The weekly challenges impact my decisions. Today for lunch I was heating up some leftovers and without too much thought I instinctively grabbed the zucchini and cut it up to be steamed with the leftovers. It added great flavor and added some veggies which are often missing from my lunch choices.
The weekly challenges are not doing near as well for the decluttering efforts. I still need to place some more focus on that.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
2011 Weekly Challenges - #2
The first challenges are starting to get me on the right foot (haha a little joke since the its my left foot that has the plantar fasciitis problem so I'm much better on the right foot than left)
On to this week's challenges.....
Health Challenge Somewhat Successful - I counted and I have 20 pieces of fruit in my house. For this challenge all should be eaten by next Saturday. Bonus challenges 1) have a salad every day for the week and 2) at least 2 exercise sessions of at least 30 minutes each - can be wii fit, DVD programs, Bally's, etc. My foot issues have greatly reduced my ability to walk, jog/run, hike and even snowshoe -- all of which are my primary fitness activities. It's time to find something new - maybe try the elliptical trainer, yoga, running on the mini trampoline, etc -- something has to be out there that I can do to build up a sweat and drop some pounds. I'm calling this 'somewhat successful' because it helps to celebrate the small successes and there were successes with this. There were more than a few times that if this challenge did not exist I would have grabbed a cookie,etc but instead I had a pear or apple. I did not get through all the fruit - in part because I had a lot of fresh veggies to also get through - and did! I still have 3 oranges and 3 pears to finish up this week.
Decluttering challenge Unsuccessful - Take back the Family room. My papers have been scattered all around it. Its time to go through them and file, pay, shred, etc - whatever they need done. The challenge is to go through the paper and identify the next action, but not necessarily do the next action (that may take time and be its own challenge down the road. At best I made a small dent in the papers, but I added as much as I as I was able to get done, so at best net result is no difference which makes this unsuccessful. Overall these decluttering challenges have not gone well - I need to put on my thinking cap and figure out a way to make a difference in this area.
On to this week's challenges.....
Health Challenge Somewhat Successful - I counted and I have 20 pieces of fruit in my house. For this challenge all should be eaten by next Saturday. Bonus challenges 1) have a salad every day for the week and 2) at least 2 exercise sessions of at least 30 minutes each - can be wii fit, DVD programs, Bally's, etc. My foot issues have greatly reduced my ability to walk, jog/run, hike and even snowshoe -- all of which are my primary fitness activities. It's time to find something new - maybe try the elliptical trainer, yoga, running on the mini trampoline, etc -- something has to be out there that I can do to build up a sweat and drop some pounds. I'm calling this 'somewhat successful' because it helps to celebrate the small successes and there were successes with this. There were more than a few times that if this challenge did not exist I would have grabbed a cookie,etc but instead I had a pear or apple. I did not get through all the fruit - in part because I had a lot of fresh veggies to also get through - and did! I still have 3 oranges and 3 pears to finish up this week.
Decluttering challenge Unsuccessful - Take back the Family room. My papers have been scattered all around it. Its time to go through them and file, pay, shred, etc - whatever they need done. The challenge is to go through the paper and identify the next action, but not necessarily do the next action (that may take time and be its own challenge down the road. At best I made a small dent in the papers, but I added as much as I as I was able to get done, so at best net result is no difference which makes this unsuccessful. Overall these decluttering challenges have not gone well - I need to put on my thinking cap and figure out a way to make a difference in this area.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
2011 Weekly Challenges - #1
My brilliant idea for helping me reach my 2011 resolutions is to have one week goals. I've found that I do very well with short term challenges. The longer they go, the more likely I am to drop off. So I'll try a series of one week challenges - and I can repeat that challenge for multiple weeks if it feels right. I'm going to try to one challenge each for the 2 resolution areas. The challenges themselves will not necessarily be hard - the hard part for me is keeping them going all week long for those that are daily challenges, or getting them done within the week for those larger challenges.
- 1) Health area challenge - follow the new medication and exercises every day. This seams simple enough and I have hopes that this will help get the foot exercises into my daily morning habit. Status: Successful - it took a little work to get the right timing down for the foot exercises, shower, and applying medicated cream. Net result is the foot pain starts later in the day so things must be working/improving
- 2) De-clutter challenge - I went back and forth on this one and I think my solution is to come up with one and a second bonus challenge...and I've just determined that reaching a bonus challenge deserves a reward.
