Goals, Goals, Goals- January

It's 10.30 at night and the hot day is finally giving way to some cooler breezes. I think I can smell rain in the air.
I thought his evening I'd take a look at my January goals and start to look at what I'd like to achieve for February.

January Goals

WELL-BEING

Ride my bike.  I've begun and it felt great. Now I just have to make it a regular gig and hope that my legs can sustain the practice.  (ALSO GREEN)
Exercise 3X a week. Hmmm, getting there. After a good start I've found it hard to maintain the routine when it can be so hot and when I have young people in my care. I started back at yoga. I've walked and I've ridden my bike. Feels good!
TV Free Tuesday. Back into it for 2012. Feels weird but I couldn't help noticing how much I got done on those days without TV. Loads got done! I think I'm also starting to see myself as a more discerning viewer which is pleasing.  (ALSO GREEN)
Pamper myself for the holidays. Yes, I did. I had a pedicure and manicure and I dared to choose a very bold turqoise colour which is great for summer.
Go to the theatre (=go out). Well it was booked out at the time I wanted to go so I've booked it for February.

SAD
Listen, really listen!  I think I've done well but it's so much easier on holidays.

FOOD and HOME

Cooking. I tried three new recipes. I'm proud of my attempts but the results were disappointing. Edible. Just!
Building maintenance. I'm dealing with unfamiliar areas which means I delay and avoid, avoid and delay. Last week I called for quotes so let's see if I can make things happen for February.


I've enjoyed having time this month to focus on goals and organisation but I have noticed that as soon as other things come up my routine goes out the window.

February Goals

SAD GOALS

• Listen. Really listen. Major focus starting back at work this week. (Remember, it's not about me!  Ask questions.)

WELLBEING

• Exercise 3 X a week.
• Ride my bike at least once a week with a view to doing one shopping trip.
• Drink lots of water at home and at work.

PERSONAL

• Organisation: Try to carry over my good holiday habits into work time. No. 1 : Go over schedule each evening. Check, update, plan.   Maintain routines. Maintain my desk area as a command centre.

FOOD and HOME

• One new recipe this month.
• Try to bake once a week.
• Pursue maintenance goals.
• Maintain house cleaning routine.  Taken from  "The Organised Housewife", "Flylady" and "Becci's Domestic Bliss".

Most of these goals continue from last year. My major focus for February needs to be LISTENING  and DAILY SCHEDULE TIME. 


I had wanted to begin one cyber free day a week. I'm not sure that I can do it both for practical reasons and for reasons of personal weakness!!! But I do wander if there's not a way I can use the computer more effciently and reduce the wasteful time I spend on it. Something to think about this month.

My KikkiK D-I-Y calendar

How do you manage your internet usage? Any suggestions for using the computer more efficiently?

Another SAd perspective: ACT

The other day I had just woken up when there was a knock at the door. Not too many people come to my house so a knock at the door that early was a surprise. I was in a mildly deflated mood as a day earlier I had said goodbye to a young person who had been staying with me and I was feeling the solitude and so wishing things were different.


I looked through the glass and saw a woman with a bouquet of flowers.

"Gotta be a mistake," I thought. "No one would want to give me flowers unless it was for work I had done."
"Mr X has taken the plunge and sent me flowers as a token of his love"
"That would never happen. It happens to everyone else but not me."


These were the thoughts that flashed through my head. Typical SAd type thoughts. Negative. Critical.

So I opened the door feeling pretty sure that the flowers were a mistake.  In fact it wasn't a mistake. The flowers were mine. I do a little volunteer work here and there and the agency had sent them to me as a thank you gesture. I took the flowers inside and left them on the bench.

 "All I'm good for is my work," I reflected. I went and sat down and started watching TV.

Then I reflected some more. "How ungrateful am I?" I knew I would be embarrassed if friends could see how I really thought. And I realised, too, that I had a new day unfolding before me and I didn't want it to be all about the "poor me" saga. I knew what I had to do. I knew it was completely up to me. I had the skill and the power to change that mindset and try to make the day a better one.


 The only way I knew to make a definite change was to put it on paper. For me, putting pen to paper somehow makes me accountable and enables me to see how things really are.

So I did. I forced myself  to write about the flowers in a postive way even though my initial thoughts were still negative. I acknowledged the thoughtfulness of the people who had sent me the flowers. I thought how lovely the flowers would look in my living room.

It worked! Only a short time later, I finished the task truly feeling much better about the flowers arriving and my negative frame of mind had shifted.

I learnt about this approach one night when I couldn't sleep. I heard a man on the radio (ABC radio) talking about the ACT technique (?). It might have been a Mr Harris and the book he referred to may have been The Happiness Trap. He explained that for anxious people we sometimes need to act first and let the feeling of confidence/the change come later. I've used this technique many times to transform a situation (once I allow my stubbornness  stand aside) and it certainly helped that morning to shift my attitude.

Have you ever found yourself using this sort of technique? How has it helped you?

Inspiration and Gratitude

It's a hot, blustery day here in Melbourne and I can stay at home and take it as easy as I like. Too hot to get out and do some things but not so hot I can't potter around inside.

I'm trying to work out ways to revamp my blog and make it more accessible. The funny SAd thing is that I'm happy to do whatever it takes as long as it does not involve putting myself out there. Yes. Not exactly conducive to making it in the blogosphere. Anyway, bear with me as I try to streamline and learn more about blogging over the next few weeks.

