What are your plans, resolutions, goals for 2018?

What ya got in the pipeline for the new year? 

I feel like, despite the political turmoil and general nastiness that is pervading the world, I am more excited for 2018 than I have been for a new year in a long time. Musically, I am feeling very satisfied. I released my first album https://shutins.bandcamp.com/album/creature-feature this year, and have two more coming up, one if which will be released on vinyl (never thought that would happen). I have also been really focused on getting more proficient at piano, and am thinking of making a keys-only album for my next project.

I have two big goals: to quit smoking once and for all, and to reach out and hopefully attain a gig working on an indie game or movie score. 

How's WATMM feeling about 2018?

Would be nice if shit didn't suck so much. I'm not talking about the world at large. Purely selfish wish.

Word

yeh..

basically started like 7 weeks ago with:

- no smoking (incl marijuana)

- more moving around / exercise

- healthier food (good night sweet hamburgburg)

- less drinking

tbh this feels excellent so far!

so the resolution number 1 for next year is sticking with all the above..

res 2 is: get a stable income

I just want to walk and exercise more. And I want to learn to cook more healthy stuff. Drinking less would be good, (though I probably drank less overall this year than any of the last 4 years) but I'm not sure how to articulate that in a way that lends itself to positive reinforcement.

I also want to create a kind of routine or other system/rule to get myself to work on my creative/educational prospects on a daily basis.

Intentionally avoiding using words resolution and goal, as I don't think those work for me for this type of thing.

Update WATMM!

get out off bed

Snack control.

Keep the weight off that I lost in 2017.

Finish album.

Get some more ambitious art and design projects out of the concept phase.

Spend more time outdoors and less time on the internet.

(each section roughly orderedfrom "this is very important to me & taking priority" to "will be nice to work on when i can manage it" to "nice to dream about & maybe take a shot at if the opportunity arises")

PHYSICAL HEALTH STUFF

-keep doing yoga at least 3x/week (going to the studio multiple times a day rn, so i can start a personal practice if i leave the city)

-keep hitting the gym//engaging with strength training 4x/week (confident i will hit 1/2/3/4 this year if i have regular barbell access)

-continue eating clean//not giving in to eating disorders (i might have it beat! don't recall binging at all this year)

-dance more, either just going out or joining a studio somewhere (i feel like i could devote a lot of energy to this if the right option manifests)

-maybe experiment more seriously with regular fasting if it doesn't feel like it's contradicting what i said two points up

SOCIAL STUFF

-actively engage with the people around me more//stop assuming i'm inherently off-putting & should just be quiet

-distinquish "being empathetic & supportive" from "going along with things I don't believe in & eventually snapping because of that"

-be more willing to openly disagree or question when that feels appropriate

-stop assuming that my feelings are clearly conveyed to others just through body language & facial expressions

-go out more if the feeling & opportunity are there, stop fearing the worst & being a hermit because of that

-go on more dates if it feels right

MATERIAL//CAREER STUFF

-actually start learning skills i'm interested in rather than making excuses "like oh that's not important, would be a waste of energy"

-don't buy things i don't actually need//pare my belongings down to what is truly essential (currently living out of a backpack so uhh)

-don't give away all my money in a fit of emotions

-seriously entertain the possibility of a major lifestyle change rather than putting it off for another year//get off the mtl island chain ffs

ART//PASSION//EMOTIONAL HEALTH STUFF

-get to the bottom of why i go through this cycle of building a stable life & solid future for myself & then rapidly destroying it

-keep making music for hours a day every day OR

-stop making music altogether & figure out where my passion lies these days (hard to figure out which route to go :[ )

-related: be more willing to experiment & try out new art forms rather than saying "oh i can't waste time with that, i need to keep making these trax i mostly just keep to myself"

SPIRITUAL STUFF

-get back to the point of mediating an hour per day

-remove obstructions from my daily schedule ie anything that gives me delusions of grandeur

-maybe renounce material things & wander the earth//work my land in New Brunswick

OVERALL

-try to feel good

-try to feel good with other people

-try to be moved

-dance more

-go somewhere new

-do something new

delete my watmm account

Just be better than best

-smoke less and/or quit

-drink less

-make more music

-make better music

-be better with $

-continue to kick ass in school

-prioritize my own mental health and well-being

-raise t levels

not get depressed

It sounds like emotional/physical wellbeing is on the top of most peoples lists. I can dig that. Almost every year I tell myself that I will quit smoking and start exercising more, but generally only the second half of that works, and then pilfers off throughout the year. I'm just aiming for the first part this time. With all the extra energy from not smoking, the exercise will probably naturally happen more. Also, I knoe that quitting smoking will definitely decrease alcohol intake

ime with exercise there seems to be this tipping point where it goes from being this chore that you mentally commit to doing, to this enjoyable physical experience that feels like a welcome break from the endless mental chatter. like tbh there have been multiple occassions with multiple ppl in the last several months where i blew off having sex to go do deadlifts

kid from whiplash mode activated

^ yes.. personally it seems to work out nicely that way - basically it’s ok to substitute smoke addiction with another addiction/habit as long as it’s a healthy one, ie do a bout of pushups & then sit and breath for a few minutes, or eat an apple or something.. the craving will stop. Found it pretty easy tbh! just gotta start, and if you want to, you’re already mostly there..

make better art and music, being a little less harsh on myself, make more money, finding someone that i like to release my music. 

exercise (running/weights) are brilliant for your mental health. if you see the form as part of you/your daily routine (I am a runner, each day I run etc) i find it makes it easier. 

Make a couple of tracks nobody will listen to. Travel. Maybe find a new job. Post less in here.

Drink less, work on music more

Get a proper studio in the city center

find myself

Split up with my ex of 13 years this year. 3 kids in tow.

Met the most amazing woman on the planet a while back and we’re moving in together on Saturday (23/12) she’s my twin and I love her in a way I didn’t realise was possible. That’ll do for now!

  On 12/20/2017 at 5:21 PM, patternoverlap said:

Finish album.

- Move out of my 1 bed flat into sharing flat to save much monies

- Use saved monies from above to reduce owed monies to credit card companies