Just for Today

This new year's day, I felt less than grounded, unsure of what new goals to set for myself. I only want to set goals I'm really interested in reaching. Lose weight, sure, whatever. Get in shape, ok, yeah. Spend more time with family, yes, but can quality time be anything but spontaneous? Committing to what I really want, I've already done—the rest is gravy. I thought I had settled the issue within, but reading the following quote shed light on what I am really interested in doing this next year.

"In the span of one lifetime it is, of course, possible for every human being to improve himself—within limits set by energy, time, temperament, and the level from which he begins…. But the limits within which such improvements may be made are small in comparison with the vast aspects of our nature and our circumstances which remain the same, and which will be very difficult to improve even were it desirable to do so. I am saying, therefore, that while there is a place for bettering oneself and others, solving problems and coping with situations is by no means the only or even the chief business of life….

"No one imagines that a symphony is supposed to improve in quality as it goes along, or that the whole object of playing it is to reach the finale. The point of music is discovered in every moment of playing and listening to it. It is the same, I feel, with the greater part of our lives, and if we are unduly absorbed in improving them we may forget altogether to live them. The musician whose chief concern is to make every performance better than the last may so fail to participate and delight in his own music that he will impress his audience only with the anxious rigor of his technique."

--Alan Watts, from "This Is IT" in the essay collection This Is IT and Other Essays on Zen and Spiritual Experience

I gleaned this quote from David Sherwin's website. As always, David is a wealth of very rich information. And this quote helped me crystalize what was just a fog, looking at the span of what I'd like to accomplish this year. I realized it's pointless to look at the whole mountain range, when all I need to accomplish now is to reach the next foothill. When you think about it, work is only done one day a year. Yesterday is passed and you can't do a thing about it—it's done and gone. No work can actually be done tomorrow—it's not here yet. So that leaves only right now, today. Live right now, in this moment. Do the work right now, today. 

So just for today, I'm going eat as healthy as I can, and love my body for what it can do today. Just for today, I will appreciate the time I have with my family and friends. Just for today.

By the way, I had a chance to quickly peruse David Sherwin's book that Husband got me for christmas, Success by Design. Like his talks, it's positively LOADED with information I didn't know I didn't know. OMG! If you're considering opening your own design shop, or want to freelance, everything business-wise you need to consider is in this book. And I mean everything. If only I'd had this information twenty-some-odd years ago. Way to go David!

Thanks for reading, 
Cami

p.s. Your good juju today: Just for today, what will you accomplish?