Start as you (don't) mean to go on.

by Ben Web 2. January 2009 01:55

Welcome 2009

So here I am, sat up late on the 1st, tired after having greeted the New Year with its traditional hangover and I find myself reviewing the previous twelve months and wondering what the coming year will bring.

Financial Stress

If the papers are to be believed, it's a worrying time. All too often I'm hearing about big business closures and huge job losses throughout the country. The media are frequently moving away from the term recession and are now suggesting (much to Mr Darling's dismay) that we're heading for an economic depression. Friends from both small and large businesses have seen redundancy in recent months and I've lost a few colleagues too.

Food and energy prices have soared, the pound's weak and even the most affluent of my friends are tightening their belts in the midst of the current uncertainty.

2009 is set to be an economically challenging year both personally and nationally. However, challenge stimulates both people and markets and this undoubtedly means many positives will arise from the situation. New business will develop, as will new opportunity. The cost of energy alone is allowing one friend of mine to attract investment in his sustainable and renewable energy technologies.

On a personal level, I've managed to accrue a daft amount of debt in the last couple of years and the current focus on economic woes has reminded me I should concentrate making myself comfortable again.

Lazy Fitness

I am happy with my progress at the gym since starting in March. I've learned a lot and also seen decent results for my efforts.

However, I've been lazy and have managed to skip the gym since the middle of November. In part, this was due to a small accident which left me with some bruised tendons in my foot which has only recovered this last week. I've also had a week of illness, not to mention several (obviously important) Christmas engagements to attend. Suffice to say, my mind's not been on exercise.

Truth be told though, I think my lack of drive has simply been due to having come to the end of a twelve week training schedule without having planned what to do next. This is easy to resolve and I'm going to head back to the gym with a shiny new routine come the weekend.

Love Life

Although I've enjoyed myself in 2008, having had two great holidays with Jenni as well as good times spent with a number of friends, I do feel that I've been less social than I would have liked.

I think what I'm missing at the moment is connections. I've been too wrapped up in my projects to notice the deep and meaningfuls haven't been around. Given that life is all about ones interactions with fellow mankind, I think it's important I reintroduce them into my life.

The thought has even occurred to me that I may well have been single for too long but ssshh, don't tell anyone.

Rediscovered Dreams

I've been allowing myself to dream this last month. Dream of fun things, serious things, places I'd like to see, things I'd like to do.

It might sound strange but I think I stopped dreaming a while back, somehow trying to avoid discontent by not imagining other possibilities. This weird inertia has kept my life on repeat for way too long and I've now come to the end of living this way.

Without dreams a man has no ambition, no goal and, for all intents and purposes, no future. This isn't who or how I want to be. Dreaming again has helped me realise it.