Cultivating Mental Silence

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The Year of (MORE) Domesticality…

Happy 2023 everyone. It's good to be back writing on the blog. This post will focus on my new Yearly Theme, the Year of (MORE) Domesticality.

Description and Ideal Outcomes

I spend way too much time thinking about work. The Year of (MORE) Domesticality (I know this is not a real word but I define it here) is my attempt to spend more focused on things that make me happy while I'm home. Following the guidance from Mr. Myke Hurley and CGP Grey and their Theme System Journal website, I've created some ideal outcomes that, if followed, would provide me the opportunity to be more focused on things that make me happy while I'm home. These outcomes include...

More time spent doing yoga, meditiating, writing, reading, focused on affirmations, walking, listening to music, and, most importantly, spending time with my wife. My wife and I love doing yoga with each other, walking together, and sitting together reading so there will be times when I'm doing more than one of these things at a time.

Here's a picture of what the above information looks like in practice...

Theme/Description/Ideal Outcomes

Daily Themes

In order to keep track of how things are going I've created some daily themes. My recording of my performance on these daily themes will, over time, give me data I can reflect on as it relates to my Yearly Theme. The Daily Themes section of the journal is located in the back. It includes space to write the daily theme followed by a circle that gets colored in fully, 1/2, or not at all. Here's my system for filling in the circles for my daily themes...

Yoga 5-10 minutes daily-1/2 circle, 10+ minutes daily-Full circle

Meditation 5-10 minutes daily-1/2 circle, 10+ minutes daily-Full circle

Writing 5-10 minutes daily-1/2 circle, 10+ minutes daily-Full circle

Reading 5-10 minutes daily-1/2 circle, 10+ minutes daily-Full circle

Walking 5,000-7,999 steps daily-1/2 circle, 8,000+ steps daily-Full circle

Affirmations 1-2 times/daily-1/2 circle, 3+ times/daily-Full circle

Marriage (dependent on daily focus) 1/2 circle, Full circle

Music 30 minutes/daily-1/2 circle, 30+minutes/daily, Full circle

Here's a picture of what it looks like in practice...

Daily Themes: I need to do more yoga and listen to music!!

Journal Pages

I've fallen into a routine with the TSJ pages, which follow the Description and Ideal Outcomes section. I use this space to write about 4 things that were positive based on the day. The first two spots are for things that made me HAPPY that day. The third spot, the biggest section of the page, is reserved to affirm that I did do some writing that day. If the only writing I did that day is in the TSJ, I use that space to write things down that I am grateful for. The last spot, located at the bottom, is reserved for things I am looking forward to.

Here's a picture of what it looks like in practice...

Journal Page: Can’t wait for that massage!

Final Thoughts

Spending more time on things that make me happy while I am home, documenting and measuring my progress in the TSJ is my attempt to bring a bit of Mental Silence into my life. If any of this sounds remotely interesting to you I suggest you check out the Theme System Journal website.