"This April I Will.." Newcomers Start Here
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Oh SPIRIT DANCERS!!! How very cool @nebslp... And it just must be that it keeps appearing on things you purchase because it IS your spirit dancer. I do love the pattern. Thank you for posting the photos and sorry it was such a PITA...
Maddie, loving all the stars as well. Congratulations on your consistency and also your attitude this month.
Yesterday my neighbor came over and hung a new 65 in wall mount TV for me. Now I am not one to watch it all day long but I do enjoy sitting down after dinner for an hour or so and watching shows. The technology change from my old TV circa 2008 is incredible. The HDMI is still there but everything is SO much easier - wireless. And things like NetflixHulu/Amazonprime are ALREADY ON THE TV!! I was just getting ready to have to upgrade the physical little Apple TV I got in 2009 and now I dont need it. Talke about decluttering the living room. The only thing left is the cable box and power cord connected to it. And I might even need to upgrade that to wireless connection in the house. Pretty crazy. It reminds me of when I upgraded my car from 86 to 2002 and then to 2014 models. The differences were like sci fi.
Anyway, altho he was working away for an hour or more, it was also just nice to "visit" without feeling like I was going to catch the plague. He has been my neighbor for 12 yrs + now and struggled of courses with divorce and custody of his 2 little girls which is quite ugly and involves way too much courtroom and lawyer stuff.
@themedalist how is your simplification project coming? I am still so on board with making it was easy as possible to have healthy meals.
SummerAKAbON0 -
There are few things that scare me as much as organizing photos.
Some need to be scanned and then tagged so they are searchable. Some are already digital and just need to be tagged. I wish I could get motivated about spending 15 minutes a day doing this task, but I just can’t. Which tells me it’s just not the right time in my life to try to tackle this.1 -
And Happy Smonday!
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@themedalist I remember those Sundays. I thought I was the only one who experienced that moment. Now that I'm retired, I can't remember what day it is so at least one area of anxiety went...poof
@SummerSkier Have you had any Netflix binges you'd like to confess yet? I hope you're enjoying your new big screen! I can relate to the relief that's felt after having the vaccine and being around people. I still wear my mask in public but now we'll all be able to get together as a family indoors for the first time since Christmas, 2019.3 -
@themedalist who knew there was a word for that?!!! EVERY ...SINGLE ...WEEK. it's a shame but it does tend to ruin part of Sunday. Sometimes I will do a little work catchup so I feel so totally prepared that it's not as stressful.
@nebslp there you are! I find it quite interesting the differences in Netflix menu between using the LG (Life if good!) TV vs the Apple box I was using. Recently I watched a show called Travelers which I enjoyed. It has some imaginative ideas in it which always peeks my interest.
As far as the vaccine. I feel a lot safer. Yesterday the guy who sometimes visits the barn was there and I felt much more comfortable visiting and chatting with him (He is Pfizer, Barn owner is J&J and I am Pfizer). He did said his wife who is undergoing chemo DID end up getting Covid but her case was really mild and she never had the cough or hi temps. And of course since she is undergoing treatments they immed gave her the mono nucleotide antibodies (sp) and he said that the difference in 24 hrs after that infusion was incredible! So I think that is was Trump got also and its not easy to get approved but probably works really well . If was interesting when she got her vaccine they said because of her weakened state she was more likely to get Covid19 anyway... Previously this guy visited the barn and took zero precautions so I was a lot happier last night being around him.
I am slowly also coming out of hibernation. Got my bangs done this week and got a blood draw. The blood draw would have been terrifying if I wasn't vaccinated because they kept us in a waiting room full of people... yikes. All were masked but still to me high risk. Next week Dentist and Endo (hence the blood draw). Tomorrow I am giving a friend a lift home from her scoping (we are both vaccinated) so again more activities less risk. I still want and need a massage but have a lot more must dos to take care of in May and June so it can wait.
Looking forward to our May thread and perhaps deciding on a small habit to work on again...
SummerakabON2 -
@themedalist A belated thank you for the count down from 5 technique. I used it to help calm my racing heart before and during the early days of my trip. I think it was pandemic panic because I hadn't gone anywhere for so long. Once we were out and about a few days, I was fine. We wore masks in public and were very careful not to be in crowds and almost always ate outside unless there were only a couple of other people inside. So there is a life after a pandemic and the vaccine helps with the anxiety. But I will keep the technique in mind every day just as a good way to ground myself.
@texasgardnr Good job on the weights! Are you feeling any difference in your strength or just feeling better in general? Lifting makes me feel strong and empowered (when I do it)!
@77tes Beautiful tracker! It looks so serene with those subdued colors. Love it!
