24 for 24
December 26, 2023 6:42 AM Subscribe
Happiness journalist Gretchen Rubin's 24 for 24 is a fun way to rethink the usual new year resolutions. She's doing a #Write24in24... what's the Metafilter 24 in 24? What's yours?
Ooo, I like this! One of the goals I've had kicking around is to go on nature walks in all of the parks around me, starting with the closest ones and working my way outward. 24 might be too many, but 12 is doable. Same with working through my crafting supplies. Maybe meditating 2-4 minutes daily?
posted by Sparky Buttons at 11:36 AM on December 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by Sparky Buttons at 11:36 AM on December 26, 2023 [5 favorites]
Came in here to literally say "Ohhhh, I like this!" (hi, Sparky Buttons!)
I'm going to do the Write24in24 thing. A month or so ago I went to a talk by Neil Gaiman, who said at a very busy time in his life, he decided to take a notebook to bed, instead of a book, and write in it for a few minutes before going to bed. A year later, iirc, he had "Coraline."
And the idea of a themed 24 things is great. We're looking at a relocation around mid-year, and the idea of pulling up all the stakes and moving is terrifying. But maybe 24 tasks to do first will make it less so? That would come to one a week, more or less...
posted by martin q blank at 2:05 PM on December 26, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm going to do the Write24in24 thing. A month or so ago I went to a talk by Neil Gaiman, who said at a very busy time in his life, he decided to take a notebook to bed, instead of a book, and write in it for a few minutes before going to bed. A year later, iirc, he had "Coraline."
And the idea of a themed 24 things is great. We're looking at a relocation around mid-year, and the idea of pulling up all the stakes and moving is terrifying. But maybe 24 tasks to do first will make it less so? That would come to one a week, more or less...
posted by martin q blank at 2:05 PM on December 26, 2023 [4 favorites]
Ms. Dewd has been involved in the Happiness movement for 15 years or so, and people would often talk to her about The Happiness Project.
She was really disappointed in the book, because her focus was on system changes for everyone's happiness (she helped found GNHUSA), and Rubin's book was about Rubin's happiness.
Not that that's necessarily a bad thing- put on your own oxygen mask first and all- but it didn't seem to go beyond one's self. (as I recall...)
That said, this looks like a bunch of good ideas for having a better life.
posted by MtDewd at 2:08 PM on December 26, 2023 [7 favorites]
She was really disappointed in the book, because her focus was on system changes for everyone's happiness (she helped found GNHUSA), and Rubin's book was about Rubin's happiness.
Not that that's necessarily a bad thing- put on your own oxygen mask first and all- but it didn't seem to go beyond one's self. (as I recall...)
That said, this looks like a bunch of good ideas for having a better life.
posted by MtDewd at 2:08 PM on December 26, 2023 [7 favorites]
I love stuff like this. I haven't listened to Gretchen's podcast in ages, but I was enjoying the one her sister did with her writing partner. I was fascinated by how the sausage is made in Hollywood screenwriting/TV writing.
Also, I love lists. Mmmmm, making a to-do list.
posted by Kitteh at 2:09 PM on December 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also, I love lists. Mmmmm, making a to-do list.
posted by Kitteh at 2:09 PM on December 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Update - my spouse is now doing this with me, and we've added "try 24 different cocktails" to the list.
posted by Sparky Buttons at 7:28 PM on December 26, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Sparky Buttons at 7:28 PM on December 26, 2023 [7 favorites]
Mod note: [btw, this post has been added to the sidebar and Best Of blog]
posted by taz (staff) at 2:40 AM on December 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by taz (staff) at 2:40 AM on December 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
I’ve chosen Cherish for my word for the year ahead, and I think I am going to choose 24 beloved poems to learn by heart for 2024. Even if I end the year with just a couple learned, still what a wonderful pleasure for rereading them.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:16 AM on December 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:16 AM on December 31, 2023 [2 favorites]
Normally I'd be all over this but this year my goal is "beat cancer" and until I know whether my surgery is going to do the trick or I'm going to have to do chemo and/or radiation, I'm letting myself off easy on goals this year. Except maybe "live every year like it could be your last" because I had no clue this was coming this time last year!
posted by gentlyepigrams at 2:16 PM on December 31, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by gentlyepigrams at 2:16 PM on December 31, 2023 [4 favorites]
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I’ll be turning 42 in 2024, so I’ve made a list of 42 goals (some of which are admittedly more like pipe dreams). If I can hit 24 of the 42, I’ll call it a successful year. I didn’t do this with turning 31 in ‘13, or 20 in ‘02, but I remember those being good years for me overall, so I figure I’ll take this one for a spin and see if it has any of the same juice.
At some point when I was younger, I got the idea somewhere (maybe from Rubin) to write down 100 wishes for the new year, and track which ones came true. I went for a diverse portfolio of big and small, and I think I actually got about a third of them. It will be interesting to see if a less-passive approach is more fruitful.
I also like her idea of picking a word theme for the year, but I haven’t settled on a word yet. I wanted “splendid” to be the focus for 2023, but in hindsight it was more like “slapdash.”
posted by armeowda at 9:40 AM on December 26, 2023 [8 favorites]