Some days I find it tough to get anything done. Difficult to concentrate, difficult to get myself to do the things I know I should do. Even writing this woe-is-me piece my mind wanders. Distracted.

If what was distracting me was something worthwhile I’d say fair enough. But it’s not. It’s just bullshit. The bullshit of the world. The bullshit of my mind. A single thought flares into an immediate change of direction. A momentary lapse of concentration allows a thought (‘check if there’s anything new on Reddit?’; ‘what book will I read next?’; ‘oh, there’s a new email, better read it’) to fire upwards and for the rest of my brain to go wander over.

Distraction is a constant. We pay attention to the wrong things. Or we pay attention for too long. It doesn’t matter that we get distracted. What matters is that we notice and refocus. It’s a muscle to be strengthened. Notice the distraction, refocus. Notice the distraction, refocus.

Notice, refocus.

What you do today defines your future. Your now contributes forward.

Every action counts. Putting in the long hours working. Learning the skills that will help you succeed.

But don’t forget you must rest. And exercise. These too contribute. They mean you are in good condition for tomorrow.

Don’t forget people either. Be social. With family, with friends. It will mean your future is not empty.

There are many ways to contribute to your future. Don’t over contribute in one or the other swill suffer.

The human race moves forward. Always.

Despite appearances, improvement is it’s desired state. Watch the news or expose yourself to any media and you wouldn’t think it. War, poverty, racism, murder, rape, robbery… are just some of the things we see that tell us we’re doomed.

It’s not that bad. People scream when they see the worst but only whisper when they see the good. Ugly and evil get amplified.

The world is getting better. We’re getting better. It’s not perfect. There’s still plenty that needs to be done. There are still areas that need to improve. That we need to improve.

Pick an area. Pick a thing. Contribute.

Last year I had hoped to read more books than I bought. In that I was about as successful as an underwater fire. Right now, there are two hundred and thirteen books on my Goodreads to-read list. Sixty more than the same time last year.

The list is only books that I own, not books I wish I owned. I buy books in two ways usually. 1) Ebooks from Amazon. Usually on special offer but not always. Or, 2) Physical books with covers I really like. If I buy a book for the cover I have to want to read it too.

Some have been on the list for years. In a few cases they’ve been on the list for the better part of two decades. Other books get read right away.

Without adding a single book it will take years to get through the to-read list. But that’s not how it will happen. More books will get added. I’ll read them out of order. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I read.

Don’t create drama.

Don’t pay attention to drama.

Don’t fan drama’s flames.

Drama burns up your energy. It feeds on it. It leaves you spent and empty.

Remove it from your life. Avoid it where you can’t remove it.

Don’t let it feed on you. You need your energy. You need your focus.

I watched a lot of tv in 2016. Here are my favouite (in no particular order):

• Game of Thrones (Season 6)
• Rick and Morty (Season 1 & 2)
• Stranger Things (Season 1)
• The Get Down (Season 1)
• Daredevil (Season 2)
• Luke Cage (Season 1)

Time is limited. We rush around trying to use it all up. Or we spend it unwisely. We tell ourselves we don’t have enough time. We tell ourselves we’re busy.

This leads us to hoard our time. To keep it for ourselves. To avoid spending any time with others. We’re too busy.

But if we take our time and give it away – spend our time with our family, our friends, those in need – often, by doing so we give ourselves the greater gift.