I'm a multitasker. Not sure if it's natural or a learned behavior out of necessity, but I am a multitasker. If I'm watching tv, which is rare outside of baseball season anyway, I'm also either answering messages on my phone or doing a sudoku puzzle as well. If I'm on my computer doing something, I've usually got a podcast playing in the background. If I'm teaching a class, I'm thinking about the material, the other related material I read wondering if it's relevant to share it, and planning for the next session. If I'm grocery shopping, I'm also calculating my grand total, comparing what I'm buying to what foods I have issues with (according to my Alcat test results), what meals they'll make, and will those meals still be "on plan" for my way of eating. I rarely single task. In fact, if I try to single task, like reading, or just watching tv, I will usually fall asleep.
Today's challenge made me really stop, think, and focus on what I was doing all day. During the study I facilitate on Mondays, I was extra careful to focus on what everyone was saying. I always do anyway, but today I did it with a clear purposeful decision to not allow stray thoughts as I listened. I wasn't worried about the next question, or notes I want to share on the next page, or calculating how much time we have left compared to how many more pages we should get through. Results? I once again realize how deeply I cherish each woman in that group, and how much more I want to pray for them throughout the week.
When I was with my daughter dropping of something at her college, I was in the moment with her. I was listening to what she was saying, ready to help with anything I could, and find some way to encourage and validate her and her emotions. We didn't argue over differences of opinion like we sometimes do.
I took my son and his fiancee to lunch for great Greek food at a place I found near the house. During that time, we didn't talk much about the upcoming wedding, his next trip (he leaves tonight), or anything else. We just focused on enjoying a fantastic meal together.
I'm supposed to go shopping later, my least favorite thing. Nothing fun, just a trip to WalMart so it can be one stop shopping. I plan on bringing a list and sticking to only what's on it. Deciding ahead of time I need nothing that isn't on that list will make the trip single focused, no stressing over, "Should I buy it or not?"
Maybe it's time I learn that I don't have to multitask. I may get more done, but if no one thing is done well, why bother? Most things can wait a bit anyway, then there's less down time and boredom in between spurts of crazy busyness.
If you decided to slow down and single task, what could you do or enjoy better?
Monday, July 17, 2017
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Minimalist Challenge Day 16: Don't Buy Anything for 24 hours
This one again fell on a good day, unless you count what my husband bought today. He's leaving for his next trip so he needed to restock his semi truck for the next 19 days. He bought his groceries, but I didn't also pick up anything for me or for the house while I was in the store. He put gas in the car that's taking him to his truck and back, although it's in my daughter's car, and she'll use the rest of it, I will be in it for one trip tomorrow. Not sure if that counts or not. Maybe not?
Since today is Sunday, I don't stop anywhere before or after. We typically don't go out to lunch after unless it's for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary or something. Sunday afternoons I don't buy anything unless it's online or maybe a pizza delivered if everyone's home. Today I need nothing.
If this fell on a Thurs. or Fri. though, I'd have to postpone my grocery shopping. If I worked a regular job and this fell on a weekday, I may be in the habit of getting a coffee at a Dunkin' Donuts on the way in, or buying a lunch somewhere on break, or picking up something fast for dinner - so I understand people's days and situations are different. Maybe if you need to you could switch out a few days of the challenge?
If you didn't buy anything for the next 24 hours either today or tomorrow, what would you have to avoid?
By the way, I love comments on here. I'd love to interact with some of you reading/following this challenge - especially if it's helped you even with one thing or just one day.
Since today is Sunday, I don't stop anywhere before or after. We typically don't go out to lunch after unless it's for a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary or something. Sunday afternoons I don't buy anything unless it's online or maybe a pizza delivered if everyone's home. Today I need nothing.
If this fell on a Thurs. or Fri. though, I'd have to postpone my grocery shopping. If I worked a regular job and this fell on a weekday, I may be in the habit of getting a coffee at a Dunkin' Donuts on the way in, or buying a lunch somewhere on break, or picking up something fast for dinner - so I understand people's days and situations are different. Maybe if you need to you could switch out a few days of the challenge?
If you didn't buy anything for the next 24 hours either today or tomorrow, what would you have to avoid?
By the way, I love comments on here. I'd love to interact with some of you reading/following this challenge - especially if it's helped you even with one thing or just one day.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Minimalism Challenge Day 15: Examine your daily habits
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?
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?
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?
Friday, July 7, 2017
Day 7: Streamlining My Reading List
Today's challenge is easy. I love to read, but don't always take the time to pursue books I want to read. I'm more likely to either come across one that seems interesting, or else I read something new by an author I already know and like. I spent quite a bit of time checking out books to read and I've come up with a few good ones. Here's my recommendations:
Although I already have read these (finishing up the 3rd one in the next 2 days), I highly recommend them if you have ever thought about learning more about Minimalism. It looks different for everyone, based on your family size, values, relationships, space available, living quarters, square footage available, passions, etc. I generally wouldn't recommend books here that use some bad language, I believe if you can skip over the occasional bad language, you could get quite a bit of value from these. (And no, it's not just all over the place, it's mostly for real emphasis, about a PG-13 rating.) All 3 of these books are written by The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus.
Although I already have read these (finishing up the 3rd one in the next 2 days), I highly recommend them if you have ever thought about learning more about Minimalism. It looks different for everyone, based on your family size, values, relationships, space available, living quarters, square footage available, passions, etc. I generally wouldn't recommend books here that use some bad language, I believe if you can skip over the occasional bad language, you could get quite a bit of value from these. (And no, it's not just all over the place, it's mostly for real emphasis, about a PG-13 rating.) All 3 of these books are written by The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus.
After reading these, I pursued a few other books. Some were on minimalism also to get other people's perspective. Some were Christian books, both fiction and non-fiction, and some were on other topics. Here's what's on my To Do reading list:
1. Waking Up to Who You Really Are by Ted Dekker
2. The Happiness of Simple by Dan Erickson (free on Amazon Prime kindle version)
3. Daily Wisdom for Women - it's a January 2015 devotional collection by Barbour Books
4. Minimalism (A minimalist guide to eliminate clutter, clear the mind, and increase productivity) by Paul Silverman
5. 47 Little Love Boosters by Marko Petkovic
6. Capsule Wardrobe (When Less is the New Black) by Hannah Hannigan * This one I read in under
an hour, it has a pink cover, so you don't confuse it with the others by that name
7. The Scottish Fairy Book by Elizabeth Wilson Grierson (not sure I'll get to this one)
8. Child in the Mist by Kathleen Morgan (Scottish fiction)
9. To Live is Christ by Beth Moore
10. Praying God's Word by Beth Moore
11. Who Is the Holy Spirit by R.C. Sproul
12. The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience by Stormie Omartian
13. Discover Minimalism, a Minimalist Budget by Adrian Pepperdine
Now that I have the next dozen or so, I need to streamline and prioritize it. Here's my top 5:
#1, because I love Ted Dekker and this isn't a fiction story like he usually does, it's about faith
#2, because that's where I'm at right now
#4, ditto
#12, because I know lots of people who are in need of serious prayer right now, you probably do to.
