September Monthly Challenge: This September I Will...
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themedalist wrote: »
I abosolutely LOVE this! It really speaks to me.1 -
themedalist wrote: »I was moved by that analogy too, @PackerFanInGB. I just love the Daily Calm. 10 minutes of guided meditation interwoven with a thoughtful perspective on varying topics so many of us struggle with. It’s changed my life, truly. I didn’t appreciate how much time I spent ruminating on things in the past or worrying about the future. I let too many present moments escape unnoticed. Too many thoughts built nests in my head. I’m much choosier now what I focus on thought-wise and I’m much happier for it.
You asked about tips for meditation. One suggestion I have is to really focus on your breathing. It really is the anchor. It takes practice and it doesn’t happen right away, but when you get comfortable focusing just on your breath is when I think you’ll see your mind start to quiet down. It’s a very peaceful and freeing feeling.
This is SO HARD! I can't believe that focusing on breathing is this hard to do! I have to constantly reign my wandering mind in. I think I did a little better last night, but I honestly don't think I could do it without the app!themedalist wrote: »I thought of something else in the “best practices” arena, @PackerFanInGB. I would recommend steering clear of meditating while someone else was in the room watching TV or better yet, in the room at all (unless it was a group meditation). Place and environment are very important in meditation and a quiet, relaxing spot free of distractions is optimal.
Didn’t you clear out a reading nook for yourself in a previous Declutterfest? That would be perfect for meditating!
And how are you feeling? How is your hip recovering?
After trying again last night, I absolutely agree with your recommendation to be in a room by myself. I do have a reading nook room, but in June my husband's daugher (my stepdaughter) separated from her husband and moved here from Colorado until she gets on her feet, so the room is temporarily unavailable again.
I definitely will have my rocking chair back in there when it opens back up, and it will be my happy place again! But until then, I must look for a different spot. The basement would be perfect but I can't do stairs yet.
I tried going to bed a little early last night so I'd have a few minutes to myself, but DH decided that was a great idea and came in and turned on that TV. So tonight, I'm planning to wait until he goes to bed and stay in the living room! I also thought about going out on our deck, but we live near Lambeau Field and there is a free concert in the parking lot tonight to celebrate the Green Bay Packers 100th anniversary. So...I may end up listening to the Steve Miller Band concert instead! LOL!
But I'm feeling well, thanks! My hip is coming along nicely. The physical therapist said I'm healing quickly. I'm weaning off crutches now, so that is awesome! Only using them when I walk on uneven ground outside or for long distances. Around the house I'm either walking with one crutch or none for the most part. Still icing a lot though. I'm so excited that in just a few weeks I could be taking short walks around the block! It's been years that I've struggled with this hip, and autumn is my favorite season!
Thanks for the tips and for checking in!3 -
@PackerFanInGB , so glad to hear that your hip is healing well! That's fantastic!2
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@PackerFanInGB , so glad to hear that your hip is healing well! That's fantastic!
Thank you! I'm pretty excited about it. I was able to do a heel slide on the table, and I hadn't been able to engage the muscles to do that in almost 7 years! Small thing, but so exciting to me!
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@themedalist Hi there! Thanks for asking how things are going. I'm not working on things as hard as I need to, but I keep running across articles and books that remind me that I won't get what I want if I don't put in the work - like EVERY day, even when I don't feel like it!!! Soooo, tomorrow is the big day to finish up the upstairs cleaning. I took an entire carload to Good Will Thursday and have started another bag. Today I spent a ton of time printing off special emails from 2015 and have my entire inbox down to less than 1300. I try to keep it below 1000 and once I finish with this, that should be a breeze. I'm also working on downsizing my Pinterest pins. Currently am at 5,446, down from 5,469. Woohoo! The internal work is going OK. I may join the "meditation gals" here. It will help remind me to continue to practice what I learned in "The Untethered Soul" which I will be rereading as soon as it is available again from my online library. So yeah, things are good. Some life altering changes (good ones) but this isn't the time to go into those...another time though.
And how are you? You are making such a difference in so many lives. Thank you 3 -
themedalist wrote: »
@MadisonMolly2017, how’s the clothing re-styling going?
