This is going to be a good challenge day. I'm a thinker. Okay, actually I'm an OVER thinker. I think how Bill Cosby summed up people like me is perfect: I'm an intellectual. "Intellectuals study what most people do naturally." So what happens when I study my daily habits?
First, I'd like to distinguish this from the Day 6 challenge to follow a morning routine. A routine is doing things in a similar manner, in a similar order, on a regular schedule. Daily habits are behaviors, the way we do things, and the why we do them like that. Habits can include things like putting things off vs doing them as soon as possible to get them out of the way. Always being late for things for some reason vs always being 15 minutes early for everything. Hitting a drive through on the way home vs cooking a healthy dinner from real ingredients. Spending days off doing physical things like going for a walk or hike or swimming vs watching television from the time you get home until bedtime every night.
My habits have their seasons, some good, and some bad. My bad habits tend to be putting off things like working on learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone when I'm having a stressful week, waking up so tired I just don't feel like I have the energy to do a workout, or running an out of the way errand I know can wait. Some people's habits may include drinking too often/much, smoking, eating unhealthy junk food, swearing, gossiping, being lazy, too much television, breaking commitments, letting people down, lying, cheating, etc. I think at one point in my life I've lived through each of these, some for a long season, some for a very short season, and others I still work on today.
My good habits include always (and I mean always) being early, not speaking my mind all the time and offending people, caring for others, being organized, eating healthy (I've been sugar and gluten free for a long time now and only on rare occasions like celebrations do I go completely "off plan"), and I love to learn, read, teach, and encourage others. There are many other good habits others have that I admire, like working hard at something until they've succeeded, travelling the world, run a successful Women's Ministry, volunteer to help strangers in need whether it's on the street, or in a shelter, or in a soup kitchen, and so many more.
After examining both the good and the bad habits, and staying focused on one of the minimalism goals to live simply, I've come to a conclusion many others have: If I really hate doing something, I'm not going to struggle with it on a daily basis. I will drop that which makes me unhappy. Instead I will focus on doing a better job or more of a better habit - like reading, studying, handling my household responsibilities, being a better friend, wife, Mom, etc. I want to be the best version of me so I need to take charge of my behaviors/habits. If I want to be well-informed so I have information to help and share with others, then reading and studying is a habit to keep. If living longer in better health means I'm around to enjoy my grandchildren and great grandchildren someday, then I will choose to eat better foods, exercise on a regular basis, and avoid excessive drinking, smoking, and taking drugs. If doing my best during the day requires a good night's sleep, and I know I don't usually have that, then I will make a habit to go to bed early so I have more opportunity to sleep.
Our habits and behaviors determine our future. Put in the time today because you're building your future. You don't want to look back 5, 10, or 20 years from now wishing you'd put better behaviors into practice years ago. The best time to begin a new good habit is 5 years ago. The second best time is now. What can you do better today to have a better tomorrow?
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Friday, July 14, 2017
Day 14: Take a Step Towards Learning a New Skill
Today's challenge is to take a step towards learning a new skill. Although I've been a really good cook (but I can't/don't bake) for years, I am learning how to step up my cooking skills. It all started when I saw a friend post a link to watch a free one hour cooking webinar with Chef Todd Mohr, who owns a series called Web Cooking Classes. Here's the link:
Web Cooking Classes
The one hour webinar was for real. He taught how to unlearn bad habits traditionally seen in home kitchens, and techniques passed down from home cooks to their kids and grandkids. He's very good at explaining why to use his techniques that he learned and has taught in Culinary school for decades. He's entertaining, informative, and very casual - this is about real food, not fancy things that aren't practical for every day.
After the one hour webinar, there's an offer to try his 16 week online classes, at your own pace. I forget how much it was, originally it was hundreds of dollars, far cheaper than the $40k they want for culinary school and far less time consuming. I had a friend send me a coupon code type of thing and I ended up with all his classes, plus a second set of classes that had another 16 more advanced videos plus another 16 videos in a third set, a free DVD on sauces mailed to my house, lots of extra bonus videos, printable sheets of what's taught in each session you can put in your own binder, and more. He even will respond to you within 24 hours when you leave a message on the board under each week's video, telling him what you tried making, how it came out, any questions you need answer, suggestions to altar the recipe shown, etc. I got all this with the code for just under $100 I think.
I have gotten so much value out of this course. The 1 thing I'm on right now as far as "a new skill" for today's challenge is on making homemade pasta. I won't go out and buy a pasta maker/press anytime soon, so not sure if I'll try making it or not, but it's a new skill I'm glad I have.
What new skill will you try in the near future? A new sport? A new type of fitness workout? A new language? A new musical instrument - or learning to read music? How to use a new computer program? A Do It Yourself project? Maybe try scrapbooking or card making? Leathercraft? Sewing, knitting, or crochet? Driving a motorcycle? Roller blading, ice skating, skiing, or long boarding? Sailing? There's an endless list of new things to try. What will you choose?
