Nadine J Walters – My Life

Question for today: How do I approach or manage accountability for creative work, physical well-being, and relationships?

My answer:
Not as well as I could or should, but I do have my systems.

Keep in mind, I’m retired now. My goals aren’t career-oriented or particularly ambitious compared to the driven pace I kept when I was working. These days, my focus is more about staying engaged, grounded, and content.

That said, I still set goals.

Creative Work:
One of my main creative accountability tools is this very blog—my 100 Day Project—where I answer a daily question and reflect on it. Alongside that, I’m running another project called 100 Faces, where I sketch a face in my sketchbook and post it each day. I also try (emphasis on “try”) to do some kind of additional artwork daily—something beyond just a face.

Physical Well-Being:
My physical goals are fairly consistent:

• Walk 3 to 5 miles with my dog, Andy
• Four or five short (15-minute) workouts a day
• Teach or take a yoga class five times a week

I should also include healthier eating and reduced screen time as goals—but those are still works in progress.

Relationships:
Connection is important to me, so I aim to:

• Meet friends for lunch once a week
• Have my sister over for coffee and a chat twice a week
• FaceTime with my kids weekly, and ideally see them in person once a month

Right now, I’d say I’m hitting about 80% of these goals. Not bad—above average even—but I know I could do better with a little more structure. The truth is, without any record-keeping system in place, that 80% might be more of a “wishful estimate” than a reality.

No one is holding me accountable. I don’t have a coach or a reward system, just the quiet satisfaction of checking something off and knowing I did what I said I would. And honestly, that little internal pat on the back is pretty motivating. So—I’ve come up with a plan.

Here’s the plan:
At the bottom of my (yes, still paper) planner, there’s a notes section. I’ve just drawn a weekly grid titled Accountability. Under each day, I’ve made space to check off the basics:

• Walk
• Life blog
• Art blog
• Workout
• Yoga
• Art practice

At the end of each day, I’ll fill in the boxes using a highlighter for visibility. It’s a simple visual system, but it gives me a clear picture of how my week went. Ideally, I’d love to hit 100%, but realistically, 90% would still give me that satisfying sense of accomplishment—and maybe even earn me a little reward. (A glass of wine and some French fries, thank you very much!)

Final thoughts:
One of the trickier parts of retirement is that you don’t have to do anything. You can let things slide, postpone, or skip them altogether—and no one will know. That freedom can be a gift, but it can also quietly chip away at purpose and momentum.

This little grid in my planner? It’s not just about accountability. It’s a way of shaping my days with intention, staying connected to what matters, and giving structure to a time of life that, paradoxically, is both full and wide open.