Yeah, remember this whole thing? Money stress? Right now, I may not be overly stressed about money personally, but there are always things that I want that I need to save up for. You too?
Maybe you are living paycheck to paycheck, and maybe you aren't. Maybe you are trying to save up for a house, or a vacation, or even just a new computer/music player/phone. If there is ever something that you are trying to accumulate more money for, there is always a way to save up that money.
Not only are there always ways, but there are also almost always ways to change so slightly that you don't sacrifice much in terms of your day-to-day life. Which is really what we're all after, right?
The main things that people, like you and me, tend to hear about when it comes to saving money are the clichés. Bring your coffee, don't buy your coffee. Bring your lunch, don't buy your lunch. And yeah, these tips are effective... but they don't apply to everyone. Each person has their own priorities and preferences for how they live their lives. I love coffee, and am lucky enough to have access to coffee at work, as much as I want, for only 10$ a month. Not everyone has this luxury. Not everyone drinks coffee.
My second big tip (my first can be found here) is to use up what you already have. If you have, like many people, extra food sitting in your freezer that you bought while it was on sale, but it isn't what you usually use... try it! Try something new, find a new recipe, and use it up. Not only do you now have more space for the usual stuff in your freezer, but you also got to try something new, and the food that you used up will not go to waste.
If you already have mascara (that isn't clumpy), why buy a new one just because it's on sale? Use up what you have first, so that less (or ideally, nothing) goes to waste. I don't know about you guys, but I HATE throwing out things I have purchased. Whether it's food, cosmetics, clothing, etc... I just hate throwing it out. Drives me crazy. Because that is, effectively, throwing your hard-earned money in the garbage.
Ew.
Use up what you already have. If you need to organize a bit, do that! It's a great way to spend your time without buying anything (I don't know about you, but I spend money when I'm bored). Then you will be able to see your things more easily, which makes it easier to use them up!
Do you have any tips or tricks for finding ways to stretch your cash? Please share them! I am always looking for new ideas and things to try!
Peace, love, and save your nickels! (Pennies are gone!)
Showing posts with label I Know Everything. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I Know Everything. Show all posts
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Musings: The illusion of sanity
Illusions exist all around us. Creating images and giving impressions of normalcy and control.
These illusions tell us when someone is weird, or different, somehow unworthy of our attentions.
Everyone comes with illusions, and defeating them to move forward is something that many will never accomplish.
Sanity, just like insanity, is an illusion. Whether you are diagnosed with a mental illness or not, some people will think you sane, others will think you insane. In the grand scheme of the world, though, it doesn't matter.
By many circles, both societal and medical, I am considered insane or mentally unwell. Yet I function. I carry on a life, generally productively, despite this status.
Sanity is just a word, it describes variations without ever really laying a baseline.
Are those who suffer from mental illness really insane, or is their perspective on reality just different? And with the predominance of diagnosed and undiagnosed mental states, is "sanity" really the norm?
Peace, love, and imagine.
These illusions tell us when someone is weird, or different, somehow unworthy of our attentions.
Everyone comes with illusions, and defeating them to move forward is something that many will never accomplish.
Sanity, just like insanity, is an illusion. Whether you are diagnosed with a mental illness or not, some people will think you sane, others will think you insane. In the grand scheme of the world, though, it doesn't matter.
By many circles, both societal and medical, I am considered insane or mentally unwell. Yet I function. I carry on a life, generally productively, despite this status.
Sanity is just a word, it describes variations without ever really laying a baseline.
Are those who suffer from mental illness really insane, or is their perspective on reality just different? And with the predominance of diagnosed and undiagnosed mental states, is "sanity" really the norm?
Peace, love, and imagine.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Money Stress: Step 1 - Save on food
As I said in my previous post, each step is worth itself in weight. So lets get right to it!
If you're reading this, maybe you think that you can improve your financial situation with some easy changes. And it's completely true, you can. Please keep in mind that what works for me and my family may not work for you. Try things, see how they work, and adapt for your own personal lifestyle.
Each tip will consist of a general tip followed by some of the changes I will be (or have been) doing to institute this change. You can use these as starter ideas, or you can use them to brainstorm your own solutions. I won't be insulted if you completely ignore any of the tips, I am just putting them out there in hopes that it helps at least one person feel less stress about their finances.