Web Cooking Classes
The one hour webinar was for real. He taught how to unlearn bad habits traditionally seen in home kitchens, and techniques passed down from home cooks to their kids and grandkids. He's very good at explaining why to use his techniques that he learned and has taught in Culinary school for decades. He's entertaining, informative, and very casual - this is about real food, not fancy things that aren't practical for every day.
After the one hour webinar, there's an offer to try his 16 week online classes, at your own pace. I forget how much it was, originally it was hundreds of dollars, far cheaper than the $40k they want for culinary school and far less time consuming. I had a friend send me a coupon code type of thing and I ended up with all his classes, plus a second set of classes that had another 16 more advanced videos plus another 16 videos in a third set, a free DVD on sauces mailed to my house, lots of extra bonus videos, printable sheets of what's taught in each session you can put in your own binder, and more. He even will respond to you within 24 hours when you leave a message on the board under each week's video, telling him what you tried making, how it came out, any questions you need answer, suggestions to altar the recipe shown, etc. I got all this with the code for just under $100 I think.
I have gotten so much value out of this course. The 1 thing I'm on right now as far as "a new skill" for today's challenge is on making homemade pasta. I won't go out and buy a pasta maker/press anytime soon, so not sure if I'll try making it or not, but it's a new skill I'm glad I have.
What new skill will you try in the near future? A new sport? A new type of fitness workout? A new language? A new musical instrument - or learning to read music? How to use a new computer program? A Do It Yourself project? Maybe try scrapbooking or card making? Leathercraft? Sewing, knitting, or crochet? Driving a motorcycle? Roller blading, ice skating, skiing, or long boarding? Sailing? There's an endless list of new things to try. What will you choose?
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Day 13: Clean out your closet
Today's challenge was a bit more challenging than usual. I've already cleaned out my closets around the house, done a first time bedroom closet a few months ago, but this challenge had me really go through my bedroom closet. That's where I keep all the memento type stuff. It was easy to get rid of an extra overnight case, my collectible Phantom of the Opera music boxes (since my daughter wanted all of them), unopened makeup I don't need, etc. The harder part was deciding what to do with among other things, stuff like my WEDDING DRESS from 25 years ago, and the first piece of ART that ever took my breath away, even though it was absolutely opposite of everything about me.
This time, it got real personal. I had to decide if I was getting rid of things just to get rid of them, or if I'd regret removing them from my world (although in the back of my closet I wasn't missing them), or if I really should hang onto them. How to decide?
To save time I'll just cover the two most important things mentioned above. With my wedding dress, I was hoping that Tim & I would have a little celebration for our 25th Anniversary, exchange rings we picked out together (our original set is gone and we both have very cheap quick fix rings), have a few family members and closest friends join us, wear my gown & his suit, and renew our vows. Well, when I asked Tim he didn't want to do any of that, so we're doing a cruise to the Southern Caribbean in September instead. Now the only reason to hold onto my dress was "just in case". Those words are what causes hoarding stuff in the first place. Even if we have it all neatly tucked here and there and organized, it's just organized hoarding more than we need. The only other reason to hold onto the dress would be for Jordan if she ever got married. Since she's absolutely sure at 19 yrs old that she has no interest in guys (or women), the thought of kissing is gross to her and she has the next 10+ years of her life planned out and they definitely do not include dating anyone - let alone getting married, so no need to save the dress for her. I was thinking of offering it to my younger son's fiancee when they got engaged but she found the perfect dress near her house right off the bat, so no need there. My oldest son has a "type" when he dates. Usually she's between 5'10" and 6' 1" and super, model-thin. That's just his type, and it's what he looks like too, so I guess that makes sense. Anyway, no one he dates will need a dress that's a size 12/14.
What to do with it? I don't want to just drop it off at Goodwill. I've kept it in an air-tight professional box tucked into tarp-thickness plastic to keep it bright white looking like new. I found a few places locally that take donated wedding gowns and cut them up to sew gowns for newborns that either were a miscarriage a few months too soon, or were stillborn. It saves the parent(s) the heartbreak of having to shop for something expensive at the worst time in their lives. That's a good cause I can get behind. My gown could be enough material for 12 - 15 gowns for those babies. Now I have no problem getting rid of it.
As for the piece of art, it's something I can't explain. I was in the thrift store next to the tea house where I used to work and when I saw it, it stopped me in my tracks. I don't know what it was, but it hit my soul like no other piece of art ever had. Here's what it looks like.
Now anyone that knows me knows I'm so NOT into western/cowboy stuff. I made serious attempts several times and it just is not who I am. But this pencil art piece has so much depth, such realism, such emotion, it stirs something in me every time I see it. The one odd thing about it is that it reminds me of Logan. I don't know how to explain it, but especially the hands. I thought about buying it for months, started saving a little to buy it, then we had to move 200 miles away. I thought about and regretted not buying it all the time. I came back to town for a long weekend to help out at the tea house and see my friends/church family. I decided I'd go in and buy the picture if it was still there. After 7 months, if it was there, it was meant to be, right? Well I went in and it was gone. I was so sad, deeply regretting waiting. I couldn't imagine not having it. It just felt like it was supposed to be mine. (Seriously, I've never felt this way about any material thing before or since.) At the end of the weekend, my closest friend from work said she got me something for Christmas. I had gotten her something but having been without jobs for 7 months, we were broke, so all I got her were 3 books that were very important to helping me change to become a better person, complete with my highlights on the most important points. I gave her those with the explanation that I wanted to share what changed me and hoped she'd find value in them as well. She was grateful and understood where we were at, but then she gave me her gift..........she had gone into the shop after I moved figuring someday she'd see me again and give it to me. When she pulled it out of her car to hand it to me, I couldn't even take it. I started crying, not really even knowing why. I couldn't stop thanking her over and over. Obviously she knew how much it meant to me - and she's that wonderful type of person who knows people's deepest thoughts and wants. I hope my hug expressed how thankful I was.
