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. . . . . . there is no edge to openness

BEYOND BUCKET LISTS

Tuesday Dec. 22, 2015          

What I want most is Christmas future.

Many!

Good genes help.

So will weight loss and fitness, more sleep, better diet.

We all need more than that, don’t we?

Something worth doing. Worth doing well. Making a difference in someone’s life besides our own. Being the best we can be at something that matters …

Three days to go, nearly finished shopping – wrapping not started, dwindling piles ‘to finish before New Year’. Start 2016 with empty in-box? Seems I’m describing last year. And one before. Each year, little change …

Perusing landscape, mulling plans and charting actions – what’s different?

Easy – anything I want.

You too?

Simple …

Not so easy, is it?

Three elements: something specific (not short term gratification), do I want it badly enough to make significant changes in behavior, life-style or work-plan, am I prepared to discard ‘how things have always been’ to enable it?

Asking anyone, what they want for Christmas – you’ll get their wish list or bucket list. Sure, that’s nice – but seems more like a fond-farewell than life-action plan. Asking – more important, asking yourself – what you want all year round, then answers are tougher to deliver.

If we dig deep enough, open up about them, I suspect answers are far more full of life than we might ever expect.

Take some time. Ask what you really want – not to make life cozy, but to make it more worthwhile. We are investing all we have – so what kind of return do we expect?

There is a limitless and uncrowded road waiting to be travelled.

Going beyond our limits seems difficult ...

But we’ve set our bar rather low.


Mark Kolke

written / published from Calgary, AB

morning walk:  -8C/17F, overcast, steady west (feels Chinooky!) breeze; robust walk on soft snow while everyone sleeps … glorious start to my final newsletter Tuesday of the year with brain busy, bursting with new ideas, fresh adventures while Gusta seemed preoccupied with finding a clever place to poop, in shadows under spruce boughs …

Reader feedback:

WAIT NO LONGER

Awwww – thanks. Loved hearing from you [the birthday greeting].  I have tried several times to sign up to your daily blog, but have been unsuccessful.  Can you put me on your list? We have all 17 of our family coming home.  Five children, spouses, 6 grandchildren.  Luckily the neighbours will be away, so we have the use of a few bedrooms there.  It will be chaotic, but fun I am sure!!! Hope you have a great Christmas. Let us know when you are next up this way – but not over Christmas/New Years….:), S#3, Edmonton, AB


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