Figured I’d continue the theme of taking care of myself in 2010 with a few rambling thoughts on Looking After Yourself Mentally. Where your head is at is often the difference between success and failure – fulfillment and disappointment.

I like to credit most clever quotes whose source is unknown to me to John Maxwell as 95% of things worth repeating did in fact originate with this leadership guru. So, as John Maxwell said, It’s your attitude, not your aptitude that decides your altitude.

So how to hold on to the crumbling remains of sanity throughout this year and beyond?

1. Set boundaries. I live a fairly public life and am connected to a lot of people, but I have to remind myself I can’t be there for everyone, can’t be everyone’s best friend and can’t solve everyone’s problems. It’s okay for me to say no and prioritize myself and my family at times.

2. Take breaks. Seems to me that God was pretty set on this himself from the dawn of creation. He worked six days and took one off, which may well prove that making the world was not unionized, but it also gives us a good example to follow. So I’m planning to maintain my Monday sabbath better than I have in the past and also to withdraw totally for a few days at a time every now and then to recharge my batteries like a lot of folks do at weekends. Since I’m pushing 60, I’m pacing myself for the long haul.

3. Maintain some broader interests. When I was in high school they were very concerned that we keep our classes varied so that our education would be well-rounded. I like that approach to life in general, so I plan to continue to pursue some interests that are not remotely church related. My Weight Watchers classes are one of those and then there is my activity on the Town’s Accessory Apartments Review Board and also my political involvement as a member of the Executives of NY State, Suffolk County and Brookhaven ConservativeParty. They certainly keep life varied.

4. Stretch myself. It’s always good to try something totally different and while writing here on a fairly regular basis is one thing, I’m looking into taking that a stage further this year by writing a book. It would come out around the 40th anniversary of my starting pastoral ministry, which hits this summer and I’d love to call it How To Survive In Ministry Without Going Postal, but it will probably end up with a boring pc title instead.

So that’s the plan to keep my head in the game. What’s yours?