Ramblings

I need some motivation and possibly a kick in the ass.

I have a lot I want to get done before the holidays - mainly before the family arrives and stays with me.  And I think my perfectionism gets my way of getting things done.   Now to be clear, I am not a perfectionist in the normal definition of the word.  Perfectionism applies to me in a much narrower focus - it's my efficiency that sometimes gets caught up in the perfect / most efficient way to do things that slow me down.  The actual quality of the work does not get impacted by perfectionism.

I need to start working and making some progress - easier to say/blog than to actually do ....especially when work / life / dog / etc get in the way.



While there is a focus on what I want done and a deadline (when the family arrives for Christmas), I think my bigger issue is that I don't have a end dates and big goals.  It's all little stuff that would be nice to have done - and because there is no end date it kicks in my efficiency perfectionism and I want to do those tasks the most efficient way possible, instead of just getting it done.    Maybe it would help me to reread Getting Things Done by David Allen.  I already follow a version of his methodology, and I'm sure I have room for improvement and could use a refresher on the 'why' things are done the way he suggests.

Back not having big goals with end dates.... I miss that.  And I think it makes me flounder a bit.  I'm like a boat without a rudder - just floating along with no true direction.

Looking at the big picture, I probably should focus on my health as I'm doing fine financially and I have a good support system of friends and family.   The significant other relationship is a key area that I'm missing.  It's been so long since I had a boyfriend that I find it hard to image I will ever get married.   And as much as I think having a boyfriend would make me happier and improve my life, I also find it's not an area I want to make into a goal or task.   In my opinion my friends and coworkers that have made finding a husband a task have 'settled' and are less happy now than when they were single.   I believe this has to happen more naturally and can not be forced. 

So back to setting a health goal....I have trouble both with setting an arbitrary date and also with picking any goal beside weight - and I know weight is not a good indication of health.  I know I could and should be healthier, but I also know I am much more healthy than many of my friends and family that weigh less than me.   And because of that, it's less motivating for me to pick a weigh loss goal.  Although I want to lose weigh ( and should to improve my health more) it just feels so arbitrary to pick a number and date.  Maybe I can pick a run or biking event and use that distance and its date as my goal.  The only problem with that is with the exception of a marathon, there is not really that much that I want to do/ prove to myself.   Well there is also the Backroads Utah Canyon trip which is on my bucket list.  I need to do it when I'm in good enough shape to hike and climb those mountain trails, but also do it before my fear factor kicks in and makes me unwilling to tackle Angles Landing.  As you can see from these photos, it is a very scary hike at the top.   

http://www.backroads.com/trips/WZBQ/utah-zion-bryce-canyon-hiking-trip

In searching for photos for Angles Landing, I found out the switchbacks are named Walter's Wiggles - makes me think of my Saint Walter and some how it makes me think I could do this with the power of Wally.  

Backroads only runs this trip in both the Spring (mid May to early June) and the Fall (September to mid October) due to the heat in summer and the snow in winter.   It feels like this Spring is both too soon and also conflicts with either Michael or Danny's graduation celebrations.   Choosing a Fall trip could work - it's long enough away to use it as a focus and expensive enough (Backroads is a 'luxury' type travel group) to also help motivate me to be in top shape and get as much out of it as I can.  

So writing this post is now leading me to consider a few hiking goals for this coming year (remember January is right around the corner and I'm one that likes to set goals/plans for the year).  I'm thinking it would be good to research and find Wisconsin area waterfall hikes (I'd even branch out to Northern Illinois or Eastern Iowa.   I'll have to put more thought into this - I'm not sure where it will land me.