On to step one.
Step 1:
Cook at home using fresh ingredients.
We always have frozen oven meals in the freezer just in case. With WonderWife working 10 hour days and me with my variable moods (and therefore variable energy), it's just safer to have food that can just be thrown in the oven for those really bad days where I don't want to do anything. Unfortunately, they can be quite pricy. Even if you get a 1-pound bag of frozen vegetables for 2$, you're still paying more than you would for fresh vegetables.
I am dedicating it to myself now that I will start to make my own handy helpers for the freezer with what foods I currently have. Then I will move upwards to making full out freezer meals. But small steps...
Tonight I am going to grate up some of the carrots we have in the fridge along with the cauliflower and mix them together in a container to throw in the freezer. This will be an easy to use addition to any meal I throw together, easy way to add more fresh foods to our diet (which is quite fresh already, but no such thing as too much), and save money. Not to mention that carrots and cauliflower are relatively easy on the taste buds, particularly when cooked, so they will blend in nicely with many foods and not overpower.
Next, I am going to thaw out some of the bricks of cheese we have in the freezer and shred them, and refreeze them for easy to use shredded cheese. That will make adding cheese to any meal a snap, and save me time while I'm trying to throw together a meal at 6pm.
Having fresh vegetables on hand is all well and good, but it is important to use them before they go bad. Otherwise you are basically throwing away your money.
Having pre-cooked or semi-cooked meat in the freezer is a goal for me, having premade mixes in the freezer which simply need to be thrown onto a frying pan is another. There are so many possibilities in the realm of precooked and ready-to-eat foods that it is almost impossible to figure out where to start!
So that's my step one. Have you had any successes with doing prep-work ahead of time? Do you have any tips or tricks for throwing together a healthy, homemade meal in less time? I would love to hear them, as time is a valuable asset and I am going to strive to conserve more of it!
Thanks for reading, let me know what you think!
Peace, love, and munch away!
If you're reading this, maybe you think that you can improve your financial situation with some easy changes. And it's completely true, you can. Please keep in mind that what works for me and my family may not work for you. Try things, see how they work, and adapt for your own personal lifestyle.
Each tip will consist of a general tip followed by some of the changes I will be (or have been) doing to institute this change. You can use these as starter ideas, or you can use them to brainstorm your own solutions. I won't be insulted if you completely ignore any of the tips, I am just putting them out there in hopes that it helps at least one person feel less stress about their finances.
On to step one.
Step 1:
Cook at home using fresh ingredients.
We always have frozen oven meals in the freezer just in case. With WonderWife working 10 hour days and me with my variable moods (and therefore variable energy), it's just safer to have food that can just be thrown in the oven for those really bad days where I don't want to do anything. Unfortunately, they can be quite pricy. Even if you get a 1-pound bag of frozen vegetables for 2$, you're still paying more than you would for fresh vegetables.
I am dedicating it to myself now that I will start to make my own handy helpers for the freezer with what foods I currently have. Then I will move upwards to making full out freezer meals. But small steps...
Tonight I am going to grate up some of the carrots we have in the fridge along with the cauliflower and mix them together in a container to throw in the freezer. This will be an easy to use addition to any meal I throw together, easy way to add more fresh foods to our diet (which is quite fresh already, but no such thing as too much), and save money. Not to mention that carrots and cauliflower are relatively easy on the taste buds, particularly when cooked, so they will blend in nicely with many foods and not overpower.
Next, I am going to thaw out some of the bricks of cheese we have in the freezer and shred them, and refreeze them for easy to use shredded cheese. That will make adding cheese to any meal a snap, and save me time while I'm trying to throw together a meal at 6pm.
Having fresh vegetables on hand is all well and good, but it is important to use them before they go bad. Otherwise you are basically throwing away your money.
Having pre-cooked or semi-cooked meat in the freezer is a goal for me, having premade mixes in the freezer which simply need to be thrown onto a frying pan is another. There are so many possibilities in the realm of precooked and ready-to-eat foods that it is almost impossible to figure out where to start!