- main: "Take back the house" - this means getting the rest of the Christmas and Christmas guest stuff taken care of by cleaning and properly storing it away. Status: Giving myself a "Successful minus". Things are cleaned and out of the way but I'd like to work on a better storage system for them so there is still more work to do. I could have put the towels, blankets, etc back where and how they were shoved into the linen closet but instead I've left them on a table in the kitchen until I can get the storage bags for them. Overall this is still a success.
- bonus: Consuming or Scheduling the Groupons so they get used timely and don't go to waste - Status: Good effort but not yet successful. the bonus was too much, and most of it did not get done. It was good to have the stretch goal because it did motivate me to try to get these tasks that have been sitting out there on my to-do list finally completed.
- Massage - get this schedule, and see if it can be upgraded to a hot stone massage completed, reservation made for Jan 20 for a Hot Stone Massage
- Oil Change -used/ completed
- Oilerie - make the reservations (Thurs, Feb 3 date) - completed, reservation made for Feb 3 with Barb T and Nancy
- California Closets - need to clear closets -- this week's challenge is to tackle the Right side.
- REWARD - ??
2011 - the year of reductions
It took a while but I've determined 2011 will be the Year of Reductions!!
My life currently has an unwanted level of abundance. Too much clutter, too much stock piling, too much weight, etc. I'm feeling the need to correct these areas. But I need to be careful of my tendency of perfectionism and the all or nothing approach -- too often I get overwhelmed and don't know where to start or feel like I'm making so little progress there is no point to continuing. I need to work on overcoming both of those key stoppers for me. My mantra will be "moving in the right direction" and "a little is better than nothing".
So on to the specific subgoals for 2011
Reduction of Stock Piling
I have too many supplies, both food and non-food (office supplies, cleaning supplies, etc). My philosophy will be to "use it or lose it". This will be hard - I have a tendency to creatively find bargains and stock up. Sometimes the bargains are only available when stockpiling and purchasing larger volumes than a single household needs. This is also a long ingrained idea that comes from the attitude of my parents as I was growing up; finding bargains is a virtue. These goals will probably cost me more dollars but overall I expect it to create more happiness and I currently have the cash to spend and could use a bit more happiness in my life.
This is the standard one across most of Americans - time to get into shape. And really I'm not going to have the scale define too much of this goal. Instead, I'm going to focus on some exercise goals and challenges.
My life currently has an unwanted level of abundance. Too much clutter, too much stock piling, too much weight, etc. I'm feeling the need to correct these areas. But I need to be careful of my tendency of perfectionism and the all or nothing approach -- too often I get overwhelmed and don't know where to start or feel like I'm making so little progress there is no point to continuing. I need to work on overcoming both of those key stoppers for me. My mantra will be "moving in the right direction" and "a little is better than nothing".
So on to the specific subgoals for 2011
Reduction of Stock Piling
I have too many supplies, both food and non-food (office supplies, cleaning supplies, etc). My philosophy will be to "use it or lose it". This will be hard - I have a tendency to creatively find bargains and stock up. Sometimes the bargains are only available when stockpiling and purchasing larger volumes than a single household needs. This is also a long ingrained idea that comes from the attitude of my parents as I was growing up; finding bargains is a virtue. These goals will probably cost me more dollars but overall I expect it to create more happiness and I currently have the cash to spend and could use a bit more happiness in my life.
- Eat from the Pantry Challenges at least 5 times this year for periods of at least 2 weeks. This means very limited grocery shopping during this period except for pet food and milk (and truly great deals). I think I could get by without for anything else using substitutions (ie, out of coffee then drink tea in the morning, etc).
- Remove all periodicals that over 1 month old. This covers all those old magazines that I have stacked up just waiting to be read. The initial goal is will be to get all the pre-2009 periodicals out by end of March (first quarter), all remaining 2009 by May, and from then on keep nothing over 1 month old (ie, all January will be out by end of February).
- Clean out Closets - this is helped by the already purchased groupon for California Closets. I have too much. That's it - no additional need to clarify that sentence. I would like to change that and have less but higher quality clothes with more cross usability. Its time for some upgrades to what I have. And time to let somethings go.
