2012: The year of self-actualization!

2012 The year of self-actualization

2012 is going to be a good year.  I felt it in anticipation of the New Year and continue to have a feeling of optimism several weeks in.  Some feel concern for the possibility of this being the year for the end of days.  I feel, in a slightly new age-y kind of way it may be the end of life as we know it but this is not necessarily bad.  Contrary to many commonly accepted interpretations of the Mayan calendar, the Mayans believed 2012 to be the starting over of a long period of history not the end of forever.  I too believe it is a new beginning, perhaps for a new way of thinking or being.  I believe it will bring good things and so I am dubbing this “the year of self actualization.”

The term “Self-actualization” has been used in different psychology theories over time in different ways.  To boil it down however, in some way, all iterations of self-actualization involve people realizing their full potential, to become all that they can be (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-actualization).

In perhaps simpler terms, this is the year I am actually going to do all of the little things I have been meaning to do, that matter, and this is going to help me achieve my best.  I believe the air is right and this is possible for anyone that wants it.

In my opinion there are several parts to this process that need to be addressed (not necessarily in this order but it kind of makes sense):

First, determining what really matters.  What do I want to achieve?  What things are taking up time and are not important?  This does not have to be an end-all be-all list but a general notion.  This is not easy.  I am trying to listen to my heart, think it through, and not to be too influenced by other popular opinions.

Second, address the clutter that weighs on you as you attempt to be your best.  These are the little things that you have been meaning to do.  Either they are not important so you get rid of or forget them, or you decide they would still be beneficial to you and you just do them, no fuss, just done.

Third, determine the needed steps to get you from point A (now) to B (the best you).  Map these out and be stoic in your process to get there.  Be realistic in the time line and the goals.  Nothing is out of the question but some goals may not really matter, and some may require a lot of steps.

Forth, take it one step at a time.  The air is right not to let fear or ego or discouragement get in your way.  Just take it one step at a time and if the path changes that is ok because you feel when you have reached your full potential.

Perhaps once we have all reached our full potential we will be able to communicate without phones or computers but telepathically.  Haha are you still reading?  Ok, that last part I do not actually believe, but I am going to throw it out there in the event it actually happens you may think I am prophetic and if not, hey just funny…

If you are following me on twitter (pause for effect as you have probably just realized you are probably not following me on twitter.  That’s ok but if you are interested in my sporadic tweets: foundrym) you may already have heard about my early 2012 self-actualization baby steps.  If not here are some early successes:

-January 1, 2012: Actualization item #1: Washed the basket of delicate hand washable items that I have been shuffling around my bedroom for the last few years.

-Actualization item #2: Finally put a flashlight in my car in case of emergency.  Have been meaning to do this for years.  MacGyver would have a flashlight in his car.

-January 2, 2012: Actualization item #3: Stocked up on incandescent light bulbs over 40 watts.  After the shelves are cleared we will no longer have access to purchase the warm butter lighting that brings me great calm.  Purchased 186 boxes of 60 to 100 watt bulbs, and am hoping this lasts me the next 85 years (yes I know this would make me 115years old; once I am actualized I am going to want to be there for a long time).  I might buy more, still haven’t decided.

-January 3, 2012: Actualization item #4 in process: Scrapbooking all of the photos I have been housing in boxes under my bed for the last 5 years, and printing out the more recent photos I haven’t printed because the boxes under my bed are full.  This is going to take a while, as I like to take photos.  I am going to focus on really good photos; life is too short for bad pictures that do not have artistic or humorous value. 

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Here is where my actualization plan started to get derailed a bit.  I was making good progress at home and at work but then started to get sick.  I spent the last eight days laid up with Pneumonia.  Have you ever had pneumonia?  Whoa.  Not to be dramatic but I usually work through illness and rarely have fevers.  With pneumonia, literally there was a 24hour period I did not move.  Scrapbooking was definitely not an option with pneumonia.  It was a challenge to make it to the restroom.  Then the walk to the restroom required a four-hour nap to recuperate.   Had it not been for my mother bringing a variety of chicken noodle soup and tea I probably would not have eaten.  I started feeling really sick Friday tried to just fight through it over the weekend but by Monday with fevers ranging from 99 to 102.7 that didn’t seem to be receding I went to the doctor (in the most embarrassing ensemble I may have ever worn out of the house), had the chest x-ray, the whole thing.  Thankfully I was not hospitalized but was threatened with that or worse if I didn’t continue my sleep/soup/tea regimen for another five days.  I thought this extreme but having just made it through day six, while I am now able to move about, fever free, and managed a short trip to see Tim Gunn, I could still sleep for 16hours out of the day.

At first I was completely bummed by this forced slow down, however, I am choosing to look at this in a positive way.   While I had not intended to address these items so early on in 2012:

-Unintentional actualization item #5: Caught up on my sleep

-Unintentional actualization item #6: Caught up on my FX channel action movie watching,

-Unintentional actualization item #7: Finished three magazines and one book I started but never actually finished reading in 2011 (with more to come)

-Unintentional actualization item #8: Haven’t actually measured but I think the pneumonia may have cause me to drop some water weight and in combination with mild muscle atrophy may help me squeeze into some of the vintage skirts I found in my attic.

-Actualization item #9: in progress but with very good headway: planning of blogging topics, outfits, and exercise regimens’ all to be put into action once physically able.

An organized space and self-reflection will help me prepare for moving forward with becoming the best me I can be.  Preparing for every situation also gets me ready for any unexpected issues that may arise on the way.  Listing my small bits of progress helps with the sense of accomplishment and just may keep me accountable for continuing the progress.  These may be small steps but they are all actually getting done! 

Yeah for 2012!