So that's my step one. Have you had any successes with doing prep-work ahead of time? Do you have any tips or tricks for throwing together a healthy, homemade meal in less time? I would love to hear them, as time is a valuable asset and I am going to strive to conserve more of it!
Thanks for reading, let me know what you think!
Peace, love, and munch away!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The Importance of Setting Goals and... my 2013 resolutions!
New Year's resolutions are known far and wide as "goals for the first week of January" which then get thrown out the window.
Setting goals for yourself is a very important part of productive and satisfying living, yet countless people set goals for themselves that they never actually acheive, or they give up after a very brief time.
Why is that? First and most important reason: You set your goals too high, too hard, or too little gratification.
Humans as a whole love instant gratification. Being able to feel at least a piece of success NOW is essential to our wanting to continue working towards that goal. By setting a goal that has no short-term or instant gratification, you are setting yourself up to give up on yourself.
How do we avoid that?
Set smaller goals. Be realistic.
If your goal is to get healthy, quantify that. Do you want to (eventually) lose 5, 10, 15 pounds? Or is it that you want to fit into a size 8, 10, 14? Or maybe even be able to do 50 sit ups, pushups, squats, etc in a row?
Set a big goal, such as: By December 31, 2013, I want to lose 20 pounds and/or fit into a size 10, and/or be able to do 100 pushups in a row.
Then, set smaller, monthly goals. Such as: I want to lose 3 pounds in January.
Then think about what you have to do to acheive the smaller goal. If monthly goals are still too big for you, or you want something a little closer, think instead of time-based goals.
Example: I want to exercise for one hour each week (great starting point for the inactive person).
Then, each day that you do even five minutes of exercise, track it. By the end of the week, you add it all up. Each week you set a new goal. Maybe it'll be the same goal repeated, maybe you'll up the ante a bit. But don't overreach yourself.
You are worth the effort it takes to acheive your goals.
With all of that out of the way, here are my goals for 2013:
1. Fit back into a size 8 and be healthy about it.
a. Work out at least two hours each week
b. Stop eating so much junk food. Eat fruits and vegetables instead.
2. Pay off the car loan.
a. Find my cheques
b. Stay within budget
c. Track spending and budget
3. Write more
a. Edit my NaNoWriMo2012 novel to readability and have people read it.
b. Continue working on the first draft of my other novel
c. Add new content to this blog and to my Helium.com profile every week.
4. Finish 3 of my university courses
a. one at a time, starting with Introductory Composition
That's all for now, folks! If you have any tips or tricks to making and sticking with goals, share them below! Also, if you have made any resolutions this year, share them and join the conversation.
Be honest with yourself, and believe in yourself.
Peace, love, and everlasting happiness.
Setting goals for yourself is a very important part of productive and satisfying living, yet countless people set goals for themselves that they never actually acheive, or they give up after a very brief time.
Why is that? First and most important reason: You set your goals too high, too hard, or too little gratification.
Humans as a whole love instant gratification. Being able to feel at least a piece of success NOW is essential to our wanting to continue working towards that goal. By setting a goal that has no short-term or instant gratification, you are setting yourself up to give up on yourself.
How do we avoid that?
Set smaller goals. Be realistic.
If your goal is to get healthy, quantify that. Do you want to (eventually) lose 5, 10, 15 pounds? Or is it that you want to fit into a size 8, 10, 14? Or maybe even be able to do 50 sit ups, pushups, squats, etc in a row?
Set a big goal, such as: By December 31, 2013, I want to lose 20 pounds and/or fit into a size 10, and/or be able to do 100 pushups in a row.
Then, set smaller, monthly goals. Such as: I want to lose 3 pounds in January.
Then think about what you have to do to acheive the smaller goal. If monthly goals are still too big for you, or you want something a little closer, think instead of time-based goals.
Example: I want to exercise for one hour each week (great starting point for the inactive person).
Then, each day that you do even five minutes of exercise, track it. By the end of the week, you add it all up. Each week you set a new goal. Maybe it'll be the same goal repeated, maybe you'll up the ante a bit. But don't overreach yourself.
You are worth the effort it takes to acheive your goals.
With all of that out of the way, here are my goals for 2013:
1. Fit back into a size 8 and be healthy about it.
a. Work out at least two hours each week
b. Stop eating so much junk food. Eat fruits and vegetables instead.
