This August I Will...
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Today has been good. I woke up early but didn’t have to set my alarm for 6:40😁 for once. I’m tired but spent time upstairs planning the next 7 days’ decluttering/cleaning plan and exercise routine. I came back up this afternoon and spent a couple of hours cleaning off my writing/serger table and the file cabinet in my studio.
So I have a 2 day streak on my goal🤩2 -
My goal for this month:
This August's I will: I will track my progress (again) of getting to sleep earlier, success will now be lights out by 11:00 PM.
I will use 😇 for lights out by 10 P.M, 🕚 for lights out by 11 P.M, after 11P.M. ❌.
(I am allowing one night a week(end) only if something special is going on so it won't trigger failure feelings.)
August 1: 🕚
August 2: 🕚
August 3: planned later night
August 4: 🕚
August 5: 🕚
August 6: 🕚
August 7: 😇
August 8: 😇
August 9: 🕚
🤠🌺2 -
@texasgardnr You’re on a roll! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻!2
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It seems as though SLEEP would help me with all of theses.
M Aug 5 T Aug 6 W Aug 7 Th Aug 8 Aug 9
Take pills 💊 10:30 10:30 10:30 10:30 10:30 10:30
Dim lights & Prepare 11pm 11pm 10:30 9:30
10:30 10:00
In bed 🛌11pm 12 11:40 12 2:20😳 1:00
Lights off 💡11pm 12 11:40 1:00 2:55 1:00
📺12:15 pm none 11:40 12:30 none 10:00
📲1 pm 12:25 (1:00) 12:35 (1:15) 1:30 2:55 (got hooked on some phone games-very unlike me) I’m wide awake. Exercised & ate dinner too late, I think... Aug 10 1:15
💤 1 pm 1 pm 1:15 1:30 3:30 😳 some itchiness & odd symptoms kept me awake
AM Mask yes no yes yes YES
(place in more convenient place)✅
☀️8:15. 6:45 (cat woke me up & hubby wanted to get up) 8:15 (cat) 5:30 cat then back to sleep 6:30 woke up 7:30 then 8:15.
The meditation audios put me instantly to sleep. **Must not wait an hour next time** took a 30 min nap. Almost to 7 hrs.
Aug 9: woke up 5:30, used mask repeatedly until 8:30, then for another half hour to nap 9-9:30. Blood pressure was elevated (usually it’s low) & I had ocular migraine. Very fatigued. I will get my sleep under control. I can see it’s preventing me from having more energy to do things I need to do & want to do.
7 hrs: YES❣️ no (sleepy) YES❣️no
Aug 9 nope (about to take snap to get sleep to 7 hours.)1 -
@nebslp, we all have anchor habits. The things we do every day that make us feel like us. Getting some alone time is absolutely vital and if you’re not getting that and you need that, it’s not sustainable. I’m so sorry this summer has been difficult for you. But I’m very happy to hear that more studio time is your August goal! And now that your grandchildren will be back in school, I hope you get even more time in your studio!3
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Well, after a good start, my music theory online class went south pretty quickly.
I am a beginner to music theory. I need things explained at a fairly basic level. And the more I worked through the course, the more convinced I was that it was geared to guitarists with some familiarity with theory. As I’ve gotten older, I’m less willing to stick with something just to complete it if I don’t think I’m going to get much from it. Time spent doing one thing is time that can’t be spent doing something more productive or enjoyable. So I stopped.
The thing is, I know the path that I want to walk as a guitarist. I want to play the music I love as well as I can play it. And I also want to write short, simple songs for my family and friends and play and record them in my friend’s studio. In thinking about those goals, I realized what I need to work on in August: tempo and not changing the tempo throughout the song.
I suspect a lot of self-taught players have the same challenge when they’re playing by themself: we speed up or slow down at different parts of the song without being aware of it. But it’s a deal breaker for recording the songs I envision because I’d like to add other instruments and other effects and it’s the song speed that’s the glue that holds everything together.
So, my August focus is to keep a constant tempo when I play. I dislike metronomes though, but I found an even better tool. I discovered an app that will change the tempo and pitch of any song. Changing the tempo and pitch wildly distorts the song, but it enables me to play it. I usually need to change the pitch as well as the tempo so that I can play the song in a key with chords I’m most familiar with. And this has been my first real world application of music theory: figuring out the key the original song is in so that I know how to change the key to one that works for me.
