Making A Plan

Now that I have my destination chosen and my paths laid out for me, I need to make a plan so I can continually move forward.

To become a better musician I will need to practice each instrument 30 minutes a day, learn music theory and find resources to help teach me.  I will be teaching myself how to play these instruments in the beginning, so focusing on fundamentals, theory and technique will be important.  There are people in my life that play each instrument, so I can go to them for help so long as I don't abuse their generosity.

To be healthy and active I need to devote a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week to exercise.  Proper form and technique are very important so I do not injure myself.  There are a plethora of resources on the internet that can be used to teach myself the right way to exercise.

In addition to exercise, if I want to be truly healthy, I need to eat well.  Eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to increase nutrition without adding a ton of calories.  Also, I can make healthy substitutions to my daily meals.  For example, I can replace ground beef with ground turkey.  This is possible with almost any recipe, and I don't sacrifice flavor.  (Please consult a physician before embarking on any exercise and/or dietary changes.)

Lastly, to be more giving of myself.  I said before I don't know where I want to volunteer just yet.  Step number 1 is to write a list of organizations that I would like to give my time to.  Step number 2 is to research these organizations and find out what volunteer opportunities they have available.  If their needs meet my needs and capabilities I can then get a schedule and start.

As for being a better spouse, the first thing I think I should do is increase the frequency of housekeeping tasks when our schedules keep us apart so that when we are together we can focus on each other and not the dishes in the sink.

If you are in a situation where you are unable to finance lessons or tutors, etc to help you reach your goals, seek out your social network.  Perhaps you know someone that is talented in the area you are working on that would be willing to help you, or that would be willing to trade their talents and expertise for yours.  For example, if you are interested in writing perhaps you have a friend that is a writer or a teacher and could help edit and give pointers, in exchange for you helping them with a website, planting a garden or painting their fence.

Please share what plans and ideas you have in the comments.  We can all learn from each other!