Creating a Better Life

2008 *Was* A Great Year

It’s been an amazing ride this past year. I can honestly say that 2008 was my best year ever.

Back at the beginning of 2008 (I think it was the first or second day of the New Year), Vickie from Contemplate This encouraged people to do some writing from the perspective of the end of the year. I’m glad I decided to take the time to do it. Seeing myself and my life at year’s end clarified things for me in a big way, and just may have been the catalyst for really making 2008 Two Thousand and Great!

After finally “getting” what Zig Ziglar was talking about when he said that you can have whatever you want if you just help enough other people get what they want, my blogs and related businesses really shot into the stratosphere. My income more than doubled, my readership is through the roof, and I’m spending my days doing what I was always meant to be doing. It sure feels good to have broken away from the wage slavery! No more cage for me!

These things allowed Tracy and I to finally pick up and move to the Pacific Northwest. It’s cold, it’s beautiful, and it’s peaceful. Watching our dog Baby running around out there in the backyard… I’m so grateful that I could provide these things for both of my girls.

And the projects that I’m involved in! Never mind the fact that the blog’s readership has more than doubled in size - it feels so good to know that I’m contributing to world as only I can, and teaching others that they can to! I’m working with some amazing people, contributing to the world as only I can - oh, wait, I said that already! .

Hmmm… that’s funny. I just thought about having a cigarette… when was the last time that happened? A couple of weeks? A month? I guess it really is true that the thoughts will keep popping up even after months of nicotine free living. Ska Roo that, though. I’m finally free of that nasty little addiction, and I’m not giving up that freedom for anything.

It was really wonderful to be able to spend time with family back in Connecticut this year, too. And to be able to plan for it without worrying about airfare or missing time from work… just fantastic! My brother and his new wife are really doing well, and my mom and stepdad are happier than I’ve ever seen them. Even more to be grateful for.

Well, I’m off. Tracy and I are going out to dinner and a movie. It’s funny how just a year ago that would’ve been such a project just to plan. Do we have the the money for it? What days am I working this week? Are you healthy enough to go out tonight, hon? All non-issues now.

Life is good.

Thank you, Vickie, for encouraging me to really get into my vision at the beginning of 2008. I appreciate you.

And thank you, dear readers, for coming along for the ride, and making 2008 *our* best year ever. I appreciate every single one of you as well.

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Discuss this post at Personal Development Partners

What Would You Do With An Extra 36 Hours?

About a week ago, Edward Mills of Evolving Times asked his readers and fellow bloggers what they would do with an extra 36 hours a week?

Edward came up with the question based on the blogtastic book The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. I haven’t read the book yet, but I call it blogtastic because of the way that it took the blogosphere by storm and fundamentally changed the way that many of us go about their daily tasks. I credit Andy Wibbels’ interview with Tim when the book first came out with my attitude of “Just because it comes in electronically doesn’t mean I have to respond right now”, which has provided both a major boost to my own productivity, as well as an ability to really focus on the people that I respond to with the thoughtfulness that they deserve.

To tell the truth I really don’t want to add yet another book to my ever growing reading list at the moment. But from what I’ve gleaned from all of the information about it, both on Ferriss’ web site and from all of the blogs that have written about it, the book is about achieving one basic thing: time freedom.

For the sake of this article, I’m going to take the idea at face value. If I only had to spend four hours a week at my day job, how would I spend the other 36?

I’d Write More

This one was a no brainer… but maybe “more” doesn’t really cover it. I’d also write different stuff, on other topics that I enjoy and in other forms. Most of my writing takes the form of personal development blogging nowadays, and I’d like to branch out.

I’d Spend More Quality Time With My Wife

Another no brainer. But the important word here is quality. Not just being under the same roof while I write and blog and build and she does her thing, but doing things together, both in the house (woo-hoo!) and outside.

I’d Improve My Web Development Skills

While I’m no slouch at the basics of application development, I’d really like to take the time to refine my PHP, MySQL, and Javascript skills to the point where every time I wanted to do something a little different, I didn’t have to search Google for someone else’s code to learn from. It’s great to learn by example, but if I could really take the time to learn a language’s syntax and concepts, I know that it would cut much of the time I spend developing in half.

I’d Visit My Family More

My mom, brother, soon to be sister-in-law, and step-dad are all on the east coast, and I’m on the west. It’s been way too long since I’ve been out there. Way way way too long…

I’d Get Involved in Local Groups That Promote Self Improvement and Personal Growth

One of the thing that I love about the web is the time shifting - I can participate in a discussion on a forum or blog without it having to be done at any set time. But I’d like to get involved in local groups again (like a Religious Science church, or maybe Toastmasters) where I can meet with like minded people. My current job, because of it’s shifting schedule, doesn’t allow me to do that with any consistency.

Hmmm… after writing out that list, maybe I do want to pick up a copy of the book!

Thanks for including me in this, Edward!

And now, what would you do if you had that extra 36 hours? Feel free to leave your ideas in the comments below. If you’ve got a blog, write up a post and link it back to the original post on Evolving Times, so that Ed can include your article when he compiles his list of participants.