When I look at this, I feel like I do when I see a picture of him. I love the gray mat, the gray wood frame, the details. We even had Logan duplicate this once:
Granted, he wasn't outside sitting on a knapsack by an old fence, but again, something about the hands, how low he hangs his head, the size of his arms, to me the picture looks like Logan.
Anyway, it would be hard to part with it entirely, but I know it'll never go with any of my home decor. Nothing in my world is western style. So what should I do with it? Logan is getting married in a little over 60 days. He'll have his first home. I'm gifting it to him for his family to enjoy through the years. Now I have no problem letting it go - it's going where it belongs.
So although letting go of once precious things that no longer need to be kept in closets, attics, and basements can be hard at first, if you find the right home for them, it becomes a wonderful letting go experience. You can feel good that you found it not just a home, not just a good home, but the right home.
This time, it got real personal. I had to decide if I was getting rid of things just to get rid of them, or if I'd regret removing them from my world (although in the back of my closet I wasn't missing them), or if I really should hang onto them. How to decide?
To save time I'll just cover the two most important things mentioned above. With my wedding dress, I was hoping that Tim & I would have a little celebration for our 25th Anniversary, exchange rings we picked out together (our original set is gone and we both have very cheap quick fix rings), have a few family members and closest friends join us, wear my gown & his suit, and renew our vows. Well, when I asked Tim he didn't want to do any of that, so we're doing a cruise to the Southern Caribbean in September instead. Now the only reason to hold onto my dress was "just in case". Those words are what causes hoarding stuff in the first place. Even if we have it all neatly tucked here and there and organized, it's just organized hoarding more than we need. The only other reason to hold onto the dress would be for Jordan if she ever got married. Since she's absolutely sure at 19 yrs old that she has no interest in guys (or women), the thought of kissing is gross to her and she has the next 10+ years of her life planned out and they definitely do not include dating anyone - let alone getting married, so no need to save the dress for her. I was thinking of offering it to my younger son's fiancee when they got engaged but she found the perfect dress near her house right off the bat, so no need there. My oldest son has a "type" when he dates. Usually she's between 5'10" and 6' 1" and super, model-thin. That's just his type, and it's what he looks like too, so I guess that makes sense. Anyway, no one he dates will need a dress that's a size 12/14.
What to do with it? I don't want to just drop it off at Goodwill. I've kept it in an air-tight professional box tucked into tarp-thickness plastic to keep it bright white looking like new. I found a few places locally that take donated wedding gowns and cut them up to sew gowns for newborns that either were a miscarriage a few months too soon, or were stillborn. It saves the parent(s) the heartbreak of having to shop for something expensive at the worst time in their lives. That's a good cause I can get behind. My gown could be enough material for 12 - 15 gowns for those babies. Now I have no problem getting rid of it.
As for the piece of art, it's something I can't explain. I was in the thrift store next to the tea house where I used to work and when I saw it, it stopped me in my tracks. I don't know what it was, but it hit my soul like no other piece of art ever had. Here's what it looks like.
Now anyone that knows me knows I'm so NOT into western/cowboy stuff. I made serious attempts several times and it just is not who I am. But this pencil art piece has so much depth, such realism, such emotion, it stirs something in me every time I see it. The one odd thing about it is that it reminds me of Logan. I don't know how to explain it, but especially the hands. I thought about buying it for months, started saving a little to buy it, then we had to move 200 miles away. I thought about and regretted not buying it all the time. I came back to town for a long weekend to help out at the tea house and see my friends/church family. I decided I'd go in and buy the picture if it was still there. After 7 months, if it was there, it was meant to be, right? Well I went in and it was gone. I was so sad, deeply regretting waiting. I couldn't imagine not having it. It just felt like it was supposed to be mine. (Seriously, I've never felt this way about any material thing before or since.) At the end of the weekend, my closest friend from work said she got me something for Christmas. I had gotten her something but having been without jobs for 7 months, we were broke, so all I got her were 3 books that were very important to helping me change to become a better person, complete with my highlights on the most important points. I gave her those with the explanation that I wanted to share what changed me and hoped she'd find value in them as well. She was grateful and understood where we were at, but then she gave me her gift..........she had gone into the shop after I moved figuring someday she'd see me again and give it to me. When she pulled it out of her car to hand it to me, I couldn't even take it. I started crying, not really even knowing why. I couldn't stop thanking her over and over. Obviously she knew how much it meant to me - and she's that wonderful type of person who knows people's deepest thoughts and wants. I hope my hug expressed how thankful I was.
