JD had a link to an old post of his, which got me perusing though some of his older posts. This one on The Man I Want To Be really spoke to me. And then I saw he posted it on my birthday. That's a sign
"If you don't change directions, you'll arrive at where your headed." I don't like the place I'm headed.
It's time for me to start acting like the person I want to be, start acting like it and the life will follow.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Living 12
The husband of a friend of mine regularly posts about 12'ing. It's a physophy that is working well for him to stay happy and healthy. Just recently I ran across his FB page for Live Twelve.
Here are 12 big questions. Sadly I can answer Yes to only around 6 of them. I've got some work to do!
Here are 12 big questions. Sadly I can answer Yes to only around 6 of them. I've got some work to do!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Ramit's Top 5 Productivity Mistakes
Still on the Ramit train - this is his Top 5 Productivity Mistakes -- they do make sense to me and I'm guilty on more than a few of them.
- Trying To Do It All Ourselves
- rating all the to-do items the same importance - choosing things to outsource so that you can focus on the important stuff
- Neglecting The Importance Of Limited Energy, Condition And Willpower
- Feeling That You Have Be Productive All The Time
- actually guilt free recuperation time - schedule it if you need to
- Reproducibility Porn
- its not apps, tricks, hacks, its discipline, will power, nutrition, etc
- Not Doing An Honest Assessment
Still figuring things out
I'm still working on the plans / goals / resolutions for the new year but one thing has become quite clear - I need to make it a priority to improve my life with Zeus. He deserves better than I'm giving him.
On Saturday night I screamed at him when he was slow to come into the house after a bathroom walk. It was cold and dark and I was having no fun outside and that sweet dog just wanted to play and not come in. I scared him. As soon as we got into the house he hid in his crate and did not come out for a good 40 minutes. Yes, he needs to do a better job of listening and coming when told but no, he should not be scared when he disobeys that command. I felt bad that he felt so scared. Its just not working well for either of us. This needs to be a priority to fix.
I was reading a Ramit's I Will Teach You To Be Rich blog and it's really touching a nerve with me. He used to just annoy me and I often found it hard to read all the way through the post. He has a tough love approach, without a lot of love. Ramit used this example and it's really stuck with me:
Wow - that's me with Zeus. I know we have to change but so far I've mainly complained about it without much action. This week I've googled a few times to see if there are approaches I can try to get Zeus to spend more time without me, to be able to go to the bathroom without me (ie, I just let him out, on or off a line), etc
Ramit has declared 2013 the Year of Taking Control - I like that and may be borrowing it for myself. I'm sure his blog will become a regular read for me. I hope I can learn and develop from his insight.
On Saturday night I screamed at him when he was slow to come into the house after a bathroom walk. It was cold and dark and I was having no fun outside and that sweet dog just wanted to play and not come in. I scared him. As soon as we got into the house he hid in his crate and did not come out for a good 40 minutes. Yes, he needs to do a better job of listening and coming when told but no, he should not be scared when he disobeys that command. I felt bad that he felt so scared. Its just not working well for either of us. This needs to be a priority to fix.
I was reading a Ramit's I Will Teach You To Be Rich blog and it's really touching a nerve with me. He used to just annoy me and I often found it hard to read all the way through the post. He has a tough love approach, without a lot of love. Ramit used this example and it's really stuck with me:
For example, how many of us complain about our sleep…yet have never systematically practiced improving it? Not even Googled “how to sleep better” and tested 5 different approaches? Most people just say, “Yeah…I really have trouble going to sleep….I wish I could fall asleep faster but my mind just won’t slow down!”
Wow - that's me with Zeus. I know we have to change but so far I've mainly complained about it without much action. This week I've googled a few times to see if there are approaches I can try to get Zeus to spend more time without me, to be able to go to the bathroom without me (ie, I just let him out, on or off a line), etc
Ramit has declared 2013 the Year of Taking Control - I like that and may be borrowing it for myself. I'm sure his blog will become a regular read for me. I hope I can learn and develop from his insight.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2013 will not be Year of Reduction
Haha -- I was reading through my old post to see if I had put together concrete goals for 2012 and I ran into this 2011 - the year of reductions post. So like I said, these reduction items have been on my to-do and goal list for a while but apparently I'm not motivated or excited enough to actually get them done. It's just another sign telling me to do the full process!
My 'Year of Reduction'?
I normally do an annual review and set goals for the coming year. I never got around to it at the end of 2012 because of a bad cold that kept me from doing almost anything more than I absolutely had to, plus this introspection is hard for me to do while I have a house full of guest staying with me for the holidays. So I'm a little late in getting around to it but you'll see more about this in the next few days and weeks.
From one of my favorite bloggers, JD Roth at More Than Money, I found a link to Chris Guillebeau's The Art of Non Conformity and his guide to doing an annual review. I plan to take some time and follow his approach - its not just setting goals but doing a meaningful plan to accomplish them. And as he says, people tend to understand what they can accomplish in a year. Planning can make it happen.
His review consist of a Review of the Prior Year - looking back what worked, what didn't work, and Outlining of Goals and Focus for the New Year, and finally Make Decisions in Support of the Goals and Focus. My question mark on the post title is because I'm jumping to the Year's Focus already - year of reduction - without having done the other steps. He warns that it is better to work through the process and see what goals you are excited about before you set your focus and push goals to fit it.
So I'm knowingly jumping the gun, but I'm expecting I'll develop goals for health (with weight loss being a reduction), goals for decluttering (ie, a reduction in stuff), possibly a reduction in mortgage debt (obvious reduction goal). These are areas that have been on my mind and active in my todo lists so its reasonable to think this will dominate my goals for the year.
