Up: Mind

Back again with another UP post.

As I've shared before, up is my word for 2016. I chose up for the simple reason that I want to improve from last year, work on my mindset, and make positive gains in my life. In the original post, I listed several areas to focus on, and what my goal was in that area. I added the promise that I would write more detailed posts on each area with some more specific goals.

Today, I am focusing on the area of "mind". The goal I set at the start of the year was

• Up positive thinking.

That is really hard to gauge and measure though! What am I actually trying to change here? The things that come to mind are being more present, not focusing on the past or the future but truly be grateful for today. I want to get out, and stay out, of the slump I was in for a large part of 2015. I want to not get so down on myself when things don't go according to plan.

Hence the desire to be more positive.

I guess this is my most ambiguous goal area of the six areas I was setting goals in; even with three things to focus on - being present, control depression, and don't succumb to frustrating, negative thoughts - I am not sure how I would actually measure that.

There is this idea, where you compile notecards and date them. Then each year, on that date, you journal what you did. There are a ton of ideas on Pinterest. All I did was search "memory calendar" and this was one of a ton that came up. I had seen a similar idea years ago, but it never seemed like that right time to start. The time always seemed ambiguous. I think Ava was between a year and two old, so I was too busy focusing on the fact that I didn't have it for the first year of her life to start it. I am already a month into 2016, but something like this might not be a bad idea. I could record something we did, something I'm thankful for, or a feeling/emotion.

I like to say a picture of something from each day, but I don't know that I would actually stick to it. I've tried year long picture challenges before, and after so long I feel like I am out of new ideas.

At the very least, I should do something with gratitude, just to see how it will change my mindset. Or even patterns in my mood. Although I honestly hadn't dealt with a serious bout of depression prior to last year in quite sometime.

Anyway - as you can see, I know what I want out of this area. I just have to figure out how I am going to know if I get there.


Compilation of UP posts:
Up: Career
Up: Body
2016: UP