This is the standard one across most of Americans - time to get into shape. And really I'm not going to have the scale define too much of this goal. Instead, I'm going to focus on some exercise goals and challenges.
- Time Goal: Complete 5K in under 12 min pace. Ultimate goal is to get back to being a 10 min mile runner but that goal can wait. This Fall I was running close to 14 min miles and I believe I can get down to 12 min miles if I keep at it - I need to resolve my plantar fasciitis problem to make this goal
- Distance Goal: 1/2 Marathon. Ultimate goal is a full marathon - its on my bucket list. This year it is a stretch to do a 1/2 marathon and I'm reserving the right to change this if my planter faciatis keeps me from getting the miles I would need to get in for 1/2 marathon training. Update: I'm registered for the Ice Age Trail Half Marathon on May 14 and expect to take Marty's trail running program starting April 1 as preparation for it.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Feeling like a grown up
I made gravy today....and that made me feel like a grown-up. Which is funny because just yesterday I had bagel chips for dinner and that decisively made me fell like I was not a grown up.
I sat on the couch after finishing the bag and contemplated my life. I'm been in a slump over the last couple of months, with an inability to get things done. One key point I contemplated was I'm constantly amazed but what I'll "live with". The thing is I hate my house, my life, etc when I let things go and just live with it. I blame my parents for my unnatural ability to live with things that should be dealt with, because they saw "living with" things as a virtue. They honestly thought it made them better people to have the ability to live with it. My tenancy to "live with" things half done, half put away, etc is one of my key barriers to having the life I want. I look around and I see a coffee table that has had stuff to review for goodwill donations, etc - and its been sitting to the side of the living room since mid August! I don't think a "normal" person would with that.
Another key barrier is perfectionism - it's not the standard perfectionism -- I don't feel that things have to be perfect .... I feel things have to be perfectly efficient. And when they are not efficient, then I don't get things done. I've had a built-in efficiency monitor that goes loco when things, people, and/or processes are not efficient and do things the hard way. Drives me CRAZY. And it makes me procrastinate and not get some of the day-to-day stuff done because I'm looking for a different way to make it more efficient or more routine. Its probably worse in my personal life because in my professional life at IBM there is a TON of inefficiency that I can not control, so I try to control even more in my own life. Aughh
The third barrier is frugality - another trait I learned from my parents. I have this trait to an extreme. I'm looking around my computer as I write this and see several used napkins and tissues - used but they still have the ability to be used again. It really does bother me to throw these out when I can still see life left in them. Auggghhh. I love to "use things up". I actually do get a feeling of happiness when I finish a box of crackers or cereal, or finish the last piece of paper in a notebook. Speaking of notebooks, I'm using one now that has pages that dated from 2003 - yes, 7 years ago I was using this same 70 page notebook. And I've moved at least once (and maybe more times) since I purchased it for about 10 cents - I wonder how much my moving cost was for all these old notebooks with "a few good blank pages in them"? How can I think that's worth it to keep things like old notebooks that still have 10 sides of blank pages? I have too much stuff that doesn't bring me pleasure or happiness but that I have a hard time throwing away because they still can be used. The tissues and napkins are an extreme example but there is much in my house that fits this bill.
So what do I do to get over this?... just do it. Take the old Nike slogan and try to apply it to my house. Just do it, even if its inefficient and they are better ways to do it, just get it done doing whatever it takes (or retakes) Getting my house to be something I'm proud of will make a big difference for my attitude. I did a change over to clean up piles of stuff that was left in the kitchen, and the clean up made me feel soooo much better about the kitchen. I need to take that same approach throughout the house. Its a nice house - I do love it - but for the last few weeks I would have been embarrassed if anyone came in beyond the doorways.
So this weekend will be a big push to get it done. The priority will be the "public areas" of the house - I'll let the bedrooms slide to another time. I'm going to get the Family room, living room, dining areas, mud room, and entry areas looking how I want them to look. Trust me - this is a big task. But its going to happen. I have the motivation to get it done. Now I just need to find the time.
