Rule of Life

When I first moved to Italy I set yearly resolutions every year, unless I didn't (see below). I then developed a 'Rule of Life' after reading Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. I have 12 rules split into four categories each with three rules, that help me enrich and nourish my spiritual, emotional, relational and physical needs. These have been developed over many years by reviewing them on a regular basis and adapting them to where I am on life's journey. Currently I am focusing on the following three rules as 2024 Resolutions:

Rule 1. Prayer: Scripture

Prioritise daily Bible time

I feel I need to prioritise reading scripture daily again so I am committing to a Bible in a year plan: The Bible Recap. I am 100% certain it will take me longer than a year as I will miss days here and there, but that doesn't matter. It's the habit of prioritising Bible time that I need to address.

Rule 7. Rest: Play and Recreation

Crochet!

I felt the need to have a specific crochet project linked to 2024 so after an internet search using the words '2024 crochet project', I found this granny square blanket. Two granny square patterns a month with instructions to put them together on 31st December 2024. Perfect!

Rule 4. Work/Activity: Study

Complete Carol Ann Duffy's BBC Maestro course

A few months ago I discovered BBC Maestro: online courses by experts to explore various creative fields. Back then I bookmarked one by Carol Ann Duffy, and after chatting with a friend about their writing project, and what helped them, I was reminded about the course. There are 24 short videos with accompanying activities that build towards writing your own collection of poems. 

2019 - 2023 Resolutions

Focused on developing my Rule of Life

2018 Resolutions

Faith: complete the Bible Project's 'Bible in a Year' Plan [It took me longer than a year, but it was a great Bible reading plan].

Personal: live through job change, house move and first year (and a bit) of married life without a complete break down! [I'd say this was successful]

Career: complete Chartered Manager Status [I didn't]

2017 Resolutions

Once again, none decided

2016 Resolutions

None defined

2015 Resolutions

1)  Take ABRSM piano performance diploma (negative)
2)  Take at least B2 Italian language exam (I took B2 and passed)
3)  Double my salary (I did, simply by moving to Milan!)

2014 Resolutions

I didn't officially set any resolutions for 2014.  I guess trying to keep on top of the extensive reading and writing of lengthy essays for my last Masters module had been enough.  If I had set that as a resolution, I would've succeeded!

2013 Resolutions

1)  Establish a healthier sleep pattern: get up before 8:30am (with alternate Thursdays-after meetup- and Saturdays the only exceptions) be in bed reading by 11:30pm (with alternate Wednesdays-meetup-and Fridays the only exceptions).  Failed on this...still finding this difficult in 2015

2) Stick to my Weekly Budget!  That way I will save for the bigger expenses (see next resolution) and not be living to the limit all the time. (€20 food shopping, €20 piano lesson, €20 going out) Managed to work out a monthly budget near the end of 2014 that is doing me ok

3) Plan (and execute) FOUR trips away, e.g. every three months so that by December 2013 I have visited Venice, Florence, Turin and Barcelona.  2015 update: Hahahahaha, 2 years later and I've not been to any of these places! April 2018 update: I visited Florence in October 2015, and Turin and Venice in 2017. Just Barcelona to go, although I can't remember why I want to go there!

2012 Resolutions

1) Visit a different region of Italy or a different country (the UK is not accepted) at least once a month.
January - Milan, Lombardy
February - Lecce, Puglia
March -  Only Abruzzo :-(
April - Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna
May - Tivoli, Lazio
June - Only Abruzzo :-(
July - Loreto, Marche [although I went to Ascoli in Marche in February]
August - Only Abruzzo and England :-(
September - Termoli, Molise
October - Naples, Pompeii and Sorrento, Campania
November - Norcia, Assissi and Perugia, Umbria
December -Naples (again) :-(

2) Make a new friend* each month so next Christmas the guests at my "party" is doubled from 11 to 22.**
- Well there's no "Christmas Party" planned like last year.  But I am now the "Assistant Organiser" to the English Speakers of Pescara Group, I think that fulfills this Resolution!

3) Achieve a certified level of Italian (speaking, written and comprehension)
- This is slightly harder that it first seemed when I wrote this however I am attending 6 hours a week at an Italian School and intend on taking the A2 certificate within the first 6 months of 2013...I think that's what we call a "rollover".

For more information about the above resolutions click here.

* A friend, in this instance, I consider someone I meet-up with more than once AFTER the initial meeting.  i.e. someone who I met at meetup group who I then purposefully go and meet on any day that's not every other Wednesday.
** This is a tricky one as with all parties, weddings, get-togethers the people invited cannot always come.  So, technically speaking, to get twenty-two people at a party I have to invite at least thirty people.  This allows for the natural selection of the loathed RSVP's; "Sorry, I'm washing my hair", "Sorry but I've got to visit Aunt Maud from Yugoslavia who I see once every 3 years." and "Sorry but I'm burning up with the fever and if I leave the house I will perish into a thousand pieces before reaching your house."