As the 2018 year came to a close, I found myself not unlike others, reflecting on how the year behind me wrapped up and how the year ahead will unfold. During this reflection, I decided that this New Year needed a theme and that theme would be more meaningfulness.
That sounds vague, and clique but to give the theme a bit more focus here’s what “more meaningfulness” means to me:
- Giving back to the community through volunteering with NAMI
- Spending more meaningful time with my family
- Developing more meaningfulness in my faith and spiritual practice
◊♦◊
Volunteering with NAMI
I’ve been writing about mental health on my blog for three years now, and it’s been incredible. However, in the back of my mind, I’ve always wanted to take the conversation offline.
So during the last weekend of 2018, I spent time training to become a NAMI Peer Support Facilitator. I’m happy to report that I completed the training and will be helping to launch a new group with the NAMI affiliate in my area!
More Time with Family
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older and so are my children, but I want to spend as much time with them as I can. I also want to spend more meaningful time with my wife.
What does this even look like? Well, I’m going to spend more one-on-one time with each of my three children. Last week I went to see Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse with my oldest son and it was awesome. More of that, please!
I’m also going to start dating my wife again (shhh don’t tell her, though). It’s so easy to take your partner for granted, so it’s crucial that we do more dinner with a movie nights, going for walks, and writing love notes.
Meaningful Faith and Spiritual Practice
I’ve been practicing Buddhism for a few years now and have a regular meditation practice, but I could go deeper. More specifically, I can take the bit of inner peace I’m cultivating in my training and share it with others.
One way that I can share inner peace is to teach. So over the next two months, I’ll be leading a drop-in meditation class at my local center. Last Thursday night was my first class of 2019, and I’m looking forward to more!
Over to You!
I guess this theme idea could be viewed as a New Year resolution but I’m not big on the resolution thing, so I’ll stick with “theme.”
Do you have a theme for 2019? If so, let me know by leaving a comment below. I’d love to hear about what you’re looking forward to in this New Year!
—
Originally published on CharlesMinguez.com. Republished with permission.
◊♦◊
Here are more ways to become a part of The Good Men Project community:
Request to join our private Facebook Group for Writers—it’s like our virtual newsroom where you connect with editors and other writers about issues and ideas.
Click here to become a Premium Member of The Good Men Project Community. Have access to these benefits:
- Get access to an exclusive “Members Only” Group on Facebook
- Join our Social Interest Groups—weekly calls about topics of interest in today’s world
- View the website with no ads
- Get free access to classes, workshops, and exclusive events
- Be invited to an exclusive weekly “Call with the Publisher” with other Premium Members
- Commenting badge.
Are you stuck on what to write? Sign up for our Writing Prompts emails, you’ll get ideas directly from our editors every Monday and Thursday. If you already have a final draft, then click below to send your post through our submission system.
If you are already working with an editor at GMP, please be sure to name that person. If you are not currently working with a GMP editor, one will be assigned to you.
◊♦◊
Are you a first-time contributor to The Good Men Project? Submit here:
◊♦◊
Have you contributed before and have a Submittable account? Use our Quick Submit link here:
◊♦◊
Do you have previously published work that you would like to syndicate on The Good Men Project? Click here:
—
Photo Credit: Everste