As 2015 winds down, I find it helpful to reflect upon the good and the bad of the year.
Minimization
I set out to make this a year of minimization; in this, I succeeded. I'm not done yet, but made considerable progress. After spending January and February sorting legos (to reconstitute the original sets), I sold 25 lego sets to great profit. I then minimized other games, selling my Nintendo DS (and ~10 games), complete Star Wars LCG collection, and a portion of three others (Star Wars CCG, Magic: The Gathering, Star Wars Miniatures) that I didn't use. I digitized 5 photo albums- 549 pictures- and so reduced that [physical] footprint. I got rid of 16 items of clothing (pants or shirts I didn't wear or need), 163 books, 66 movies, and 38 TV show seasons (239 discs total between the two). Finally, I rid myself of various other collections- stamps, coins, foreign [paper] currency, or other knick-knacks that ultimately just 'sat around' and were seldom used, viewed, or in any way enjoyed.
The psychological result? I can conclusively say that 'less is more.' It can be hard to let go of certain things, yes. But it gets easier, and often you'll find that you don't miss what you shed. Of everything I removed from the home, I regret parting with only one thing- a single book. Since I made over $3000 selling the above, buying one book back for less than $10 seems reasonable- though I haven't done it yet, because I've learned (shockingly) that I can survive without it. If you take one thing away from my post, it is this: your life will improve as you reduce what you own.
Personal Spending
Related to minimization, I did a much better job spending less on myself this year. I spent only what I got as gifts, plus 10% of the profit I realized from minimizing. I also made my gaming habit self-sustaining, by selling back valuable items to the store (over $630 worth) to get store credit for future purchases. May I spend even less next year.
Reading
I had an 'average' reading year, in terms of quantity: 84 books, just over 20,000 pages. I went from over 100 books owned but not read down to 30. My post here recaps this year's recommendations.
Fitness
After dropping 5 lbs in January, I leveled off and remained static (weight-wise) the rest of the year- I'm still at 195 lbs. My overall health may have improved slightly, as I managed to finally heal (at least partially) a nagging achilles stiffness in my right leg and dealt with a shoulder problem through multiple PT sessions. Two long spells of illness in the family- two months at the start of the year and six weeks at the end- combined with the birth of our third child (in August) meant that I didn't get as many workouts in as desired. My numbers are down from 2014:
2014: 51 runs for 104.6 miles, 98 gym workouts
2015: 47 runs for 103.0 miles, 81 gym workouts, 5 soccer games, 5 PT sessions
On the plus side, I started sleeping more, retiring 30 minutes earlier and waking 30 minutes later. That's made a big difference in energy levels.
If one counts yard work as exercise (which it sure feels like), I mowed the lawn (with a push-mower) 26 times (which is 52 miles walking) and raked 3-4 times.
Nutrition
I set out to avoid all store-bought sweets in 2015, which I did reasonably well until autumn, when I fell off the bus hard just before Halloween and remained off. While I ate less 'garbage,' I ate more home-made sweets, so the overall point of eating better was not realized. My goals for next year will be more fitness- and weight-based and focus less on specific types of calories; in my experience, when I work out more, I want to eat better, so it comes more easily.
Adjusting
2015 was our first full year back in the USA after 7 years in Europe, and I finally feel 'adjusted' back to life here. It took about 12 months, though . . . our time overseas has forever impacted us.
Spiritual
My relationship with the Lord isn't where it should be. I don't make the time for prayer and Scripture nearly as consistently as I should- something I have yet to master as a parent. That must improve next year. On the plus side, we finally chose a Church, and look to get actively involved in that community. And I continue to learn the lesson that it's not about me- truly loving those around me involves focusing on them and not on my own needs or wants. It's the hardest lesson, and one I suspect I'll be learning the rest of my life.
Parenting
I'm not a great parent. I'm too quick to anger at home- I have to remember that I can't expect my children (ages 5, 3, and 4 months) to act (or reason) like adults. I also get uneasy when the house is a mess- which is all the time- so I have to dial back the OCD if I have any hope of surviving their childhood. Finally, I don't do a good job cherishing the time, frequently looking away to the future when the current challenges will be overcome. May I remember that current challenges will be replaced with other, possibly harder, ones, so I need to learn to enjoy each stage for what it is. Our kids actually like us now- so may I take advantage of that rather than view it as a burden that they're CONSTANTLY in our faces, even when we're in the bathroom.
Conclusion
This year, I made considerable progress in minimization, but fell short in almost every other area. As I look back, the thought pops into my mind: "one goal is accomplished at the expense of others." I'm glad I made certain strides, but 2016 needs to see progress in many areas, not just one.