#13, although I've got a great handle on our finances, I'm always open to learning how to be better
So if you had a chance to read even just 1, 2 or 3 books over the next 6 months, what would you read? What are you interested in? What needs improving? What would you like to learn? What kind of fictional story would you like to get lost in? Would you do better with an audio book?
Don't forget you can find some books for free or just 99 cents with Kindle, or Amazon Prime, or others out there. You can request your local library find the book (even if it's out of state) and they will get it for you as long as there's no waiting list. This is a great option since it's FREE. You also could subscribe to Audible or KindleUnlimited for a monthly fee to read many books at no extra cost and they usually run around $10 to $15 per month for the subscription - great for those who love to read.
Enjoy finding your own reading list. Good luck.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Day 6: Follow a Morning Ritual
So for day 6 of the Minimalist Challenge I'm supposed to follow a morning routine. That could mean follow a typical morning's routine, or start a totally new, more meaningful morning routine. I chose the latter, although it's not all that different from what I've been doing for a few months.
I woke up at 5am. It's supposed to reach 110 today, so around 104 by noon. That means in my routine, 1) Anything to be done outside, like yard work or manual watering should be done as early as possible. I went out to pick up the oranges that the birds ate at the top of our tree (that we couldn't reach to pick) that have now fallen on the ground. They (and the occasional other critters) typically leave a hollow shell. I picked up about 3 handfuls with gloves on and was bit over a dozen times by the ant coming out of the new anthill I noticed about a foot from the tree. It's the best place for them to find water and food, so they're everywhere. They bite - hard! So I stopped pretty quickly after killing at least 10 of them on my ankles & hands. They move quick too! Guess I'll be buying some ant killer for the ground today.
I went back inside and washed the bites which were now tiny little welts, like a mosquito bite but much smaller, and no, they didn't itch or hurt, just as they're biting. Since I was already up, it made sense to do my workout. For the challenge, 2) Workout for better health, strength, flexibility, and a leaner body. I've been using the Trim Healthy Mama DVDs set. It's an intro DVD, 7 DVDs with a different workout on it, and the 8th DVD is the smartest thing ever - it lets you pick the beginning, middle, and end (warmup, strength, and cardio) parts of different workouts - you can mix & match to create your own favorite workout. It also has Gentle Fit starting moves to do if the regular ones are to hard in the beginning, and there's a third section to keep them challenging. I feel the sore muscles after almost every workout so I know they're doing something, and I'm working out different muscles as I switch them up.
After my workout I always immediately head to the shower and get dressed for the day. Not very exciting, but it's my #3 of the routine: 3) shower/dressed.
Next I'm trying to spend more time on something important to me, my faith. Feel free to insert your own routine or steps in your own challenge. But for me, 4) Read my bible while taking notes. Sometimes I go through Psalms randomly and pick out things it says about what God does or who He is. Other times I go through and pick out things Jesus said in the New Testament about how we should live to have a better life. It's whatever's on my heart that day.
5) Read - although I like to take a little time to read throughout the day, I like to start the day in whatever good book I'm into at the time. (I've almost always got a book going.) It helps me start the day with a topic, or metaphor, or something to think on throughout the day. I try to figure out how what I'm reading can add value to my life, regardless of if it's a How-To book or some kind of fiction.
That's a pretty good start for a morning routine of intentional living, simple but meaningful. Where it goes from there may vary from day to day, but it's a good routine for me.
What would your routine look like?
I woke up at 5am. It's supposed to reach 110 today, so around 104 by noon. That means in my routine, 1) Anything to be done outside, like yard work or manual watering should be done as early as possible. I went out to pick up the oranges that the birds ate at the top of our tree (that we couldn't reach to pick) that have now fallen on the ground. They (and the occasional other critters) typically leave a hollow shell. I picked up about 3 handfuls with gloves on and was bit over a dozen times by the ant coming out of the new anthill I noticed about a foot from the tree. It's the best place for them to find water and food, so they're everywhere. They bite - hard! So I stopped pretty quickly after killing at least 10 of them on my ankles & hands. They move quick too! Guess I'll be buying some ant killer for the ground today.
I went back inside and washed the bites which were now tiny little welts, like a mosquito bite but much smaller, and no, they didn't itch or hurt, just as they're biting. Since I was already up, it made sense to do my workout. For the challenge, 2) Workout for better health, strength, flexibility, and a leaner body. I've been using the Trim Healthy Mama DVDs set. It's an intro DVD, 7 DVDs with a different workout on it, and the 8th DVD is the smartest thing ever - it lets you pick the beginning, middle, and end (warmup, strength, and cardio) parts of different workouts - you can mix & match to create your own favorite workout. It also has Gentle Fit starting moves to do if the regular ones are to hard in the beginning, and there's a third section to keep them challenging. I feel the sore muscles after almost every workout so I know they're doing something, and I'm working out different muscles as I switch them up.
After my workout I always immediately head to the shower and get dressed for the day. Not very exciting, but it's my #3 of the routine: 3) shower/dressed.
Next I'm trying to spend more time on something important to me, my faith. Feel free to insert your own routine or steps in your own challenge. But for me, 4) Read my bible while taking notes. Sometimes I go through Psalms randomly and pick out things it says about what God does or who He is. Other times I go through and pick out things Jesus said in the New Testament about how we should live to have a better life. It's whatever's on my heart that day.
5) Read - although I like to take a little time to read throughout the day, I like to start the day in whatever good book I'm into at the time. (I've almost always got a book going.) It helps me start the day with a topic, or metaphor, or something to think on throughout the day. I try to figure out how what I'm reading can add value to my life, regardless of if it's a How-To book or some kind of fiction.
That's a pretty good start for a morning routine of intentional living, simple but meaningful. Where it goes from there may vary from day to day, but it's a good routine for me.
What would your routine look like?
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Minimalism 30 Day Challenge: Day 5 - Identify 3-6 Top Priorities
What an interesting challenge this is in light of all The Minimalists books, videos on YouTube, and podcasts I've been absorbing. I have to really give this one thought because it's not about being the best at what others need from you, or what others want you to do or be. It's about figuring out what I'm truly passionate about. It's not about what "job" should I have, or what "career" do I want (although there's one I'm pursuing I am passionate about); instead it's about what motivates me, what would I do if I had the time to do it, even if it didn't pay me a penny.
