2007 / 2008

2 more days of 2007, then it's 2008. the fireworks are waiting in the floor already, in pink and yellow and red rockets. in the newspapers, some critical essays on blogging and all the unreglemented and unneccesary data masses the internet creates. at least that's obviously how some traditional journalists perceive it. it makes me wonder which pages they ever visited in the web - for me, it feels the other way round: there are more and more inspiring blogs out there, offering advice and reflections just when you are looking for it.

like these lines on resolutions, in a backlink from Reb Livingston, editor of NoTellMotel:

"Getting a jump start on 2007 resolutions -- hence I haven't been blogging.

1. Focus and work harder on outstanding projects (working on Shafer's book these past few days and I responded to all outstanding e-mail in my general mail folder, probably the first time all year).

2. Take better care of my health. Well, I half-started that. Back on the treadmill. Haven't improved the diet yet, there are still holiday chocolates to finish.

I try not to make unrealistic resolutions, mine are more in the vein of improvements. There was an AOL VP of Member Services (i.e. customer service) who was all about 1% improvements. The idea is we can always make a 1% improvement from what we're doing now and if we keep doing that, over time, wa-la, the noticeable difference.”(link)

i liked that: not planning to take huge steps, but take 1% turns.

and another interesting page, about habits – i found this one when following a link in lonely planet to an essay of Shelley Stile, who works with people who face changes in their life.

here’s a passage that sums the essay up in 2 paragraphs:

"Seek to develop new habits. If your life was run by bad habits then conversely it can be run by good habits you consciously choose. To develop a habit you simply must stick with for about three months and you are home safe. Just create the picture of what you want your behavior to look like and list ten habits that will get you to that picture of yourself.

It works the same with your life. Where would you like to be in ten years in terms of who and what you are and what you are doing? Think of ten habits that will get you to that Future Self and start today in adopting those guideposts. Work backwards from the future.” (Shelley’s blog)

all those thoughtful lines. today, i want to follow the path the last days sketched already: thinking about this year, and the next year – and then, maybe also make the larger step: thinking in longer time ranges.

where do i want to be in 10 years?

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