Inspiration and Gratitude

• Yesterday I had two young people staying with me. They were playing and running around and it pleased me to see that my house could be a home with people in it. It gave me even greater  pleasure to know that these two young people felt safe enough to be themselves so that they could laugh and play to their hearts' content.
• I have life. I get down very easily about what I don't have in my life and this year I want to challenge myself to value my story and to embrace who I am as I am. I read a newspaper article about a young journalist who died of cancer. It's so easy for me to pour my energy into the notion of living alone and the struggles associated with that. Yet, if I turn my eyes the other way (just shift, a minor shift is all it takes) then I realise that I have so much more than that. For a start I was able to get up today. Now that's something to be glad about!!

Since last year, I had wanted to share stories of people and experiences that inspire me. Having SAd can often make you feel that you are on the outer and that the world is revolving without you. I find that I need reminders and the occasional shake-up to get me out of that mindset and to prod me into heading off in a more nurturing direction. So this year I hope to bring to you some of the websites and people that inspire me.

Recently I came across "The Wellness Warrior".    Not only does she talk about living a greener, simple life, she also shares her inspiration. And like all of us she has had her share of challenges.

• I admire the way Jess has turned her life around. Out of very challenging circumstances she has forged a new life for herself.
• Jess totally embraces what she believes about life. She promotes a healthy body, mind and spirit and her website shows this. It's a wholistic approach to living life well.
• I love her inspiration board. I have already drawn on some of her ideas for my D-I-Y calendar.

Check it out!

Goals and Challenges

I am still on holidays and I am still loving the time I have to work around the house and in the garden. I'm trying to do the "Let's Get Organised" challenge on Becci's Domestic Blitz. So far so good. I've happily adapted the challenges to suit my lifestyle. To see a clean, clear bench and sink every day is wonderful. I thought it was so hard to achieve. Here's evidence:

WEEK  ONE

• Put away Christmas decorations.  DONE
• Do one load of washing each day CHANGE TO Do two loads of washing a week. DONE
• Clean the sink and make it shine. DONE. I just gave it a good clean and got rid of all the bits and pieces that have accumulated over time. And go to bed every night with dishes done!!

WEEK TWO

• Keep sink clean every day. Yes.
• Do two loads of washing a week. One done, one to go.
• Sort out kids' school clothes and school items for the year. I don't have children but I have been looking after a young girl who has so many clothes  and things. I will sort out her things into smaller bags and make sure her uniform is ready for the start of the school year. By then she'll be moving on so it would be good for her and her new family if things are easily located.
• Organise a homework station. I'm going to work on my desk. It's useless. It's extremely uncomfortable. Let's see what I can come up with.

Weekly Update

I attended the funeral of my friend's mother today and then stayed and helped with the afternoon tea. I enjoyed hearing the story of her life as told by her daughters. She had been a migrant from Malta so her story is very different from those of my ancestors. I am amazed at how people can give up their life and family to move to a new land and put down new roots. I don't know that I could ever do that.


I've just returned from spending a few days down at the beach with the family. Sometimes I find it hard to spend a lot of time there. It gets noisy. You can't watch TV and hear it. You can't turn on the radio and actually listen. There aren't too many comfortable chairs. However I do cherish the priceless asides and precious moments with family that could never be pre-arranged.

I managed to go bike riding for the first time in six years and it was so good having nieces and nephews on hand to help me work out the silly gears, adjust the height of the seat and  get motivated to do something which I've managed to postpone for about six months.


The place where we holiday is like a small coastal village which bursts out in summer. I  did buy two dresses and I did get to the lovely cafes twice. I rarely get a chance to go clothes shopping in a shop that is not a cheap, local, small-scale department store. Barwon Heads has some boutiques which have the sorts of clothes I don't usually come across so I think I am justified in my spending!  I bought a lovely green summer dress with a concealed tummy line (Red Dog) and a loose brown top with a simple frill, to wear over jeans (Ten Thousand Things).

 Holidays: time to enjoy the flowers blooming in my garden

 Holidays: fresh air, enjoying the sunshine, down at the beach

Holidays: time to cook, time to set new goals, time to achieve new goals

Goals! Goals! Goals!

It feels as though the whole blogosphere is on holidays. "Goals" and "challenges" are very timely topics at the moment. So, in the spirit of blogger kinship and New Year resolutions, I will follow suit. Here goes...


January Goals


Green Living
-Ride my bike. Ultimately I want to be able to ride my bike for small shopping trips and for leisurely rides along the creeks.
-Introduce Cyber-free Friday and continue TV-Free Tuesday. I want to become a more conscious user of these wonderful things but not have them determine how I live my life. I seem to be turning the TV off more and more and opting for more active and productive tasks.
-Buy mindfully. Have happily stayed away from shops except for items of necessity and food.


Personal Goals
-Listen, Really listen. This is such a hard one. I tried and tried last year. Although I made little headway I did gain some insights into why I don't listen well. I'm determined to do it.
-Secret project. Pursue. Let you know more later.
-Pamper myself. I aim to do this once every holiday. Booked the appointment for next week. :)
-Exercise 3 times a week.
-Journal once a week and blog three times a week. Journalled x1 and blogged x1
-Go to the theatre.

House and food
-a new recipe once a month
-bake once a week
-prepare and implement maintenance blitz (includes a new safer driveway, repair broken locks on door, window and shutter, hang heavy pictures)
-organise and carry out garden blitz, incorporating help of friend's son


I think that's enough and I'm pleased to say that I've already made a good start. I love holidays and the freedom and flexibility to get my teeth into domesticity and other personal pursuits.