Todays challenge is to start the day with a few good words to ourselves.
Now I understand how affirmations work and I also know how silly I feel doing them out loud. So, honestly, this probably won't be something I will do but I do know a few other ways I can make sure I have a good start to my day.
One of those tasks is checking my planner/outlook for the tasks on my list for each day. When I do this, I'm much more purposeful in my morning and then in my day. Second thing I can and will do is exactly in line with my overall goals for the challenge. I will decide the night before what my breakfast will be each morning. If there is some early prep I can do, I will do that.
These two things alone will make a huge impact on how my day gets started.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tough Questions
I think what I found so amazing in answering those questions is how much things have changed since I tried this before. My tens are totally different in some areas because my circumstances have changed. Such as relationship with (hmm, how did it word it?) maybe partner or spouse. I have always thought I had to have a man in my life to be happy. And although I do have some men 'friends', they are way down on the list of what is important. I have so much more I want to accomplish, and in the past they were much more important to me.
Like Angela diet, nutritiion and exercise ranked high. I have insurance with my job and just got some medical tests ran for the first time in years. The results yesterday surprised me, they were very positive. My cholesterel was 147, which the nurse said was very low. I said must be genetics, can't be my fast food diet. Blood sugar, thyroid, all the other stuff was good. I do show some arthritis in the foot they x-rayed. So last night I was sitting there thinking "ok, Susan, if you don't have any of that stuff wrong with you, how come most of the time you feel so crappy? Do you supposed it is your eating habits?" I hate to admit the answer was a resounding yes. I started riding my exercise bike again a few weeks ago. No change in weight, very little in how my clothes fit, but mentally it has been a big help. So I'm going to keep it up. My 9 or 10's were my family and my nurtition and exercise. And I can't wait to get home tonight and do Day 2!
Like Angela diet, nutritiion and exercise ranked high. I have insurance with my job and just got some medical tests ran for the first time in years. The results yesterday surprised me, they were very positive. My cholesterel was 147, which the nurse said was very low. I said must be genetics, can't be my fast food diet. Blood sugar, thyroid, all the other stuff was good. I do show some arthritis in the foot they x-rayed. So last night I was sitting there thinking "ok, Susan, if you don't have any of that stuff wrong with you, how come most of the time you feel so crappy? Do you supposed it is your eating habits?" I hate to admit the answer was a resounding yes. I started riding my exercise bike again a few weeks ago. No change in weight, very little in how my clothes fit, but mentally it has been a big help. So I'm going to keep it up. My 9 or 10's were my family and my nurtition and exercise. And I can't wait to get home tonight and do Day 2!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Day 1: Asking the tough questions
In the challenge, we were asked to mark 10 different categories with an indicator as to how big of a priority that particular category should be in our lives. Then, we were asked to indicate where it is currently in our lives. If there was a difference between where we think it should be and where it is, these are the areas we need to focus on. We then have four questions to answer. I'm posting those here along with my answers.
What areas have the biggest imbalance between where you are and where you would like to be ultimately? Why do you think that is?
Nutrition and exercise have the biggest imbalance and I think the reason it has the biggest imbalance is simply because I don’t make them a priority in my life.
Time with my kids also has a big imbalance. Now that I have to be “both” parents, I know that it’s much more important for me to be in my kids’ lives. This is a paradigm shift I never anticipated. I’m not there right now because it’s taken the last few years for me to figure out who the hell I am. I’ve been doing things which will lead me to the career I now need to have and I really feel I’m on a good path now. I need to ‘add’ my kids back into my life.
What systems have you tried in the past?
Franklin Covey
Our stress is normally caused by imbalances in our life. Looking at the chart, what stressor do you realize has been playing a big part in your life? Are you ready and willing to change it?
Mainly the stuff with the kids and although I don’t have a choice but to change it, I realize that I really do want to change it. I’m ready to be more of a parent to my kids.
Are you trying to be Superwoman? How many tens did you mark with red pen? If you have more than three, perhaps you are trying to have it all now. Think through your life again and carefully consider the current “season” of your life. Realize that you can change this sheet in a week, a month, a quarter. Where are your biggest imbalances? As a result which items should be your “10s” for this phase of your life?
