Blogging As An Exercise In Self-Discipline

I just spent a weekend unplugged: no computer, no internet, no cell phone. I don't know when the last time was I did this. . .perhaps never. But I've been feeling too available lately, too tethered, allowing various (oft superficial) interactions to take up too much of my time and energy. I've been lacking direction, feeling stagnant. I've been moving too fast, doing too much multitasking and not enough enjoying the moment I'm in, in both mind and body. I'm doing so much that I'm not actually doing any of it. I'm never sitting still. I'm never listening.

The weekend was fantastic. In my down time, instead of texting or checking my email or browsing Facebook or Yelp, I actually sat and read or wrote or thought or listened. It's incredible what that slowing down the pace of your life will do for perspective. (Being in the company of an old friend who has always inspired and challenged me is immensely helpful, as well. And traveling 1,200 miles from the distractions of normal life doesn't hurt, I guess, but I believe it's mostly a mental thing.) I have a new clarity, a new sense of purpose and vision, a very new sense of calm. I asked and received, sought and found, knocked and had the door opened unto me. I highly recommend it.

There are many things I want to do as a result of this weekend of introspection. One facet of them is to be still more often, to spend more time in thought and prayer and reflection, to get writing again, and to actually practice self-discipline about it. So I'm resurrecting the blog.

Earlier this year I started a list of "Things I'm Striving For" -- qualities I want to posses, words I want to use to be able to describe myself -- and I've been adding to it over the past few months. Right now there are 25 items on the list, and every day, I'm going to write about one of them -- what it means, why it's important, how it looks as part of my life, and what the challenges are for getting there. A bit self-indulgent, perhaps; but I need some discipline to get me writing again, and I feel like this is a good place to start.


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"I need to watch to watch the wind blowing on the sea; let me hear it slowly, rustling the trees. City people move, too fast for me. . .funny how time flies away, funny how it flies." - Peter and the Wolf