I sat on the couch after finishing the bag and contemplated my life. I'm been in a slump over the last couple of months, with an inability to get things done. One key point I contemplated was I'm constantly amazed but what I'll "live with". The thing is I hate my house, my life, etc when I let things go and just live with it. I blame my parents for my unnatural ability to live with things that should be dealt with, because they saw "living with" things as a virtue. They honestly thought it made them better people to have the ability to live with it. My tenancy to "live with" things half done, half put away, etc is one of my key barriers to having the life I want. I look around and I see a coffee table that has had stuff to review for goodwill donations, etc - and its been sitting to the side of the living room since mid August! I don't think a "normal" person would with that.
Another key barrier is perfectionism - it's not the standard perfectionism -- I don't feel that things have to be perfect .... I feel things have to be perfectly efficient. And when they are not efficient, then I don't get things done. I've had a built-in efficiency monitor that goes loco when things, people, and/or processes are not efficient and do things the hard way. Drives me CRAZY. And it makes me procrastinate and not get some of the day-to-day stuff done because I'm looking for a different way to make it more efficient or more routine. Its probably worse in my personal life because in my professional life at IBM there is a TON of inefficiency that I can not control, so I try to control even more in my own life. Aughh
The third barrier is frugality - another trait I learned from my parents. I have this trait to an extreme. I'm looking around my computer as I write this and see several used napkins and tissues - used but they still have the ability to be used again. It really does bother me to throw these out when I can still see life left in them. Auggghhh. I love to "use things up". I actually do get a feeling of happiness when I finish a box of crackers or cereal, or finish the last piece of paper in a notebook. Speaking of notebooks, I'm using one now that has pages that dated from 2003 - yes, 7 years ago I was using this same 70 page notebook. And I've moved at least once (and maybe more times) since I purchased it for about 10 cents - I wonder how much my moving cost was for all these old notebooks with "a few good blank pages in them"? How can I think that's worth it to keep things like old notebooks that still have 10 sides of blank pages? I have too much stuff that doesn't bring me pleasure or happiness but that I have a hard time throwing away because they still can be used. The tissues and napkins are an extreme example but there is much in my house that fits this bill.
So what do I do to get over this?... just do it. Take the old Nike slogan and try to apply it to my house. Just do it, even if its inefficient and they are better ways to do it, just get it done doing whatever it takes (or retakes) Getting my house to be something I'm proud of will make a big difference for my attitude. I did a change over to clean up piles of stuff that was left in the kitchen, and the clean up made me feel soooo much better about the kitchen. I need to take that same approach throughout the house. Its a nice house - I do love it - but for the last few weeks I would have been embarrassed if anyone came in beyond the doorways.
So this weekend will be a big push to get it done. The priority will be the "public areas" of the house - I'll let the bedrooms slide to another time. I'm going to get the Family room, living room, dining areas, mud room, and entry areas looking how I want them to look. Trust me - this is a big task. But its going to happen. I have the motivation to get it done. Now I just need to find the time.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Building confidence to match capability
I had not run in 2 weeks - it started because of the cold but continued because of fear. Fear of finding out how much I had lost with that break, of how hard it would feel, and of how long it would take to get back to where I was with cardio and endurance.
It's true.. the only think you have to fear is fear itself.
Saturday I ran for about 5 miles on the Scuppernong Trail. I still had the tail end of my cold and had to carry water because my throat needed it constantly throughout the run (our sag wagon had water at around the 3 mile point), but overall it was fine. If I had not had the trail running program, there is no way I would have gotten out and ran that morning. No way. But I did have the program, and I did run, and it was fine. No, better than fine; it was GOOD. I felt good, and I felt capable. I'm grateful I had the insight to sign up for the trail running program - to be fully honest I was a bit intimidated by the concept and wasn't confident that I was capable of trail running - but it's been good, first and foremost it has kept me running and increased my distances. Saturda's 5 miles was the longest I've run since 2007 when I completed the Green Bay Half Marathon.
We have 2 more outings for the Trail Program - and the last one could be a 9 miler for me. There is a 6 mile loop and a 9 mile loop. Marty (our leader) thinks I can (and should) to the 9 miler. Once again, I'm not confident...but considering the scuppernong run...I'm beginning to believe I'm capable of it. What I need I to do is to bump up my running over these next two weeks to prove to myself that I can do the 9 mile run.