Over the last 20 years I knew the answer of the tip of my tongue - HOMESHOOLING. It paid me nothing, cost us quite a bit of sacrificing, took most of my time, but it was important. It came with a whole slew of rewards that money can't buy, mostly my close relationships I have with each of my grown children, each one is totally different but all are just as deep. I woke up every day knowing what I did mattered. It mattered to me, to the kids, and when they become adults, it will matter to the world beginning with their bosses, spouses and kids (someday), their volunteer and charity organizations they choose to support, their logical thinking, problem solving abilities, hard work ethic, compassion, the list goes on and on.
After graduating our last a year ago I really spent all this time considering what it is I'm supposed to do in this new season of my life. I could go get some minimum wage job, trading most of my hours for a few dollars, to buy stuff we don't need. I suppose I could use it to save for our next (used) car or a future vacation, but what would I lose in the process? The answer I came to was: MYSELF
I need to be able to make a difference in what I'm doing. It needs to help people. It needs to have a purpose other than making money for some faceless corporation. I don't judge anyone working a minimum wage job because in many cases, it's paying the bills, or provided the extras their families can't get any other way, or helping them get out of credit card debt, or paying for medical expenses. In my particular case, I needed to follow my true calling, my passion, the purpose I believe God put me on this earth to accomplish. My heart is 100% in Women's Ministry. So what are my new priorities based on that?
1. I'm going back to college 30 years after I had to leave (ran out of money back then). I'm
taking Psychology to focus on Counseling, which I hope to bring to Women's Ministry. I'd
love to do that in my own home church, but in any church, I'll be pursuing my passion. If
I can't do that, I can still be a counselor in a non-profit organization. Worst case, I can still
work in Human Resources at any company and earn a decent living compared to min. wage.
2. I'm moving my mother (and brother) here from FL to AZ. She's not all that old, and she
isn't in such bad health that she belongs in a nursing home or assisted living center. I just
know how badly she and my brother have struggled over the decades now just to survive
and the rug is being pulled out from under them through no fault of their own. I believe our
family has been through what it has, and we own the larger home we have now, so that we
can be a blessing to them and give them a new start. Where would we be if my in-laws
hadn't stepped in when that was us? It's our turn to give back and pay it forward.
3. I have an opportunity to grow with a new church that took over our building when the last
one had to close its doors. I'm so excited about every aspect of it so far. I hope to really be
able to thrive, as well as help other women thrive, through the Women's Ministries and small
group opportunities they offer. I can truly pursue my heart's passion through them.
4. I have a great marriage. Like most couples, there's been a few times in 25 years that it wasn't
great, when one of us felt like giving up, fortunately it was never on the same day! We've been
through a lot and I won't speak for what Tim feels about it all now, but I know I've come
through the messes to the other side with a wonderful new appreciation and respect for Tim.
My faith helped me stick with it during the challenges, but now, I know without a doubt, I
CHOOSE to stay, every day, because I love Tim deeply, want him to be happy, and want to
never forget about his needs and desires. I seek to put even more into our marriage. On his
home time he usually just wants to rest watching tv, catching up on all the shows he misses
being gone for 3 weeks at a time (or more). I plan on coming up with some things to do
together besides tv that will appeal to him - as well as spend more time just being his friend
and companion watching some of his shows with him. And I can't wait for our 25th
Anniversary cruise that we're taking (4 months after the fact) in September to the Southern
Caribbean. I love cruising alone with him!
5. Number 5 for me is at a crossroads. Health is important to me, so I exercise, eat a mostly
gluten free diet (a low carb tortilla a week is about it), take supplements, avoid all forms of
sugar except Stevia and a little monkfruit, cut out all candy/chocolate/baked goods unless
they're remade with a Trim Healthy Mama recipe, and barely eat some type of chips once a
month - and I'm currently trying to perfect a recipe for homemade oven sweet potato chips.
With that said, after considering all I've read and heard from The Minimalists, health is one
the most important things, but if it's something you're passionate about, don't do it. I'm not
passionate about exercising, I'd rather just have a Dunkin' Donut or bubble gum ice cream
or salt and vinegar chips once in a while - but I don't because I want the results. I want to
drop a few sizes, lose some inches, feel better, live longer, have more energy, think more
clearly, get sick less often, etc. but I'm not yet "passionate" about it. I'm hoping that as I keep
up what I'm doing, I'll learn to enjoy it, or at least, I'll see results that give me more passion
for continuing.
So there's my Day 5 challenge priorities. As I typed this out and reread it all, I really do feel excitement in what I say I'm passionate about. If I were to add a #6 it would be travel. It's all I ever really wanted to do but never got much of a chance until about 6 years ago. I choose to get my finances in better order (although they're very good now) before taking off somewhere again. I'll be
more than satisfied with my cruise, then maybe it'll be time for some local travel to see CA or CO.
Maybe big trips will become rewards that are earned for getting my college degree(s)? Or after I
have all the money saved up and I'm completely debt-free except for our mortgage? We'll see where that goes, but I've got enough to work on with priorities #1-5.
Over the last 20 years I knew the answer of the tip of my tongue - HOMESHOOLING. It paid me nothing, cost us quite a bit of sacrificing, took most of my time, but it was important. It came with a whole slew of rewards that money can't buy, mostly my close relationships I have with each of my grown children, each one is totally different but all are just as deep. I woke up every day knowing what I did mattered. It mattered to me, to the kids, and when they become adults, it will matter to the world beginning with their bosses, spouses and kids (someday), their volunteer and charity organizations they choose to support, their logical thinking, problem solving abilities, hard work ethic, compassion, the list goes on and on.
After graduating our last a year ago I really spent all this time considering what it is I'm supposed to do in this new season of my life. I could go get some minimum wage job, trading most of my hours for a few dollars, to buy stuff we don't need. I suppose I could use it to save for our next (used) car or a future vacation, but what would I lose in the process? The answer I came to was: MYSELF
I need to be able to make a difference in what I'm doing. It needs to help people. It needs to have a purpose other than making money for some faceless corporation. I don't judge anyone working a minimum wage job because in many cases, it's paying the bills, or provided the extras their families can't get any other way, or helping them get out of credit card debt, or paying for medical expenses. In my particular case, I needed to follow my true calling, my passion, the purpose I believe God put me on this earth to accomplish. My heart is 100% in Women's Ministry. So what are my new priorities based on that?
