This August I will...
Replies
-
In June my habit was to read a real book just for fun. I posted for 20 days and then stopped for some reason.
I wrote at the end of July: "July was more difficult for me. And I bailed on posting. Or figuring out a healthy habit to work on. I also forgot to keep reading for fun. That is unbelievable that I did that, but it probably is a symptom of my physical health struggles this year catching up to me, most noticeably especially this month. As I certainly enjoyed that reading."
After thinking about it and also realizing some things, I decided to make my August "I Will" habit reading for fun, again, and also get back to coloring. I even let that slide when I was feeling overwhelmed or in pain.
I'm going to continue to read The Annotated Sense and Sensibility because I am enjoying both the story and learning or having a better understanding of many things. I am also going to start reading it during the day because I had fallen asleep while reading it too many times in June, and then did it twice this month already 😴.
My August I Wills will be focused on fun and creativity.
I will Read my book and/or color some every day. 📖 =reading a book for fun, 📜= coloring
August 1: 📖
August 2: 📜
August 3: 📖
August 4: 📖
🤠🌺😴2 -
texasgardnr wrote: »In June my habit was to read a real book just for fun. I posted for 20 days and then stopped for some reason.
I wrote at the end of July: "July was more difficult for me. And I bailed on posting. Or figuring out a healthy habit to work on. I also forgot to keep reading for fun. That is unbelievable that I did that, but it probably is a symptom of my physical health struggles this year catching up to me, most noticeably especially this month. As I certainly enjoyed that reading."
After thinking about it and also realizing some things, I decided to make my August "I Will" habit reading for fun, again, and also get back to coloring. I even let that slide when I was feeling overwhelmed or in pain.
I'm going to continue to read The Annotated Sense and Sensibility because I am enjoying both the story and learning or having a better understanding of many things. I am also going to start reading it during the day because I had fallen asleep while reading it too many times in June, and then did it twice this month already 😴.
My August I Wills will be focused on fun and creativity.
I will Read my book and/or color some every day. 📖 =reading a book for fun, 📜= coloring
August 1: 📖
August 2: 📜
August 3: 📖
August 4: 📖
🤠🌺😴
@texasgardnr
I am very sorry you are facing these challenges & pain.
AND I can feel your happiness with your “I will” shining through your post. Good for you for your reflecting & inventing an “I will” that will bring you joy!!
Both reading & coloring, I find, transport me to a place of not worrying, helping me rise above my troubles.
Recently, I’ve found random, improvisational stitching on fabric or previously “doodle-painted” paper SURPRISINGLY stress reducing. No pressure. And as I stitch, images appear & I can build on those.
Life is such a grand journey!
All my best,
Maddie1 -
Hi, just checking in for the week. I'm on top of the early morning water because I made a few tweaks to my method. Now I get out my coffee cup and fill it with tap water. I drink it while the coffee brews and can't put my coffee in my cup until the water is gone. Works perfectly! If I just get out of my chair and get busy it's easy to get my morning steps in. I've logged my food every day so far. I moved my vitamins to the bathroom and that made it almost impossible to forget them
I filled out my planner every day and have made my goals chart with an extra section for one time a week tasks. Mondays is work in the basement day, Tuesday is clean my bathroom, Wednesday is work upstairs day, Thursday is laundry day and Friday is work on unfinished sewing projects. I added a daily goal of shutting off my iPad every night by 11:15. The result of that is I'm in bed by 11:30 and getting up a little earlier which makes my mornings longer 
and I get more accomplished. I have been walking and working outside almost daily but I need to do my inside workouts regularly like lifting and classical stretch. Better put that on my planner, right!? I have but it's easy to ignore 
So that's a wrap! 3 -
@themedalist It's great to go back to something you enjoyed and find that you still enjoy it and maybe even more because you feel more accomplished than when you started the first time. My granddaughter and I played around with Garage Band a long time ago but haven't given it much thought lately and I never really understood how it worked. Good luck working around the iPad obstacles.
