January 31st, 2021- Monthly update and post-a-day

Hello January,

how has it been this month? Well I ended up with some vertigo, possibly because I felt having too many things on my plate, and too many screen hours working from home.

Yes, that’s why I wasn’t on a post-a-day basis the last week. But I have been journaling a phrase or two on my paper journal.

I wanted to eat less sugar: this is accomplished, although I still have some chocolates and mini cup-cates.

Rest and Sleep? Kind of ok, although rest is also not having my eyes fixated on the computer screen 14 hours a day. More progress is possible.

Exercise? I have done some, but need to go more outdoors (related to less screen time)

Learning? Yes, new things but I need to learn how to be confident during the learning process.

Journaling every day? Yes, even though not always blogging.

Any difficulties?

I felt overwhelmed when I received some negative critique, and forgot the positive one. Apparently we need 5 times more positive feedback to forget a negative one.

And, not confident during learning process, that’s how I panicked.

So, now what?

February, goal no 1:

1. Boost Self-Confidence
2. Reduce screen time, meaning not watching series and films and try audio-books and outdoors activities, such as… walking!

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/281874

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January 24, 2021- Post-a-day- Day 15 out of 71- Every day, give yourself a present!

Hello January,

The week-end is a nice time to update progress. So, how is it going?

I read “the Book of Joy” and revisited the “Bullet Journal Method”, to better organise myself.

Ever since I know me, I had two challenges: balancing overwhelming emotions, and respecting time constraints.

Let’s face it: for me, being an artist is letting our imagination run wild, live in the present, follow our heart.

On the other side, real life is work, school and an infinity of time specific constraints. When I loose the notion of time, reading a good book or writing, I might wake up late for a meeting, or finding out that I have burnt my lunch.

How do I balance my wild imagination and the need for freedom, with the necessity of living in a specific time and place with certain constraints?

I went for help to the Bullet Journal, and now I try to implement what it says.

Reading the chapter on Gratitude, I also took note of a very beautiful thought attributed to Agent Cooper, a character in David Lynch’s film: Twin Peaks:

“Every day, once a day, give yourself a present”!

January 22, 2021-Post-a-day, day 14 out of 70- conquering bureaucracy

Hello January,

do you also have any type of bureaucracy or administration where you live? Because be it France, UK or elsewhere, I find myself obliged to gather documents and create files so that I can prove my case: it could be to ask for a fellowship, or to apply for a job, or … and this, I have to admit is something I don’t like.

Time consuming, making you go backwards and forwards for a tiny little thing you forgot; in any case, I have tried all the possible moods: anger, exasperation, disappointment, despair, etc. Then, a form of learned helplessness.

To finish with a kind of detached mood I have adopted: I’ll do something every Thursday, for example, for an hour and that will be it. Independently of how long this will take.

What if you are in a rush? If it is urgent? Somehow, bureaucracy doesn’t care about it. So, trying to speak the same language and be less emotional involved, independently of the high stakes, is the only solution.

And somehow, step by step, even a bureaucratic mountain can be conquered!

Yes we can!!!

10 Steps to Take Action and Eliminate Bureaucracy

January 20, 2021-Post-a-day, day 13 out of 69 – constant effort and detachment

Hello January,

I was going to sleep when I noticed I haven’t written today- it has been a virtually fast day from home, working online.

I was worrying about my online presentation, but it finally went well: I am really happy for this.

Then, there is another matter, the kind I have been following for about a year, and it looks like a major book project; the moment I think it finishes, and I will finally feel rewarded for all the time and effort, something new comes up.

Instead of despairing, I decided to try another approach: detachment.

So, I will try, no matter what. Not blindly, but in a serious and dedicated way.

The way the sea is coming again and again against a Rock.

January 19, 2021- Post-a-day, day 12 out of 69-

Dear January,

yes, it is a sunny cold day today, and I have had two morning coffees, continuing with tea. Reading about world challenges in the morning or just enjoying our lockdown thinking that hiding under the bedclothes we can emerge when challenges are over?

So, how do I feel energised and ready to learn statistics? By loving statistics, and seeing them as a game. How about dream time? Well, visiting the blog of my friend Brian: https://equinoxio21.wordpress.com is offering scope for imagination, even more than any series could do! Enjoy!

Full of magic and views of everyday World Art. It always makes me feel like travelling!!!