The other key goal, that doesn't fit so well into this theme, is working with Zeus. Things have improved tremendously between us this year, but there is still so much to go. Let me be up front about this - the problem is more with me than it is with him! He is a very sweet and well behaved dog. The problem is he is a dog. And dogs take time and effort that cats do not. I don't yet know how to live with a dog and still do the things I want to - for example, today the Ice Age Club was hosting a snowshoe hike through Laphem Peak State Park - something I would love to have joined. But it was from 11 am to 2pm with socializing / bring your own lunch afterwards - so I would not have been home till about 3pm and then needing to leave almost immediately for a Rose Bowl party. If I had a cat pet, then no problem. I could have easily make these times work for me. With a dog, not so much. At somepoint in between those I need to feed him and walk him. And actually getting out of the house this morning was delayed by two walks cause not all the bathroom business got done on the first walk. It's not overwhelming and certainly other people have much bigger problems (in life and with their own pets) but its inconvenient and I have not yet adjusted my thoughts and actions to take living with a dog into account. Some of this is my own doing - I haven't trained Zeus to go out by himself and I don't have a fence installed to allow it. So I envision some goals and major actions on my part to make this better for both Zeus and me. It needs and deserves some focus - this is the area that is keeping me from being happier. It brings me down often so need some serious review and planning for 2013 to be better, especially because this has long term impact as I expect Zeus to live another 10 years or so.
Another potential goal that doesn't quite fit into a year of reduction is to blog post more - I'm thinking 50 post this year. Fifty sounds like a lot - last year was only 39 and a good 10 of those were directly related to the New Mexico trip and storing directions and links. I feel compelled to have a goal like this to help push me to get both more open about sharing things and also to help maintain good writing skills. I have that vague ideal job of being a movie critic so posting more seams to moving in the right direction.
Guess I will have to go through the process and see where my focus and interest really lay - because while I started with the what's been current on my to do list - with all those reduction items, at first glance I think I'm more focused and excited by these last two goals which don't fit the year of reduction.
From one of my favorite bloggers, JD Roth at More Than Money, I found a link to Chris Guillebeau's The Art of Non Conformity and his guide to doing an annual review. I plan to take some time and follow his approach - its not just setting goals but doing a meaningful plan to accomplish them. And as he says, people tend to understand what they can accomplish in a year. Planning can make it happen.
His review consist of a Review of the Prior Year - looking back what worked, what didn't work, and Outlining of Goals and Focus for the New Year, and finally Make Decisions in Support of the Goals and Focus. My question mark on the post title is because I'm jumping to the Year's Focus already - year of reduction - without having done the other steps. He warns that it is better to work through the process and see what goals you are excited about before you set your focus and push goals to fit it.
So I'm knowingly jumping the gun, but I'm expecting I'll develop goals for health (with weight loss being a reduction), goals for decluttering (ie, a reduction in stuff), possibly a reduction in mortgage debt (obvious reduction goal). These are areas that have been on my mind and active in my todo lists so its reasonable to think this will dominate my goals for the year.
Another potential goal that doesn't quite fit into a year of reduction is to blog post more - I'm thinking 50 post this year. Fifty sounds like a lot - last year was only 39 and a good 10 of those were directly related to the New Mexico trip and storing directions and links. I feel compelled to have a goal like this to help push me to get both more open about sharing things and also to help maintain good writing skills. I have that vague ideal job of being a movie critic so posting more seams to moving in the right direction.
Guess I will have to go through the process and see where my focus and interest really lay - because while I started with the what's been current on my to do list - with all those reduction items, at first glance I think I'm more focused and excited by these last two goals which don't fit the year of reduction.
I love Bath and Body Works
Have I told you my love for Bath and Body Works products? I've been a long time user of their lotion and have more recently started using their hand soap and body wash. I loooovvvveee their fruity/citrus-y scents the most. I'm also in love with their vanillas and peppermint. I'm not so in love with their flower scents - I find those to be overpowering and stifling.
My master bedroom hallway near the bathroom smells of oranges. I used the orange ginger energy blend this morning and I smell great and do have a little more spring to my step.
And my frugal side loves them too - which is a little surprising because they do cost more than similar store brand products. But they have such great sales. Twice a year they have these products for $3 - and most cost around $11 dollars - so almost 75% off and then it's much cheaper than the store brands. At the after Christmas $3 sale I saved over $85 paying less than $30 for over $120 worth of products! They were only $3 and I had a coupon for $10 off any $30 purchase. The coupon was had expired a few days before but they still took it. Very nice customer support/appreciation.
My key problem with them is that I stock up too much at these prices! I think I currently have more than enough to last me through the year and well into 2014 but I tell you - when I see the summer Semi Annual $3 sale....I know I'll be there picking up more!
My master bedroom hallway near the bathroom smells of oranges. I used the orange ginger energy blend this morning and I smell great and do have a little more spring to my step.
And my frugal side loves them too - which is a little surprising because they do cost more than similar store brand products. But they have such great sales. Twice a year they have these products for $3 - and most cost around $11 dollars - so almost 75% off and then it's much cheaper than the store brands. At the after Christmas $3 sale I saved over $85 paying less than $30 for over $120 worth of products! They were only $3 and I had a coupon for $10 off any $30 purchase. The coupon was had expired a few days before but they still took it. Very nice customer support/appreciation.
My key problem with them is that I stock up too much at these prices! I think I currently have more than enough to last me through the year and well into 2014 but I tell you - when I see the summer Semi Annual $3 sale....I know I'll be there picking up more!
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