@SummerSkier What did Bandit think about the Fig Newtons??? Animals can often outsmart humans. They make us think outside the box! I love horses but am scared to death of them. I seriously have a mini panic attack whenever there isn't a fence between me and them.
@77tes I love your Grasshopper and the Ants theme for your chart! That's perfect for this time of year.
@texasgardnr I often find that I do great on keeping up with my chart until the last week of the month. Not sure why. I hope you're enjoying your book, and maybe you'll share some of your coloring with us??
@MadisonMolly2017 I didn't answer your intro question about what I love about August. I think it has to be those few, brief cool spells after the awful summer heat and humidity that remind me of crisp, cool Fall days. We've had a week of that and it's been wonderful. Now next week.... back to the dog days of Summer.
2 -
@MadisonMolly2017, thank you for the encouragement 🌸.
You wrote: "Recently, I’ve found random, improvisational stitching on fabric or previously “doodle-painted” paper SURPRISINGLY stress reducing. No pressure. And as I stitch, images appear & I can build on those."
That is a very creative way to do stitching. It sounds like fun with a built in surprise factor also. Good for you!
@nebslp, Thank you for your update! You are doing awesome, and especially in finding creative ways to remember to do your habits! well done 👍🏵.
Yes! I am enjoying reading my Jane Austen book. Hmmm, maybe sometime I'll tackle learning how to post a picture. Which will involve learning how to get a picture off the phone and onto the desktop where I post on MFP. or download the app onto the phone only for picture posting purposes. Currently I do not have anything on the phone that wants me to communicate with it like email or forums/groups for example because I do best with a real keyboard. But there are times that I've wanted to post a picture 😄.
My August I Wills will be focused on fun and creativity.
I will Read my book and/or color some every day. 📖 = reading a book for fun, 📜= coloring
August 1: 📖
August 2: 📜
August 3: 📖
August 4: 📖
August 5: 📖 📜
🤠🌺
2 -
@nebslp Bandit HATED the fig newtons. LOL. He acted like I had poisoned him and put his nose in the air and wrinkled it. Needless to say I did NOT need 1000 calories x 2 of fignewtons in my house so they stayed at the barn for them to enjoy it.
@MadisonMolly2017 (Maddie) that is very interesting about the random stitching. If I were extremely religous I would say God was guiding your hands. But I am not so I am going to say that is one of most creative and artistic things I have read about recently! wow.
@texasgardnr (Marie) so happy to hear than you are giving yourself permission to have such a low key and enjoyable month. August is my and my late Mom's bday month so typically I tend to stress about it overly. That is also part and parcel of why the no buying thing this month. Because... well... stress amazon buying is not a good thing on a budget.
as far as pictures I post from a computer mostly when I am typing longs comments like this one. I have a MAC tho so a PC might be different. On the Mac I just put the picture on my desktop and then I click the little picture icon about the window here (where are the font options are) and tell it I want to add a photo from my desktop when I click on choose files. Today's photo is a snapchat photo of my bang trimming job which I am proud of. Thank the goddess snapchat takes 30 years off my face. LOL. It's also quite easy on the phone ap but again typing....
An update on my August I will. So far so good. I have not yet seen the desired INCREASE in energy but I have learned patience is important as we age and things don't just go SNAP anymore in any direction. Except of course the scale which can rise magically several pounds for no particular reason and is why it currently sits in the corner facing the wall. HAHAHAHA.. But I have slowly increased cals a bit and am trying new things for meals. A pain to log but more fun to have more variety and choice. I also added a task to my list yesterday which is hard for me because I am NOT a phone talker but I decided that I should call family and friends at least once a month if they don't check in with me. Texting and emailing is good but not enough right now as WFH I have only work contact mostly and a few neighbors in passing.
SO yesterday I called a friend in Md to check on her as she lives near Salisbury and lost power with the storm. She actually was a very VERY close friend and travel companion and confident for my Mom so I enjoy talking to her and she actually loves it when I ask her questions about my parents that I was way too immature and self centered to ask when they could have answered. It's enlightening. Of course it's going to be her perspective but still. I want to thank all of you for sharing your lists and I don't know where the idea came from to add phone calls but it was definitely here!