@SummerSkier The trip was great... all 3900 plus miles of it!!! The blooming flowers and trees were amazing, especially all the Dogwood and Redbuds sprinkled all along the road in the trees. Gorgeous scenery...Blue Ridge Mountains, lots of Tufted Titmice, visit with my niece and family, the ocean, museums, picnics. Couldn't have asked for a better reentry to the world after the year of isolation. Thanks for asking.
@angelic843 and others.....How are you doing this month? Can't believe it's almost over!
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The last day of April!?!?! It's been an enlightening month for me. My goal of being present in the moment led me to read books on stress and anxiety (currently in the process of reading 3 right now). All are leading me in the same direction...meditation, journaling, and grounding myself in nature, so they will be part of my May goal. I wonder if I could combine them all at one time?? I will do some reading on the different forms of meditation since that is the one thing I have tried off and on for many years and not enjoyed. I love journaling and being outside, but I have to talk myself into doing them. WhY?!??! (sigh).1
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@SummerSkier and @nebslp, one Netflix series I just loved was Breaking Bad. I have a very low tolerance for violence and I wasn’t sure how I could watch this series, but the writing was so compelling and the story lines so interesting that I quickly got hooked. I did have to avert my eyes a few times.
bON, thanks for asking about other areas that I’m trying to make things easier in my life and any new revelations. One area I’m working on is trying to simplify and speed up longer emails I write and Word documents. I don’t have full use of the fingers on my left hand which makes typing really slow. For shorter emails I use the speech to text conversion and that works very nicely. But I can’t write a report using that and the dictate function in Word also only allows about 30 seconds of input. It’s a hassle to keep turning it on and off again. Many years ago I used Naturally Speaking and I still have a licensed copy of an older version. I’m going to explore that again and see if it makes things simpler and easier for me. Sometimes things have to get a little harder before they become easier.
@nebslp, I’m really glad the countdown exercise helped you. It’s a good one to have in your back pocket!
I get my second Moderno shot tomorrow. I’m fully expecting to feel under the weather on Sunday. But it will be so worth it!2 -
I loved Breaking Bad! It was the first series I watched on Netflix and couldn't imagine how it would end. It was so funny in places that it made up for all of the other stuff. There are a couple follow ups that I haven't watched...Better Call Saul and El Camino. I also liked Ozark which is not my normal watching genre.
@themedalist I wish you well with your possible shot side effects. It was worth it to feel crummy for a day or two when I knew that it meant a lot more freedom with a lot less anxiety ahead.2 -
Thank you @77tes , @SummerSkier , @themedalist , for you comments about my habit for this month. The encouragement is always welcome and is always awesome here!
@themedalist wrote:
" The intellectual side of my brain cannot convince the habitual side of my brain to get in the habit of doing this prep work. The habitual me wants something easier. It wants pre-cut ready to use bagged vegetables.
And that’s what I’ve been doing, taking the easier path. I’ve had roasted vegetables about three times a week over the last month..."
What an interesting concept to think about that you shared with us from the habits researcher, Dr. Wendy Wood. This deserves some pondering. And it does seem to make a lot of sense on first glance, especially after reading another comment: "To me, nothing gets over an obstacle to building a new habit more effectively than making it easier. ".
Now, that makes perfect sense to me 🤦♀️ not just on an intellectual level. Thank you for sharing! So, keeping my weights near the microwave area instead of in their usual home definitely made it easier to continue with my habit this month because I never had to go get them. It took some getting used to leaving the weights there but it worked. The microwave is off of the kitchen area so the weights were not in anything's way or in any food prep area. So that is their new home, at least for now.
And I totally agree with the other comments by @SummerSkier and @angelic843 that followed, it got me thinking of how I also use veggies in microvave bags and pre made sallads, and so forth that have helped me have healthy choices available that I know I would never keep up with if I had to do the full prep work. I never put all of that together why some things I want to do work and other things don't. Now I will have ideas to think about when I am investigating why some things I want to do seem to work easily and
others do not.
@SummerSkier I really like your April habit!! And you are rocking your awesome earrings!! I have pretty much forgotten that I also have double holes. I pretty much stopped wearing my earrings and necklaces when I had all my babies. In fact my daughter would put my earrings in her stuffed animal's ears because I stopped wearing them and she would play with them. I had forgotten about that. Now days she is all grown up and still loves earrings... in her ears LOL
That is so true about technology changing so much over the years especially when our upgrades are a long time coming in between them. Good for you getting a new TV! Enjoy!
@nebslp , thanks for sharing your pictures. Yes, that pattern is definitely a favorite of yours and I like that you have good memories as well as wonderful mementos of your trip.
