2023Book

2023: Chapter 4

by

Happy 5/5 day! It is May 5, 2023- time to start the fourth chapter for the new year’s resolutions. In the past 10 years or so, I have attempted a variation of resolution themes in an attempt to hold myself accountable, and all of them have had limited success. The first few attempts were centered around my resolutions and a monthly check-in by way of accountability. For ten years I would focus on what I called Groundhog Day Resolutions. The kickoff would always start on February 2nd or 2/2. This was a little over a month after the western calendar of New Year’s Day on January 1st.This year I want to do a variation of a monthly accountability check-in. I mentioned the “Groundhog Day Resolutions” and its limited success. While I believe the theory behind those initiatives were sound, the practice was not. So it’s time to have a re-think about the process.

In 2023, I am writing a book on it. This year I am thinking of each month of this year as its own chapter in a book. I’ll do a chapter review on the same date that corresponds with the month.

Example: The book will start on February 2 (2/2) and will go on until March 3rd or 3/3. On 3/3 I will conduct a review of the previous month, and so on and so forth. With the chapter review, I’ll throw in some chapter highlights (in blue) of the previous month in hope that by the end of the year (11/11), I’ll have written a book I can be proud of.

Here is a quick list of things I want to do for the new year:

  • Learn Spanish
  • More meditation & yoga
  • Organize the photo Archive as a database
  • Minimalism/essentialism
  • Quit smoking
  • No alcohol
  • Lower BP
  • Lose 20 pounds

Learn Spanish

Aprendiendo muchas más frases en español este mes! My goal of properly learning Spanish kicked off on December 28, according to DuoLingo, my language app. The lessons are sporadic and when I have the time or desire to, say maybe twice a week.

💬
Chapter Four Highlight: Este mes habra conjugaciones verbales

Meditation and yoga almost daily.

I am loving these yoga sessions about every other morning.

🙏🏼
Chapter Four Highlight: Stretching feels amazing.
Yoga & Meditation programs with Apple Fitness+ 

Photography Goals

Non-existent. I have had zero time to photograph anything meaningful due to the day job. Sure, I still take daily pics during “snappy hour” when prompted but nothing to proudly display or print. Photo organization has mostly not even been on my mind.

📸
Chapter Four Highlight: https://www.chrisdenbow.website/iphone-vs-camera/

Minimalism and essentialism

Slowly removing some stuff out of my life but not enough. I will have to get mean to get lean.

🗑️
Chapter Four Highlight: Time to trash the place.

Quit smoking

🚭
Chapter Four Highlight: Smoke break…check back next month.

No Alchohol

🍺
Chapter Four Highlight: On hiatus.

Lower Blood pressure

Priority one with results. I started taking BP medicine to help recuce the tension. Too soon to tell if it is having any effect but I am hoping. Less, salt. Less sugar. Less eating out. Increase my cardio with more walking, yoga. All of this should help me lower my weight and eventually those readings will come down.

❤️
Chapter Four Highlight: Lower blood pressure!

Lose 20 pounds

In the past few years, I maxed out at 217.4 pounds. That isn’t great for a 5’7″ frame. When starting this initiative last month (2/2), I was down to 204.4. Currently (3/3) I am down to 193. So glad to see some results and hope the remaining 12 pounds will not be too difficult. My goals is to get down to 185 pounds. 175 is better, but let’s be realistic. The issue here is nutrition. The job has me out in the field for 8-10 hours daily and the temptation to eat out is strong. But the job is also a physical one so I should take advantage of all that lifting and walking.

👟
Chapter Four Highlight: 30 pounds lost so far. Mission accomplished but now I want to get down to 185. 4 more pounds to go!

It’s time to get to writing a new chapter. See you on June 6th (6/6) for a review of Chapter 5.

2023: Chapter 3

by

Happy 4/4 day! It is April 4, 2023- time to start the second chapter for the new year’s resolutions. In the past 10 years or so, I have attempted a variation of resolution themes in an attempt to hold myself accountable, and all of them have had limited success. The first few attempts were centered around my resolutions and a monthly check-in by way of accountability. For ten years I would focus on what I called Groundhog Day Resolutions. The kickoff would always start on February 2nd or 2/2. This was a little over a month after the western calendar of New Year’s Day on January 1st.This year I want to do a variation of a monthly accountability check-in. I mentioned the “Groundhog Day Resolutions” and its limited success. While I believe the theory behind those initiatives were sound, the practice was not. So it’s time to have a re-think about the process.