Thanks @themedalist for asking!
9/5 went to Michael’s and found the book I wanted on Faces!! And studied it. Also got marker paper pads on sale and a blender pen!
9/6 Studied Faces book, reset art studio (30 mins total not the full hour)
my mind started playing tricks on me and got me obsessing about what my goal weight should be so I got sidetracked by that and then I got completely sidetracked by the photo decluttering. I don’t know if I’m avoiding the drawings or if I just see the light at end of tunnel & want to Get There!!!
9/7 zero: worked on photos, decluttered all scarves, reorganized all dresser drawers...
9/8: spent 1.5hours creating my Look for an important evening event where I was speaking & another hour getting ready lol Used a scarf/shawl I would not have remembered I’d owned, a dress I re-found, earrings (ditto) and really enjoyed my new body. Did BOT for first time, chicken out & wear larger with a covering jacket. Huge Milestone for me.
So, I guess that counts toward fashion project a Huge Win!
Today: researched & ordered after 5-7 years a large printer that had a huge rebate. Another big deal. Committing to my desire to print my art & collage add to it!! Extremely excited by this necessary addition. I will sketch at least 15 mins later today!!
I am much more peace now. I’m going to reduce my fashion illustration time to 15 minutes a day minimum. I know that will lead to my doing more 😁 I realize that and an hour was too big goal for me to do in addition to the food the exercise the photo project and my other responsibilities. I was starting to feel pretty stressed.
Thanks again!4 -
Nine days in September - I have done yoga 8 3
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Heidijens123 wrote: »This September I will go to the group fitness classes at the gym every week day. Which means getting up early as with my schedule it's best if I do the early morning (5:15 am) classes.
The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish my goal : Setting my alarm early enough to get there in time, getting my workout stuff ready the night before. Telling my husband and teen age daughter I'm going then so they can hold me accountable. Also making sure I go to bed early enough the night before.
How often you’ll be taking these actions (daily is best if possible) every week day as that's when the gym has classes.
What help do you need from us? Cheer me on, ask if I made it to class or just how was class today?
What does success look like to you at the end of September? I'm going to put a sticker on the calender every day I go. Sounds cheesy I know but it will give me visual proof that I went. Also hopefully I will notice good changes to my body. And feel better about waking up early.
Day 5 done. Strength training today, which is not my favorite. But I went any way and it wasn't too bad. I also will go to yoga after I take my son to preschool.3 -
@PackerFanInGB, I tried for years to make meditation become a daily practice and it never happened until I started using the Calm app. I need a guided meditation. Left on my own, meditation just doesn’t stick. I need the guidance and I love how each Daily Calm session weaves focused breathing with an exploration of a topic/challenge so many of us have.
Please don’t stress about your wandering mind. Look at it this way: if you’re mind didn’t wander, if you could let thoughts pass and go like clouds in the sky and not allow them to take you for a ride and bring you down, would you really need meditation? To me, it’s no different than any other exercise. When I first got on the elliptical, I couldn’t use it for 30 minutes at a time and keep an aerobic pace. Nor could I leg press the weight that I now can lift. I built up to these exercises over time through patience and practice and not giving up. Meditation is the same way. You won’t likely see changes day to day, But keep at it and I’m sure you’ll see improvement not only in your practice, but with a wonderful spill over into your life that you will just love.
I still ruminate about the past and worry about the future, but I spend much less time doing so And as a result, I get to enjoy the string of present moments each day. Reminding myself to stay in the present moment is a challenge (mental habits are hard to break) but it’s so worth it!1 -
@themedalist Hi there! Thanks for asking how things are going. I'm not working on things as hard as I need to, but I keep running across articles and books that remind me that I won't get what I want if I don't put in the work - like EVERY day, even when I don't feel like it!!! Soooo, tomorrow is the big day to finish up the upstairs cleaning. I took an entire carload to Good Will Thursday and have started another bag. Today I spent a ton of time printing off special emails from 2015 and have my entire inbox down to less than 1300. I try to keep it below 1000 and once I finish with this, that should be a breeze. I'm also working on downsizing my Pinterest pins. Currently am at 5,446, down from 5,469. Woohoo! The internal work is going OK. I may join the "meditation gals" here. It will help remind me to continue to practice what I learned in "The Untethered Soul" which I will be rereading as soon as it is available again from my online library. So yeah, things are good. Some life altering changes (good ones) but this isn't the time to go into those...another time though.