I only have one ‘10' marked and that is the relationship with my family. I do have three 8's marked, one is where I want it to be, the other two will be things I will be focusing on in this challenge.
What areas have the biggest imbalance between where you are and where you would like to be ultimately? Why do you think that is?
Nutrition and exercise have the biggest imbalance and I think the reason it has the biggest imbalance is simply because I don’t make them a priority in my life.
Time with my kids also has a big imbalance. Now that I have to be “both” parents, I know that it’s much more important for me to be in my kids’ lives. This is a paradigm shift I never anticipated. I’m not there right now because it’s taken the last few years for me to figure out who the hell I am. I’ve been doing things which will lead me to the career I now need to have and I really feel I’m on a good path now. I need to ‘add’ my kids back into my life.
What systems have you tried in the past?
Franklin Covey
Our stress is normally caused by imbalances in our life. Looking at the chart, what stressor do you realize has been playing a big part in your life? Are you ready and willing to change it?
Mainly the stuff with the kids and although I don’t have a choice but to change it, I realize that I really do want to change it. I’m ready to be more of a parent to my kids.
Are you trying to be Superwoman? How many tens did you mark with red pen? If you have more than three, perhaps you are trying to have it all now. Think through your life again and carefully consider the current “season” of your life. Realize that you can change this sheet in a week, a month, a quarter. Where are your biggest imbalances? As a result which items should be your “10s” for this phase of your life?
I only have one ‘10' marked and that is the relationship with my family. I do have three 8's marked, one is where I want it to be, the other two will be things I will be focusing on in this challenge.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
So interesting, so far..
I've really enjoyed reading Susan's entries as ours are quite a bit different, one from another. As much as I LOVE new school 'tools', the one success I have had so far this summer was the start of a de-junk marathon.
Because THAT is a big part of what I want to accomplish overall, I will not be going out and buying any new supplies for my challenge. This is a big thing for me. I will make due with the supplies I have and if there is something missing, then and only then will I go out and buy something new.
This is big because I've always been the 'perfectionist' kind of person. If everything wasn't new, I couldn't start the challenge. If everything didn't match, I couldn't start the challenge. If it wasn't just so, or just perfect, I couldn't start it.
Well, dang it. It doesn't have to be new, it doesn't have to match, it doesn't have to be perfect, it simply needs to be functional. Functional, I have already.
Because THAT is a big part of what I want to accomplish overall, I will not be going out and buying any new supplies for my challenge. This is a big thing for me. I will make due with the supplies I have and if there is something missing, then and only then will I go out and buy something new.
This is big because I've always been the 'perfectionist' kind of person. If everything wasn't new, I couldn't start the challenge. If everything didn't match, I couldn't start the challenge. If it wasn't just so, or just perfect, I couldn't start it.
Well, dang it. It doesn't have to be new, it doesn't have to match, it doesn't have to be perfect, it simply needs to be functional. Functional, I have already.
First Day of School
I hate to admit this, but I get turned on by the back-to-school sales atWalmart. I think I loved getting the supplies for school more than the first day. But going to that first day with the new paper, pencils, notebooks made it easier to go. I looked at the list of supplies for the Challange. I probably have everything I need already. But I have decided that I need to go to Walmart tonight and get a few new things. And this is good timing because they are having the awesome back-to-school sales right now. I saw some gorgeous colorful binders yesterday in colors other than black and navy blue. So tonight after work I have to find the Challange I've already printed out and head to Walmart. Fun, fun, fun!
Monday, July 28, 2008
My turn
As Susieq mentioned, I found the Change Your Life Challenge a couple of years ago. We tried starting it then but for some reason, I didn't stick to it. I'm confident the reason was that I was trying to do it at the same time I was in school. But, no classes this summer. School starts a little less than two months from now. I know it's supposed to take 70 days to do the challenge but, the first couple of weeks of school will be a great test to see if the changes have really stuck.
I'm looking forward to the challenge and for improving my life. I already have a great life so it seems really strange to say I want to improve it, but there is always room for improvement.