2. Pay off the car loan.
a. Find my cheques
b. Stay within budget
c. Track spending and budget
3. Write more
a. Edit my NaNoWriMo2012 novel to readability and have people read it.
b. Continue working on the first draft of my other novel
c. Add new content to this blog and to my Helium.com profile every week.
4. Finish 3 of my university courses
a. one at a time, starting with Introductory Composition
That's all for now, folks! If you have any tips or tricks to making and sticking with goals, share them below! Also, if you have made any resolutions this year, share them and join the conversation.
Be honest with yourself, and believe in yourself.
Peace, love, and everlasting happiness.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Trying New Things: Persimmons
As I scope through the flyers, occasionally I notice new trends. This past month it has been persimmons.
They were in almost every flyer! I had never heard of them before, but decided to buy one on a whim. Just one, in case they weren't any good.
So it sat on my counter for six days. Six days I watched it get riper and riper, and I still had no idea how to eat it or what it would taste like.
Today I bit the bullet. I looked up "how to eat a persimmon" and read the first non-video page.
Peace, love, and eat fruit!
They were in almost every flyer! I had never heard of them before, but decided to buy one on a whim. Just one, in case they weren't any good.
So it sat on my counter for six days. Six days I watched it get riper and riper, and I still had no idea how to eat it or what it would taste like.
Today I bit the bullet. I looked up "how to eat a persimmon" and read the first non-video page.
 |
| Mmmm... tasty! |
Turns out, you just slice the leaves off the top and cut it into wedges as you would a tomato. Except that this fruit, unlike the tomato, was not acidic in the least.
The flesh was soft and squishy, pleasant on the palate. The taste was a deep sweet, a satisfying sweetness that sat wonderfully on my tongue and ruined the taste of coffee for me that I was trying to drink at the same time.
It was delicious! Sweet like a berry, soft like a berry, but bigger, and fuller.
Thus shall begin my irregular and non-sequential series that is going to be ostensibly called "Trying new things"
Because it's good to try new things, particularly when the new things turns out to be so... tasty.
Stay tuned!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Why even try to participate in NaNoWriMo?
Ever since I found out about NaNoWriMo 2 years ago, I have at least attempted to participate. Two years having attempted, and two years of not completing the goal. But am I discouraged? Hell no.
A lot of people wonder why anyone would try to write a novel in 30 days. To them, I say:
Why not?
Why would I tell myself that I can't do something, when I'm already trying to do something extremely difficult (namely: become a published author)?
The point of NaNoWriMo is not to pump out a bestselling novel ready for publishing in 30 days. The entire point is to force yourself to write, to turn off your inner editor and allow yourself to write garbage just to get your messy and fuzzy ideas out of your head and onto paper/word processor.
There can never be a final published draft without first a rough draft. And let me tell you, rough drafts are ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS crap. They are disorganized, they are unrefined, they are messy. Stephen King starts each of his novels with a rough draft that sucks, as does J.K. Rowling, as does Michael Chrichton , and every single other published and non-published author out there.
So yeah, your (and my) NaNo novel is going to suck like nothing else. But that's where beauty is made, in taking the beautiful ideas that you have strewn and barfed all over the page, and making them organized, beautiful, and maybe a little bit crazy but at least somewhat logical.
That's the point.
Peace, love, and WRITE ON B*TCHES!
A lot of people wonder why anyone would try to write a novel in 30 days. To them, I say:
Why not?
Why would I tell myself that I can't do something, when I'm already trying to do something extremely difficult (namely: become a published author)?
The point of NaNoWriMo is not to pump out a bestselling novel ready for publishing in 30 days. The entire point is to force yourself to write, to turn off your inner editor and allow yourself to write garbage just to get your messy and fuzzy ideas out of your head and onto paper/word processor.
There can never be a final published draft without first a rough draft. And let me tell you, rough drafts are ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS crap. They are disorganized, they are unrefined, they are messy. Stephen King starts each of his novels with a rough draft that sucks, as does J.K. Rowling, as does Michael Chrichton , and every single other published and non-published author out there.