This is a great learning tool. And now I get to sing and play with Elvis!
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@themedalist , I’m sorry that you found the class unworkable for you, but it makes sense to stop trying to do something that is too difficult. It’s sort of like folks starting here on MFP who plan to get up every morning at 4 am and workout for an hour. That’s just not sustainable, and they quit trying instead of moderating the unsustainable plan. You are wise enough to see that the course was not going to work for you, and figured out a work around.
I know that music theory can get pretty deep, pretty fast. Working on maintaining an even tempo is a great plan. Let me share a few of the things I learned from my kids piano teacher and dancing.
First: Slow is beautiful. In other words slow that tempo way down to the point where you can play it through evenly. This is important because you play with your body, and the hands and fingers need the slow practice even though the brain says that you should go faster. At dancing we have an app that changes the speed of any song because dancing at the original tempo can be too hard especially when you’re first learning it.
Second, and perhaps the most important: YOU. The music begins with you, not the composer or even the song. The music is coming from you. So make the music and enjoy it.
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themedalist wrote: »Well, after a good start, my music theory online class went south pretty quickly.
I am a beginner to music theory. I need things explained at a fairly basic level. And the more I worked through the course, the more convinced I was that it was geared to guitarists with some familiarity with theory. As I’ve gotten older, I’m less willing to stick with something just to complete it if I don’t think I’m going to get much from it. Time spent doing one thing is time that can’t be spent doing something more productive or enjoyable. So I stopped.
The thing is, I know the path that I want to walk as a guitarist. I want to play the music I love as well as I can play it. And I also want to write short, simple songs for my family and friends and play and record them in my friend’s studio. In thinking about those goals, I realized what I need to work on in August: tempo and not changing the tempo throughout the song.
I suspect a lot of self-taught players have the same challenge when they’re playing by themself: we speed up or slow down at different parts of the song without being aware of it. But it’s a deal breaker for recording the songs I envision because I’d like to add other instruments and other effects and it’s the song speed that’s the glue that holds everything together.
So, my August focus is to keep a constant tempo when I play. I dislike metronomes though, but I found an even better tool. I discovered an app that will change the tempo and pitch of any song. Changing the tempo and pitch wildly distorts the song, but it enables me to play it. I usually need to change the pitch as well as the tempo so that I can play the song in a key with chords I’m most familiar with. And this has been my first real world application of music theory: figuring out the key the original song is in so that I know how to change the key to one that works for me.
This is a great learning tool. And now I get to sing and play with Elvis!
Wow! Way to find a solution @themedalist!!
I like how we know what we need & pirsue that! #GiftofLiving!1 -
]It seems as though SLEEP would help me with all of theses.
M Aug 5 T Aug 6 W Aug 7 Th Aug 8 F Aug 9 sat 10
Take pills 💊 10:30 10:30 10:30 10:30 10:30 10:30 10:30
Dim lights & Prepare 11pm 11pm 10:30 9:30
10:30 10:00
In bed 🛌11pm 12 11:40 12 2:20😳 1:00
Lights off 💡11pm 12 11:40 1:00 2:55 1:00
📺12:15 pm none 11:40 12:30 none 10:00
📲1 pm 12:25 (1:00) 12:35 (1:15) 1:30 2:55 (got hooked on some phone games-very unlike me) I’m wide awake. Exercised & ate dinner too late, I think... Aug 10 1:15
💤 1 pm 1 pm 1:15 1:30 3:30 😳 some itchiness & odd symptoms kept me awake
Aug 10 1:20-30
AM Mask yes no yes yes YES(2-3) Yes (4-5)
(place in more convenient place)✅✅✅
☀️8:15. 6:45 (cat woke me up & hubby wanted to get up) 8:15 (cat) 5:30 cat then back to sleep 6:30 woke up 7:30 then 8:15.
The meditation audios put me instantly to sleep. **Must not wait an hour next time** took a 30 min nap. Almost to 7 hrs.
Aug 9: woke up 5:30, used mask repeatedly until 8:30, then for another half hour to nap 9-9:30. Blood pressure was elevated (usually it’s low) & I had ocular migraine. Very fatigued. I will get my sleep under control. I can see it’s preventing me from having more energy to do things I need to do & want to do.