If anyone 'falls' upon this blog, we'd love to hear your feedback about the changes we're making. Have you made similar changes? What has worked for you? What hasn't worked at all? You don't have to have used the Change Your Life Challenge, anything you used to help make the changes will be beneficial for us to know.
But, for now, it's time for Susieq and I to get our stuff together, for the challenge starts on Wednesday? Why Wednesday and not today? Well, let's just say that procrastination may be one of those areas in my life I want to change.
I'm looking forward to the challenge and for improving my life. I already have a great life so it seems really strange to say I want to improve it, but there is always room for improvement.
If anyone 'falls' upon this blog, we'd love to hear your feedback about the changes we're making. Have you made similar changes? What has worked for you? What hasn't worked at all? You don't have to have used the Change Your Life Challenge, anything you used to help make the changes will be beneficial for us to know.
But, for now, it's time for Susieq and I to get our stuff together, for the challenge starts on Wednesday? Why Wednesday and not today? Well, let's just say that procrastination may be one of those areas in my life I want to change.
Starting the Challenge Part 3
I definitely think things happen for a reason. My job for example. It has taught me many things, but perhaps the most important one is that I can accomplish anything if I just don't worry about it, just start working on it. I always think I won't get it done, don't have enough time, etc, etc. But at work when I have a project, I just start it and follow through, and I am almost always amazed at how short a time it actually takes.
I am trying to use that trait in my personal or home life. I have realized that I can just take baby steps and get a lot accomplished. I started riding the exercise bike two weeks ago, and I have found that it is my mental stress reliever. The clothes don't fit any looser, but on the days I ride it when I wake up, I do feel better mentally. I just get on the bike and do my ten, now fifteen minutes. Baby steps.
A few days ago I started thinking of making some other small steps. And today I opened an email from my friend Angela who lives in Washington. We have been friends for several years, but have only been able to meet in person once. She emailed me and asked if I would like to start the Change Your Life Challenge again. She is the one that got me started on that the first time. But I don't think either of us finished it. So this will be the third time I've started it. The last time I really started getting into it. But there is so much of it that talks about controlling your physical environment. I was living with my daughter. It is her house, so controlling that environment just wasn't gonna work. But almost three months ago I got my own apartment. It is very tiny, but it's all mine. So Angela's email came at a perfect time. We are going to start over. We have even started a blog to write about what is going on. We both have regular blogs, but have been very lax at writing in those. It is hard because she has three teenagers plus goes to school most of the year. I don't have internet in my new apartment. But we are going to try. She mentioned Outlook today, so I'm giving that a try. And I'm going to try writing something on my laptop several times a week and then when I go to my daughter's to get online, I can just take a few minutes to post it.
So here goes! Wish me luck. And thank you, Angela.
I am trying to use that trait in my personal or home life. I have realized that I can just take baby steps and get a lot accomplished. I started riding the exercise bike two weeks ago, and I have found that it is my mental stress reliever. The clothes don't fit any looser, but on the days I ride it when I wake up, I do feel better mentally. I just get on the bike and do my ten, now fifteen minutes. Baby steps.
A few days ago I started thinking of making some other small steps. And today I opened an email from my friend Angela who lives in Washington. We have been friends for several years, but have only been able to meet in person once. She emailed me and asked if I would like to start the Change Your Life Challenge again. She is the one that got me started on that the first time. But I don't think either of us finished it. So this will be the third time I've started it. The last time I really started getting into it. But there is so much of it that talks about controlling your physical environment. I was living with my daughter. It is her house, so controlling that environment just wasn't gonna work. But almost three months ago I got my own apartment. It is very tiny, but it's all mine. So Angela's email came at a perfect time. We are going to start over. We have even started a blog to write about what is going on. We both have regular blogs, but have been very lax at writing in those. It is hard because she has three teenagers plus goes to school most of the year. I don't have internet in my new apartment. But we are going to try. She mentioned Outlook today, so I'm giving that a try. And I'm going to try writing something on my laptop several times a week and then when I go to my daughter's to get online, I can just take a few minutes to post it.
So here goes! Wish me luck. And thank you, Angela.
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