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I've found that the best way to keep positive is to plan for the future. The short term future, the interim future, the distant future. Ideally, it should all be coherent with my ultimate ambitions for living a good life, but sometimes keeping a positive outlook takes tactical planning and is not particularly strategic at all.
Characterizing all the mundane activities that constitute a life as either "strategic" or "tactical" is a fairly new practice for me. I've only been doing it for about half a year now, but have found that it works pretty well. When something can't be characterized as either, then it is irrelevant -- and I don't spend much time with irrelevant activities. As it turns out, a lot of what I do can be rationalized / characterized as part of a strategic goal or tactical action.
For example, recently, I've spent a little bit of time recently planning a couple of events:
- a little Indiana Jones event for this weekend, which may, or may not come together. I really should have sent out the invitations earlier, so it might not work out. But it is a fun project, and is a strategic move for attempting to cement some friendships in this town.
- I am finally booking the European vacation tickets (for the Greek cruise with Mom). This is tactical, but somewhat fun, and I'm taking care of mom while she takes care of my brother, which is helpful.
- I'm helping to plan a presentation at an upcoming conference (I'm an assistant presenter.) This is actually a strategic move that will help me raise my profile professionally within the group.
These tasks are keeping me busy thinking about the future... and that's a good thing. Now you know my little trick... scary huh? But I don't usually bite and I'm fairly normal in public!
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