Well, I wouldn't call what I am doing with weights "lifting" 😄. But yes, I do feel stronger. And now use both sizes of light weights that I have.
When the arthritis in my ankles made its first official flare visit the end of 2019 I pretty much was forced to stop my whole workout and walking routines because of the pain, and have been trying ever since to find my way back to exercise or movement and various kinds of activity. But I have focused on how to walk again or get any sort of aerobic exercise in without increasing the pain.To stand more than sitting once again. Any weights that I had been doing fell by the wayside as I was too overwhelmed and struggling. This has been the perfect way to make myself start over with using weights by utilizing short bursts of time.
I suppose that I am also feeling better in general because using weights for short bursts of time opened back up the ability to start working on that part of exercise again. I went from exercising in various ways and or walking for 60-90 minutes most days to hurting whenever I walked anywhere in the beginning of this. Even now walking or aerobic exercising or garden or anything is often a struggle to not cause extra pain. It is like a constant guessing game of what or how long or what combination I can handle this particular day, along with learning how to prevent flareups or simply pain.
And when I finally got my first Vaccine dose last week I used the weights to increase blood flow and add movement to that arm/ muscle to help reduce any potential pain at the injection site if I were to have any. A Pharmacy person taught me to do that several years ago when I got the flu vaccine. It does help with that one so I used weights extra times for my arm with this vaccine also. I had some discomfort the next morning but not much, and the next after that it was completely gone. Whether it was the weights or just what would have happened any way I do not know of course, but whatever, the weights didn't hurt anything. That is also the day when I increased the amount of weight of the weights also..
I am really grateful that I was finally able to get the vaccine. I just couldn't catch an appointment on line. I wanted to get it locally and not in the big stadium situations as that was a really difficult to get an appointment and to actually get there, for me would be quite difficult. Nearby harmacies were easy to get to but still hard to get an appointment on line. I was in one of our smaller stores last week that I didn't know was one of the ones giving the covid vaccine in my neighborhood, when it was announced over the intercom that they had four extra vaccine doses immediately available. I went to the pharmacy and I was the only person who came for it. So I got mine and was able to also make an appointment for my husband since still no no one in the store came forward. They were still announcing the other two doses after I had gone back to shopping for groceries. I received the Pfizer vaccine. I felt blessed to have been given that unexpected opportunity for both myself and my DH!
Great progress working on your boxes of photos/sentimental paper items, @MadisonMolly2017 ! Photos and also sentimental papers are difficult for me to get started with. I am encouraged by your example of keeping at it and solving problems needed to continue with your project!
AFTER I _start to heat my tea water_____
I WILL __do upper body exercises with weights while the water is heating up____ Twice a day currently. I increased it to three times a day on April 18th
April 5: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 6: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 7: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 8: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 9: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 10: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 11: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 12: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 13: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 14: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 15: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 16: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 17: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 18: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 19: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 20: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 21: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 22: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 23: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 24: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 25: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 26: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 27: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 28: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 29: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
April 30: 🏋️♀️🏋️♀️🏋️♀️
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@texasgardnr There is a lot to love about your post!!! Look at those cute little weights people! Awesome, consistent work and it’s paying off in that you were able to increase the weight after awhile and are developing a routine/habit that will stick since you moved the dumbbells to a convenient area. I’m learning so much from the comments people make in this group☺️ I’m glad you were able to get the vaccine and schedule your husband’s, too. I cannot believe what a difference having it has made in my sense of well-being when I am with other people. We’ve had a few track meets the past weeks and I keep my distance but feel comfortable without wearing a mask outside now. I hope your ankle doesn’t give you too much trouble and you can get outside and enjoy your yard all summer.2
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Began March 24
Mar 24-31 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 1-10 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 11-16 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 17-21 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 22-30 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
No sweets seems to be working!
My April 1 & May 1 weights were 0.2 lb apart
On to MAY!
💕
Maddie
Congratulations on stellar weight lifting @texasgardnr!!!
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@texasgardnr There is a lot to love about your post!!! Look at those cute little weights people! Awesome, consistent work and it’s paying off in that you were able to increase the weight after awhile and are developing a routine/habit that will stick since you moved the dumbbells to a convenient area. I’m learning so much from the comments people make in this group☺️ I’m glad you were able to get the vaccine and schedule your husband’s, too. I cannot believe what a difference having it has made in my sense of well-being when I am with other people. We’ve had a few track meets the past weeks and I keep my distance but feel comfortable without wearing a mask outside now. I hope your ankle doesn’t give you too much trouble and you can get outside and enjoy your yard all summer.