As a side note, this post started in my mind with frustration at waking up with a very soar neck today. It had started yesterday with waking up with a mild soar neck - it hurt a little and had some limited mobility on the left side. I'm positive the trail running did not help it any. The neck continued to mildly hurt throughout the day and impacted my sleep. This morning it was painful - there is no other words to describe it. And I thought for sure this would keep me from pilates class tonight and probably limiting my additional running this week. Well a heating pad session, a few alieve, some simple stretching and it's feeling much better. I'm confident that I'll be able to participate in pilates and that the stretching and movement from tonight's class will improve the neck - confident that I'm capable. And I'm feeling like I'll be able to add those morning runs in this week to make Saturday's trail running go smooth. It really is very nice and empowering to have a core belief that I'm confident in my capabilities.
It's true.. the only think you have to fear is fear itself.
Saturday I ran for about 5 miles on the Scuppernong Trail. I still had the tail end of my cold and had to carry water because my throat needed it constantly throughout the run (our sag wagon had water at around the 3 mile point), but overall it was fine. If I had not had the trail running program, there is no way I would have gotten out and ran that morning. No way. But I did have the program, and I did run, and it was fine. No, better than fine; it was GOOD. I felt good, and I felt capable. I'm grateful I had the insight to sign up for the trail running program - to be fully honest I was a bit intimidated by the concept and wasn't confident that I was capable of trail running - but it's been good, first and foremost it has kept me running and increased my distances. Saturda's 5 miles was the longest I've run since 2007 when I completed the Green Bay Half Marathon.
We have 2 more outings for the Trail Program - and the last one could be a 9 miler for me. There is a 6 mile loop and a 9 mile loop. Marty (our leader) thinks I can (and should) to the 9 miler. Once again, I'm not confident...but considering the scuppernong run...I'm beginning to believe I'm capable of it. What I need I to do is to bump up my running over these next two weeks to prove to myself that I can do the 9 mile run.
As a side note, this post started in my mind with frustration at waking up with a very soar neck today. It had started yesterday with waking up with a mild soar neck - it hurt a little and had some limited mobility on the left side. I'm positive the trail running did not help it any. The neck continued to mildly hurt throughout the day and impacted my sleep. This morning it was painful - there is no other words to describe it. And I thought for sure this would keep me from pilates class tonight and probably limiting my additional running this week. Well a heating pad session, a few alieve, some simple stretching and it's feeling much better. I'm confident that I'll be able to participate in pilates and that the stretching and movement from tonight's class will improve the neck - confident that I'm capable. And I'm feeling like I'll be able to add those morning runs in this week to make Saturday's trail running go smooth. It really is very nice and empowering to have a core belief that I'm confident in my capabilities.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Set backs
I really felt like I was in the groove for picking up running again. I looked forward to the outings and felt steady improvements. The only concern I had was picking the right clothes - I often dressed too warm. I figured that was relatively minor and would figure itself out the more I ran and the cooler fall weather came into play.
Well, I'm out of the groove and wondering how I can get back into it. I got sick - the server cold and with sour throat that hurts to swallow, the stuffy nose where you can't breath through at least one of the nostrils at all times, achy and tired. Over all a miserable condition and there was no way I was going outside to get in any sort of run. This lasted just over a week.
I'm now feeling better - still have the cough that I can't fully shake and the throat is not fully back to normal but I feel 100% better than I did last week.
So its back to finding a way to exercise - specifically getting back to running. Monday night I worked out with my pilates mat class. This is the second day I've dressed in sweats with the plan / hope / desire to get in a run throughout the day. Wish me luck (and focus)
Well, I'm out of the groove and wondering how I can get back into it. I got sick - the server cold and with sour throat that hurts to swallow, the stuffy nose where you can't breath through at least one of the nostrils at all times, achy and tired. Over all a miserable condition and there was no way I was going outside to get in any sort of run. This lasted just over a week.
I'm now feeling better - still have the cough that I can't fully shake and the throat is not fully back to normal but I feel 100% better than I did last week.
So its back to finding a way to exercise - specifically getting back to running. Monday night I worked out with my pilates mat class. This is the second day I've dressed in sweats with the plan / hope / desire to get in a run throughout the day. Wish me luck (and focus)
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