So yeah, your (and my) NaNo novel is going to suck like nothing else. But that's where beauty is made, in taking the beautiful ideas that you have strewn and barfed all over the page, and making them organized, beautiful, and maybe a little bit crazy but at least somewhat logical.
That's the point.
Peace, love, and WRITE ON B*TCHES!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
My Quirky Habits
So I decided to make a list of all the weird or quirky things I do for no real logical reason.
I don't really have a reason for this, I just don't take the top few. People have touched those ones, and messed them up. I like a nice clean newspaper that hasn't been sullied.
Anyways, I"m sure there are more, but that's all I can think of for now.
Do you have any quirky habits or odd routines? Do people look at you oddly when you do something that seems completely normal to you? Please share, we can rejoice in each others oddities.
Peace, love, and nerdy love!
1. When I take a newspaper from a newspaper box, I never take the top one, even if the top one is intact. I usually take the fourth one. If there is only one paper, I won't take it.
I don't really have a reason for this, I just don't take the top few. People have touched those ones, and messed them up. I like a nice clean newspaper that hasn't been sullied.
2. My closet needs to be organized in a certain way or I can't find my clothes. I will take pictures of my closet and post them at a later date.By I can't find my clothes, I literally mean that I cannot get dressed until it's fixed. I know it's weird, and I know there's no reason for it, but it's just one of those things. I don't mind having my closet organized though, and it doesn't take long to put stuff away in order, so it doesn't detriment me much.
3. I have a terrible memory, and so to help myself remember stuff, I have to write it down. Which sounds pretty average, except that it has to be hand written onto a notepad or somewhere flat.Notebooks and agendas are no good, anything easily portable does not reliably help retain brain stuff. Thanks to my smart phone, I get pop up reminders, which is great. But it doesn't have the same satisfaction of just straight up remembering stuff.
4. If I'm listening to music, I'm either singing along silently or grooving. No matter if I'm on the bus, walking up the street, or chilling at my desk at work. People look at me weird, but I just love music and grooving out.I've noticed that very few people do this. It's too bad, music is a key to the soul.
Anyways, I"m sure there are more, but that's all I can think of for now.
Do you have any quirky habits or odd routines? Do people look at you oddly when you do something that seems completely normal to you? Please share, we can rejoice in each others oddities.
Peace, love, and nerdy love!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Milestone! 500 views!
Huzzah, people read me! I've hit 500 views (514 as I write this) in total. Which doesn't seem like a lot to some of the bigger websites and blogs out there, but this is a non-niche, non-specific blog, so I think that's pretty fantastic.
I'd really appreciate getting some feedback on what sort of things people like hearing from me, because I can ramble and I'm also super random. But if there's anything that any one of my readers (regular or not) would like to see, I'd definitely be willing to share!
So here's to my first 500 views, and to my next 500! Maybe I'll hit it in less time.
Please share any thoughts you've got.
And I have a writing wrap-up post coming in short order, since I've been doing a lot of writing lately! Yay!
Peace, love, and geronimo!
I'd really appreciate getting some feedback on what sort of things people like hearing from me, because I can ramble and I'm also super random. But if there's anything that any one of my readers (regular or not) would like to see, I'd definitely be willing to share!
So here's to my first 500 views, and to my next 500! Maybe I'll hit it in less time.
Please share any thoughts you've got.
And I have a writing wrap-up post coming in short order, since I've been doing a lot of writing lately! Yay!
Peace, love, and geronimo!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
The Weight of Obligation
Obligation. It’s a heavy word that is thrown around fairly frequently to induce guilt.
Picture yourself in this situation:
There is a work event to ‘pat the back’ of some of the better employees. This is a job where you are treated like crap by everyone, from clients to coworkers alike, you often get yelled at for doing things properly, and yelled at to do things that you are already doing. Your boss forces you to agree to drive 2-4 other employees to this event, even though you don’t know some of the people you would be driving. You weren’t going to attend this event, seeing as a pat on the back doesn’t make up for how miserable you feel about your job.
Do you go? Or do you not? If not, how do you break it to your fellow employees that they are not getting a ride?
This is a challenging situation. If you feel obligation towards others for a commitment that you didn’t actually make, it may be time to reconsider your priorities. Especially if it makes you feel like you are disappointing people that you don’t really have any emotional attachment to. In the interest in relatively full disclosure, I will tell you that this situation did not happen to me, but it did happen to someone I know.
