You treat life like a picture / But its not a moment frozen in time So there’s been a lot going on in my head lately, most of which doesn’t translate well into language, much less blog-world. Just a lot of rambling stuff, I suppose, about growing up, friends, family, and life in general. And I’ll throw some religion and politics in there, just to spice it up a bit.
But yeah. Point is, I really haven’t had much to say. That anyone wants to read. Or for that matter, that I want to write. But, one of my brain ramblings has produced a series of thought that (I think) are actually post worthy, so here goes:
I always have these high plans for things… like this year, I started out with some goals (some realistic, some... well, will take some work, at best). And I go along pretty well for a while on the adrenaline of accomplishing things... I think, this is awesome! And then I miss a day (or whatever)… and I spend so much time beating myself up over the missed part, and feeling like I screwed everything up (I tell myself I’m good at that), that I miss the next one, and the one after... and after a while, I’m like, what’s the point? I've already "fallen off the wagon"... so I might as well not try (after all, I'll probably just mess up again).
And then I get to a point, again, where I’m faced with the consequences of not having done whatever (for example... having 8000 loads of laundry to do, because I put it off… who knew we owned so many clothes? Or having gained weight because I was too tired/lazy to cook, and we ate fast food several times during the week)... and I say to myself... Self, if you had done what you were supposed to, you wouldn’t be here. So I jump back on the wagon, and resolve to do better. Next time. Next week. Next year. Whatever.
I’m working through the FlyLady system... which I really like. But I’ve been doing the crash-and-burn cycle for like, 6 months. I keep reading: "You’re not behind, just jump in where you are", and I think... sure, I’ll jump in. As soon as I get caught up on the dishes. As soon as the laundry is done. As soon as the house is clean. As soon as I lose the 10 pounds I gained over the holidays. As soon as I find the perfect notebook to hold my control journal. As soon as I’m not behind…
The point is, I need to not get so hung up on the "wrongs", and learn to bounce back. Without falling off the wagon. I need to celebrate the "rights", and remember why I’m trying to make changes / do things better. And to see the big picture, not just the tiny corner that says this isn’t working.
So, following that idea, here are the things I’ve accomplished so far this year:
I have started eating healthier, most days of the week (this includes cooking healthier dinners, which has been kind of hit-and-miss, and packing lunch).
I have managed to work out for at least 15 minutes at least twice a week (go ten minute workout dvds!)
I cleaned out one drawer of the dresser and (finally) started using some of the drawer dividers I bought forever ago.
I got (with Chad’s help) almost half of the dvds scanned and into the new cataloging software I bought.
Chad and I cleaned out most of the garage in preparation to make it into a martial arts workout room (this was a huge task).
I’ve been drinking more water (not back up to 8 glasses a day consistently, but working on it).
I have entirely cut out caffeinated soda, and only drink soda at all if I’m out at a restaurant.
Planning meals for the week, every Friday/Saturday. I totally have this one down. Plan Menus on Friday or Saturday, go grocery shopping Sunday night.
Getting the dishes done every night, not leaving anything until morning. Not as good as I should have been... but better?
Keep up with the laundry. All except the folding part.
Taking time to take care of me
Actually using the Clinique face wash system I've been claiming to use for like, 3 years, but haven't actually used as I was worried about having to buy more when I ran out. not so great
Flossing my teeth. oh dear. Once?
Taking time to read/do something else just for me. Ah, one I didn't screw up. Managed to do something for me at least 5 times this week...
Take my vitamins. Every day. At least twice a day. blah. Got the calcium chews, but not really doing that great on everything else.
Write, every day, for NaNoWriMo (so far so good, I'm only a little behind my goals...) Missed two days. But wrote all the others, yay!
New Habits for the week:
Spend at least 30 minutes working on a current project (otherwise I'll never finish them all).
Smart Habit Saturday So Ive revamped the habits thing. Here's where I am this week:
Habits I have already started working on:
Planning meals for the week, every Friday/Saturday.
Getting the dishes done every night, not leaving anything until morning.
Keep up with the laundry.
Taking time to take care of me
Actually using the Clinique face wash system I've been claiming to use for like, 3 years, but haven't actually used as I was worried about having to buy more when I ran out.
Flossing my teeth.