And how are you? You are making such a difference in so many lives. Thank you
Isn’t it amazing how electronic clutter accumulates? It sounds like you’re doing a phenomenal job clearing the e-clutter, @neblp! Since we will be having a customized monthly challenge every month, there’s no need to try to change everything at once. I think file decluttering is a terrific September goal!
I’m doing well, thanks. I’ve fallen behind on some things because of my parents visit this week, but big deal. I loved the time we had together and since they left this morning, my normal routines resume today. I have practiced yoga poses every evening sometimes for just five minutes or so. It’s amazing to me how much better I feel, relaxed, and ready for bed after just a few minutes of yoga.
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Well done @77tes1
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@themedalist Hi there! Thanks for asking how things are going. I'm not working on things as hard as I need to, but I keep running across articles and books that remind me that I won't get what I want if I don't put in the work - like EVERY day, even when I don't feel like it!!! Soooo, tomorrow is the big day to finish up the upstairs cleaning. I took an entire carload to Good Will Thursday and have started another bag. Today I spent a ton of time printing off special emails from 2015 and have my entire inbox down to less than 1300. I try to keep it below 1000 and once I finish with this, that should be a breeze. I'm also working on downsizing my Pinterest pins. Currently am at 5,446, down from 5,469. Woohoo! The internal work is going OK. I may join the "meditation gals" here. It will help remind me to continue to practice what I learned in "The Untethered Soul" which I will be rereading as soon as it is available again from my online library. So yeah, things are good. Some life altering changes (good ones) but this isn't the time to go into those...another time though.
And how are you? You are making such a difference in so many lives. Thank you
Oh my gosh! Another thing I hadn't thought of! A Pinterest Purge! I tell myself need to do that all the time, but never EVER take the time to do it. You are on a roll!!! Awesome progress!0 -
themedalist wrote: »@PackerFanInGB, I tried for years to make meditation become a daily practice and it never happened until I started using the Calm app. I need a guided meditation. Left on my own, meditation just doesn’t stick. I need the guidance and I love how each Daily Calm session weaves focused breathing with an exploration of a topic/challenge so many of us have.
Please don’t stress about your wandering mind. Look at it this way: if you’re mind didn’t wander, if you could let thoughts pass and go like clouds in the sky and not allow them to take you for a ride and bring you down, would you really need meditation? To me, it’s no different than any other exercise. When I first got on the elliptical, I couldn’t use it for 30 minutes at a time and keep an aerobic pace. Nor could I leg press the weight that I now can lift. I built up to these exercises over time through patience and practice and not giving up. Meditation is the same way. You won’t likely see changes day to day, But keep at it and I’m sure you’ll see improvement not only in your practice, but with a wonderful spill over into your life that you will just love.
I still ruminate about the past and worry about the future, but I spend much less time doing so And as a result, I get to enjoy the string of present moments each day. Reminding myself to stay in the present moment is a challenge (mental habits are hard to break) but it’s so worth it!
Thank you for the encouragement! I hadn't really thought of it in the same way as exercise. Good way to look at it. Last night I fell asleep in the middle of it, so that was a fail. But I absolutely agree with you about the Calm app...I love how they talk about a different topic or challenge each night. I am dropping Headspace and sticking with Calm. I bought the app so have the stories and all now and I love it!
