brain Food newsletter from Shane Parrish, of the Farnam Street blog and The Knowledge Project podcast, in which he provided a template for planning the year ahead. It was fun and challenging, and helped me hone in on the parts of myself that I want to develop in the coming months. I couldn’t find the prompts in any of the recently archived newsletters on his website, so I’m just going to paraphrase them below.

Where Are You Right Now?

Are you satisfied with where you’re at in life? If so, great! Keep it up (and let us know your secrets). If not, why? How do you measure your progress? Is it the amount of time that you’ve spent with those you care about? Could it be the number of projects, personal or professional, that you’ve completed? How much money that you’ve saved, perhaps?

Whatever the metric, forget it. Try focusing on how you feel. Where does most of your energy go? What could you be doing instead? Does that make you happy or sad, excited or disappointed, proud or ashamed? Of course, there are plenty of things that we would all rather be doing, but positioning yourself for opportunity is easier than you might think.

Now that you’ve thought about your trajectory, you can figure out what’s pulling you off course. I’m often too tired after work to engage in creative activities, which means that they get left to my days off when I have shit to do. But creating is conducive to my wellbeing, which is why I decided to go part-time at my job and end the podcast after 100 episodes.

Where Do You Want to Go?

Getting to where you want to be is a lot easier when you, well, know where you’re going. But if you’re like me and struggle to see beyond breakfast, here’s an exercise that Shane recommends for prioritising what matters most. List 10 things that you want to work on. These could be projects, skills, habits, goals, virtues – anything that fills your cup.

Now, choose your top three. You must prioritise these above all else and only move onto the next when one has been completed. Consider which distractions you would be willing to sacrifice, or delay indefinitely, and what you would regret having never done. Personally, I want to develop my writing, invest in valuable friendships, and spend more wisely.

Finally, think of three things that you are avoiding, and why, then what you can do to overcome these obstacles. Are the contributing factors environmental, financial, or temporal? I’m avoiding the gym (thanks, Christmas), social events, which are integral to maintaining a friendship, and making music – all because they require a lot of energy.

How Will You Get There?

A goal without a plan is just a wish, as they say. To actually achieve these things, identify the small steps that you’ll take along the way and give yourself deadlines – with penalties, if that helps. What can you do today that will make tomorrow easier for yourself? Sure, meal prep sucks and budgeting is a drag. But how good is packed lunch and financial stability?

It’s believed that we are the average of our five closest people and I’m inclined to agree. Who do you interact with the most, and who do you want to spend more time with? Surround yourself with people who are going where you want to go and share the same values as you. Nurture reciprocal relationships and sever unhealthy ones. You won’t feel bad for long.

Lastly, list three rules to help you get closer to what you want. Mine are to write for two hours a day, meet with a friend once a week, and only buy something if I’ll use it in the next month. Now, list three rules to help you avoid what you don’t want. I’ll only check social media twice a day, only drink on Saturdays, and never date in the workplace…again.

I hope this gives you some clarity around what to aim for and how to hit it. Vague goals with ambiguous results and no accountability do more harm than good in my experience, so try keeping it simple this year by realigning yourself with your feelings. And why not give journalling a go? Just a page a day will do wonders, I promise you. Let me know what you’re aiming for this year and we’ll check in with each other at the other end to see how we went.