The Better Brad Plan

This is late, but Merry Christmas and Happy New Years! I’ve been neglecting my blog a bit while Kristina was in town these past three weeks. It was such an amazing time. Kristina and I agree it was probably the most fun days of our relationship so far. Feelin’ blessed that our relationship only seems to get stronger when life throws challenges at us.

Now that she’s gone, I have (too much) time to sit around and think of ‘resolutions’ I want to pursue this year. I have lots of time on my hands, so why not have lots of resolutions? I’m sure I will be adding goals if I get my transplant soon.

1. Read, at a minimum, one hour each day. One book per week.
   • This does not include articles, the Bible, social media posts, or poetry.
   • My phone shouldn’t be near me.
2. Learn one ASL word or phrase a day.
   • Then teach it to my parents and Kristina.
3. Make at least five new in-person friends.
   • This will be the hardest. I am so afraid to be social now because of my deafness.
   • I also need to hang with a couple of UH friends that live here.
4. Go in-depth on one Bible chapter each day. 
   • I don’t want to just refresh my memory on things. I want to learn completely new things.
5. Remove all sourness from relationships.
   • People might not want to make amends with me, but I want to at least try.
6. Help people, even when it involves sacrifice.
   • How can I help you? Message me. Seriously.
7. Find a job, volunteer, or intern.
   • Something that my transplant surgery/recovery won’t get in the way of, for the sake of responsibility.
   • If deafness is a barrier, then I need to overcome it.
8. Read poetry. Understand it.
   • I just started with Raymond Carver’s poetry. And, man. Poetry has already made me think and feel differently.
   • Have any suggestions for me?
9. Find a writing project (other than this blog).
   • Whether it’s articles, short stories, or a book. Maybe even poetry?
10. Find a diet I feel good about.
    • An anti-inflammatory diet is best for me.
    • My biggest goal is to get off the feeding tube supplement I currently take, which is packed with nasty chemicals and corn syrup.
11. Reach out to compliment a friend and a stranger each day.
    • And only if I’m genuinely believing what I say.
    • Why do I think nice things about people but choose to not say them out loud?
12. Actually cook my recipes.
    • So many recipe books, so little cooking… Sigh.
13. Feel “at home” in a church.
    • This goes back to me feeling afraid to socialize.
14. Meet my daily health goals.
    • Lots of goals! Steps, stretches, treatments, beating nausea, etc..

Locked and loaded! Ready to take on the new year. Here’s a pic of me and my sister, who inspired this post by making me a bullet journal.