When I look at this, I feel like I do when I see a picture of him. I love the gray mat, the gray wood frame, the details. We even had Logan duplicate this once:
Granted, he wasn't outside sitting on a knapsack by an old fence, but again, something about the hands, how low he hangs his head, the size of his arms, to me the picture looks like Logan.
Anyway, it would be hard to part with it entirely, but I know it'll never go with any of my home decor. Nothing in my world is western style. So what should I do with it? Logan is getting married in a little over 60 days. He'll have his first home. I'm gifting it to him for his family to enjoy through the years. Now I have no problem letting it go - it's going where it belongs.
So although letting go of once precious things that no longer need to be kept in closets, attics, and basements can be hard at first, if you find the right home for them, it becomes a wonderful letting go experience. You can feel good that you found it not just a home, not just a good home, but the right home.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Day 12: Define your goals for this year.
January 1st I always write down things I want to do, learn, accomplish, and more. It's like I get a clean slate for the new year and I want to at least begin the year intentionally. For today's challenge I had to go over what I wrote in January and evaluate them, consider what I've changed my mind about, and what I plan on continuing to work on through December 31st. Here's what I've got:
1. Health - My goal wasn't a number on the scale or a particular size. It was to add regular workouts to my weeks and months so that by the end of the year, I'll be healthier, have more stamina, and be stronger.
Evaluation: I took time off in June from exercising. Life was busy. I was travelling, although I walked many miles during my vacation. I have continued to workout 4 times a week minimum since then. I notice I have lost a little weight, I lost some off my body fat percentage, I've lost a few inches, and I fit in clothes I didn't fit in back in January. I feel like I'm stronger since I can do the regular exercises instead of just the beginner level ones. I don't have to quit or stop until the workout is done, so stamina and endurance are increasing as well. This is a good goal to keep pursuing.
2. Relationships - My goal was to go to lunch once a month with a friend or family member to talk about them, how they're doing, how I can add value to their life by help or resources (where to find the answers they need).
Evaluation: I think I've only done this 2 times in the past 6 1/2 months with the exception of while I was on vacation getting caught up with long-distance relatives and friends. I don't know if every month works so I'll change this goal to "as needed" or at least, keep it flexible. Sometimes I find other moments to share and listen with people, usually at church before or after a study or sermon. That can be a good replacement if it's genuine and not superficial. Also, I've been invited to join a group of about 6 - 8 particular ladies that go to lunch after church once a month, so that helps me keep on track.
3. Growing - I've always been a student of learning life and people skills. My original plan involved learning Spanish, which I kept up for about 5 months then in June, my schedule didn't really allow the time and head work necessary. I also planned to read at least 20 books.
Evaluation - Spanish may be on hold, or just when I can shut everything else down for a while to get my head into it. I've reached the point where the program is teaching all brand new things with lots of conversational exercises and little instruction as to what they want when there's many options to pick from. It got very frustrating so I put it on hold for a while. As for reading, I've definitely read half the books at this year's half way point. I'm also reading lots of free ebooks which generally take me about an hour so not sure how to count those since they're 60-80 pages, but not quite a traditional "book". Either way, I'll keep reading like I always do. I'm devouring books on Minimalism right now.
4. Finances - The goal was to pay off at least 1 credit card (we only own 2), pay for our 25th Anniversary trip 3 months before we leave, and build up savings.
Evaluation: Although we did pay off 1 credit card and pay for our trip early as planned, a lot changed after January 1st. Logan got engaged and our wedding gift was the 2 airline tickets to get them to Texas to board their cruise ship for the honeymoon. On top of that, we decided that rather than have me work a part-time job at minimum wage, I'm going back to school for a psychology degree/counseling so in a few short years I can have a whole new career helping women. We didn't plan for college expenses but the first two years are under $6000 total. We also found out my mother and brother would need a new place to live before Halloween since their apartment complex got taken over by a company wishing to raise rents high enough people have to leave, then they can renovate them and charge a lot more to new people. We made the decision that we're in the best position to help them so we're moving them in with us about two weeks before the wedding. That meant 2 more airline tickets, and a few things like beds, dressers, etc. for when they get here. Finances were more complicated than we expected, but they're better than I would've guessed they would be 4 months ago. Tim was smart and figured a few things out to reduce what we owe on the house, how to lower our payment, and how to save thousands on interest. I guess now that the big stuff is out of the way, it's all about staying on track to pay off the last bit on the credit card and resume building our savings.
5. Charity/Outreach/Giving Back - My goal in January was to start a small group once a week for women at church that need a small, intimate group where they can share their troubles and frustrations, get support and encouragement, and learn more about life, God, the bible, and faith in the process. I also wondered if there was an outreach or community place to volunteer but nothing has popped up that I felt led to do yet.
