Staying Calm Below the Water Line

It's been about a month since launching the website and overall I feel a great sense of accomplishment for making it this far. There's still a great deal of work to be done, but having a space to share my projects as they're being completed is a huge step.

Now that all this ground work is laid out I've been spending my time trying to attack as many personal projects as I can while having the time. In the larger picture it's been very chaotic. I've found it difficult to sort out what exactly what to do to make best of my time. Spend the day recording a song? drafting up my next print? editing the back catalogue of my photos? Most days it feels like I need to burry myself in my computer to tweak the website or to start deleting the thousands of emails that have been piling up over the last half decade. It feels like with every step there's another batch of details which need to be catered to. I've still yet to find that perfect balance of getting it all managed, but at least I have an idea of what needs to be done.

Before the holiday's came around I found myself in a great rhythm. I was constantly working on something, I was in a zone. I had my days planned out in advance, determined to finish the projects that I started before letting them slip away. Now that the holiday's are over I feel somewhat lost. Almost as if that week and a half of travel and downtime just stripped away what I've been so focused on for the past handful of months. I know that this is a temporary feeling, but I still find it somewhat discouraging. It almost feels as though I want to give it all up, just to stay in a point of rest. Go back to what I found comfortable and re-live the life I'd been used to for the past couple of years and not think about what else I could be doing. But I know better, I know that remaining stagnant wears on me and makes me very irritable. I feel best when I'm in motion and working towards something that I find worthwhile and I know that turning back isn't an option.

So I gave some thought to some changes that I'd like to make in order to start the year off on a good note and hopefully continue for years to come.

1. Meditation

I've been out of my meditation practice for years now and can definitely feel the effects of it's absence in my life. I've found that meditating works wonders with sorting through thoughts, clearing the mind, and finding a calm balance in daily life. I would like to reach a point where I do a daily sit of 20 minutes.

2. (Much) Less Alcohol

I've come to terms with my addiction to alcohol. For a long period of time I would be having at least two drinks a day. More so recently I've let it get out of control and I don't want to be that person anymore. I'm sick of waking up feeling terrible and not knowing exactly what happened the night before. It's a terrible way to start the day, and It's been the biggest distraction in my life as of recent.

3. Tea

I've always enjoyed tea and I've always wanted having tea a daily ritual in my life. I've heard of some blends that can help ween you off alcohol as well. There are also numerous health benefits from having tea on a daily basis, and along with that I find that it helps ground me and give me focus.

4. Sticking with my Planner

I've had a Panda Planner for a couple of years now. I like them because the dates are blank and you can fill them in as needed. I've always had the tendency to let my planners fade away and be forgotten after a couple months, but with this one you can always pick up where you left off. I would like to use it on a daily basis going forward. It includes a monthly calendar as well as weekly and daily sections where you can write in your goals and your review of the day, week, etc. I've found that this planner helps a lot when you're faced with a lot going on. With my schedule being so random I think it will help keep me on track.

5. Money Management

I have two goals for money management going forward.

First: 20% of everything I earn is going to relieve my credit card debt. It's been on my back for too long and if i keep this promise It'll be going down a lot quicker than it has been.

Second: It goes without saying that alcohol is expensive. I'm not certain how much of my income went into buying drinks but I'm sure I wouldn't be proud of the percentage. Drastically cutting back on my consumption will save me a good amount of money that will be used for more productive things.

I feel like staying true with these simple goals will find me a much happier life going forward. Many of them have been in the back of my mind for a long while and I feel like it's finally time to buckle down and put them into practice. On top of these small daily goals my partner, Hannah, and I would like to make a bigger commitment to traveling. We're toying with the idea of doing a trip, big or small, every two months. Documenting our adventures and finds along the way. If ya'll have any recommendations on places around Virginia or surrounding states then please reach out and let us know!

I'll be posting up some more prints over these next couple of days and have some more print ideas on the way. My first official album is in the works, the track listing is set, and recording will start soon. Lastly, I have a couple more videos making their way to the website as well. It feels great to get back into the swing of things. Happy New Year! Let's make 2020 a one to remember!