Although I no longer make new year resolutions as such, I'm a bit of a sucker for a fresh start and for regular reviews.
I've made a few fresh starts on the first of January over the decades and I can't help using the 'festive season' as an excuse to review what's been going down in my life.
So here goes ...
Fresh Start
You may have noticed I have scarcely communicated over the past month or so. Truth to say, I've been feeling very down and discouraged. Although I've not been short on things to say, I just couldn't summon up the energy to put pen to paper, fingers to computer, whatever.
However, with the Xmas season well and truly over, and 2023 started, I feel my mojo returning.
A theme for 2023
I'm proposing we (the Dementia Marathon Community) adopt the theme, 'Take your Health and Wellness into your own Hands' as our theme for this year. With that in mind, I'm going to start with a perennial issue, Decluttering!
Kerry and I were talking about decluttering last week. Specifically, about some of the issues that activity raises.
The big name in decluttering is Marie Kondo and she has familiariazed us with the idea that we should only keep those things that give us joy. An admirable idea, BUT ... Both Kerry and I found an immediate problem with that concept - we could both think of several examples of things that give us much joy but simply don't fit into our current lifestyles.
As a follow up last week, Kerry forwarded me an approach to decluttering that I'd like to share with you because it embodies several aspects of the activity that seem to be perennially important.
Please, read it and then leave a comment. What did you like? What didn't sit so well? What have you found works for you?
One approach to decluttering
Time allocated: 15 Minutes a day
Make a ritual which will put you in the right frame of mind. Mine was to Light a Candle, Make a cup of tea and Put on some Music (Mozart for Zen). While doing this, remind yourself this is important, intentional and sacred.
Tackle one shelf or one counter or one drawer and ask, Is it:
Unfinished?
Unused?
Unresolved?
Tolerated?
Disorganised?
Don't over think the process and have a "keep for six months" box handy so it gives you time to resolve why you want to keep it.
Just another approach to the same problem but I did like the 'slow down and doing something for yourself before starting' part.
Decluttering and Dementia
Decluttering the home environment can be an element in our Dementia Marathon training. While we probably all would agree that we do better when our lives are less cluttered, I've been interested to notice recently that decluttering the home envirnment is a benefit to all, including those living with dementia.
So we'd love to hear from you on this important aspect of life. What benefits do you find from decluttering your life? What are the unintended consequences that don't always work? What approaches do you favour?
Review
I like the idea of reviewing what's working and what's not. To me, it relates to finding an optimal way, meaning something that works for me and my particular cirumstances. And it relates to our theme of taking our health and wellbeing into our own hands.
I would really like to know what other members of our community think about this.
Apart from reviewing the WHAT of health and welllbeing, I'm also pondering a review ot the HOW. I'm wondering about moving to a podcast or similar? My reasoning is:
- podcasts and videos are now popular and trending. This could be a way to increase the spread of our influence and start more conversations about chronic conditions like dementia.
- we are all getting older and can find reading an increasing chore. A podcast or a video might be easier to 'digest'.
- even as 'old school' as I am, I'm still quite attracted to the idea of learning a new skill like podcasting.
What I'm thinking is that I could try it for 2023. What do you think?
Onward and upward ...