There are a lot of things I want to do with my life. There are a lot of things I want to do this year. Shit, there are a lot of things I want to do this month. WHERE ARE MY LISTS? WHERE IS MY SHERPA TO CARRY ALL MY LISTS? WHY AM I YELLING ABOUT LISTS?
I want to write a book. I want to write a series of essays about being a recovering perfectionist for my fellow perfectionists. I want to be a better blogger and learn how to tango and how to saute vegetables without sending half of them arcing across the kitchen in a soy sauce splatter ballet. I want to build a body of work that helps make the world better.
But I’m both keenly ambitious and brutally lazy. So in order to write that book, I have to choose which side I’m going to let win. If I’m being honest, I’ve definitely been a gold medalist in couch slothing the past few weeks.
I WIN AT SLOTH.
So starting tonight, I’m going to take a picture at 7:37 p.m. Every day for a month. If I’m supposed to be working but am actually on Twitter, I have to digitally fess up. If I’m on a date, I have to explain my bizarre little project and hope he doesn’t mind that I’m pulling out my phone and taking a picture of the ketchup bottle. If I’m exercising, if I’m watching TV or watching soy sauce fly across the kitchen. Whatever I’m doing at 7:37 in the evening gets documented.
Goal
To get a literal snapshot of how I spend my time. That’s information I can use to make changes or just be all smug about how productive I am. It’s also a good daily marker. What’s different, what stays the same, what might change as I do this.
If you want to follow along, I’m amberadrian on Instagram. I make no promises as to how interesting my life will be at 7:37 in the evening, but you’ll at least get some pictures of dog wrestling and toenail painting.
Here’s My Question For You, If You’re In The Mood For Answering Random Questions From a Girl Who Plays a Panda on the Internet
Is there something you really deeply, madly, truly want to do with your life? Are you doing it?
If not, why? If not now, when? I vote you make it now. Because the world needs whatever you’ve got.
Fine, One More Question
What have you got? I really want to know. What do you want to do, make, build, be? If you aren’t comfortable putting it in the comments, send me an email. (The email button’s on there somewhere. I just realized I don’t have one on the blog. Internet fail.)
Whatever it is, I think you should do it.
I’m not necessarily recommending that everyone take a picture of their 7:37 p.m. for a month – but if you want to, please feel free. And let me know so I can follow you. But if there’s something you can do to make more space in your life to be creative or study for the GREs or write that epic poem, DO THAT SHIT. Unless you already are. In which case, TELL US HOW. WHY ARE YOU SO AMAZING AND HOW CAN WE SIPHON THAT ACTION FROM YOUR PORES?
Also, ew. No siphoning of anything from any bodily organs. Sorry.
I’m going to write more about making space in your life on Thursday – also known as why I gave up my friends in the TV and why I spent all day yesterday with a big, fat headache. But for now, I need to go write some essays and set my alarm for 7:37 and hope I’m doing something vaguely entertaining so I don’t have to take a picture of soy sauce.
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For pretty much all of the second half of last year I was working on a photography book of pet rescues. I wanted a project to focus on, I wanted to try my hand at pet photography. Mainly, I wanted to finish something I started.
I’m about 4 weeks away from the book being finished. I spent every weekend driving around Sydney and photographing dogs and cats. I drove a total of something like 2000 kilometres and took somewhere in the region of 3000 photographs.
Spare evenings were spent editing, emailing and organising shoots (as well as a confidence-boosting number of requests for prints and canvases of my work).
I very nearly had a nervous breakdown around October. But, people paid money for this thing (it’s a fundraising effort) and so I just took a couple of weekends off, and then hit it hard again. By involving so many others in this project (40-odd families plus the rescue group), it meant that my usual trick of giving up when it all got too hard was just not an option.
All in all, the whole process has made me feel pretty goddamn fabulous. And I’ll have a tangible product as proof of all my hard work at the end of it. A bloody book, no less!
Let’s hope I can keep the momentum through 2012, as I have a couple of new ideas on the boil. For now, though, I’m enjoying having some semblance of a social life again!
That’s amazing, Cathy! Congratulations! YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL BABY BOOK.