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Emails down to 730 as of tonight, but I’ve spent way too much time sitting working on them. I’m so excited about getting down to below 100 this week if that’s possible. All that are left are family emails that I have to read and decide if I want to print them for my diary and delete them. I’m in a state birding group so I get lots of reports of bird sightings every day. I will have to stay on top of those every day. Pinterest cleanup is a problem. For every pin I’ve deleted, I’ve probably found 2 more to add! Geesh!2
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@MadisonMolly2017, you continue to make impressive progress. I'm glad you are reducing your time, though. 60 minutes is a lot of time to devote to something daily. Lowering the time commitment makes it more sustainable.1
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Emails down to 730 as of tonight, but I’ve spent way too much time sitting working on them. I’m so excited about getting down to below 100 this week if that’s possible. All that are left are family emails that I have to read and decide if I want to print them for my diary and delete them. I’m in a state birding group so I get lots of reports of bird sightings every day. I will have to stay on top of those every day. Pinterest cleanup is a problem. For every pin I’ve deleted, I’ve probably found 2 more to add! Geesh!
Well done, @nebslp!2 -
My nightly yoga routine is going well. I have two e-books on poses that I'm using for ideas, and the ones I like I've made a screen shot on my iPad and I've assembled them into a pdf that I can read in iBook. My own personal Cliff Notes (I'm probably dating myself with that reference...)2
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themedalist wrote: »My nightly yoga routine is going well. I have two e-books on poses that I'm using for ideas, and the ones I like I've made a screen shot on my iPad and I've assembled them into a pdf that I can read in iBook. My own personal Cliff Notes (I'm probably dating myself with that reference...)
Fun idea! @themedalist 🧘♀️0 -
themedalist wrote: »@MadisonMolly2017, you continue to make impressive progress. I'm glad you are reducing your time, though. 60 minutes is a lot of time to devote to something daily. Lowering the time commitment makes it more sustainable.
Thanks @themedalist !
Yes, smaller time goals seem to work for my personality... then I do the thing and end up
Spending 45mins to 2 hours (because it’s fun, & I get on a roll!)
Told myself 15 mins & did that last thing night of Sept 9, literally at 2 AM
On Sept 10, did my 15 that turned into 30 that turned into at least 2 hours. Very pleased with what I’m learning/creating! I can see that the printer will transform my view of myself as an artist...I made an image last night that I love- can’t wait to print & as I go through photos I am finding so many that I should print or load into a digital frame that rotates through a list...
I have deleted a tremendous number of photos > 2,000 and I’ve spent 2 hours or more per day on that & deleting work emails > 7,000. I want this monkey off my back. It has been 98% awesome, I gave to say...SO many happy memories to counterbalance the few sadder ones. A good reminder
What keeps me doing this: the joy I feel & will feel when I can find the photo I’m looking for quickly!!!
I also took the clothes I’d gone through to Goodwill. Found it particularly difficult to let them go, but I did. I think it works best if I take them over right away, not a couple of days later!
I want to be done with my Marie Kondo process. Shooting for early March.
I’m ready to fully embrace my new peaceful, ordered, creative, love, art, & nature-filled life.
I am focusing on the fashion illustration, not the altering, for two reasons:
* I realized I need to lose 5-9 more pounds, so I wouldn’t want to alter twice.
* I wore a firm-fitting dress for the event the other night, & I have a feeling when I hit my goal weight, I’ll want to select/create a few killer outfits, rather than holding on sentimentally to these larger clothes. Decided to box them up & figure it out when I’m at GW.
* I’m loving learning how to draw figures & Faces, especially Eyes atm!!👀
Thank you for reading & your support @themedalist I’m so glad you had a wonderful time with your folks & that they are both alive & you have such a special bond with them!! ❤️3 -
I'm getting so many great ideas here!
@MadisonMolly I had forgotten about my digital frame but will find it and start putting my favorite pics on it instead of having them buried in thousands of other pictures on my computer. I share your "dream/plan" to "fully embrace my new peaceful, ordered, creative, love, art, and nature-filled life". That sounds amazing!
@the medalist I love the idea of taking a screenshot of pages and making a pdf of things I want to bring up at a second's notice. I'm always looking for new ways to use the technology I have and then hoping I can figure out how to do it. And I definitely got the Cliff Notes reference!!!
Down to 650 emails today. I've been putting my James Clear messages in their own folder. I also have collected messages from Christina (uplifting words and ideas) and plan to take one a day to use as a something to think about/reflection once I get the rest of my stuff organized and am ready to move forward with other things.
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