1. I'm going back to college 30 years after I had to leave (ran out of money back then). I'm
taking Psychology to focus on Counseling, which I hope to bring to Women's Ministry. I'd
love to do that in my own home church, but in any church, I'll be pursuing my passion. If
I can't do that, I can still be a counselor in a non-profit organization. Worst case, I can still
work in Human Resources at any company and earn a decent living compared to min. wage.
2. I'm moving my mother (and brother) here from FL to AZ. She's not all that old, and she
isn't in such bad health that she belongs in a nursing home or assisted living center. I just
know how badly she and my brother have struggled over the decades now just to survive
and the rug is being pulled out from under them through no fault of their own. I believe our
family has been through what it has, and we own the larger home we have now, so that we
can be a blessing to them and give them a new start. Where would we be if my in-laws
hadn't stepped in when that was us? It's our turn to give back and pay it forward.
3. I have an opportunity to grow with a new church that took over our building when the last
one had to close its doors. I'm so excited about every aspect of it so far. I hope to really be
able to thrive, as well as help other women thrive, through the Women's Ministries and small
group opportunities they offer. I can truly pursue my heart's passion through them.
4. I have a great marriage. Like most couples, there's been a few times in 25 years that it wasn't
great, when one of us felt like giving up, fortunately it was never on the same day! We've been
through a lot and I won't speak for what Tim feels about it all now, but I know I've come
through the messes to the other side with a wonderful new appreciation and respect for Tim.
My faith helped me stick with it during the challenges, but now, I know without a doubt, I
CHOOSE to stay, every day, because I love Tim deeply, want him to be happy, and want to
never forget about his needs and desires. I seek to put even more into our marriage. On his
home time he usually just wants to rest watching tv, catching up on all the shows he misses
being gone for 3 weeks at a time (or more). I plan on coming up with some things to do
together besides tv that will appeal to him - as well as spend more time just being his friend
and companion watching some of his shows with him. And I can't wait for our 25th
Anniversary cruise that we're taking (4 months after the fact) in September to the Southern
Caribbean. I love cruising alone with him!
5. Number 5 for me is at a crossroads. Health is important to me, so I exercise, eat a mostly
gluten free diet (a low carb tortilla a week is about it), take supplements, avoid all forms of
sugar except Stevia and a little monkfruit, cut out all candy/chocolate/baked goods unless
they're remade with a Trim Healthy Mama recipe, and barely eat some type of chips once a
month - and I'm currently trying to perfect a recipe for homemade oven sweet potato chips.
With that said, after considering all I've read and heard from The Minimalists, health is one
the most important things, but if it's something you're passionate about, don't do it. I'm not
passionate about exercising, I'd rather just have a Dunkin' Donut or bubble gum ice cream
or salt and vinegar chips once in a while - but I don't because I want the results. I want to
drop a few sizes, lose some inches, feel better, live longer, have more energy, think more
clearly, get sick less often, etc. but I'm not yet "passionate" about it. I'm hoping that as I keep
up what I'm doing, I'll learn to enjoy it, or at least, I'll see results that give me more passion
for continuing.
So there's my Day 5 challenge priorities. As I typed this out and reread it all, I really do feel excitement in what I say I'm passionate about. If I were to add a #6 it would be travel. It's all I ever really wanted to do but never got much of a chance until about 6 years ago. I choose to get my finances in better order (although they're very good now) before taking off somewhere again. I'll be
more than satisfied with my cruise, then maybe it'll be time for some local travel to see CA or CO.
Maybe big trips will become rewards that are earned for getting my college degree(s)? Or after I
have all the money saved up and I'm completely debt-free except for our mortgage? We'll see where that goes, but I've got enough to work on with priorities #1-5.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Day 4: No Complaining
Well, I'm glad I didn't have this one yesterday! As soon as I got done blogging, I looked out the living room window and realized something was wrong with my sprinklers. The water was flooding the lawn instead of shutting off after a few minutes and beginning watering the other side of the lawn. I also noticed there was water bubbling up from the ground next to one of the sprinkler heads. I ran outside and switched off the sprinkler at the system - and nothing happened! Then I turned the valve that I thought was supposed to shut off water to the whole house - and nothing happened! Now I was in a total panic, and all I could think of was the hundreds of gallons of water I'd be paying for, to water the sidewalk and street. I called the water department who said they couldn't get here for an hour and no, they will not note my account, and I will definitely be billed for all the water that continues to come out.
Now imagine if yesterday was the No Complaining day! (Fortunately, it all turned out okay, as it always eventually does. A neighbor had a contractor working there who was kind enough to shut off all water to the house to make it stop. The water company showed up within 5-10 minutes instead of an hour & found the valve to shut everything off to the sprinkler system while returning water to the rest of the house. I had called Tim for advice, and fortunately he was at a rest area for the day and was able to look up and call a landscaping/sprinkler system guy to come figure this out. Turns out he can fix everything, including the back yard that had an underground leak and uneven watering, all for an unexpectedly low price.)
Today is going to be a much easier day to not complain. I have the house to myself. It's a holiday so there's no errands I need to run, no responsibilities, financial or otherwise, that I need to get done today. Instead, I got to work out, clean things I haven't had a chance to do. I got to workout, do my bible reading/study, read, listen to the Minimalists podcast, blog, get some planning done for the rest of the week. But what if Day 4 didn't fall on a day like today?
In the real world, I would complain when someone cuts me off in traffic, or if something caused my well-planned day to get behind or off-track. I would complain if I had to deal with that one person we all have in our lives that does nothing but complain 24/7. I would complain if I had to be out in the heat involuntarily - like when someone messed something up and I have to go fix it. But here's a big question:
What good would that have done?!
It wouldn't have changed anything. It would've brought more negativity into my thoughts. How would I come up with solutions? or remove stress? or learn to bounce back to a relaxed state quickly?
Maybe on a regular basis, when things go wrong, a better way to get through it might be to ask an important question:
Will this matter in 5 years? - if not, let it go. Also, if the answer is no, ask again...
Will this matter in 1 year? - if not, let it go. Again, you may ask...
Will this matter in 6 months? What about in 1 month?
in most things like people cutting you off in line somewhere or in traffic - will it even matter in just 5 minutes from now? No? then LET IT GO.
With that said, I understand there are serious issues that happen in life that affect our lives dramatically. I also know that most people with the worst chronic pain, or are fighting cancer, or the single moms working full time while trying to raise good kids, they tend to be the last ones to complain. Maybe because they're thankful for every day, or have a good handle on what's really important? But most of us tend to complain way too much - and it doesn't need to be that way. It is a choice. It may have to be a learned behavior if you're one who complains on a regular basis, but the truth is, you CAN overcome complaining - and it starts with a single step, a single day.