That’s just what I was thinking too! What a wonderful post you’ve made, @texasgardnr! I’m glad that the post about making things easier as a way to overcome resistance to forming new habits has been useful to you. It’s been one of the biggest “A-ha!” moments that I’ve had in some time. The other thing that I’ve noticed is that it doesn’t have to be a big obstacle. I have two guitars that I love to play. For the longest time one lay on top of the other in their respective cases on a table in my bedroom. I noticed I was only playing one of them. The one that was on top! Even though switching them and moving the one on the bottom to the top would only take about 20 seconds, I never switched them. I always grabbed the one that was easiest. My habitual self wasn’t buying into the need for the extra 20 seconds. My intellectual side is shaking it’s head in disbelief.
I don’t know if this would help you any @texasgardnr, but when I had hip arthritis and was in the queue for a new hip, I had to stop walking and like you I was pretty miserable. What I could do was use the elliptical because it was much lower impact. I could only walk with the help of a walker so I’d hobble over to the elliptical with my walker and then slowly step up and place my feet on the pedals. It was pure joy to pedal and get a good aerobic workout! Do you or anyone you know have an elliptical you could try? I also bought a mini elliptical that fits nicely under my desk. Now when I have zoom meetings or something else that ties me to my chair I can pedal away! Here’s my mini elliptical:
Great job on the weights and wonderful consistency!2 -
MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »Began March 24
Mar 24-31 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 1-10 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 11-16 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 17-21 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 22-30 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
No sweets seems to be working!
My April 1 & May 1 weights were 0.2 lb apart
On to MAY!
💕
Maddie
Congratulations on stellar weight lifting @texasgardnr!!!
Great job, Maddie! Another consistency champion!1 -
Thank you @nebslp , @MadisonMolly2017 , and @themedalist for your kind words and encouragement 🌹.
I really like the idea of the mini elliptical when sitting! I had started using my Gazelle and the rebounder so that is helping. But I haven't been able to get back to where I was at the end of 2019. What I was able to do at that time was hard won during my early years here on MFP, I definitely do know that I need to do more of looking forward and not back at what was. I do try to strive for that but there are times when I feel more overwhelmed and discouraged. Thank you for you support and understanding. I am truly grateful 💗🌹
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themedalist wrote: »MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »Began March 24
Mar 24-31 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 1-10 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 11-16 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 17-21 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
April 22-30 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
No sweets seems to be working!
My April 1 & May 1 weights were 0.2 lb apart
On to MAY!
💕
Maddie
Congratulations on stellar weight lifting @texasgardnr!!!
Great job, Maddie! Another consistency champion!
Thank you, @themedalist !0 -
texasgardnr wrote: »Thank you @nebslp , @MadisonMolly2017 , and @themedalist for your kind words and encouragement 🌹.
I really like the idea of the mini elliptical when sitting! I had started using my Gazelle and the rebounder so that is helping. But I haven't been able to get back to where I was at the end of 2019. What I was able to do at that time was hard won during my early years here on MFP, I definitely do know that I need to do more of looking forward and not back at what was. I do try to strive for that but there are times when I feel more overwhelmed and discouraged. Thank you for you support and understanding. I am truly grateful 💗🌹
🤠🌺
@texasgardnr I hear you. We’re all hear for each other! A teacher once told me, “Never underestimate the possibility of a QUANTUM leap.”
I’ve found this to be true!
Maddie 💕3 -
Hey all, sorry I’ve been such a no show this month. I’m struggling a bit and feeling pulled in many directions.
But here’s my tracker for the month. I did post a poem daily, but I kind of petered out on writing any. I just let my self-critic get the better of me.
On to May...
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Hey all, sorry I’ve been such a no show this month. I’m struggling a bit and feeling pulled in many directions.
But here’s my tracker for the month. I did post a poem daily, but I kind of petered out on writing any. I just let my self-critic get the better of me.
On to May...
@77tes I completely understand. I think many had a post vaccine emotional time... “well I’m safe, but I still have to mask & be careful - and what about the variants?!” I know I did & I saw many news articles on it. Self-care is paramount as we move ahead.
Thrilled you posted a poem Daily! I’m
Sure that was inspiring!
My Best,
Maddie
💃 = how I think of @77tes !!!!!1 -
Hello everyone, I joined this group last year I believe, but have not been on MFP consistently. Hoping to change that habit. I have a few this month after... I will ... style habits, I would like to work on.
This May,- After work I will go for a walk
- After each meal/before bed I will update/keep an accurate record of my food diary and publish daily
- After work on Thur/Fri I will check-in for the Winter Weight Loss Challenge when it starts
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