2 -
Thanks @SummerSkier, about how to insert a picture. Ha! I never paid attention to those symbols that I don't use. I discovered the symbol to insert a link when I posted the introduction to our Declutterfest, but acted like everything else was invisible 😃.
Nice picture with the sparkles, and your bangs look amazing!
I'll google how to get a picture off my phone and onto my desktop. I love macs and all things apple, but my husband needed PC for his programs for work back in the day, and so we've stayed with it.
My August I Wills will be focused on fun and creativity.
I will read my book and/or color some every day. 📖 = reading a book for fun, 📜= coloring
August 1: 📖
August 2: 📜
August 3: 📖
August 4: 📖
August 5: 📖 📜
August 6: 📖 📜
🤠🌺1 -
@texasgardnr It's a pain to have to learn new things sometimes, but so great when you get it figured out. Good lucking with the picture posting. I need to learn how to do a collage so I can post more than one at a time. Someday.
@SummerSkier Very nice pic (love the sparkles) and cute bangs! You did a good job. I am supposed to get my hair cut next Tuesday. It's in a 2 chair building and one of the stylists and her family tested positive for COVID over a week ago. I heard today my gal tested positive, too, so I'm waiting for a phone call to see if she'll cancel. Or I will call her to see what's going on. Pretty sure I'll cancel. Guess I should have gone sooner before it hit our little town of 800.
I've been doing so well until yesterday when everything fell apart. I was busy in the morning and left the house without cleaning up the bathroom and taking my vitamins. Then when I got home I forgot that I had decided Thursday was to be my laundry day so I had to do that this morning. I did 0 exercise and didn't even log my food. It's my pattern to get off track when I have to go somewhere in the morning. So I'm making today a better day even though I just realized I didn't get my 1100 steps in this morning. I got up at 6:30 and read for a couple of hours, then it was coffee time
UGH!!! Time to turn this day around! I did take pictures of 3 pillows that I made and plan to use those for my Etsy shop once I open. Time to get moving! I will exercise today. I promise! Now I have to!!! 1 -
@nebslp
Sometimes we need those days!0 -
It’s time to celebrate each of us! Which of your many strengths & qualities are you most proud of?
1 -
0
-
MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »It’s time to celebrate each of us! Which of your many strengths & qualities are you most proud of?
Hi Maddie.... that is a wonderful idea! However at the moment I can't really think of a lot. Sigh. PS that is snapchat not makeup. sadly. If I could make up like that it would take all day and last 1 minute.
Just checking in on this Aug I will. One week in I have not managed to eat at 1900 per day but I am "sneaking" up on it. Just goes to show how ingrained maintaining at 1800-1850 is for me that when I see a 1900 or higher on my log I freak out. But I *****am**** edging higher. And I did add a lot of variety (for me) in to the menus this week so as we all know when people say they aren't "eating" enough it would be easy to add a dollop of something high cal, my increase has mainly been in protein which I tend to be too low on at 15% or less percent. So this week I was 20% average so I guess the other caveat to my eating more is that I don't want to fill it up totally with more treats. I also substituted a protein bar instead of eating Bandit's carrots and apples on the drive to the barn. I have to say that it is indeed much more filling and sits better inside as it's so hot I am drinking a lot right now. So I think that experiment was successful. I might still try to find some others which I like but the nurtisystem one was good. THe atkins was a little uuuggggg. Anyway, as yall can see I tend t put a lot of rules on myself and before too long I will probably be in a straitjacket if I do not constantly reassess and remove them. Hahahahaha.
@nebslp I keep several goblets of marbles on my dresser in the bedroom. For everyday day I don't have a disaster of some sort I put a marble in the green goblet. For the days I go off the rails I put a marble in the red goblet. So far for July and August I have one marble in the red. It's a great visual reminder to me that one bad day doesn't undo that green goblet full of marbles!
Have a great weekend ladies and check in and be kind to yourselves!