In 2023, I am writing a book on it. This year I am thinking of each month of this year as its own chapter in a book. I’ll do a chapter review on the same date that corresponds with the month.

Example: The book will start on February 2 (2/2) and will go on until March 3rd or 3/3. On 3/3 I will conduct a review of the previous month, and so on and so forth. With the chapter review, I’ll throw in some chapter highlights (in blue) of the previous month in hope that by the end of the year (11/11), I’ll have written a book I can be proud of.

Here is a quick list of things I want to do for the new year:

  • Learn Spanish
  • More meditation & yoga
  • Organize the photo Archive as a database
  • Minimalism/essentialism
  • Quit smoking
  • No alcohol
  • Lower BP
  • Lose 20 pounds

Learn Spanish

No es un buen mes para aprender espanol. My goal of properly learning Spanish kicked off on December 28, according to DuoLingo, my language app. After doing lessons 65 days in a row I burned out. The lessons are sporadic and when I have the time or desire to, say maybe twice a week.  

💬
Chapter Three Highlight: tengo que hacerlo mejor en esto!

Meditation and yoga almost daily.

Fail. Not one yoga session all month so I have to get disciplined here.

🙏🏼
Chapter Three Highlight: I can feel the tension so its time to up my practice!
Yoga & Meditation programs with Apple Fitness+ 

Photography Goals

Non-existent. I have had zero time to photograph anything meaningful due to the day job. Sure, I still take daily pics during “snappy hour” when prompted but nothing to proudly display or print. Photo organization has mostly not even been on my mind.

📸
Chapter Three Highlight: The cameras are getting dusty.

Minimalism and essentialism

How have I been adding stuff and not removing it? Yes, the purchases were work essentials but nothing has gone out the door either.

🗑️
Chapter Three Highlight: Time to trash the place.

Quit smoking

What are you looking at?
🚭
Chapter Three Highlight: On hiatus.

No Alchohol

What are you looking at?
🍺
Chapter Three Highlight: On hiatus.

Lower Blood pressure

Priority one with results. I started taking BP medicine to help recuce the tension. Too soon to tell if it is having any effect but I am hoping. Less, salt. Less sugar. Less eating out. Increase my cardio with more walking, yoga. All of this should help me lower my weight and eventually those readings will come down.

❤️
Chapter Three Highlight: Lower blood pressure!

Lose 20 pounds

In the past few years, I maxed out at 217.4 pounds. That isn’t great for a 5’7″ frame. When starting this initiative last month (2/2), I was down to 204.4. Currently (3/3) I am down to 193. So glad to see some results and hope the remaining 12 pounds will not be too difficult. My goals is to get down to 185 pounds. 175 is better, but let’s be realistic. The issue here is nutrition. The job has me out in the field for 8-10 hours daily and the temptation to eat out is strong. But the job is also a physical one so I should take advantage of all that lifting and walking.

👟
Chapter Three Highlight: 24 pounds lost so far. Mission accomplished but now I want to get down to 185. 8 more pounds to go!

It’s time to get to writing a new chapter. See you on May 5th (5/5) for a review of Chapter 4.

2023: Chapter Two

by

Happy 3/3 day! It is March 3, 2023- time to start the second chapter for the new year’s resolutions. In the past 10 years or so, I have attempted a variation of resolution themes in an attempt to hold myself accountable, and all of them have had limited success. The first few attempts were centered around my resolutions and a monthly check-in by way of accountability. For ten years I would focus on what I called Groundhog Day Resolutions. The kickoff would always start on February 2nd or 2/2. This was a little over a month after the western calendar of New Year’s Day on January 1st.This year I want to do a variation of a monthly accountability check-in. I mentioned the “Groundhog Day Resolutions” and its limited success. While I believe the theory behind those initiatives were sound, the practice was not. So it’s time to have a re-think about the process.

In 2023, I am writing a book on it. This year I am thinking of each month of this year as its own chapter in a book. I’ll do a chapter review on the same date that corresponds with the month.

Example: The book will start on February 2 (2/2) and will go on until March 3rd or 3/3. On 3/3 I will conduct a review of the previous month, and so on and so forth. With the chapter review, I’ll throw in some chapter highlights (in blue) of the previous month in hope that by the end of the year (11/11), I’ll have written a book I can be proud of.