Try it for yourself.
Now imagine if yesterday was the No Complaining day! (Fortunately, it all turned out okay, as it always eventually does. A neighbor had a contractor working there who was kind enough to shut off all water to the house to make it stop. The water company showed up within 5-10 minutes instead of an hour & found the valve to shut everything off to the sprinkler system while returning water to the rest of the house. I had called Tim for advice, and fortunately he was at a rest area for the day and was able to look up and call a landscaping/sprinkler system guy to come figure this out. Turns out he can fix everything, including the back yard that had an underground leak and uneven watering, all for an unexpectedly low price.)
Today is going to be a much easier day to not complain. I have the house to myself. It's a holiday so there's no errands I need to run, no responsibilities, financial or otherwise, that I need to get done today. Instead, I got to work out, clean things I haven't had a chance to do. I got to workout, do my bible reading/study, read, listen to the Minimalists podcast, blog, get some planning done for the rest of the week. But what if Day 4 didn't fall on a day like today?
In the real world, I would complain when someone cuts me off in traffic, or if something caused my well-planned day to get behind or off-track. I would complain if I had to deal with that one person we all have in our lives that does nothing but complain 24/7. I would complain if I had to be out in the heat involuntarily - like when someone messed something up and I have to go fix it. But here's a big question:
What good would that have done?!
It wouldn't have changed anything. It would've brought more negativity into my thoughts. How would I come up with solutions? or remove stress? or learn to bounce back to a relaxed state quickly?
Maybe on a regular basis, when things go wrong, a better way to get through it might be to ask an important question:
Will this matter in 5 years? - if not, let it go. Also, if the answer is no, ask again...
Will this matter in 1 year? - if not, let it go. Again, you may ask...
Will this matter in 6 months? What about in 1 month?
in most things like people cutting you off in line somewhere or in traffic - will it even matter in just 5 minutes from now? No? then LET IT GO.
With that said, I understand there are serious issues that happen in life that affect our lives dramatically. I also know that most people with the worst chronic pain, or are fighting cancer, or the single moms working full time while trying to raise good kids, they tend to be the last ones to complain. Maybe because they're thankful for every day, or have a good handle on what's really important? But most of us tend to complain way too much - and it doesn't need to be that way. It is a choice. It may have to be a learned behavior if you're one who complains on a regular basis, but the truth is, you CAN overcome complaining - and it starts with a single step, a single day.
Try it for yourself.
Monday, July 3, 2017
Minimalism 30 Day Challenge
I've really begun embracing a minimalist lifestyle. No it's not about owning only a certain number of items, or living without, or tiny house living. It's about simplifying your life until everything that remains brings or adds value to your life (and you in turn should also be seeking to add value to the lives of others). To get started, you can watch the Minimalism documentary on Netflix, or go to www.theminimalists.com and read their essays, listen to their podcasts, or even read their 3 books. The Minimalists are Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus. Although I follow their recommendations and often their schools of thought, I also include people like Joshua Becker who is a married guy with kids, as well as a few others. It's different for everyone, but the added value principle and removing excess is the common thread. This will be my journey into a 30 day challenge even though I'm not "a beginner".
See the challenge here:
30 Day Minimalist Challenge
Day 1: I switched Day 1 & Day 2 on purpose to fit my life better. MY Day 1 was adding an intentional 15 minutes of relaxation/meditation to my day. I'm not into eastern mysticism type of stuff, so for me it just meant a quiet time to clear my head, doing absolutely nothing during those 15 minutes. I recently found a youtube video called Weightless by Marconi Union that neuroscience says listening to it will reduce your anxiety by 65%. Not sure if I believe it but it couldn't hurt to try. Read the article through the link below:
Neuroscience report on Weightless reducing anxiety by 65%
I listened to it before bed. I did feel pretty relaxed, and I don't think I was full of anxiety at the time, but I'm not sure I felt overwhelmingly relaxed. Still it was a good thing to focus on clearing my mind for more than 30 seconds. I tried to concentrate on listening for a particular instrument in the song, then move on to another, then another, until I finally had my mind blank. I didn't sleep any better than normal because of it, but if it had been one of my stressful days, or if you live in a constant state of stress, this is a healthy exercise for you anyway. Dr. Daniel Amen, a leading psychologist on the brain, strongly recommends time every day to relax your mind. We all need better mind health, right?
Day 2: Stay offline for the day
Obviously this doesn't work if your job requires you to be online for the day or something, but in my case I took the day 1 and put it on day 2 because it fell on a Sunday. That's an easy day for me to stay offline since it usually involves church, watching baseball in the afternoon, and having a quiet Sunday night as I either read, watch TV I recorded on the DVR (I almost never just channel surf out of boredom - I'm much more intentional with what I allow into my head.), or else I work Sudoku puzzles, or plan out my week, etc.
Day 3: Reduce digital clutter
This one is easy for me. I went through Facebook a few weeks ago and unfollowed or un-liked pages I'd randomly collected over the years - mostly ones I agreed to like for some coupon or freebie. Then I took a serious look at my friends list. If I have someone on there that I never will see again in my lifetime, or someone I know posts nothing but total negativity and horror stories (abused animals, abused children, murders, political rants and nothing else, etc) I didn't unfriend them - they're still people I may want to pray for, or get in touch with for some reason in the future - but I did unfollow them so they don't show up in my newsfeed every day. I can choose to see what's going on in their lives when I want to but I don't need to see hatred, anger, darkness, or companies trying to sell me products over and over.
The next thing I did was go through my Twitter account. That one was easy too because aside from a few friends & family, I use it mainly to follow baseball - trades, injuries, stats, important plays, etc. I simply went down my list of those I follow and deleted all but those on the 2 teams I follow the most (Dbacks & Red Sox) and a handful of other players I like (Ender Inciarte, Anthony Rizzo, Chase Anderson). I was able to drop about half of those I follow, Many turned out to be temporary follows of authors, or famous people, as something was going on at the time but now I don't care.
I did the same thing with Instagram.
THEN I HAD TO GO THROUGH PHOTOS ON MY COMPUTER.
Anyone that knows me knows I was a scrapbooker for 20 years. I've come to that place in my life though that although I want to pass down those books to my kids and their kids, I don't need to continue scrapbooking them all to keep the memories. The memories are inside me, not just on a piece of paper. Important events I still photograph, maybe journal about it, but not in a formal way. I do an occasional Shutterfly book when it's free or almost free, but just a little 8 x 8, like after a cruise or vacation or something.