Saying no and meaning it
This comes down to the ability to say “no” and stick to it. It is really hard sometimes, especially when it is someone who is superior to you asking (or telling) you to do something. Whether it’s your mother, aunt, grandfather, or boss at work, there is an automatic sense of obligation towards these people. And it doesn’t seem to matter if they ever do anything for you or not. It tends to actually be worse if the person asking (or telling) you do to something for them doesn’t reciprocate, though I honestly have a hard time understanding why that is.
Personally, I have come a long way in terms of being able to say “no” and I confess fully that it is a very hard thing to learn. Especially if you were never allowed to say “no” growing up. Learning to politely, but firmly, decline requests or orders when you are in your 20’s is a process in itself. It starts with confidence. Confidence in yourself to know what you want to do in life and what you are willing to do in others, and confidence enough to be able to put your foot down in the name of yourself.
When you feel obligated to do something that you really don’t want to do, it’s important to figure out why. Why is it that you feel you have to accomplish or complete this ‘obligation’ in order to feel satisfied? Does the requester hold some power over you? Have you intentionally given them this power, or is the power just by proxy from you not putting your foot down earlier? If this is something you want to overcome, it becomes more important to consider the relationships that you have with those around you and the impact their requests have on you.
The importance of compromise... on both sides
In the above situation, there ended up being a compromise reached. My friend did end up going to the event, but did not carpool the other employees. Instead, one of the other people who were attending drove a few, and others just took the bus. My friend did have fun, and enjoyed her time there, because the obligation of driving the other individuals was no longer her concern and the car wasn’t going to be used for something that she didn’t want it to be. Close to the middle, and both sides were satisfied because they got something they wanted.
This is often the case when you want to start getting unwanted obligations off your back. Compromise can really work to everyone’s benefit when those on both sides work together. To be able to find a compromise, you need to first assess what you are willing to do in this situation, and how far you are willing to bend your own time to suit the requester’s needs. Then you have to go to that person and talk to them. Tell them your issues and your flexibilities; make sure they understand where the line is that you are saying no more. The only thing left is to find a middle ground.
Starting small and gaining confidence
Despite the fact that this can seem confrontational and scary, it isn’t really that bad. My personal experience says that if someone is asking something of you, they want something for a reason. They will usually take any small part of that task or request that you offer, because that’s one less thing that they need to do. Start with smaller things, and work your way towards feeling confident in fully denying things that you really don’t want to or don’t feel comfortable doing. Each time you compromise or deny something like this, your level of confidence and faith in yourself will go up. Stick to your guns and feel good about the things that your precious time and energy are put into.
Everything you do should benefit yourself or your relationships somehow. If it isn’t, you will need to decide if it is really that important for you to do. Use your time on things that really matter to you, that move you forward somehow whether it’s emotionally, physically, or interpersonally. Otherwise, it’s just something that will suck up your time and leave you feeling like you haven’t really achieved anything. I’ve been there, and it’s not a happy place. So start making yourself happier by following your heart and sticking to your guns. It is always worth it.
As always,
Peace, love, and wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff
Picture yourself in this situation:
There is a work event to ‘pat the back’ of some of the better employees. This is a job where you are treated like crap by everyone, from clients to coworkers alike, you often get yelled at for doing things properly, and yelled at to do things that you are already doing. Your boss forces you to agree to drive 2-4 other employees to this event, even though you don’t know some of the people you would be driving. You weren’t going to attend this event, seeing as a pat on the back doesn’t make up for how miserable you feel about your job.
Do you go? Or do you not? If not, how do you break it to your fellow employees that they are not getting a ride?
This is a challenging situation. If you feel obligation towards others for a commitment that you didn’t actually make, it may be time to reconsider your priorities. Especially if it makes you feel like you are disappointing people that you don’t really have any emotional attachment to. In the interest in relatively full disclosure, I will tell you that this situation did not happen to me, but it did happen to someone I know.
 |
| Image source: michaelhyatt.com |
Saying no and meaning it
This comes down to the ability to say “no” and stick to it. It is really hard sometimes, especially when it is someone who is superior to you asking (or telling) you to do something. Whether it’s your mother, aunt, grandfather, or boss at work, there is an automatic sense of obligation towards these people. And it doesn’t seem to matter if they ever do anything for you or not. It tends to actually be worse if the person asking (or telling) you do to something for them doesn’t reciprocate, though I honestly have a hard time understanding why that is.