Aug10 was the experience I needed to realize how bad a late night can be for me. #I’m More Committed Now
I wanted to go to bed earlier, but social engagement kept me up. I stated 12AM end stop for me but it continued. I valiantly remained but when it was going to go past 1, I left. Proud of myself.
Woke 6:30, used mask & a couple more times but kept using Simple Habit & mask. Woke 9:35 AM !! Fully rested & feeling great! My 90 min exercise sessions each day are really increasing my strength & speed especially *** after a lot of sleep.
7 hrs: YES❣️ no (sleepy) YES❣️no
Aug 9 nope (about to take snap to get sleep to 7 hours.) Aug 10 7-8 hours!
Excited. The 90 m exercise is making me sleepier!2 -
@MadisonMolly2017 , glad the exercise is helping with sleep. I was up until 1am on Friday night because I was out dancing. Yesterday, I was concerned because I just was feeling SO OLD. Then, of course, I realized that it was because I really cannot function on 4 hours of sleep. I’m still playing catch-up.
@texasgardnr , you are rocking your goal this month!
@themedalist , here is a book my sister suggested. I think you might want to see if you could borrow it from the library to see if it will work for you since it is expensive.
https://www.amazon.com/Scales-Intervals-Triads-Rhythm-Meter/dp/03939736972 -
@77tes Exactly! I hope you feel all rested soon!!1
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I am having issues now. I feel like I use my phone more after the 2 hours without. I am annoyed with myself. Suggestions? Help?2
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@Wildchildx1289 , feeling deprived is not usually effective. There are lots of articles on the topic because many people are struggling as you are. Maybe one of those screen time apps for kids would be helpful.
However, if you are home with little kids all day every day, the phone may be a way of coping with the isolation, so thinking about why you are on your phone so much might also be helpful.5 -
@77tes I am a stay at home mother, but it usually out of boredom.2
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@themedalist James Clear wrote an article a LONG time ago about how to read more books. One phrase stayed with me because it didn’t make sense at first, but now I get it. He said (paraphrasing now) if you want to read more books, you have to quit more books. The idea is that if a book (or something) does not interest you after giving it a shot, don’t waste time hoping it will get better. Just quit. That seems so unlike anything you hear but sometimes it makes good sense to not waste time on something that’s not for us. You figured that out! Now you can focus on what you really want to do 🎸
@77tes I bet the dancing makes a short night now and then worth it!?!? Sleep well😴
@Wildchildx1289 You’re increasing your awareness of your phone usage and that’s always a good place to start. Maybe you’re not ready for 2 hours. If a goal is too difficult that it causes failure, then it’s good to tweak it a little until you figure out what’s sustainable. Keep trying! It’s a really great goal😍5 -
I guess it is not really boredom, but I am the person that always needs to be doing something. I am the nail biter, which is a bad habit itself. I just need to keep occupied, but I dont want to clean. What is the point of cleaning if it will be destroyed two seconds afterwards by my one year old. Hahaha. I guess I need to fill in the gaps instead of pulling put my phone and doing absolutely nothing there to occupy time.2
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@Wildchildx1289 I totally get that! One year olds (and older) can be physically and emotionally exhausting, and having an uncluttered house is just a dream. Do you like needlework of any kind or coloring or photography? Just something can you can pick up and put down in your few spare minutes to help you relax. I recently rediscovered the fun of embroidery and find that having a project going helps keep me busy and feeling productive. However, it’s tough when those little ones are so adorable and needy!3
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Hahaha @nebslp I do embroider and knit, but I haven't picked it up in sometime. Embroidering is oddly relaxing. Today I started writing to occupy my time, which has helped.3
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@Wildchildx1289 I embroidered 12 quilt blocks using back-stitch (only a couple left to do now 🎉) and found it to be the most relaxing form of needlework that I do. Then I put that on pause to make a Harry Potter cross stitch picture for my granddaughter and found that to be very stressful because I actually had to think when doing that, and count...and take out mistakes!!! This week I will be digging out the quilt blocks and hope I don’t get side tracked again. Do you do creative writing or more journaling?2
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@nebslp that is Awesome! I have only embroidered little pictures to entertain myself. Haha. Yesterday, I wrote a book review to submit on my goodreads account. I do write in a journal would I get upset. I would like to do more creative writing. I occasionally write poems when I feel the need. Ultimate goal is to write a novel.4
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@Wildchildx1289 it’s great that you’re pursuing your passion of writing in whatever form you can. I hope you find at least a few minutes every day for that until it becomes a habit🙂1
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Ok! First 8 days done!
