We all have things we want to do

We all have a list in our mind, maybe even written out, of what we want to do before we die. Some of us plan our lives out so well that we have lists of what we want to do next year, or next month, or even tomorrow. We spend enough time planning out our lives that we actually give up parts of it. Then, comes the emotionally horrifying understanding, when we finally stop and look at our plans and realize we’ve wasted our entire lives putting together a list of things we wanted to do, and have never accomplished any of them.

It is better to live in the moment.

I’m not saying to not make plans, or to run off into a hedonistic lifestyle, chasing one brief moment of physical pleasure for another. Yes, its good to make some plans. You should be saving money for emergencies, or retirement, or for a down payment on a Delorean. No, living in the moment isn’t about forgetting the future, its about not regretting the past and not fearing the future.

Today’s Reverb10 prompt asked:

Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?

Trial and error is just part of learning who we are and what we like. We try things all the time, from going vegan for a month at the behest of some good friends, to opening ourselves up to the world in new ways thanks to communities like Reverb10. We try new video games, we try new hair cuts, we try on new shoes. Trying things is just like breathing. We just do it.

So, where do we go from here?

Well, I’ve made a list of things I want from the blog and life, and I fully intend to do them. My most important thing for the new year, though, is getting rid of the fear and anxiety that hold me back. In 2011 I’m going to do some things to make that change in who I am.

What I want from 2011

1. I’m going to be more openly active in the community at large. I am going to be more involved in the world around me.
2. I’m going to increase my social circle from the small, tight group to a broader system of people, both physically and virtually.
3. I’m going to finish a novel.
4. I’m going to read at least 1 book a month.
5. I’m going to go out to a public place, with real people and do things that are fun at least once a month.

These might not seem like much, but they are huge steps in my personal development. I have to let go of regret and not fear tomorrow.

What steps do you plan to take to become the person you really want to be?