Personally, I have come a long way in terms of being able to say “no” and I confess fully that it is a very hard thing to learn. Especially if you were never allowed to say “no” growing up. Learning to politely, but firmly, decline requests or orders when you are in your 20’s is a process in itself. It starts with confidence. Confidence in yourself to know what you want to do in life and what you are willing to do in others, and confidence enough to be able to put your foot down in the name of yourself.
When you feel obligated to do something that you really don’t want to do, it’s important to figure out why. Why is it that you feel you have to accomplish or complete this ‘obligation’ in order to feel satisfied? Does the requester hold some power over you? Have you intentionally given them this power, or is the power just by proxy from you not putting your foot down earlier? If this is something you want to overcome, it becomes more important to consider the relationships that you have with those around you and the impact their requests have on you.
 |
| Image source: xintiammo.blogspot.com |
The importance of compromise... on both sides
In the above situation, there ended up being a compromise reached. My friend did end up going to the event, but did not carpool the other employees. Instead, one of the other people who were attending drove a few, and others just took the bus. My friend did have fun, and enjoyed her time there, because the obligation of driving the other individuals was no longer her concern and the car wasn’t going to be used for something that she didn’t want it to be. Close to the middle, and both sides were satisfied because they got something they wanted.
This is often the case when you want to start getting unwanted obligations off your back. Compromise can really work to everyone’s benefit when those on both sides work together. To be able to find a compromise, you need to first assess what you are willing to do in this situation, and how far you are willing to bend your own time to suit the requester’s needs. Then you have to go to that person and talk to them. Tell them your issues and your flexibilities; make sure they understand where the line is that you are saying no more. The only thing left is to find a middle ground.
 |
| Image source: redbubble.com |
Starting small and gaining confidence
Despite the fact that this can seem confrontational and scary, it isn’t really that bad. My personal experience says that if someone is asking something of you, they want something for a reason. They will usually take any small part of that task or request that you offer, because that’s one less thing that they need to do. Start with smaller things, and work your way towards feeling confident in fully denying things that you really don’t want to or don’t feel comfortable doing. Each time you compromise or deny something like this, your level of confidence and faith in yourself will go up. Stick to your guns and feel good about the things that your precious time and energy are put into.
Everything you do should benefit yourself or your relationships somehow. If it isn’t, you will need to decide if it is really that important for you to do. Use your time on things that really matter to you, that move you forward somehow whether it’s emotionally, physically, or interpersonally. Otherwise, it’s just something that will suck up your time and leave you feeling like you haven’t really achieved anything. I’ve been there, and it’s not a happy place. So start making yourself happier by following your heart and sticking to your guns. It is always worth it.
As always,
Peace, love, and wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff
Monday, September 24, 2012
Thoughts on nerdiness
What is a nerd? Why do people in the general population seem to think that calling someone a nerd is a huge insult? It's not. It just means that the person enjoys learning and being smart, and maybe a little bit obsessed about things.
Since when it being smart and enjoying things emphatically a bad thing?
I will be the first to confess, I am a gigantic nerd. I may not be supremely educated, but I love learning. I may suck at video games and PC games, but I love playing them. And I get ridiculously excited when the new Doctor Who episode is coming out.
Learning that all anglerfish are females is exciting to me.
Finding out what a quark is, after failing miserably to even understand basic physics in high school, is exciting to me.
And I'm not ashamed of it.
Being jump up and down excited about things is what life is about. Letting out your inner nerd and playing video games is a fun way to kill time and boost your hand-eye coordination.
Nerdiness is awesome. Nerds make things, invent things, start new trends. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were both nerds, David Tennant is a nerd, and I am a nerd.
It is what it is, be who you are.
Peace, love, and nerd out.
Since when it being smart and enjoying things emphatically a bad thing?