Here is a quick list of things I want to do for the new year:

  • Learn Spanish
  • More meditation & yoga
  • Organize the photo Archive as a database
  • Minimalism/essentialism
  • Quit smoking
  • No alcohol
  • Lower BP
  • Lose 20 pounds

Learn Spanish

My goal of learning Spanish kicked off 63 days ago, on December 28, according to DuoLingo, my language app. Anything over a week is fairly impressive if you know me at all. I’ve had a chance to converse a few times with Spanish speakers in the field and it felt good to get back into it.

💬
Chapter Two Highlight: Learning Spanish 60+ days in a row!

Meditation and yoga almost daily.

Almost daily is correct. Some days you feel alive, awake and feeling great, while other days you just hit the snooze button a couple of times. On the good days arrive, I can walk out of the house feeling even better. I must remember this the next time I am tempted to hit that snoozer again. I cannot quantify the workout this past month since losing and gaining an Apple Watch again. Now I am back on track with the fitness recording.

🙏🏼
Chapter Two Highlight: More mindfulness and flexibility
Yoga & Meditation programs with Apple Fitness+ 

Photography Goals

Well this didn’t take long to fizzle out. I was looking forward to digging below the service on learning Adobe software but no. I came across a podcast with Mylio as a sponsor and was intriqued. A 30-day trial didn’t last 3 days before I decided to go all-in. When I say all-in, I mean I have discontinued my Adobe subscription. Yes, Mylio’s photo organizing tools, beat out Adobe.  The end result will be an organized archive system where I can easily find and use any one photo on demand.

📸
Chapter Two Highlight: Photo Archives almost organized!

Minimalism and essentialism

I’ve taken some big strides in reducing my clutter and relegating stuff to a box in storage to be sorted later, or kept, to moving stuff out of the house. But as usual, there is always more. Got to keep looking and reviewing what is essential. For example- I have more than a few film and digital cameras. Each of them have their own personalities and strengths sure, but none of them are essential. I am selling Sonya, the Sony mirrorless camera. Keeping my original Nikon D50 for the kid to use if she wants to (she’s a great photographer already!) Keeping the Nikon D90 for myself as a backup because Nikki is my favorite. The Canon is reserved for Miss Adventure, when she wants to use it. All the film cameras, save for the FujiFilm Instax Square 90 is going out the door.

🗑️
Chapter Two Highlight: Throwing out the junk

Quit smoking

This goal lasted two weeks. One of the benefits I was hoping to see was to help lower my blood pressure. When I was not getting the intended results, I frustratingly wimped and lit back up. Now that the high blood pressure is lowering, slowly, it is time to extinquish the flame again.

Black Sheep is smokin’
🚭
Chapter Two Highlight: Quitting tobacco (again)!

No Alchohol

Alcohol consumption is not difficult for me, and I can refrain even while at a bar with friends. This is an easy one so I should see less weight and overall health as a result.

Lower Blood pressure

Priority one with results. I started taking BP medicine to help recuce the tension. Too soon to tell if it is having any effect but I am hoping. Less, salt. Less sugar. Less eating out. Increase my cardio with more walking, yoga. All of this should help me lower my weight and eventually those readings will come down.

❤️
Chapter Two Highlight: Lower blood pressure!

Lose 20 pounds

In the past few years, I maxed out at 217.4 pounds. That isn’t great for a 5’7″ frame. When starting this initiative last month (2/2), I was down to 204.4. Currently (3/3) I am down to 197. So glad to see some results and hope the remaining 12 pounds will not be too difficult. My goals is to get down to 185 pounds. 175 is better, but let’s be realistic. The issue here is nutrition. The job has me out in the field for 8-10 hours daily and the temptation to eat out is strong. But the job is also a physical one so I should take advantage of all that lifting and walking.

👟
Chapter Two Highlight: 12 pounds lost so far!

It’s time to get to writing a new chapter. See you on April 4th (4/4) for a review of Chapter 3.

2023: Chapter One

by

Today is the day! It is February, 2nd, 2023 and it is time to start a new chapter for the new year’s resolutions.

Here is a quick list of things I want to do for the new year:

  • Learn Spanish
  • More meditation & yoga
  • Organize the photo Archive as a database
  • Minimalism/essentialism
  • Quit smoking
  • No alcohol
  • Lower BP
  • Lose 20 pounds

Learn Spanish

My goal of learning Spanish kicked off 35 days ago, on December 28, according to DuoLingo, my language app. 35-day streak is fairly impressive if you know me at all. I’ve had little opportunity in applying what I’ve learned in the real world but cannot wait to have conversations with the Spanish-speaking community this year.

