Themes

Goals. Deliverables. Metrics. That’s what I’ve been obsessing over for the last couple of months. Because of that, I’ve been forced to consider 2017 and some goals/milestones for my personal life. Now, there are many goals that I could have set. SO MANY. So I’ve instead opted to identify themes that I would like to characterize 2017 for myself

  1. Read more books & rely more heavily on first-hand sources.
  2. Strengthen my languages (Spanish, Portuguese, and possibly another).
  3. Be a more engaged & service-oriented citizen in my community, state, and country.
  4. Foster my son’s gratitude & appreciation for the life he enjoys.
  5. Keep myself cancer free.
  6. Become a more experienced spiritual leader for my family.
  7. Prepare myself for the future.
  8. Apathy has no place in me.
  9. Live more outside.

What do these themes mean, in practical terms? It means that you’ll likely see me writing about my field more often here. It means I’ll be running half marathons and marathons throughout the year. It means I’ll be more vocal in church and that I will have a place at rallies, city council meetings, and public service organizations. I’ll place an even higher priority on valuable family time than before. And it means that my health will continue to remain a high priority. Some of this is already happening. I’ve registered for the Tulip Festival Half Marathon in Lehi, UT. I’m speaking in church on Sunday for the first time in four years. And I’m even exploring possible dissertation topics for a PhD in the future. Needless to say, I don’t plan to sit the year out. This year will be a year of action.