1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 sometimes you just wish there was a “love” button!2
-
So in keeping with changing things up as far as meals this week a friend recommended hummus which I do love but am not sure I could moderate very well. Last week we got the roast chicken, blueberries etc... These were the items I am going to work with this week in addition (I still have ones from last week). I guess I will be cooking a few slabs of salmon later today. LOL. It's a little difficult when you are planning for one because for instance even a half watermelon is WAY too much.
1 -
@themedalist , I hope you are okay. I hear the New England states were hit pretty bad by Isiah. Another friend has been without power for days. Praying for your safety and comfort.
@nebslp , I love the idea of your two goblets and the marbles. I’d probably knock them over every few days. 🤣
My August goals have been going well. Those little ants 🐜 really encourage me to work on my schoolwork preparations. And the grasshopper reminds me to relish beauty (I’ve always identified him with the artist) and living for now. 😊 I don’t know that I’m doing 2 hours of schoolwork per day, but I’m getting things accomplished, and that is what counts.
1 -
Shoot! just lost my message so I'll start again!
@77tes Your chart is coming along beautifully! When I hear crickets now I think about you.
I would love to take credit for the marbles in the goblet idea but all credit goes to @SummerSkier. It's a good one! I just haven't decluttered enough yet to know where the marbles are
@MadisonMolly2017 At first when I saw the word picture I thought, we all have a little bit of most of those qualities within us, but are we proud of them? After some soul searching I've decided that I have become proud of my uniqueness. I used to feel sort of out of sync with family and friends and realize that I have a different way of looking at certain things. In my "old" age, I have been able to share my thoughts and feelings with people more and they still like me Well, most of them maybe...LOL! I also have found the more you share your own uniqueness, it seems others feel more free to share their own.
@SummerSkier If you're looking to add 100-200 calories a day, have you considered a handful of walnuts, or maybe spread a tablespoon of peanut butter on apple slices? Both add a little protein and healthy fat. Just an idea.
Shout out to members who are busy or just haven't had a chance to post lately. I hope all is well with you.2 -
@SummerSkier, I'm right there with @77tes, I really think that your idea of goblets of marbles on your dresser to create that visual of how one or even a couple of off days can't undo the fact that your green goblet is still full of marbles! What a beautiful idea!
But I'd surely knock one of them over 🙄😥 also.
You are doing good with how you are adding in a variety of foods to help reach your goals!
@MadisonMolly2017, somehow I missed seeing your tracker. It is really creative! Thanks for sharing 👍.
@77tes, That is terrific that your little ants 🐜 are encouraging you to work on your schoolwork preparations. Your grasshopper is too cute 😉.
Thank you for your reminder that @themedalist lives in the New England states. It slipped my mind completely.
I am praying for you and your family, also @themedalist. Hugs.
My August I Wills will be focused on fun and creativity.
Some days I've been able to remember to fit in only a small amount of reading or coloring. But even doing that little bit has helped me to ease up on myself and remember to enjoy the moment, and that I have permission to chill a bit. And another time I read for waaay too long and dishes had to be washed in the morning. (no dishwasher in my house... except me 🤣). Regardless, I have enjoyed my fun I Will this month.
I will read my book and/or color some every day. 📖 = reading a book for fun, 📜= coloring
August 1: 📖
August 2: 📜
August 3: 📖
August 4: 📖
August 5: 📖 📜
August 6: 📖 📜
August 7: 📖 📜
🤠🌺
1 -
Here is current status of my tracker. I’m
Shocked at how fast I was able to do what seemed impossible in late July. Happy happy!
Thank you @texasgardnr for your compliment on my tracker! I love to make them pretty! The process of deciding what I really need to focus upon is what helps me the most!
TY @nebslp for participating in the Strengths activity. I do think self-acceptance plays greatly into our self-care !
For those of you who don’t want to share your thoughts here, I understand. Perhaps just jot those three Words on a scrap of paper & tuck it next to your toothbrush! A special present 💝 from you TO YOU!
