NOT PERFECT

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES

At the start of the year, I made it a goal to complete a few tasks each day: reading my Bible, reading a chapter in a book, making my bed, and journaling. For a good portion of the year's start, I kept with it, but I have slowly fallen out of the habit.


I read Atomic Habits by James Clear earlier this year, and it serves as a reminder that good habits form after repetition. That repetition can come in the form of one small act each day toward improvement, not anything significant. So, when I mess up and skip a daily task, I remind myself that each day I am still making progress.


Progress is not about perfection. It is about showing up, even if it is not every day, even if it is not flawless. Little by little, the small things add up. When I look back, I do not see the days I missed. I see the slow, steady work of becoming more disciplined, intentional, and grounded. That is worth celebrating, one small step at a time.

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A NEW START - AN ENTRY FROM MY HEART

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES As I sit here drinking my coffee this Saturday afternoon, looking out the window at the snow-blanketed ground and my dog frolicking through the yard (I love the word frolicking!), I am reminded of how the world outside our homes can fill with joy and pain, happiness and sadness, and other contrasting emotions.  At the start of this new year, I set a few small goals that were aligned with James Clear's framework in Atomic Habits : incremental, small changes that will lead toward steady progress. Among these goals are making my bed each day, listening to or reading scripture each day, and journaling each day.  This blog site is part of the last effort mentioned above. I plan to use it as a public-facing journal in which I share my thoughts regarding topics of varying natures. Some of them will discuss my faith, my profession as a higher education public relations professional, my academic pursuits as a scholar, and my perspective as an Appalachian living i...
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PROTECT AND DEFEND

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