Hello, hello!
You may be asking, "Hey, Roman, what the actual **** does that even mean?" But don't worry, I know it sounds complicated as hell. Those who know me in real life know I have an ostentatious vocabulary that borders on pretentious. Put simply: I like big words. ESPECIALLY after I've just learned them.
See, "palingenesis" is a word I came across recently in a fantastic little workbook I have called The Manifestation Journal by Gill Thackray. It's pretty much just a fancy word for "rebirth," rooted in the Greek words "palin" (again) and "genesis" (birth).
"Why didn't you just lead with that?" you ask me. To that, I counter, "I caught your attention, didn't I?"
Palingenesis in Manifestation
Okay, okay, I'll stop saying it. Basically, the P-word exists in a cycle that connects you to every aspect of your life. Thackray then lists SEVENTEEN facets of the average human's life. I don't want to go too in-depth here, so I'll just say that I find that these aspects come down to four major parts of everyone's life:
Health and wellness;
Career and finance;
Love and relationships, and most importantly (IMO);
Mindset and purpose.
After outlining these parts of human existence, Thackray then poses some questions to guide the reader through the exercise, questions to help you look within yourself to find out where you are now, where you want to go, and how you're going to get there.
I came to this section of her book right after my last blog post, and it was like everything fell into place. It was like, now that I'd figured out what I wanted, the world was telling me it was time to figure out how to make it happen.
Think Smarter, AND Harder
Because I'm nearly halfway through this journal, it's safe to say I've already learned a lot from it. One of those things was how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. If you don't know what S.M.A.R.T. is, it's a set of guidelines to make sure your goals are actually attainable. That means they're:
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achievable
R - Realistic
T - Timed
With these parameters, you aren't expecting yourself to lose 10 pounds in two weeks, or immediately start eating better as soon as January 1st comes around. They can be set at any time, with any goal, and by anyone.
With that in my mind and a fun but way-too-complicated spreadsheet of my own creation in front of me, I was ready to hunker down, dive deep within myself, and map out my transformation.
My Emotional Pa-- Rebirth
I'll spare you the nitty-gritty of that spreadsheet, but I will say it's filled with complicated formulas and colour-coding and DIY habit trackers. I went a little balls-to-the-wall with this one, I'll admit. But that's who I am.
Being able to dive into my psyche and figure out my dreams and desires for each of those seventeen parts of my life... Honestly? I feel more confident and self-appreciative than ever. I spent a whole day making that spreadsheet and filling it out - a whole day with myself and my desires, my dreams, and my goals.
And you know what? I made those goals smart, I made them measurable, I made them achievable and realistic and timed. So timed, in fact, that they should all be done by the end of January 2025. Two. Months. And I think all seventeen of those goals are attainable.
Um... Attainable How?
Because I'm starting small. I know myself. I know my capabilities. I know I won't be able to lift 100lbs at the gym after not lifting weights since high school. I know my night-owl self won't be able to go to bed at 10pm and wake up at 7am every day right off the bat. And I DEFINITELY won't be able to cut carbs from my diet.
So I'm not going to make myself. Even if I wanted to, coming up with so many goals at once can be overwhelming, and that much change all at once is pretty terrifying - take it from my anxiety.
Instead, I'm managing my expectations by building off things I already do. By linking each goal to a habit, and linking each new habit to an old one, I feel like I've already jumped the first hurdle. And now, instead of becoming a gym shark or a morning person or a Keto dieter, I can just be Roman. Roman who lifts within my comfort zone, sleeps within a reasonable time frame, and eats more balanced meals.
So Why Am I Talking About This?
I know, I know, I'm just some rando on the internet waxing lyrical about all the progress I plan on making. But it's not because I like hearing myself talk - type? No, I actually had a reason for writing all this today.
First of all, I'm all about authenticity and being open about my journey and struggles and triumphs and whatnot. I also thought it was interesting, and, who knows? Maybe someone will learn something from it. But I also it relates to something I've believed for a long time. Something I want to take a little more of your time to talk about.
That something? The meaning of life.
The Name of the Game
"Whoa, whoa, what? That's kinda huge, Roman. You sure?"
Yeah, I'm sure.
I'll cut the chase here: I believe that in our own individual lives, we make our own meaning for ourselves. There isn't just One True Purpose that works for everyone. At least, not in the way most people think.
To me, the overarching meaning of human life is improvement. Be it economical, technological, or even just personal, I truly believe everyone benefits in some way from a feeling of positive growth. Without advancement, we stagnate. We get bored. We lose motivation. Life without ambition, passion, purpose... That doesn't sound fulfilling at all.
I genuinely think that no matter how smart a person is, how many degrees they have or arbitrary accolades they've been awarded with, there's always something to learn. No one is perfect, of course, and no one will ever be perfect, and that's okay. We don't need to be. As long as we keep learning and growing and improving ourselves and the world around us, I think we're doing just fine.
So, I want to do my part. I'm starting small, but each small goal has a larger motivation behind it. I'll make it through to the end of January, and I'll redo this whole Palingenesis process again. I'll asses where I am, how I'm doing, and what to do next to achieve my growing goals.
It'll be a process, but I know I'll achieve all my dreams one day. And it may take longer than I expected. But that's okay. There's no rush.
Roman wasn't built in a day.
Keep looking forward,
Roman Ellis
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