Evaluation: Our small group is doing great. We generally have 4 or 5 of us, soon adding a 6th I hope. As for volunteering, still nothing although my mother mentioned when she's here at Thanksgiving, maybe we could volunteer at a soup kitchen or something serving others. If she'll do it with me, I'll do that. Who knows where it may lead. Also, I'm a part of a new growing church now so I'll be watching to see what opportunities I may have through them as well.
Did you set goals back in January? What if you did right now? Could you set ones for August, giving yourself a few weeks to plan ahead, gather anything you may need (I needed workout CDs and some basic inexpensive equipment), etc? If you set new goals, please share in a comment what they are!
1. Health - My goal wasn't a number on the scale or a particular size. It was to add regular workouts to my weeks and months so that by the end of the year, I'll be healthier, have more stamina, and be stronger.
Evaluation: I took time off in June from exercising. Life was busy. I was travelling, although I walked many miles during my vacation. I have continued to workout 4 times a week minimum since then. I notice I have lost a little weight, I lost some off my body fat percentage, I've lost a few inches, and I fit in clothes I didn't fit in back in January. I feel like I'm stronger since I can do the regular exercises instead of just the beginner level ones. I don't have to quit or stop until the workout is done, so stamina and endurance are increasing as well. This is a good goal to keep pursuing.
2. Relationships - My goal was to go to lunch once a month with a friend or family member to talk about them, how they're doing, how I can add value to their life by help or resources (where to find the answers they need).
Evaluation: I think I've only done this 2 times in the past 6 1/2 months with the exception of while I was on vacation getting caught up with long-distance relatives and friends. I don't know if every month works so I'll change this goal to "as needed" or at least, keep it flexible. Sometimes I find other moments to share and listen with people, usually at church before or after a study or sermon. That can be a good replacement if it's genuine and not superficial. Also, I've been invited to join a group of about 6 - 8 particular ladies that go to lunch after church once a month, so that helps me keep on track.
3. Growing - I've always been a student of learning life and people skills. My original plan involved learning Spanish, which I kept up for about 5 months then in June, my schedule didn't really allow the time and head work necessary. I also planned to read at least 20 books.
Evaluation - Spanish may be on hold, or just when I can shut everything else down for a while to get my head into it. I've reached the point where the program is teaching all brand new things with lots of conversational exercises and little instruction as to what they want when there's many options to pick from. It got very frustrating so I put it on hold for a while. As for reading, I've definitely read half the books at this year's half way point. I'm also reading lots of free ebooks which generally take me about an hour so not sure how to count those since they're 60-80 pages, but not quite a traditional "book". Either way, I'll keep reading like I always do. I'm devouring books on Minimalism right now.
4. Finances - The goal was to pay off at least 1 credit card (we only own 2), pay for our 25th Anniversary trip 3 months before we leave, and build up savings.
Evaluation: Although we did pay off 1 credit card and pay for our trip early as planned, a lot changed after January 1st. Logan got engaged and our wedding gift was the 2 airline tickets to get them to Texas to board their cruise ship for the honeymoon. On top of that, we decided that rather than have me work a part-time job at minimum wage, I'm going back to school for a psychology degree/counseling so in a few short years I can have a whole new career helping women. We didn't plan for college expenses but the first two years are under $6000 total. We also found out my mother and brother would need a new place to live before Halloween since their apartment complex got taken over by a company wishing to raise rents high enough people have to leave, then they can renovate them and charge a lot more to new people. We made the decision that we're in the best position to help them so we're moving them in with us about two weeks before the wedding. That meant 2 more airline tickets, and a few things like beds, dressers, etc. for when they get here. Finances were more complicated than we expected, but they're better than I would've guessed they would be 4 months ago. Tim was smart and figured a few things out to reduce what we owe on the house, how to lower our payment, and how to save thousands on interest. I guess now that the big stuff is out of the way, it's all about staying on track to pay off the last bit on the credit card and resume building our savings.
5. Charity/Outreach/Giving Back - My goal in January was to start a small group once a week for women at church that need a small, intimate group where they can share their troubles and frustrations, get support and encouragement, and learn more about life, God, the bible, and faith in the process. I also wondered if there was an outreach or community place to volunteer but nothing has popped up that I felt led to do yet.
Evaluation: Our small group is doing great. We generally have 4 or 5 of us, soon adding a 6th I hope. As for volunteering, still nothing although my mother mentioned when she's here at Thanksgiving, maybe we could volunteer at a soup kitchen or something serving others. If she'll do it with me, I'll do that. Who knows where it may lead. Also, I'm a part of a new growing church now so I'll be watching to see what opportunities I may have through them as well.
Did you set goals back in January? What if you did right now? Could you set ones for August, giving yourself a few weeks to plan ahead, gather anything you may need (I needed workout CDs and some basic inexpensive equipment), etc? If you set new goals, please share in a comment what they are!
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Day 11: Evaluate your commitments
Why are we all so busy so often? The answer lies in the number of things we say yes to and the number of things to which we say no. Today is a chance to evaluate my commitments.
Sunday - I go to church Sunday mornings. I have for most of my adult life. I only skip it if I'm out of town. It gives my week a good focus - what to try to do better, how to see others, how I can be useful to help others, etc. This one stays.