My three words...
I am:
a Creative idea generator
who is Loving/Nurturing
and very, very Grateful.
2 -
Wow @nebslp you slipped in a post while I was working on posting, so I'll just add this post in here, for you:
@nebslp, hopefully you will find the marbles as we continue to declutter this month 🤷♀️. And @MadisonMolly will find 👀 her iron also.
@nebslp, I am very proud of you because you tackled the question that @MadisonMolly] presented to us. Even in my "older" age, I looked at the visual and really could not deal with it, because still even after all these years I struggle with being proud of things I do or are a part of me in a good way.
This goes a long (obviously) way back but for some reason continues, even now, to impact me. But at least I have tried my best to have turned it around for good as far as I am able, in that I try to be very careful of what things I say to others as far as possible, about certain things.
I chose to ignore the question completely but you took it on. Kuddos to you!!
Seriously 💖!
🤠🌺0 -
@MadisonMolly, you slipped in your post also while I was writing to nebslp.
I really like that you have not only one.... BUT three words!!
That is really, really, really awesome! If this were our cell phones that we were using I'd have sent you a text with the GIF of the cute penguin doing the happy dance 🎈💐.
🤠🌺0 -
Yep, three attributes!
You might like that you brush your teeth, or drive safely, or eat your vegetables!!
😄2 -
My August I Wills will be focused on fun and creativity.
I will read my book and/or color some every day. 📖 = reading a book for fun, 📜= coloring
August 1: 📖
August 2: 📜
August 3: 📖
August 4: 📖
August 5: 📖 📜
August 6: 📖 📜
August 7: 📖 📜
August 8: 📜
🤠🌺1 -
@MadisonMolly2017 (Maddie) your tracker is so lovely. I currently have a rainbow for my watch face so you know I am a color color color type person. What is AW under exercise? Looks like you are going in deficit right now also. Yes it's funny how sometimes we can just GET with the program and others we just sort of bounce around with no motivation.
@the medalist (Denise) I hope you got your power or never lost it with the storm! I had some friends who lost it and because of all the branches it took a long time to get back on
@texasgardnr (Marie) No book reading yesterday? Where are you from in Tx may I ask? I am in Austin.
@nebslp how are you coming on your August? Do you feel like you can get back on track. The marble goblets are quite heavy and even the kitties can't knock them over. I used them when I was losing weight and put a pound out of one and into another. That way when people asked me if I was losing I just told them I was trying to get my marbles back! (and it was honest as I feel a lot more sane as a maintenance weight than crawling around too heavy)
@77tes nice to meet you! Are you a schoolteacher? I totally enjoyed Aesop's fables as a child altho more for the stories than the instruction. LOL. It looks like you are doing REALLY well on your wheel also. What is that one underneath the "sew" line that you are tracking?
Yesterday was an interesting day. I went out to run and just "did not feel like it". So I walked for about an hour. Then I cleaned up the purple martin gourds and those little critturs cheered me a lot. So then I also went to the grocery (as I posted). When I got home it was still 10 am and I said to myself WHY DON'T you try a run now? WHich is unusual and I thought there might be a lot of neighbors out and it was hotter (but less humid). So I threw on one of my lightest weight masks to see if I could run with it. And you know what. I can't really. It is like hyperventilating. Sigh. But I was able to keep it around my neck and pull it up if I got stuck having to pass people too close due to congestion or traffic. And I had a really good run. Faster than I expected.
All that activity really energized me for the day and I did my meal prepping etc. The one thing I can say is that watermelon and salmon and shrimp left me VERY thirsty in the evening. I just looked back to see if there was a lot of sodium or something but not specifically. I think it was in the spices (anyone else love Pensys?) I put on the salmon. I figured I would feel crappy and bloated this morning but honestly I don't.
So week 2 progresses.
Have a wonderful Sunday new friends!
I title this photo "Life mimics art" The picture I inherited from my Mom. The cat. well.....