I went through my photos on my computer as well as those on my memory stick where they now live if they're older than the current year. After going through ones from 2011 - 2016, I realized I was hanging onto a lot of pictures I'll never need again, no one's in them, how many pictures of sunsets do I REALLY need? So I deleted literally hundreds of them. Now what I have is the best of the best, or ones with people I love in them, and not much else. It feels good to know I'm not carrying around (figuratively) all those extra things I don't need. They add no value to my life whatsoever.
The nice part about today's challenge is that now when I go to social media or look through my photos on my computer, I'm only seeing what's important, only that which adds value to my life, with no wasted time on uninteresting, unimportant things or even better, no more things that take the joy from my day.
Looking forward to tomorrow's challenge - it's the 4th of July, we have no plans, the kids will all be somewhere else doing something so I may actually get the house to myself. That almost never happens for more than 10 minutes, once a month or more. Tomorrow the challenge is No Complaining. Oddly enough, as I simplify my life, I find less and less to complain about anyway - but being home alone should make it easy too.
Enjoy your own journey.
See the challenge here:
30 Day Minimalist Challenge
Day 1: I switched Day 1 & Day 2 on purpose to fit my life better. MY Day 1 was adding an intentional 15 minutes of relaxation/meditation to my day. I'm not into eastern mysticism type of stuff, so for me it just meant a quiet time to clear my head, doing absolutely nothing during those 15 minutes. I recently found a youtube video called Weightless by Marconi Union that neuroscience says listening to it will reduce your anxiety by 65%. Not sure if I believe it but it couldn't hurt to try. Read the article through the link below:
Neuroscience report on Weightless reducing anxiety by 65%
I listened to it before bed. I did feel pretty relaxed, and I don't think I was full of anxiety at the time, but I'm not sure I felt overwhelmingly relaxed. Still it was a good thing to focus on clearing my mind for more than 30 seconds. I tried to concentrate on listening for a particular instrument in the song, then move on to another, then another, until I finally had my mind blank. I didn't sleep any better than normal because of it, but if it had been one of my stressful days, or if you live in a constant state of stress, this is a healthy exercise for you anyway. Dr. Daniel Amen, a leading psychologist on the brain, strongly recommends time every day to relax your mind. We all need better mind health, right?
Day 2: Stay offline for the day
Obviously this doesn't work if your job requires you to be online for the day or something, but in my case I took the day 1 and put it on day 2 because it fell on a Sunday. That's an easy day for me to stay offline since it usually involves church, watching baseball in the afternoon, and having a quiet Sunday night as I either read, watch TV I recorded on the DVR (I almost never just channel surf out of boredom - I'm much more intentional with what I allow into my head.), or else I work Sudoku puzzles, or plan out my week, etc.
Day 3: Reduce digital clutter
This one is easy for me. I went through Facebook a few weeks ago and unfollowed or un-liked pages I'd randomly collected over the years - mostly ones I agreed to like for some coupon or freebie. Then I took a serious look at my friends list. If I have someone on there that I never will see again in my lifetime, or someone I know posts nothing but total negativity and horror stories (abused animals, abused children, murders, political rants and nothing else, etc) I didn't unfriend them - they're still people I may want to pray for, or get in touch with for some reason in the future - but I did unfollow them so they don't show up in my newsfeed every day. I can choose to see what's going on in their lives when I want to but I don't need to see hatred, anger, darkness, or companies trying to sell me products over and over.
The next thing I did was go through my Twitter account. That one was easy too because aside from a few friends & family, I use it mainly to follow baseball - trades, injuries, stats, important plays, etc. I simply went down my list of those I follow and deleted all but those on the 2 teams I follow the most (Dbacks & Red Sox) and a handful of other players I like (Ender Inciarte, Anthony Rizzo, Chase Anderson). I was able to drop about half of those I follow, Many turned out to be temporary follows of authors, or famous people, as something was going on at the time but now I don't care.
I did the same thing with Instagram.
THEN I HAD TO GO THROUGH PHOTOS ON MY COMPUTER.
Anyone that knows me knows I was a scrapbooker for 20 years. I've come to that place in my life though that although I want to pass down those books to my kids and their kids, I don't need to continue scrapbooking them all to keep the memories. The memories are inside me, not just on a piece of paper. Important events I still photograph, maybe journal about it, but not in a formal way. I do an occasional Shutterfly book when it's free or almost free, but just a little 8 x 8, like after a cruise or vacation or something.
I went through my photos on my computer as well as those on my memory stick where they now live if they're older than the current year. After going through ones from 2011 - 2016, I realized I was hanging onto a lot of pictures I'll never need again, no one's in them, how many pictures of sunsets do I REALLY need? So I deleted literally hundreds of them. Now what I have is the best of the best, or ones with people I love in them, and not much else. It feels good to know I'm not carrying around (figuratively) all those extra things I don't need. They add no value to my life whatsoever.
The nice part about today's challenge is that now when I go to social media or look through my photos on my computer, I'm only seeing what's important, only that which adds value to my life, with no wasted time on uninteresting, unimportant things or even better, no more things that take the joy from my day.
Looking forward to tomorrow's challenge - it's the 4th of July, we have no plans, the kids will all be somewhere else doing something so I may actually get the house to myself. That almost never happens for more than 10 minutes, once a month or more. Tomorrow the challenge is No Complaining. Oddly enough, as I simplify my life, I find less and less to complain about anyway - but being home alone should make it easy too.
Enjoy your own journey.
Friday, June 30, 2017
2017: A recap of the 1st half, an exciting 2nd half.
I can't believe tomorrow is July 1st, and starts the second half of the year! Let's do a quick summary:
January - pretty quiet, our church had a nice formal dinner for the volunteers so Logan and & went together.
January - pretty quiet, our church had a nice formal dinner for the volunteers so Logan and & went together.
February - Adam turned 23, Logan turned 21, and Logan & Elorah got engaged.
March - St. Patrick's Day I went with Mom to Fountain Hills to see the fountain turn green & have lunch, that night we spent quietly at home, me & Logan drinking a Guiness, Jordan & I went to a Cubs Spring Training game, Jordan & I got matching 2nd ear piercings (in one ear), and Tim surprised me with a weekend away at the Desert Rose Bed & Breakfast in Cottonwood, AZ
April - Logan got his CDL permit & began his driver training with Roehl Transport Inc. in late Feb/early March. In April he went out with his Dad as his trainer, passed, and got his own truck. Jordan got a kitten, Albert Ellis (named after her favorite psychologist since that's her major), and my niece's Easter pictures revealed she was going to be a big sister to a little brother this fall.