Monday - I teach a small group of women in a very intimate, honest, open, non-judgmental setting. These are my closest friends who know me better than any of my other friends. We're not just studying together, we're "doing life" together. We're there for each other through the good and the bad. This one stays.
In a few weeks, I'm going back to college after 30 years! I'll be going straight from my small group to the college from about noon til six, so that's a commitment that's not really flexible and I will keep.
Tuesday - I begin each week at my church's Women's Bible Studies. It's not only where I can be a student and learn from mentors and other ladies, but it also is where I get to know people on a deeper level that there's no time for as we pass in the hallway on a Sunday morning. Since my heart and passion is in Women's Ministry, this stays. Without it, I'm no good the rest of the week.
Wednesday - the first day of the week I get to stay home (usually). It's my day to get caught up on cleaning, computer things that need to be taken care of, work on improving myself and my skills, and I get to see if I'm on track for the week. I need this day without commitments, so this one has to stay commitment free.
In a few weeks, when I start college, I'll be going Mon. and Wed. from noon til six, so I'll probably commit Wed. mornings to homework & studying, and classes for the afternoon. Hopefully evenings will be a little time for relaxing.
Thursday - usually this is the day I plan the next week's menu, finalize the grocery list, pay the bills, balance the checkbook, and figure out what, if any, plans need to come together for the weekend. Sometimes it's picking Tim or Logan up for their home time. That's a 90 minute commitment or more right there. Sometimes I get part of the grocery shopping done before the stores are crowded on Fridays. If it's spring or fall, you may find I take a few hours to go to Spring Training baseball practice as either the Diamondbacks or the Cubs field, or I'm watching prospects in a Fall Ball game. This is a flexible commitment day depending on the week - a good way to keep it.
Friday - all grocery shopping is finalized, the checkbook is balanced again, errands get done, and then I take whatever's left over and split it between things like savings, upcoming travel plans, paying off any credit card debt we may have at the time. It's also a chance to do some of the more irregular cleaning like washing the floors with a good mopping, or washing the towels, or doing yard work, or washing the sheets. Again it's a day I keep flexible, and it should stay that way. If I plan on doing lunch with a friend, often I do it on a Friday.
Saturday - my most flexible day - it could be cleaning, resting after a busy week, spending it with Tim or the rest of the family if they're here, or shopping for something I need before the new week. I like the flexibility of it. It's staying that way.
Go through your own week and figure out if the commitments you have are important, or just something you do because you feel you "should" or someone else thinks you should. Decide if it's really what you want or need, then make your own evaluation & decisions. Good luck.
Sunday - I go to church Sunday mornings. I have for most of my adult life. I only skip it if I'm out of town. It gives my week a good focus - what to try to do better, how to see others, how I can be useful to help others, etc. This one stays.
Monday - I teach a small group of women in a very intimate, honest, open, non-judgmental setting. These are my closest friends who know me better than any of my other friends. We're not just studying together, we're "doing life" together. We're there for each other through the good and the bad. This one stays.
In a few weeks, I'm going back to college after 30 years! I'll be going straight from my small group to the college from about noon til six, so that's a commitment that's not really flexible and I will keep.
Tuesday - I begin each week at my church's Women's Bible Studies. It's not only where I can be a student and learn from mentors and other ladies, but it also is where I get to know people on a deeper level that there's no time for as we pass in the hallway on a Sunday morning. Since my heart and passion is in Women's Ministry, this stays. Without it, I'm no good the rest of the week.
Wednesday - the first day of the week I get to stay home (usually). It's my day to get caught up on cleaning, computer things that need to be taken care of, work on improving myself and my skills, and I get to see if I'm on track for the week. I need this day without commitments, so this one has to stay commitment free.
In a few weeks, when I start college, I'll be going Mon. and Wed. from noon til six, so I'll probably commit Wed. mornings to homework & studying, and classes for the afternoon. Hopefully evenings will be a little time for relaxing.
Thursday - usually this is the day I plan the next week's menu, finalize the grocery list, pay the bills, balance the checkbook, and figure out what, if any, plans need to come together for the weekend. Sometimes it's picking Tim or Logan up for their home time. That's a 90 minute commitment or more right there. Sometimes I get part of the grocery shopping done before the stores are crowded on Fridays. If it's spring or fall, you may find I take a few hours to go to Spring Training baseball practice as either the Diamondbacks or the Cubs field, or I'm watching prospects in a Fall Ball game. This is a flexible commitment day depending on the week - a good way to keep it.
Friday - all grocery shopping is finalized, the checkbook is balanced again, errands get done, and then I take whatever's left over and split it between things like savings, upcoming travel plans, paying off any credit card debt we may have at the time. It's also a chance to do some of the more irregular cleaning like washing the floors with a good mopping, or washing the towels, or doing yard work, or washing the sheets. Again it's a day I keep flexible, and it should stay that way. If I plan on doing lunch with a friend, often I do it on a Friday.
Saturday - my most flexible day - it could be cleaning, resting after a busy week, spending it with Tim or the rest of the family if they're here, or shopping for something I need before the new week. I like the flexibility of it. It's staying that way.