Taking time to read/do something else just for me.
Take my vitamins. Every day. At least twice a day.
New Habits for the week:
Write, every day, for NaNoWriMo (so far so good, I'm only a little behind my goals...)
We're going to pretend that last week didn't happen, because I totally sucked at life and got nothing accomplished habit-wise. I might have even slipped back a bit, on the journaling. So no new habits this week... just work on keeping up with what I have.
Habits I have already started working on:
Try to journal (in a paper journal) for at least five minutes every night. If nothing else, record how well I followed my habits that day.
Planning meals for the week, every Friday/Saturday.
Getting the dishes done every night, not leaving anything until morning.
Keep up with the laundry.
Taking time to take care of me... This includes:
Actually using the Clinique face wash system I've been claiming to use for like, 3 years, but haven't actually used as I was worried about having to buy more when I ran out.
Flossing my teeth.
Taking time to read/do something else just for me.
New Habits for the week:
Take my vitamins. Every day. At least twice a day.
Try to journal (in a paper journal) for at least five minutes every night. If nothing else, record how well I followed my habits that day. 6/7, missed Saturday (it was really really late when i got read to go to bed).
Planning meals for the week, every Friday/Saturday. I actually did this early this week, to take advantage of being off of work on Friday :-)
Getting the dishes done every night, not leaving anything until morning. 6/7, with the off day being Wednesday night. I was too dead tired to do anything worthwhile.
Keep up with the laundry. So far so good. Yay!
Taking time to take care of me... This includes:
Actually using the Clinique face wash system I've been claiming to use for like, 3 years, but haven't actually used as I was worried about having to buy more when I ran out. Good stuff.
Flossing my teeth. around 12/14? (morning and night?) this week... I'm getting better.
Taking time to read/do something else just for me. Working on a book on forming habits... read Harry Potter 7, then 6... Going to reread 7 again tonight and tomorrow, probably. :-)
New Habits for the week:
Take my vitamins. Every day. At least twice a day.
Related to Saturday's SMS post... Another (somewhat overlapping) online group devoted to meal planning every week, hosted by Org Junkie.
Monday: Chicken Alfredo with French bread. Tuesday: Cheddar Macaroni Beef Casserole Wednesday: Sweet & Sour Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes and Peas. Thursday: Spaghetti with French Bread Friday: Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
So I'm attempting to start good habits, right? It turns out, there's a whole little community of bloggers, doing more or less the same thing. The Smart Habit Saturday idea is hosted by The Lazy Organizer, so I figure I'll give it a try.
So. Habits I have already started working on:
Planning meals for the week, every Friday/Saturday. This one is actually going pretty well, as I was in this habit before school and everything got the better of me. It's been pretty easy to pick back up
Getting the dishes done every night, not leaving anything until morning. 6/7, with the off day being Friday night. Weekends = hard to keep routines.
Keep up with the laundry. I only have like, one load of clothes in the hamper. I think this is a first since living in Texas.
Taking time to take care of me... which I've been truly really bad at. This includes:
Actually using the Clinique face wash system I've been claiming to use for like, 3 years, but haven't actually used as I was worried about having to buy more when I ran out. I think I'm on about three weeks with this one, and it's going ok. It definitely helps to have an evening routine... gets me ready to go to sleep.
Flossing my teeth. I suck at this one. Probably 4/7 this week.
Taking time to read/do something else just for me. Not too bad... I certainly have enough on my reading list. ;-)
New Habit for the week:
Try to journal (in a paper journal) for at least five minutes every night. If nothing else, record how well I followed my habits that day.
I hear you say, that I'm totally a mess So I absolutely hate New Years resolutions. Because I make the same ones every year. You know: keep the house cleaner, lose weight, eat healthier, be a nicer person in general... And by January 15th (if I'm lucky) I've managed to screw them all up to such a point that I give up. This I suppose, is the quintessential problem with being a perfectionist... I'm not perfect.
So I didn't make any this year.
But now I have a better plan. Instead of resolutions, which are made once a year (usually when the house is still full of Christmas candy and such), and are easy to screw up... I'm just going to try and start good habits. And if I screw up a couple of days in between... I don't need to "catch back up", only jump back in where I left off.
This is my brain..... in part, at least.