Duolingo language app.

Meditation and yoga almost daily.

I’ve prepped for these goals by investing in a few Apple software helpers such as Apple Fitness+ and Music for guided meditation and workouts. Subscribing to specific podcasts have been helpful too. A new padded floor mat has been added and I am looking forward to more fitness, flexibility and patience.

Yoga & Meditation programs with Apple Fitness+ 

Photography Goals

Learning Adobe photography software tools should be easy for me  after all these years but I’ve overlooked the fundamentals.
But this year I want to do a deep dive. I have all these tools but feel like I am scratching the surface and want to maximize the tools I have.  I’ve put in a lot of work these past thirty years but there is a need for photo archive organization. The end result will be an organized archive system where I can easily find and use any one photo on demand.

Minimalism and essentialism

My brain toggles on/off when it relates to stuff. I need this or that until I get bored with it and then accumulate more stuff that I don’t use. Well this year, the toggle is in “OFF” mode. It’s time to purge down to the essentials and keep only the things I use and enjoy. Everything else is…just that.

Quit smoking

The tobacco pipe is in use as I write this on February 1 in anticipation of quitting by February 2. What tobacco remains now will be destroyed, the pipe cleaned and accessories put away in storage. I am over smoking and the removal of the tobacco pipe paraphernalia should help. This will help me lower my blood pressure and overall health.

This is now in a storage bin

No Alchohol

Alcohol consumption is not difficult for me, and I can refrain even while at a bar with friends. This is an easy one so I should see less weight and overall health as a result.

Lower Blood pressure

Priority one. Less, salt. Less sugar. Less eating out. Increase my cardio with more walking, yoga. More supplements and eventually the diuretic prescription again. All of this should help me lower my weight and eventually those readings will come down.

Lose 20 pounds

In the past few years, I maxed out at 217.4 pounds. That isn’t great for a 5’7″ frame. I am currently down to 204.4 pounds on February 1. My goals is to get down to 185 pounds. 175 is better, but let’s be realistic. The issue here is nutrition. The job has me out in the field for 8-10 hours daily and the temptation to eat out is strong. But the job is also a physical one so I should take advantage of all that lifting and walking.

In the past 10 years or so, I have attempted a variation of resolution themes in an attempt to hold myself accountable, and all of them have had limited success. The first few attempts were centered around my resolutions and a monthly check-in by way of accountability. For ten years I would focus on what I called Groundhog Day Resolutions. The kickoff would always start on February 2nd or 2/2. This was a little over a month after the western calendar of New Year’s Day on January 1st.

This year I want to do a variation of a monthly accountability check-in. I mentioned the “Groundhog Day Resolutions” and its limited success. While I believe the theory behind those initiatives were sound, the practice was not. So it’s time to have a re-think about the process.

In 2023, I am writing a book on it. This year I am thinking of each month of this year as its own chapter in a book. I’ll do a chapter review on the same date that corresponds with the month.

Example: The book will start on February 2 (2/2) and will go on until March 3rd or 3/3. On 3/3 I will conduct a review of the previous month, and so on and so forth. With the chapter review, I’ll throw in some highlights of the previous month in hope that by the end of the year (11/11), I’ll have written a book I can be proud of.

It’s time to get to writing that book and start a new chapter. See you on March 3rd for a review of Chapter 1.

2023: Preface

by

Let’s be honest, hardly anyone is in the right frame of mind to create and stick to their resolutions in a new year. We expect too much in January, so I say don’t start working on resolutions until February. There are some people, believe it or not that won’t start until late March at the time of the Spring Equinox.

In the past 10 years or so, I have attempted a variation of resolution themes in an attempt to hold myself accountable, and all of them have had limited success. The first few attempts were centered around my resolutions and a monthly check-in by way of accountability. For ten years I would focus on what I called Groundhog Day Resolutions. The kickoff would always start on February 2nd or 2/2. This was a little over a month after the western calendar of New Year’s Day on January 1st.