Go through your own week and figure out if the commitments you have are important, or just something you do because you feel you "should" or someone else thinks you should. Decide if it's really what you want or need, then make your own evaluation & decisions. Good luck.
Monday, July 10, 2017
Day 10: No Email or Social Media until after lunch
Well this will be short. This challenge fell on a Monday, perfect for me. I get up, make breakfast & get ready to go facilitate a Women's Small Group at church. Since I leave around 8:30 in the morning and don't get home until lunch time, this was easy. Not much else to say. On a day when I'm home all day it may have been harder, or if I had a job where I needed to check email for work, I'd have to - but maybe don't open non-work related emails and don't get on FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc. until your lunch break?
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Days 8 & 9 Challenges
Yesterday was Day 8 and the daily minimalist challenge was Learn to Enjoy Solitude. I have no problem with that one most of the time. I love the quiet. I woke up yesterday when I was done sleeping (which lately involves waking up at 5 am, doing a few things, and going back to bed from 6:30 to about 8am). I immediately went to do my workout. If I start it quickly after waking, I'm already half-way through it before I have a chance to tell myself I really don't want to do it today. After the workout, I took a cold shower to cool down, got dressed, and did my hair and makeup for the day. Then I read in a great book from my list, had a cup of coffee and eased into my morning.
Around 11 I had a friend of a friend swing by to pick up a chemistry set I was giving away. He and his wife have 8 kids from ages 4 or so to about 23, I'm sure they'll have fun with it. After that, I made myself a brunch type meal, a bowl of refried & black beans, pico de gallo, and lowfat sour cream. I ate it watching a show I love but DVR'd called "The Kitchen". All morning, I was having minimal interaction with anyone and it was okay. Very peaceful.
In the afternoon I again got time alone because I was decluttering more of the office/craft room, which is more of a catch all for everyone's crafts. I have made a decision that even surprised me. I'm done with scrapbooking (I think). I am donating everything related to it, my papers, scissors, stickers, embellishments, stamps, punches, everything. I realized moving here that I have so many albums already that moving them, and finding space for them, is too much. The kids are all grown and don't usually take or show me pictures of where they go, what they do, or who they're with, so there's much less reason to scrapbook. If I pick it up in the future, then fine, maybe it'll all be digital albums, but I'm actually relieved to not have so much stuff lying around that I'm not using. I'm donating it to a library for their billboards & children's art classes they do. At least someone will be getting good use out of the stuff.
Also I'm giving away about 2 dozen "old" books I've held onto. Many are from between 1882 and the 1930s. They may be worth $5 - $40 each in a collector's hands, but there's so few around since the demand for hard copy books (as opposed to digital) is fading quickly. I'm giving them to a friend who adores and cherishes books. She can keep them, read and pass them one, or she can donate to her local library since sometimes they don't have a big budget to get enough.
After the afternoon was just about gone, I settled in to a light supper and to watch baseball. I ended up going to bed early and just recording the last 2 innings - just in case something good happened late in the game.
So I would say most of my day was spent in solitude, but it was spent quietly, doing intentional thing, simplifying my life even more, and feeling good that I'm passing on things from which others can find value. It was a very good day of solitude for me.
Day 9 challenge: Downsize Your Beauty Collection
Again, I've already done 80% of this or more over the past few months but I'll be going through it again. I need 2 or 3 lipsticks, not 10. I need one eye shadow tray with multiple colors and maybe just 2 of my favorites on their own. I don't need 10 makeup brushes, I get by with 3. One mascara is enough so it's never too old. I don't wear eyeliner often anymore so 1 is enough. I have liquid makeup which I don't need to wear much anymore since I find Revlon's Photo Ready pressed powder does a great job, but I'll hang onto a little of that for special occasions. That's about it. Nail polish I wear more now than I have in the past 10 years, but doing dishes everyday, I still don't wear it often. I may keep my top 5 favorites, but not all of it. If I don't love it enough to wear it often, why hang onto it until it's old and clumpy and throw it away THEN? Do it now.
I have hair that's hard to take care of since it's naturally curly. It tends to be dry, frizzy, and curls often decide to go in directions other than I would choose. I do need a small amount of products to tame it depending on the weather, temperature, and humidity levels. I'll hang onto mousse for curly hair, some gel, some finishing spritz spray, and one of those root touch up products. I don't need to hang onto lots of extra kits, masques, cremes, and treatments to add moisture. I'll use the ones I think actually work over the next week and toss out the rest. Use it or lose it.
Every girl needs 1 or 2 good razors, shaving cream, and a good lotion to put on her legs - but not much else. I'll keep my 2 deodorants, one I use every day and a smaller one for when I travel. I do have a small collection of trial size stuff leftover from my last trip but I'll use them up when I travel again in September. After that, any leftover can be tossed since I have no major travel plans in the near future after that - especially if I'm going to be in school again, and who knows? maybe working a part-time job at some point too.
That's about all I have left. I do have a few facial products/lotions, less than 5, that I do use on a daily basis so I'll keep those. Anything else I find in the back of the cabinet gets tossed.
