Coach yourself

I remember there was this character in my Chinese textbook (way back when I was a child). I do not know what his name was, but at night just before he went to sleep, he would reflect on how his day went by. He would put a white "go" piece inside a container when he did good things, and a black "go" piece if he did something that was not really good. His intention was to help himself be really mindful of the good and bad things he was doing in his life, and consciously try to be a better person. In time, he hoped, that he would develop excellent habits and make the best of his life. In essence, he was coaching himself to be better. I think this is a good idea, so here is my white and black score for today.

White

1. I took time today to enjoy myself with a friend. It really made me feel better spending some quality time doing things we enjoyed. I look forward to this week because of the time I set aside to meet my friends.
2. I took a little time to explore and learn something related to my craft. It might seem trivial and unimportant but a little time invested now energizes me to do more the next day because there is momentum. 
3. I followed up on a matter by being assertive but not rude.
4. I gave up my seat to an elderly person.

Black

1. I am trying to do too much. And I did almost nothing at all. Prioritize. Focus. And things will happen.
2. I do not cope well with uncertainty. Worries about the future rob me of the joy of the present. I must instead make good use of the time I have now, to finish the things I have left undone.
3. I am sitting around too much. I need to be more active once my eczema recovers.
4. I am not open to new ideas and may be a bit inflexible due to my doubts and fears - It could be time to rethink my "ikigai".
5. Perhaps I can do more to make my parents happier. They are in some self-imposed retirement hell. Maybe I can spend some quality time with mum (which will give dad a bit of alone time) 

How can I make tomorrow better? 

Sit down and look at my plans again. Set goals for until next week. Prioritize and do one thing at a time. Set aside some time for family and friends. Set aside some time for career and education. Set aside some time to be active. Be powerful.