Week In Review – so far, so good
I know you want to hear about how I’ve put mothballs under the hood of my car, or how I was painting yesterday and had a crazy moment where I thought the walls were mad at me. But I’m not going to tell you either of those things. Instead, I’m going to recap how the New Year’s Resolutions are going.
I know you’re excited, but please save all applause until the end.
So, anyway… I made a lot of resolutions, but I think I was realistic with my expectations on what I could accomplish. Here’s how I did in January:
Every Month:
stick to my new budget
- I actually expected to fail this one right off the bat, but I made it. By the skin of my teeth, but still. I don’t have any “disposable” income, but I managed to keep on budget and even had saved enough to cover the repairs on my car. So, that was great.
spend time with family or friends I rarely see
- I spent an afternoon and evening with my aunt, which was lovely. We tried to do that Geocaching thing, which is supposed to be a lot of fun. We were just frustrated. But, it was nice to spend time together, and also we got ice cream after, so win/win. That evening, my cousin took us to dinner, so win/win/win!
go someplace different or go to an event (in other words, get out of the house!)
- On the very first day of January, I went to the Botanical Garden with my sister and her family. Way to get it checked off the list immediately, right? I was glad I went, and plus I got a post out of it.
do something randomly nice for someone
- I honestly have not done that. Or thought about it. I completely forgot about this one, which is a clear indication of why it was on there in the first place. I don’t do enough nice things for people, so I need to get started working on that one.
Resume:
Being Thankful
- Done.
writing more substantial blog content
- All I can say is I’m sorry!
the Queries
- I finally posted a new Query! I wanted to do two a month, but it’s just not working out time-wise. So, at this point, if I can do one a month, I will be happy with that. February’s is coming soon!
To Do:
adopt healthier eating habits
exercise
- No comment. Yet. I’ve started with eating a healthier breakfast, but even that is hit or miss right now.
de-clutter my house
- It has started! I cleared out some books. This is not mentally or emotionally easy, but as I go forward, it will get easier and faster.
take a photography class
- Not yet, but I know of one class I want to do in the Spring.
go to bed at the same time every night
- This is a real issue for me because of my work schedule. But I am working on it. Not very well, but I haven’t given up on it.
.
So that’s it, and now February has begun…
Oh, boy. That means I’ve got to do this all again.
♦
steadily skipping stones 
Sounds like you are off to a good start. One day at a time…
I saw your comment this morning, but couldn’t answer til now. But I thought about it every time today that I wanted a bit of chocolate or other temptation. It kept running through my mind like from that old tv show: “One day at a ti-hi-hi-hime…” So no candy was eaten today! Thank you, Patricia!
I’m with Pat. One day at a time. Heck, at least you made resolutions… I don’t even make them anymore because I’d never keep them. About the eating/exercising thing: I’ve been trying to do this for the last year… I guess I did make one resolution because I started a new blog to “keep me accountable”. Publicly. It’s called “Clean. Green. Eat. Repeat.” I’m going to do a 3-day “beginner-level” detox too. And I’m going to go vegetarian for lent. I’ve really got to get off my tookas and do something here!
That’s a big reason I did it here, plus the update. I definitely need help with accountability! I will have to check yours out! I’m not doing anything big, but I do want to get myself on a plan I started before (that I stopped as soon as I started seeing results, like a dummy). It’s basically just cutting out preservatives and stuff like that, prepared foods, etc. You eat protein and carb combinations that work for you and every 2 – 3 hours. The main idea is to eat real food and keep your blood sugar level throughout the day. It really worked and I wasn’t hungry, but I just stopped before. I am a grab and go kind of girl, and that took time to plan and cook, so… But I really need to just put in the effort and get back to that.
Good luck with your’s! I’ll come check out your blog and Rah! Rah! for you.
That sounds like a good plan. I recently found “The Anti-Inflamation Diet” which interested me because, besides all the fat that would NOT go away, my joints were beginning to ache when I did exercise. Talk about a motivation killer! ” Oooh, it hurts! Just let me sit here for a minute…” I love the diet because it is a lot like you are describing~knocking out the processed foods. I do feel better, but like you, if it is going to take work/time I’m prone to skipping it. There are a number of recipes I can make ahead, though, and snacky kinds of things, so I’m thinking the next time I’m in the mood I’ll make several recipes at once. That way they’ll be within grabbing reach.
Good luck!
My friend who is taking classes to become a Health Coach (which I’m not 100% sure what that will involve) asked me a while back to be a guinea pig for her to practice on. The first thing she said to do is stop eating the processed foods, additives, preservatives, etc. The lady who I was following wants you to do organic whenever you can, too. Her whole thing is that the body doesn’t recognize all the non-natural stuff we put into it and so it stores it instead of using it up. She had a lot of (I guess) scientific notes and explanations that seemed to make sense.
What you said about making stuff ahead is the key for me, too. I’m okay if I can just reach into the fridge and grab something. I had been cooking on my day off and that seemed to do the trick for me. But I have to really be organized with it, or I don’t get it done. Good luck to you, too! I’m glad it’s working so far – I do think we feel better when we are putting the right things into our bodies.
Good start.
Soooo…I’m wondering why you would put mothballs under the hood of your car. Does that help with maintenance or something because the less stuff I have to do to my car the better?
It’s preventative measures! On last week’s Week In Review, I told everyone how some critter chewed through wires in my car. I got it fixed and the same day, he did it again! My cousin fixed it, again. I had looked on line this time and people said they don’t like the smell of mothballs, so they are now in every crannie under my hood. Plus I got pellets and sprinkled on the ground where I park. So far, so good…
I think you’re doing GREAT! I’m truly impressed. I also want to declutter my house and was going to start with the books first, too. I’m struggling right now with getting back on some type of regular schedule since I was sick for two weeks. It’s amazing how getting out of your daily routines can throw your whole life out of whack!
Well, I counted it, but it was only two shelves of books. But every one was a deliberation. The same thing was happening to me in January – just feeling tired and listless and achy. It really does throw you out of whack! My whole house is suffering from my lack of energy.
Sounds like you are doing great…I’m not one to make resolutions, because if it is something important enough to change I should make the change right then. If it can wait until the first of the year for me to start doing it differently, then it’s probably just not going to happen at all. I am very proud of you for your good budget though. That’s so very hard, and why Steve has all my debit/credit cards right now.
Yeah, but some things are important enough to change, but they’re so ingrained that it’s not a matter of making the change right then. For me, it wasn’t about waiting until the first of the year to start, but about writing it down and putting it out there at the first of the year. Maybe I would have published it without the whole “New Years” thing, but I doubt it.
I think a tradition like that can be good if it prompts you to take a look at what you’re doing and consider whether or not you want to make changes. Mostly, though, I have taken a look at myself and seen things I didn’t like but kept on going the same anyway.
The budget one is tough. So far this month I’m doing what I did last month, which is use up all my money in the first half and then crack down in the second half because I want to make the goal. That’s not ideal, and I’m working on that, but I guess making my budget is more important at this point than how I make my budget.
You are brave to write about your resolutions on your blog. It’s the small changes done consistently that matter.
I don’t know about brave so much as needing to do it to hold me accountable. I’m afraid that if I don’t tell you guys, then I’ll let myself slide too much.