This February I Will....
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GlennStuartEust wrote: »I'm new but this february i will go for a short walk within an hour of waking up. The small things i have to achieve this is to not set a time limit and to give myself time to wake up properly in the morning. My trigger will be 7 o'clock. If i've not walked by then then off i go. I will be doing this daily. The help may be tough as i'm not sure what support to look for. To reward myself i'll have a coffee. In the long term i hope to make this a habit that i do upon waking and to set an alarm to get me out of bed to do it.
@GlennStuartEust
Most excellent plan!
I’m sure you know that folks who exercise in the AM do more!! Bravo!
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Update
Feb 13
Went to the cafe after hiking in the hills, and worked 2-3 more hours on the piece from Feb 12. 😀
Feb 14
Had cleared my schedule except for exercise & my PT exercises, so I could focus on my art.
I read some of the book I’d downloaded to my Kindle. Then watched the 4 free videos. Headed to my art studio, slapped a full sheet of w/color paper up & made marks with pencil, charcoal, marker, black ink, etc. then added water, wiped with baby wipes, rubbed with my fingers, etc. Added in lines of mountains, painted with watercolor & white acrylic.
The whole time I had “meditation music” playing in our Echo.
The sun came in, streaming onto the art.
Then I watched some hour webinar by the author & took some notes.
Key take-always:
* Importance of exploring & experimenting
* To value “ugly paintings” as part of the process of growing/experimenting
* That the artist’s journey is an inner journey
* learning how to intuitively compose The painting & simplifying values improve most artists’ work by 90%.
* to trust ourselves as artists
* That if we go to a class & do what teacher demonstrates, we still have not created our own original work, which is what most of us want.
A nice day.
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66 minutes on the Gazelle2
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@MadisonMolly2017 Thanks and yes, We're a doer kind of community!! I've already had friday off travelling to see my parents, Trying to get mum motivated for today but shes a night owl. Dumdeedeedum while i wait for 4:30pm lol3
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@PinkyPan1 Well done on your efforts!! What is the gazelle? An elliptical machine?1
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This is the Gazelle I am using. Low impact but effective.
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40 Min Gazelle3
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@MadisonMolly2017 I love reading your posts. You are so clear about what you want and are focused on each small step to get there. Awesome!3
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GlennStuartEust wrote: »I'm new but this february i will go for a short walk within an hour of waking up. The small things i have to achieve this is to not set a time limit and to give myself time to wake up properly in the morning. My trigger will be 7 o'clock. If i've not walked by then then off i go. I will be doing this daily. The help may be tough as i'm not sure what support to look for. To reward myself i'll have a coffee. In the long term i hope to make this a habit that i do upon waking and to set an alarm to get me out of bed to do it.
@GlennStuartEust, you are a walker who rewards himself with a cup of coffee? I’m pretty sure we are twins separated at birth.
Terrific goal and reward. Welcome to our group!
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@MadisonMolly2017 I love reading your posts. You are so clear about what you want and are focused on each small step to get there. Awesome!
I feel the same way!2 -
Good Morning Everyone!
Apologies for my absence. As some of you know, I was down in Jamaica last week to work on some community service projects as well as relax. “A vacation with a purpose” is the group motto and it fits. I painted and painted and painted as well as helping out at a home for disabled kids. Very rewarding.
As everyone does, I came back to a pile of work emails, meetings, and to dos as well as issues on the home front. I need to teach my dogs to vacuum. I’m now feeling afloat again. My February goal hasn’t really happened but I’ll post more about that soon.
Happy Sunday!2 -
It’s lovely to read everyone’s inspiring posts—art, homes, exercise, travel! I am plodding along—sticking to my goals pretty well but not feeling too excited about it. I guess that’s the point, though—I want these to be true habits, things I do whether I want to or not! I’ve logged for 50 days straight now, which is certainly progress over the haphazard eating-whatever-I-want habits I’d developed over the last few years.
@themedalist—if you figure out how to teach the dogs to vacuum, please do share the technique. I keep telling my cats they need to contribute to the housekeeping, but they just smirk and go back to sleep.3 -
I know my goal seems to be not much of a challenge this month, but just having to report on this thread reminds me to put things away. For me that is a huge win, and doing it the first month of the semester is also good for training myself for this better habit.
@GlennStuartEust and @themedalist, “ Walks for coffee” I love it!1 -
@77tes—au contraire, I think it’s a great goal—keeping one’s space tidy is such a help—and for me, at least, it is really hard to do. When I do manage to get things in order I feel so much calmer. (I’ve been somewhat obsessively reading Marie Kondo but haven’t yet dared to plunge into her method—though I did reorganize my sock drawer by her guidelines and am somewhat embarrassed by how much satisfaction it gives me to open it and see how orderly and restful it looks!). Please keep posting on your progress—I like reading your posts!3
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66 minutes on the Gazelle.3
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@77tes—au contraire, I think it’s a great goal—keeping one’s space tidy is such a help—and for me, at least, it is really hard to do. When I do manage to get things in order I feel so much calmer. (I’ve been somewhat obsessively reading Marie Kondo but haven’t yet dared to plunge into her method—though I did reorganize my sock drawer by her guidelines and am somewhat embarrassed by how much satisfaction it gives me to open it and see how orderly and restful it looks!). Please keep posting on your progress—I like reading your posts!
I had to chuckle when I read about the pleasure you get from checking out the orderliness of your sock drawer. Wait until you get your undies and tshirt drawers lined up according to Marie’s method!! I actually showed mine to my grandchildren the other day and felt so proud and joyful.😂. I’m pretty sure they weren’t all that impressed. 🙂
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83 minutes on the Gazelle this morning.3
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80 minutes on the Gazelle.