May - for Mother's Day I
June - Adam & I went on our first ever (and probably only/last ever) trip together. We went back to New England to see family, friends, Boston, the beaches, and where we used to live/hang out when he was little.
Now that we're all caught up, what do I expect the second half of 2017 to bring?
July - I've been working towards being a minimalist but lately I've really taken it more seriously. I am down to about 30/35 hangars in my closet, got rid of an entire dresser of stuff, gave away lots of books & kitchen stuff (dishes, extra utensils, small appliances, etc.). One of my 2 nightstand drawers are now empty. There's lots of empty shelves in the office. Next will be getting rid of extra linens, but I'll probably give those to Logan for moving - then he can keep them or give them away. My favorites to follow are The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus. They aren't Christians, their language gives them away, but the message they bring isn't about the number of items, nor living a life without. It's about keeping what adds value to your life and getting rid of all else that does not. With that in mind, I found a 30 day Minimalist sort of challenge on Pinterest. In July I have one task related to minimalism each day. It's not so much about decluttering for me at this point, but things like: Streamline a list of books to read. Stay offline for a whole day. Declutter my DIGITAL life (excess photos, excess apps, etc.). Evaluate commitments. Buy NOTHING today. Read - no TV today - I'll have to do that when the Dbacks have an off day since I love my baseball season. I'm looking forward to simplifying my life before I get busier this fall.
It's also Jordan's bday this month. I can think of a ton of stuff to get her, but she too realizes she has very little room for all the stuff people get her. Instead of frivolous things, I'll try to get her a new mattress for her birthday, then eventually replace her old bed frame with a daybed one.
August - I'm going back to college! For years I've been in Women's Ministry in some form, and I realized that if I'm going to do something productive to help bring in income (to ease the stress Tim has in supplying everything), I'd rather do it as a Counselor, hopefully in women's ministry, instead of working at some retail/restaurant/fast food job for minimum wage. I may still do a temporary part-time job for Christmas money, depends on how school homework & grades are going, but long-term, I have a passion to counsel women, and I'd need the freedom to do it through my faith perspective - so back to school I go to earn a degree in Psychology.
September - THIS SHOULD BE AN AMAZING MONTH!!! The first week will be pretty routine but then it gets crazy! Around the 12th my mother & brother are moving from Florida to come live with us. My brother is 30 this year and he's been supporting my mother forever. He'll finally have a chance to find a good job (or 2 part time ones if he wants), save up, gather the basics over time, and then he'll be able to move out into his own place, or with a roommate, at prices half what they are in Florida. As for my mother, she needs someone to care for her as she gets older. I'm in a better position than anyone else right now since I'm not still raising babies, or a single mom, and my kids are grown, and we happen to have a large enough home for everyone right now. Eventually we'll downsize to something with 2 bedrooms and keep my mother with us.
Just 3 days after they get here, Tim & I are leaving for our 25th Anniversary trip. It was in May but the timing was better for September. When we planned it a year ago we had no idea Sept. would be so crazy. We're heading to the Southern Caribbean to see Grand Turk, Dominican Republic, the island of Curacao, and Aruba. I can't wait to see the white sands and electric blue water! But wait, there's more!...
When we get back from our cruise around 11 days later, we'll have one day to get our hair done (me & Ma), I have school that second day, and on the third day, we all drive 175 miles to Show Low for Logan & Elorah's rehearsal, dinner, and wedding the next day!!! September will be crazy, I'll have to do some school on vacation since I'll miss 3 days - but it'll be worth it.
October - Ma's birthday is in the middle of the month, and if school is going okay, I may pick up a part-time job just for the Christmas season for some extra money. If not, I could still do Mystery Shops for a little extra cash as my schedule allows.
November - Thanksgiving could be small with everyone working in fast food, retail, and over the road trucking - or it could be huge if everyone comes - as many as 11 of us!
December - A huge Christmas gathering, our theme this year is the beach with beach type foods being served. This year, I'm going to ask for and try to give like a Minimalist - experiences instead of material stuff we don't need: movie gift cards, tickets to concerts, shows, sports, and other events, a consumable basket I/they can eat, gift cards to retail stores to replace things as they need replacing or no longer bring value to my life (like when shirts get stained or shorts get a hole in them or towels get really gross after years).
So what does YOUR second half of 2017 hold?
Friday, December 30, 2016
Preparing for 2017
1. Spiritual What would you like to do to focus on your spiritual life this year? Is there a particular book of the bible you want to read? Want to attend a conference/women's conference? Do you want to sign up for a new bible study or a small group in someone's home
- 2. Family What would you like to do to focus more on family? Plan a trip this year to see long distance relatives? Plan a weekly/monthly family day to do something together? Is it trying to get your family to all sit down to dinner together on Sunday nights?
- 3. Friends Could you plan to have lunch once a month with a different friend all year? Could you plan on vacationing either with a friend, a group of friends, or at least include a stop to visit with them during your vacation? What about sending written letters/cards like "in the old days" to stay in touch?
- 4. Finances This one is harder because life causes unexpected things that throw finances off track, but could you plan to put aside 1/2 to 1% of your paycheck if you aren't already saving anything each week? Could you change something to save an amount per month (turn the heat or a/c down by a few degrees, quit smoking, go to the discount theaters instead of seeing new movies in their first weekend, buy store brand instead of name brands on a few items each week, etc.)?
- 5. Mental Health What do you do to make sure you don't feel burnt out? Most people do nothing for this. Could you plan one day a month for a few hours to be alone? To sit or walk in a nice park? Could you take time to read a few books next year? What about a massage from a massage therapy school where it's cheaper because students are learning and practicing techniques on you?
- 6. Learn a new skill Ever want to learn a second language? Learn to work on a car? Learn to do something in the home or yard improvement category? There's so much info. out there between libraries, You Tube, books, and the Internet - it's easier than ever - and you may learn something that leads to either saving money by doing it yourself or get you a better paying job by speaking that second language.
- 7. Physical Fitness If you have time to workout at a gym, then by all means, sign up and do it for your own health, but if not, maybe just agreeing to begin walking a few days a week would help. You could clear a space to follow a DVD in the privacy of your home. Finding a friend or neighbor to buddy up with helps because of accountability - you're more likely to show up to walk or work out if you know someone's waiting for you.
Monday, December 12, 2016
The Not So Crazy Holiday Season
I know this time of year is usually very hectic but this year, I've been blessed with a low-stress December - perfect after such a tumultuous November, election season, car accident paperwork, going almost 2 months already with one car missing in our household, and Tim on an extra long trip that has him gone from Nov. 29 through Christmas Eve.