That is such a good idea! I immediately though, “I want to take a picture at the same time every day, too!” And then came up with excuses as to why I couldn’t: “What if I’m running on the treadmill and my iPhone is strapped to my arm? Can’t take a picture then.” Or, “What if I’m in class? Would it be rude to take a picture?” But, I really want to do it. Eek. Anyway, I’m “ajigreer” on Instagram.
And, what do I want to do with my life? I have no idea. Is that kind of scary? (Okay, a lot scary.) Yes, it is. I once wrote in my journal that I just want to be whimsical. Do you think that’s possible? Ha!
What have I got? I have a blog (http://ajigreer.blogspot.com/) that I am proud of but sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it? Or if I’ll look back and cringe?
Anyway, looking forward to seeing your photos!
I’m totally with you on the I JUST WANT TO BE WHIMSICAL life goal. Amazing.
There is. I feel like there’s something I should be doing, that I’m closing to honing in on but it’s like there’s this brick wall between me and whatever *it* is, so here I stay in the career path dictated by my degrees, which I like but doesn’t blow my skirt up or anything. There must be more? There could be? I just can’t find it?
I’m excellent at shopping. And pretty good at listening and cooking and laughing. So really, I need to become some kind of pasta flinging shoe whisperer.
Pasta Flinging Shoe Whisperer would make for the best business card ever. Promise me you’ll do that.
I do the same thing at 7:37pm most days (I mean, hopefully the majority of days!) and that something is 30 to 50 push-ups and I’m not allowed to bring my phone with me into the push-ups studio. So… I guess that won’t be the time for me, but this is a fun game! Assign me another time!
You know what I’m sucking at lately is big projects. I have at least two going on at work that I’m afraid to start because they are much too big, and I can’t get my head around breaking them down into smaller projects. Frustrating. Then everything starts to feel like a Big Project. Like improving my blog and finishing my 2011 photo book and writing my statement of purpose for being a freelancer. I’m so OVERWHELMED. See you later!
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, call me and I’ll read Animals Talking In All Caps to you and then make you go do the next thing on your list. It will be fun. Really.
I’ve been meeting with a career coach the last year and looking into all the things I’ll need to go back to *gulp* school. Really smarticle school, which scares the crap out of me, but at the same time gives me little stomach flips of How Awesome It Will All Be, even if my plan changes because Dreams are big and often take years to fully develop. So I’m not doing that One True Thing yet, but I’m working on it and trying to be patient with the timeline (because of that years to fully develop thing).
Good on you for taking the bull and expelling the chips.
Oh, that’s amazing. Good for you. Career coaches and school and scaring the crap out of yourself – these are what dreams are made of.
I feel like I’ve been working ten years on mine and they’re only now starting to get close enough to see. It’s a journey, yo.
I am so in! Pandas are my favorite.
Since I already called you a genius and you’re my new hero, I just want to say I’m in and I’m on instagram @kellyerin. Also, I want to quit my job and figure out how to change industries and become a community manager or web content manager. I’m struggling and sometimes on the verge of a nervous breakdown but today I planned with a friend to get at least one piece of my life under control. Now I’m all jacked up on inspiration and whatever kind of energy you get from eating a SmartOnes frozen meal, so thanks.
this post perfectly captures everything that i love about you. and also all of the reasons i am beginning to suspect we might be the same person. also, last year my new years resolution was to take a picture at some random time that i have already forgotten because i only made it four days. one month is MUCH better. i think i will try this project for the month of february. love it.
as far as i what i madly truly deeply passionate about in life? i feel like it is always everything. it’s been stressing me out a lot lately. because, how am i supposed to accomplish ALL OF THE THINGS?!
but for a lot of the things i have been wanting in my life obsessive list making seems to be my new key to success. SO MANY LISTS. SO MUCH PRODUCTIVITY. MORE YELLING ABOUT LISTS!
I have just been quietly reading your posts, minding my own business, when suddenly you spoke directly to me with the words “DO THAT SHIT”. (It seemed a little harsh, to be honest, since we had never spoken before…) I had secretly held a little egg of an idea in my heart, but always had great excuses for not doing anything about it. The main reason was that I didn’t feel that I had anything new to add to a world of gifted bloggers. And maybe I don’t, but since starting my blog last week, I have felt such joy, purpose, and fulfillment. I just wanted to come back and say “Thank you”. You kick started something in me. It’s amazing how powerful words, even from a stranger, can be.
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