Good habits around SLEEP so far:
Was Already established. 10:30 medicine,
Was Already established, putting water by bedside,
New!*** getting out ear buds for use, if needed
New!***putting sleep mask where I can get it easily,
New!***Dimming lights at 9:30, and no later than 10:30.
New!***Using audio meditations** immediately** if I wake up at night & in AM,
new!***continuing to go back to sleep, if possible, until I’ve accrued 7 hours.
To work on this week:
☘️Turn off TV/computer no later than 11pm. Record time achieved.
Record time you turn off phone
Record time you fell asleep (approx) Record time you woke up.
Beginning night of Aug 13:
☘️
📱
💤
☀️2 -
thanks @nebslp and @77tes for the encouragement for my goal.
@77tes from your Move it Monday post you are doing great with your yoga goal! You go girl 👍.
@nebslp you have shared a wealth of information with us on various topics. I so enjoy reading your posts. I really like your August goal of going to your studio every morning and taking time to begin and plan your day mindfully, especially now that you are coming off a very busy and full summer.
@MadisonMolly2017, I am so sorry about your ocular migraine. I can't even imagine how painful that was💐. That is awesome that your 90 minutes of exercise is making you sleepy! Great tracking!
@themedalist, so wise of you to choose to spend your time more productively and happily instead of forcing yourself to complete the music theory class that was no longer useful. Your August goal of maintaining an even tempo sounds great!
@Wildchildx1289, Since you asked for suggestions I just googled and found that there are apps or specific methods on different brands of phones in the settings for how to track not only how long you are on your phone, but how you actually use your phone screen time. (I did this on my phone for a time earlier this year out of curiosity when it became available from an update.)
I have heard that if you change your phone screen or lock screen to black and white, instead of seeing the lovely colors that draw us in visually, that that has been shown to help.
Turning off or silencing the notifications from apps and social media, and checking them only when you decide to, instead of being constantly notified. Doing this puts you in control of your phone usage. (I do this)
Google for ideas for ways to help you reach your goal. There is actually a lot of information out there with ideas to help one use their phone less often.
You can do this!! Yes, you can!
That is so cool that you have a goal of writing a novel! And that you are finding ways to do some writing in the meantime!
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My goal for this month:
This August's I will: I will track my progress (again) of getting to sleep earlier, success will now be lights out by 11:00 PM.
I will use 😇 for lights out by 10 P.M, 🕚 for lights out by 11 P.M, after 11P.M. ❌.
(I am allowing one night a week(end) only if something special is going on so it won't trigger failure feelings.)
August 1: 🕚
August 2: 🕚
August 3: planned later night
August 4: 🕚
August 5: 🕚
August 6: 🕚
August 7: 😇
August 8: 😇
August 9: 🕚
August 10: 🕚
August 11: 😇
August 12: 🕚
🤠🌺2 -
Wow @texasgardnr!! You are doing Great 👍 on your sleep goal! 🏆 🌹🎉
Thank you for your support of all of us & for your kind words.2 -
Ok! First 8 days done!
Good habits around SLEEP so far:
Was Already established. 10:30 medicine,
Was Already established, putting water by bedside,
New!*** getting out ear buds for use, if needed
New!***putting sleep mask where I can get it easily,
New!***Dimming lights at 9:30, and no later than 10:30.
New!***Using audio meditations** immediately** if I wake up at night & in AM,
new!***continuing to go back to sleep, if possible, until I’ve accrued 7 hours.
To work on this week:
☘️Turn off TV/computer no later than 11pm. Record time achieved.
Record time you turn off phone
Record time you fell asleep (approx) Record time you woke up.
Beginning night of Aug 13:
☘️Yes❣️
🛌 12:10
📱(12:39)1:25⬆️
💤1:25⬆️
☀️6:39 (mask) 7:20⬇️
⏰5hr55mins ⬇️
Unseasonably hot here so I was very energetic after my 7:30 walk & throughout the cooler evening.