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Great gazelling, @PinkyPan1!2
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85 minutes on the Gazelle2
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Hi everyone! I've had a busy February and, unfortunately, have been slacking badly as far as logging my food, water and checking into my threads on MFP. My husband and I just got back from a mini vacation to Arizona to see my dad and to see some of my DH's family also. It was such a nice time. The weather was not nice, so that was a bummer! We left the snow and cold temps of Wisconsin hoping for sunshine and warmth in Arizona, and it was warmer than home, so I'm still happy even though it was abnormally cold there. (Story of my life! LOL)
Anyway, even though there are only 8 days left in February, I'd like to change my February goal mid-stream. I think if I can make this one change, it will help me be successful in achieving my other goals.
So, for the remainder of February, I will get up one hour earlier in the morning.
1. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: go to bed one hour before normal bedtime to wind down, set my alarm for the time I want to get up, turn the volume up on the alarm and place it further away from the bed so I cannot hit Snooze.
2. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: When my 8:00 p.m. TV show ends, I will make sure my alarm is set, volume is turned up and placed in the spare room next to us.
3. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): daily (M-F)
4. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? (Small positive feedbacks such as a fist pump, saying "I'm awesome", or a star/check mark on your calendar help cement the habit you are trying to build.) I will place a smiley face sticker on that day in my bullet journal.
5. What help do you need from us? Just continue to be here supporting each other the way you do now! I love this group! So inspiring to me!
6. What does success look like to you at the end of February? By March 1st, I will be getting up earlier, feeling less rushed in the morning, having a little quiet time in the morning and getting to work earlier.
Keep up the good work everyone! I'll check back in tomorrow.
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Thursday, 2/21/2019: Up early; did not press Snooze. Had time to eat breakfast and log my daily entry on MFP and on here (BHH: February) Smiley sticker on calendar. 3
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Great job! That’s a great way to start your day.PackerFanInGB wrote: »Thursday, 2/21/2019: Up early; did not press Snooze. Had time to eat breakfast and log my daily entry on MFP and on here (BHH: February) Smiley sticker on calendar.
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85 minutes on the Gazelle.2
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@PackerFanInGB , that sounds like a great habit to work on. One that will support other good habits. Sorry your vacation wasn’t sunny. We actually had a snow flurry here in L.A., and the mountains are all snow capped. That’s a cold winter for us2
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40 minutes Gazelle2
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So many posts I want to reply too, but friends are coming over soon.
I believe Marie Kondo is responsible -in part- for:
my weight loss, INVALUABLE
Moving more INVALUABLE
even better marital harmony, INVALUABLE
vastly reduced stress, INVALUABLE
having more fun with clothes /outfits/hair & even began doing subtle makeup,
better paperwork organization, and better accomplishment of to do items, INVALUABLE
Great organization & mgmt of my transplant meds INVALUABLE
Creation of a truly beautiful & welcoming guest room (reconnecting with a great friend after 30 years) INVALUABLE
cooking more happily & easily at home,
INVALUABLE as it is key to my losing/maintaining
confidently inviting others to our home,
INVALUABLE especially since I am not working & don’t want to eat out
Can find any of my art supplies instantly which is saving me money & making it easier to get ready for a class. I used to go buy most of the supply because I could find the items in my jumble of art stuff.
Generally saves us tons of money.
and
Cleared out the camper- so easy to find a spot for things when we pack now - and we take more trips! INVALUABLE
Have a spotless car where before the trunk & back seat had tons of stuff which made it a huge job when I finally tackled it.
finding truly finding my interests/passions
& DOING THEM. AMAZINGLY INVALUABLE after 40 years of longing to Live the Life I Dreamed of Fearlessly
Yes, I’m a fan!
PS My Insight writing this: By tidying, we get everything under control- and then don’t feel guilty or worry if we pursue our hobbies. We have the time! No guilt!
It took me over 3.5 years as I followed her advice & only did it when I was eager to do so. I’m still tinkering with it here & there. Sentimental is not done yet. Hubby’s areas are not done yet, but he’s making progress in his own time 4 -
Thursday, 2/21/2019: Up early; did not press Snooze. Had time to eat breakfast and log my daily entry on MFP and on here (BHH: February) Smiley sticker on calendar.
Friday, 2/22/2019:
Was physically and mentally exhausted and did not get up right away. (Not an excuse, just thought it might help to keep track of how I'm feeling when I don't succeed.)
Saturday, 2/23/2019: I did not set an alarm since it's Saturday, but I did get up 1.5 hours earlier than I normally do on weekends. Smiley sticker on calendar.
@MadisonMolly2017 I'm so glad I logged on and read your post above. My husband is downstairs going through boxes in our basement right now, and you gave me the incentive I needed to get my rearend down there to help! I love your insights and am so inspired by them!
@PinkyPan1 Great streak of success! Go YOU!
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@MadisonMolly2017 , I love your post. I completely agree about organizing. My daughters and I have been slowly organizing thanks to reading Mari Kondo’s books. Looking at my kitchen cupboards, the bookshelf in my bedroom, my sock and underwear drawer (like @nebslp pointed out), and this month the top of my bedroom cedar chest is just so satisfying!! It definitely is invaluable!2
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@MadisonMolly2017, I wish I could show your effusive post to a family member we are worried about. Clutter that has taken over their home and weighs down their life in so many ways. There’s no much you can do to help a person who doesn’t want help. We are reaching out to a professional organizer/ declutterer who has experience in these situations and comes highly recommended. Fingers crossed. Clutter isn’t just about stuff.
Thanks for posting!2
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