midwest neurotica

Cottage living is all about surrounding ourselves with what we love - both people and things. Smaller spaces force you to edit your life and focus on what is truly important. It is living what you believe. It is relishing in the “getting there”. So when you’re neurotic like me, you enjoy the quest for goodness.

There are many things we can’t change in our lives - those pesky problems life throws at us. We can control how we react to those problems and take steps to become more in control of the rest. Taking stock of all the goodness in your life is a great first step. Making an “Adding Goodness” action plan is next. Start with listing the life areas you wish to improve. Writing down your goals helps you commit to a solution, even if you don’t know what that is yet.

It’s not important to be exhaustive, just focus on goals that are at the top of your mind. Later we will apply the GTD approach to making these goals a reality.

Here’s my list of areas to tackle:

• Routines. No day is like the last for me, which often leads to significant stress. I’d like to add more predictability through routines. I’ve got a good morning routine in the works, so I think evening should be a focus.
• Punctuality. I have been known to say that I will be late to my funeral. This is not a way to live and I know I will feel more in control. This leads me to #3.
• Rising Early. Is it wrong that I dream of a time where I can easily get out of bed at 4:30 am to write? Currently, I drag my sorry bum out of bed at 6:30, making me late to work nearly every day.
• Birthdays. An e-card is not an adequate substitute for a well-selected birthday greeting, arriving at your door in a timely fashion with the perfect thoughtful token of appreciation for another year of life.
• Thriftiness. I like Diet Pepsi. I buy it whether its on sale or not. My mom sends me Starbucks gift cards in denominations of $100. Clearly, not only do I have a caffeine addiction, but I know little about good buys. I’m prepared to tackle my thrifty gene (or lack thereof), caffeine will have to come later.
• Active Lifestyle. I’m out of shape. See #3 (Rising Early).

In future posts, I will share next steps in the Adding Goodness process.

• Writing goodness statements
• Adding a touch of neurotica to your life
• Determining next actions

So what about you? What do you want to tackle? It doesn’t have to be a master life list, just what’s bugging you most right now. What bad habits can you replace with good habits? What do you want to change so you can be a better friend, parent, spouse, partner, relative?

In the meantime, I highly recommend the new Zen to Done (ZTD) simplicity productivity system as introductory reading.

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