1 -
@SummerSkier , the WHB/zone item in my tracker is housework WHB - Whole House Blessing, about an hour of vacuuming/dusting and Zone- 15 minutes of deep cleaning in a different area of house. I teach college English, but I did many years in K-12 and love children’s literature.
I love the pictures of your kitty. They remind me of another children’s story Kipling’s “The Cat That Walks By Himself.”2 -
@SummerSkier
AW is my abbreviation for my Apple Watch Challenge total points each day out of 110, which represents 3X each of ring goals: move, exercise, stand hours2 -
My August I Wills will be focused on fun and creativity.
I will read my book and/or color some every day. 📖 = reading a book for fun, 📜= coloring
August 1: 📖
August 2: 📜
August 3: 📖
August 4: 📖
August 5: 📖 📜
August 6: 📖 📜
August 7: 📖 📜
August 8: 📜
August 9: 📜
🤠🌺0 -
aha - I am an apple watch person as well Maddie. This month it gave me the challenge of doubling my activity goal for 15 days. I just always wonder where it comes up with this stuff sometimes. LOL.
@77tes I like the idea of 15 minutes deep cleaning an area. I can't do an hour at a time but I can vacuum for 10-15 minutes etc. I can remember years and years ago we used to get a maid in to clean every couple of weeks. But I always felt like I had to clean up before she came and put things away. And then I never felt like she did as good a job as I would do. So it was a trade off. She did "everything" but I like doing it myself and your approach is perfect!
My August I wills are proceeding well. I have crept up the calories and today I seemed to have some good energy for my run and work on the fence. That of course is my whole plan. And it's funny. I added the hummus yesterday as a small snack at lunch but in looking thru the ingredients it really doesn't add much nutrition. I guess I am turning into a food snob. I want things to not only taste good but also bring something good to the party. LOL
Happy Monday my new friends. Let's have a great week.
bONakaSummerskier0 -
Happy Monday! @MadisonMolly2017 Your tracker is so pretty! I spent a few minutes really looking at the colors and patterns today
@texasgardnr It took me a long time to decide that I'm OK with me just as I am, but there's always room for improvement in areas I have control over. The trick is figuring out the difference between what I can control and what is what it is, and being OK with that. I see so many of the positive qualities on the picture that describe you. I'm grateful for having met you and everyone else here who have been so supportive and encouraging
And way to go for meeting your goal every day this month!
@SummerSkier My goal tracker looks pretty good! I will post a picture every 10 days or so. It's pretty messy but at least I can read it and there are lots of checks, so that's the main thing. On another note, my marbles would runneth over if I put one in for every pound I have yet to lose. But a weight goal I have is to reduce my BMI and that measures every 5-6 pounds. I will ponder on that If/when I find my marbles! And it's too bad your mask experiment didn't end as well as you'd hoped. I've been busy making masks for my grandkids to go back to school with and I'm trying to get them to fit as comfortably as possible.
@77tes I remember when you started your house cleaning system Flylady, I believe. Good for you for making it a habit. It's really working for you! I'm trying to develop a system this month and I like it. Today's task is to spend 30 minutes on the basement. But I'm still working on last week's things (clothes/picture match) so I will finish up that today.
@themedalist Hello and I hope things aren't too crazy busy where you are. And hopefully you were safe from the storm. How's garage band coming along? I've put my guitar playing aside for awhile for other pursuits but I do enjoy it when I pick it up now and then.
I'm reading Getting Unstuck by Pema Chodron on being present in the moment. It's really interesting. I had looked up books on overcoming resistence because I have an issue with wanting to do something but being unable to make myself do it and this one came up. It's been good and increased my awareness about some things (shenpa). Next I have her book on how to meditate.
Anyway, I'm good at distractions and procrastinating so I'm going to move on for now and get something done! Just wanted to check in.1 -
and the week is starting to FLY!!! I do like the chart for tracking. @nebslp I have the same feelings about procrastinating sometimes. Usually I will ATTEMPT to break a task down into manageable pieces so it does not feel overwhelming. But sometimes is just does. I will have to take a look at that book you mention.1
-
0