The last part of this isn't really about beauty products, it's more pharmaceuticals. I keep a shelf of stuff normally in a medicine cabinet but I gave ours to Tim for his stuff since there's more room in my shelves. I plan on moving them to some type of shelf or else one of those small multi-drawer plastic bins to sort them a bit so everyone can find what they need without having to dig through stuff all in one box. And that's that. I expect I'll have lots more space when I'm through today. Maybe I can use that space for towels so we're not always reaching under the sink for them.
Good luck if you too are decluttering your beauty products. If not, why not try it this month as a first step to getting rid of things that are old, that you don't need nor use anymore?
Around 11 I had a friend of a friend swing by to pick up a chemistry set I was giving away. He and his wife have 8 kids from ages 4 or so to about 23, I'm sure they'll have fun with it. After that, I made myself a brunch type meal, a bowl of refried & black beans, pico de gallo, and lowfat sour cream. I ate it watching a show I love but DVR'd called "The Kitchen". All morning, I was having minimal interaction with anyone and it was okay. Very peaceful.
In the afternoon I again got time alone because I was decluttering more of the office/craft room, which is more of a catch all for everyone's crafts. I have made a decision that even surprised me. I'm done with scrapbooking (I think). I am donating everything related to it, my papers, scissors, stickers, embellishments, stamps, punches, everything. I realized moving here that I have so many albums already that moving them, and finding space for them, is too much. The kids are all grown and don't usually take or show me pictures of where they go, what they do, or who they're with, so there's much less reason to scrapbook. If I pick it up in the future, then fine, maybe it'll all be digital albums, but I'm actually relieved to not have so much stuff lying around that I'm not using. I'm donating it to a library for their billboards & children's art classes they do. At least someone will be getting good use out of the stuff.
Also I'm giving away about 2 dozen "old" books I've held onto. Many are from between 1882 and the 1930s. They may be worth $5 - $40 each in a collector's hands, but there's so few around since the demand for hard copy books (as opposed to digital) is fading quickly. I'm giving them to a friend who adores and cherishes books. She can keep them, read and pass them one, or she can donate to her local library since sometimes they don't have a big budget to get enough.
After the afternoon was just about gone, I settled in to a light supper and to watch baseball. I ended up going to bed early and just recording the last 2 innings - just in case something good happened late in the game.
So I would say most of my day was spent in solitude, but it was spent quietly, doing intentional thing, simplifying my life even more, and feeling good that I'm passing on things from which others can find value. It was a very good day of solitude for me.
Day 9 challenge: Downsize Your Beauty Collection
Again, I've already done 80% of this or more over the past few months but I'll be going through it again. I need 2 or 3 lipsticks, not 10. I need one eye shadow tray with multiple colors and maybe just 2 of my favorites on their own. I don't need 10 makeup brushes, I get by with 3. One mascara is enough so it's never too old. I don't wear eyeliner often anymore so 1 is enough. I have liquid makeup which I don't need to wear much anymore since I find Revlon's Photo Ready pressed powder does a great job, but I'll hang onto a little of that for special occasions. That's about it. Nail polish I wear more now than I have in the past 10 years, but doing dishes everyday, I still don't wear it often. I may keep my top 5 favorites, but not all of it. If I don't love it enough to wear it often, why hang onto it until it's old and clumpy and throw it away THEN? Do it now.
I have hair that's hard to take care of since it's naturally curly. It tends to be dry, frizzy, and curls often decide to go in directions other than I would choose. I do need a small amount of products to tame it depending on the weather, temperature, and humidity levels. I'll hang onto mousse for curly hair, some gel, some finishing spritz spray, and one of those root touch up products. I don't need to hang onto lots of extra kits, masques, cremes, and treatments to add moisture. I'll use the ones I think actually work over the next week and toss out the rest. Use it or lose it.
Every girl needs 1 or 2 good razors, shaving cream, and a good lotion to put on her legs - but not much else. I'll keep my 2 deodorants, one I use every day and a smaller one for when I travel. I do have a small collection of trial size stuff leftover from my last trip but I'll use them up when I travel again in September. After that, any leftover can be tossed since I have no major travel plans in the near future after that - especially if I'm going to be in school again, and who knows? maybe working a part-time job at some point too.
That's about all I have left. I do have a few facial products/lotions, less than 5, that I do use on a daily basis so I'll keep those. Anything else I find in the back of the cabinet gets tossed.
The last part of this isn't really about beauty products, it's more pharmaceuticals. I keep a shelf of stuff normally in a medicine cabinet but I gave ours to Tim for his stuff since there's more room in my shelves. I plan on moving them to some type of shelf or else one of those small multi-drawer plastic bins to sort them a bit so everyone can find what they need without having to dig through stuff all in one box. And that's that. I expect I'll have lots more space when I'm through today. Maybe I can use that space for towels so we're not always reaching under the sink for them.
Good luck if you too are decluttering your beauty products. If not, why not try it this month as a first step to getting rid of things that are old, that you don't need nor use anymore?
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