Now remember, during the end of the year, or the holiday season, some of us have a habit of eating too much food and drinking too much alcohol in our celebrations. I have a birthday in December so there is typically a bonus weekend of revelry. The point is, most of us are in no shape mentally, physically or spiritually to plan and stick to a resolution. We want to change and we need to change those habits, but we aren’t prepared to act on our resolutions, let alone stick with them.

For me, after the 2/2 kick-off I would do the best I could and then check in with myself on March 3rd, or 3/3. “How did I do last month?” “What could I have done better?” “What do I need to do to get back on track by this time next month?” “How will I reward myself for accomplishing that goal?” I would do the best I could and then check in with myself on 4/4, or April 4th. The next month would be 5/5, 6/6, etc until the target date of November 11th. This was to be the end goal for the year, right before the next holiday season. The end goal of having nine months focused on those resolutions, correcting bad habits, accomplishing intentions and hitting those targets should be a success.

By allowing ourselves, myself some slack for the months of November/December/January, I can regroup, think and prepare myself for the next year of self improvements. These three months make up a winter season in the northern hemisphere where our bodies want to go into hibernation mode. The Winter Equinox is a time to hunker down, stay warm, create, read and prepare for the next season.

This year I want to do a variation of a monthly accountability check-in. I mentioned the “Groundhog Day Resolutions” and its limited success. While I believe the theory behind those initiatives were sound, the practice was not. So it’s time to have a re-think about the process.

In 2023, I am writing a book on it. Not a literal book, no, that is another goal/initiative in itself. This year I am thinking of each month of this year as its own chapter in a book. I’ll do a chapter review on the same date that corresponds with the month.

Example: The book will start on February 2 (2/2) and will go on until March 3rd or 3/3. On 3/3 I will conduct a review of the previous month, and so on and so forth. With the chapter review, I’ll throw in some highlights of the previous month in hope that by the end of the year (11/11), I’ll have written a book I can be proud of.

This post and the accompanying podcast on my website is the Preface of the book. On November 11th, at the end of the book, I will have a year-end review of those goals and resolutions as an afterward. I’ll throw in an Acknowledgment page, references and highlights of each month- just like a book!

My advice to anyone reading is to not set goals, expectations or resolutions for yourself in the beginning of the calendar year. Take some time off for yourself to plan, prepare for success in your habit-changing journey. Be kind to yourself, prepare to pick yourself up when you fall. Check-in with yourself frequently. Analyze the process to see what works and what does not. Then recalibrate the situation to be more successful. I am wishing you well and I am going to get busy on preparing and researching my 2023 book of resolutions.

A quick list of things (subject to change) I want to do for the new year:

  • Learn Spanish
  • More meditation & yoga
  • Learn Adobe Bridge, PS and LR more
  • Organize the photo Archive as a database
  • Minimalism/essentialism
  • Quit smoking
  • No alcohol
  • Lower BP
  • Lose 20 pounds

Learn Spanish with the Duolingo app in small increments everyday. Attempt to retain it by using it in the real world as opposed to just going through the lessons and forgetting it. I know people who have done this and with good results. Success in this will be able to have conversational Spanish by the end of 2023.

Meditation and yoga almost daily. I have the software to do so such as Apple Fitness + and Music meditation. Guided podcasts, etc. I just grabbed a new padded floor mat to help with this. Success here will be lower BP, increased flexibility, calmer mind, more patience.

Learning Adobe products should be easy. I have the fundamentals down because I’ve been using it for years. But I want a deep dive. This will come in handy for my photo archive organization. The end result will be an organized archive system where I can easily find and use any one photo on demand.

I am over smoking and the removal of the tobacco pipe paraphenalia should help. I need to purchase some gum or mints to help with those cravings. This will help me breathe easier, lower my BP and overall health.

Stopping alcohol consumption is not difficult for me, even when I am at a bar I can refrain. I should see less weight and overall health as a result.

Lowering my BP should be my number one priority this year. Less, salt. Less sugar. Less eating out. Increase my cardio with more walking, yoga. More supplements and eventually the diuretic prescription again. All of this should help me lower my weight and eventually those readings will come down.

When I fall (and I will fall), get back up, learn from my mistakes, and continue pushing forward because failure is a byproduct of growth. It’s all part of the process. If I plan on recycling the exact resolution I’ve made every year since 2018, perhaps it’s time to try something different. Now that I have the right tools, making 2023 the year I follow through on my resolutions is entirely up to me.

Bonus: This text is also in audio form as well on the Audio Mojo podcast. Check it out on the Podcast page!