New Year's Day 2010

It is the beginning of a new year, a new decade and for me, a new phase in my life. In the last 2 years I have graduated college and finished my university degree. Convocation will be this spring, and it is the first time in my life I will not be a student. I have been in university either part or full time since 1988. I, in part, have always defined myself as a student. For the first time in my life I am at a point where I do not have specific academic goals or plans. It is a little unsettling at times. I will also be turning 40 this year and that is supposed to be a mile-marker of sorts in life, the whole 'over the hill' thing and all.

It has been said the only thing we can count on in life is change. Three of my favourite quotes on the subject are:

"Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth."
C.S. Lewis - Essay on Hamlet

"There is nothing so constant as change. Meet it. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Learn from it.
The one thing you can be absolutely sure of in your life is change. It's the only thing that never changes. The law of nature is that you either grow or you die; there's no in-between. So, what have you chosen so far? Are you growing in every area of your life? Hey, it's not enough to be growing and looking great just because you work out. That's only a small part of your life. What about your emotions, spiritual life, family, friends, career, hobbies? Are they growing as your body does? Become a complete person and not an in-shape and great-looking version of an incomplete person. There's way more to life than just working out. Go with the flow and embrace changes in all areas of your life. The change will do you good."
Robert Wolff, PH.D. - Bodybuilding 101

"It's Very Important to understand the difference between dreams and goals. Dreams are things we wish for--things you enjoy thinking about but don't really know when they'll happen. Goals, on the other hand, are specific things you have decided you need to accomplish within a clearly defined period of time."
Bill Phillips - Body For Life

My life has changed drastically from where I thought it would be 10 years ago. At that time I expected to be ordained and a minister or still involved in parachurch ministry. Yet over my time doing a religious studies and theology degree I became convinced of the validity of the Catholic Church and returned home there. Then, after my work injury and nearly 3 years off work, I moved from the dream of being a professor to working fulltime in IT. I have also gotten back in shape and lost weight twice in that time, first, through Body for Life and then P90X. So I continue to try to have focus and direction in my life. I try to set goals for the body, mind and spirit. I try to set specific goals in each area but use these guiding rules to help me achieve them:

Daily Goals:

1. To get enough sleep.
2. To eat right & exercise daily.
3. To refuse to be a perfectionist.
4. To carefully control finances.
5. To ask for help when needed.
6. To pray and read the Bible daily.
7. To not pressure self into planning my entire life today.

One of the tools I use is journaling. I am currently on my 37th volume since August of 1994. Each term, I journal on these questions.

Guiding Questions:

Who are you?
What do you want?
Where are you going?
Who do you serve?
Who do you trust?

I am now a student of life, with the goal of learning to be. To become better at being. To be a better man, husband and father. Over this past year I have also learned to purge. I went through all my stuff and got rid of what is no longer needed. I only kept course notes from a few courses, not 10 full years of university notes, assignments and research. I even purged my old journals. I only have the current one.

I am looking forward to the changes in the year ahead. We will be moving, though at this point we still do not know where. The kids are growing and changing daily. 2010 looks to be an interesting year. So happy New Year.

Peace and Strength!
Yours, learning to be
Steven R. McEvoy

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"The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it."
- Leo Rosten

Related Posts:

New Year's Resolutions 2007
New Year's Resolutions 2008
Michale L. Davenport on The Importance of Goals
New Year's Day 2010
Handbook 2010

Other Articles Examining Who I Am:
Mad Celtic Warrior, Poet and Priest! - An Essay - 2003
The Journey of a Quester! - An Essay / Spiritual Biography 2004
New Year's 2006
Who Am I? Who Am I? -2008
Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict - 2009
New Year's Goals 2010
Steven R. McEvoy Interview - 2012
2014 My Goals
Who I Am - 2014

Feast of Saint Joseph 2018
I have greatly sinned 

Steven R. McEvoy Q & A IT Employee Spotlight

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