Baby steps.
My lack of good sleep hygiene is related to 2 things:
* My phone #1
* I’ve always “fought” goi g to sleep even when yawning even as a kid #2
Other possibilities:
* Evening meds
* Dinner too late
* Decaf coffee/bit of choc is too much caffeine for me at 4pm?
* Exercising too late in day
I’m more committed than ever to solve this, as I’m seeing how it’s impacting me now. (I didn’t really want to admit I had an issue.)
For me to remember WHY I need to put that phone down.l:
Today, I am sleepy, slight headache, my muscles are aching (workout-related, but more sleep would have helped with repair), eyes are dry (I figured out awhile back that lack of deep sleep causes this in me), emotional/less resilient, more fretting in general, didn’t go to a social group this morning because I didn’t feel I could be “cheerful” enough & also more energy than I feel I had. (Gearing up to see a dear friend late this afternoon - maybe a nap)
I’m actually optimistic that I can solve this now. I’m going to go slowly.
Thank you @themedalist, and all of you. Each & every one of you has had a significantly large, positive impact on my life, my health, my habits! 💕3 -
Hi everyone! Sorry I have been MIA, but have had so many emotional issues to deal with that I had withdrawn inside myself quite a bit. But that is the worst thing I can do. Even with August half over, I need to get some normalcy back in my life. Unfortunately, I have let all my goals lapse over the past few months, so I don't even know which bad habit to try to fix first! I've slid backward so far that it's like I'm starting for the very first time again.
So, after really thinking about it, I'm starting where I left off, which is basically at the beginning, and I'm setting a goal of logging in my Food journal on MFP every single day.
Here goes:
1. My goal for this month (This August I will...") log every single bite on MFP Food diary every day.
2. The small actions I’ll be taking to accomplish this goal: I will prep the next day's food the evening before and pre-log my breakfast, lunch and snacks. After dinner, I will log my dinner and any evening snack and then I will click the Complete Diary button.
3. The trigger or cue to remember to do my habit: When I am cleaning dinner table, I will fix my next day's meals. When I sit down with my husband at the end of the day, I will log my dinner and evening snack and close my diary.
4. How often will you do your new habit (daily is best if possible): Daily.
5. What reward will you immediately give yourself for doing your habit? I will high-5 myself and give myself mental Kudos as soon as I see the forecasted weight when completing my daily diary.
6. What help do you need from us? I don't think there is anything more that you can do that you don't already do! You all are so supportive! I need to just do it.
7. What does success look like to you at the end of August? At the end of August, I will have 18 days of food and nutritional data to look at to help me determine September's goal!
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This weekend will be tough for me. My husband and I are taking a trip down to see my stepdad and my mom so that we can say our "goodbyes" to my stepdad who has is on hospice and fading rather quickly. I am going to make journaling my goal, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I eat over my calories or junky food since I know we will be eating all our meals out. I will try to make the healthier choices, but I'm an emotional eater and this has been an incredibly difficult few months.
Prayers or positive thoughts for Paul not to suffer and for my mom (Suzanne) to find peace and strength when she needs it would be so very welcome during this time!
Love you all and have missed you like crazy! You are all rocking your goals this month! So much inspiration on here!
xxoo4 -
@PackerFanInGB I’m sorry about your stepdad. It will certainly be a tough weekend and more days ahead as well. I will be thinking of you and praying for you all.2
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PackerFanInGB wrote: »This weekend will be tough for me. My husband and I are taking a trip down to see my stepdad and my mom so that we can say our "goodbyes" to my stepdad who has is on hospice and fading rather quickly. I am going to make journaling my goal, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I eat over my calories or junky food since I know we will be eating all our meals out. I will try to make the healthier choices, but I'm an emotional eater and this has been an incredibly difficult few months.
Prayers or positive thoughts for Paul not to suffer and for my mom (Suzanne) to find peace and strength when she needs it would be so very welcome during this time!
Love you all and have missed you like crazy! You are all rocking your goals this month! So much inspiration on here!
xxoo
Many, many hugs and prayers to you and your family this weekend. We know how hard this will be for you and your Mom. We are sending you love, support, and prayers.
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