I am 2 weeks from Christmas and my shopping is completely done, including stockings! Everything is wrapped. I only need to mail out a package to MA and one to FL this week. That's it. I paid cash for all but about $200 (and the cost of my new computer & printed that we desperately needed for important things in January). There's nothing like going into January knowing you paid cash for your gifts and you've paid off the credit card before the 30 days are up so you didn't pay any interest, nor carry a balance into the new year.
I had a wonderful evening of looking at Christmas lights in our area with my youngest who's now in college. I miss driving around with the three of them in the back oohing and ahhing at the lights, something we've done every year since they were born. We got out and walked in one neighborhood getting lots of great pictures (and ideas for next year), as well as drove through another four. So relaxing, no stress, no complaining over work/grades/teachers/employees - just a nice night spent happily together.
I also got to bring my mother-in-law to the annual Dback Nation holiday auction & fund raiser. Every year Jordan and I go to help raise money for the charities important to the Arizona Diamondback players we partner with. We have a silent auction for lots of baseball items, there's raffles and grab bags too. It's a fun night of friendly baseball fans coming together for one purpose. It was great to be able to bring Mom this year. She had a good time, met lots of people who were very nice to her, and she even won a few great items in the raffles and auction. She won the autographed Yasmany Tomas ball she wanted!
I really enjoyed when the ladies in our small group got together for brunch at Mimi's Cafe in Scottsdale and we did an ornament exchange right there at the table. It was great to get together with no time constraints, no daily agenda to cover, just enjoying each others' company. I got each of the ladies a coffee mug that I picked out especially for each of them, based on either how I saw them, or what I wished most for them - things like hope, grace, be still, etc. In the exchange I got an ornament that light up - so fun!
The most stress was when I tried to coordinate schedules for Christmas dinner(s). We're doing a quiet, plated, more formalized meal with just us on Christmas Day but up until today, we weren't sure when that could happen. One son works til midnight Christmas Eve (my original plan), my daughter has to work from 2 am until at least 8 am ON CHRISTMAS MORNING. Isn't that stupid?! The company is closed but her particular franchisee owner decided they WILL be open and already has a banner out front telling everyone. It's so wrong, and so sad to see people who heartlessly destroy family time together so they don't miss out on a few dollars. I bet THEY will be home with THEIR families on Christmas day. Anyway...we're also doing a family meal, buffet style, on the day after Christmas with my in-laws. They're the only family we have within 1000 miles. We've always spent the holidays with the kids' grandparents, and even though they're on a short weekend cruise til the 26th, we didn't want to break tradition. We'll eat with them and exchange gifts when they drive here from the ship's dock in Long Beach, CA.
Hopefully, by the end of the month, Adam will have found and purchased another car. The check has been issued and should be here this week. He was so impressed with how the car held up in such a terrible accident (so were the mechanics who gave estimates), that he'll probably look for the same car - he had a Hyundai Elantra that was about 8 or 9 years old. He may get one that's a bit newer, but it proved itself to be a great car in an accident.
Once Tim gets home, since the kids are working and busy right up until we open our gifts late morning on the 25th, we'll have lots of time to relax and just be together with minimal holiday rush. We can just sit back and rest, enjoying our time together. It'll be long overdue by then.
Hopefully 2017 will be full of wonderful experiences and memories together with family and friends, but for now, I'm happy to just focus on one thing at a time.
I am 2 weeks from Christmas and my shopping is completely done, including stockings! Everything is wrapped. I only need to mail out a package to MA and one to FL this week. That's it. I paid cash for all but about $200 (and the cost of my new computer & printed that we desperately needed for important things in January). There's nothing like going into January knowing you paid cash for your gifts and you've paid off the credit card before the 30 days are up so you didn't pay any interest, nor carry a balance into the new year.
I had a wonderful evening of looking at Christmas lights in our area with my youngest who's now in college. I miss driving around with the three of them in the back oohing and ahhing at the lights, something we've done every year since they were born. We got out and walked in one neighborhood getting lots of great pictures (and ideas for next year), as well as drove through another four. So relaxing, no stress, no complaining over work/grades/teachers/employees - just a nice night spent happily together.
I also got to bring my mother-in-law to the annual Dback Nation holiday auction & fund raiser. Every year Jordan and I go to help raise money for the charities important to the Arizona Diamondback players we partner with. We have a silent auction for lots of baseball items, there's raffles and grab bags too. It's a fun night of friendly baseball fans coming together for one purpose. It was great to be able to bring Mom this year. She had a good time, met lots of people who were very nice to her, and she even won a few great items in the raffles and auction. She won the autographed Yasmany Tomas ball she wanted!
I really enjoyed when the ladies in our small group got together for brunch at Mimi's Cafe in Scottsdale and we did an ornament exchange right there at the table. It was great to get together with no time constraints, no daily agenda to cover, just enjoying each others' company. I got each of the ladies a coffee mug that I picked out especially for each of them, based on either how I saw them, or what I wished most for them - things like hope, grace, be still, etc. In the exchange I got an ornament that light up - so fun!
The most stress was when I tried to coordinate schedules for Christmas dinner(s). We're doing a quiet, plated, more formalized meal with just us on Christmas Day but up until today, we weren't sure when that could happen. One son works til midnight Christmas Eve (my original plan), my daughter has to work from 2 am until at least 8 am ON CHRISTMAS MORNING. Isn't that stupid?! The company is closed but her particular franchisee owner decided they WILL be open and already has a banner out front telling everyone. It's so wrong, and so sad to see people who heartlessly destroy family time together so they don't miss out on a few dollars. I bet THEY will be home with THEIR families on Christmas day. Anyway...we're also doing a family meal, buffet style, on the day after Christmas with my in-laws. They're the only family we have within 1000 miles. We've always spent the holidays with the kids' grandparents, and even though they're on a short weekend cruise til the 26th, we didn't want to break tradition. We'll eat with them and exchange gifts when they drive here from the ship's dock in Long Beach, CA.
Hopefully, by the end of the month, Adam will have found and purchased another car. The check has been issued and should be here this week. He was so impressed with how the car held up in such a terrible accident (so were the mechanics who gave estimates), that he'll probably look for the same car - he had a Hyundai Elantra that was about 8 or 9 years old. He may get one that's a bit newer, but it proved itself to be a great car in an accident.
Once Tim gets home, since the kids are working and busy right up until we open our gifts late morning on the 25th, we'll have lots of time to relax and just be together with minimal holiday rush. We can just sit back and rest, enjoying our time together. It'll be long overdue by then.
Hopefully 2017 will be full of wonderful experiences and memories together with family and friends, but for now, I'm happy to just focus on one thing at a time.
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