Back to Statistics now 🙂

https://www.thedailystar.net/literature/news/mathematics-and-poetry-some-impressions-1963677

January 18, 2021- Post-a-day day 11 out of 69

Hello January,

it was snowing this morning, and with the lockdown there is a feeling of being enveloped in a mystic cocoon, kind of hibernating.

On the other hand, I am to start a new assignment on Wednesday, and all I intended to do this weekend was not completed. On the positive side, I did finish marking on time, which is great.

So I have been efficient, but sometimes there is a difficulty to concentrate and to be productive. Let’s respect that, by trying at the same time to reduce sugar and eat more fruit and vegetables.

How do we feel energised and focused?

Starting with berries and orange juice, and I should get hold of some quinoa and protein?

Also taking into account there are moments we work better and moments we need to recover or go slowly. Distinguishing between them could be the most important instead of pushing ourselves.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/4-ways-to-boost-your-energy-naturally-with-breakfast

January 16, 2021-post-a-day, day 11 out of 67-Saturday jazz coffee and Arsene Lupin books

Hello January,

yes, it is cold outside, and I already fed the garden cat; also had a cup of coffee and now I switch to tea before starting to work.

Oh, and I got up at 7.33, by the way.

On a Saturday? Well, yes. If you need time to Dream and Do.

Yesterday’s plan didn’t go as expected.

I did less and it took me more time than what I hoped for.

So? I will reschedule.

How about fun time?

Meeting up with friends?

Today we are cooking “coq au vin” or chicken with wine, a French recipe very fit for cold weather.

I will also order some other classics, and Arsène Lupin could be something to revisit

January 15, 2021-Post-a-day, day 10 out of 66- what happens when you skip a day?

Hello January,

what happens when you skip a day when you want to install a new habit? self-flagellation like in the Medieval times? When people were walking and hitting themselves for their wrongs and sins?

Well, maybe there are other new versions of that.

Instead, it could be, yes, I did, but I also had a very productive day. Should I start over? Maybe I should, actually. So, I had a reason.

Now what practically?

I suggest that I continue and I add the number of days I missed, so, instead of 66, 67 days

What else? Something fulfilling to relax instead of watching a series.

What could that be?

I was drawing a few years back, I could do it again,

Sending my poems to this interesting poet I met last year in London

Developing my. blog and creating ebooks,

That is something I can do, actually 🙂

https://www.thecuriouslycreative.com/list-of-creative-hobbies/

January 13, 2021-Post-a-day, day 9 of 66-Procrastination, post-holiday syndrome and change

Hello January,

yes, I have been procrastinating all morning, despite loads of work I need to finish. Somehow, my brain refuses to focus. Could it be the extra amount of sugar in the post-holiday sugar hangover?

Most probably, yes.

So, what? Should we damp the rest of the last huge cake?

I have taken a step by step adaptation to every day life, but I realise I need extra measures. For example, for the next holiday, whenever this may be, I could plan something else than eating and Netflixing, with or without a lockdown.

Like becoming a TaiChi instructor, (I have practiced for a few years), or learn how to paint online and produce something, or go for walks and discover areas I didn’t know existed in my neighbourhood.

In any case, something that my body would help me for.

And my brain.

But it makes no sense crying over spilt milk, apparently.

So, what is done, is done.

So, before I get back to work, I will plan a future dream holiday.

And just after, I start doing something, like the outline of a chapter 🙂

Best Luxury Holiday Destinations 2021/22

January 12, 2021- Post-a-day, 8 out of 66- the charm of Arsène Lupin

Hello January,

yes, I woke up early, at about 5.30 and felt sleepy for most of the day; was I more productive? I couldn’t say, but it also felt good to have done something already by the time I used to have my first morning coffee.

We will see how it goes… now I had promised a chapter, but in reality, it only exists in my mind. That, and my teaching, make it look improbable…

Another episode of “Lupin”, based on the character of Arsène Lupin, created by the author Maurice Leblanc, a contemporary of Sherlock Holmes.

Very interesting, it takes the story to the present, where social class, race, Paris, art, beauty and even Marie Antoinette get together. It persuaded me to visit the original Arsène Lupin books, and to reflect on why this type of man is so attractive… the adventurer, difficult to reach, Arsène, Bond, or …