I will be the first to confess, I am a gigantic nerd. I may not be supremely educated, but I love learning. I may suck at video games and PC games, but I love playing them. And I get ridiculously excited when the new Doctor Who episode is coming out.
Learning that all anglerfish are females is exciting to me.
Finding out what a quark is, after failing miserably to even understand basic physics in high school, is exciting to me.
And I'm not ashamed of it.
Being jump up and down excited about things is what life is about. Letting out your inner nerd and playing video games is a fun way to kill time and boost your hand-eye coordination.
Nerdiness is awesome. Nerds make things, invent things, start new trends. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were both nerds, David Tennant is a nerd, and I am a nerd.
It is what it is, be who you are.
Peace, love, and nerd out.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Playing Catch-up: Life
Honestly, I've been neglectful at updating this blog for a few reasons.
1. I'm moving jobs in 2 weeks (from yesterday)
2. I'm moving house in a month (yay!)
3. I haven't really felt much like writing, even my novel and my articles have fallen by the wayside. (Sorry Matt & Chels)
Life is really crazy sometimes, and it just likes to throw things at you out of nowhere.
So this is just to advise you that I have not abandonned ship.
I plan to get back into the swing a bit more the next week or so.
Until then, read my other stuff, since it's fantastic.
1. I'm moving jobs in 2 weeks (from yesterday)
2. I'm moving house in a month (yay!)
3. I haven't really felt much like writing, even my novel and my articles have fallen by the wayside. (Sorry Matt & Chels)
Life is really crazy sometimes, and it just likes to throw things at you out of nowhere.
So this is just to advise you that I have not abandonned ship.
I plan to get back into the swing a bit more the next week or so.
Until then, read my other stuff, since it's fantastic.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Chasing Dreams Step 1 Update #4 + Step 2
Sorry for the delay, yesterday was a busy day! I have a job interview this morning, and I also will no longer be dropping my daughter off at daycare in the mornings. The girl we babysit for in the evenings is willing to do a trade, so hopefully that will help my lateness become less of an issue, particularly in the winter when there is no sunlightl.
So anyways, here is my update from the last week about my dream chasing:
Thursday July 5: Done!
Friday July 6: Partially done (did 14 pushups, skipped the crunches, everything else done)
Saturday July 7: Nope
Sunday July 8: Done!
Monday July 9: Done (14 pushups)
Tuesday July 10: Nope, did some cardio though
Wednesday July 11: Done! (14 pushups)
4.5/7 this time. I figure I'm doing pretty good at managing 4-5 days a week, which is wicked. My goal is to do a 20 minute Zumba workout in the mornings, which may start next week or the week after. I have definitely noticed changes in the way my body feels and looks, and WW has also noticed that I look a bit trimmer. Woo! Progress!
Time to bump it up some more:
50 jumping jacks with Zumba toning sticks in hand
15 pushups (still working on making it all the way down for the full 10)
15 crunches/sit-ups
15 wide-legged squats
Now that I have a fairly good routine going on with step 1, on to step 2 of chasing dreams.
I want to be published in print. To do so, I need to write, and I need to put myself out there. First off, I want to finish my novel. So step 2 part 1 is: Work on the novel (whether it's writing, brainstorming, editing, etc) every single day for at least 15 minutes.
Then when I update here, I have to say what I was doing (whether it was writing, editing, etc).
Now, when I do my update next week, there will be two parts to it. The update for step 1 (health) and the update for step 2 (writing/publishing).
Hope you'll follow along and share your steps toward chasing down your dreams!
So anyways, here is my update from the last week about my dream chasing:
Thursday July 5: Done!
Friday July 6: Partially done (did 14 pushups, skipped the crunches, everything else done)
Saturday July 7: Nope
Sunday July 8: Done!
Monday July 9: Done (14 pushups)
Tuesday July 10: Nope, did some cardio though
Wednesday July 11: Done! (14 pushups)
4.5/7 this time. I figure I'm doing pretty good at managing 4-5 days a week, which is wicked. My goal is to do a 20 minute Zumba workout in the mornings, which may start next week or the week after. I have definitely noticed changes in the way my body feels and looks, and WW has also noticed that I look a bit trimmer. Woo! Progress!
Time to bump it up some more:
50 jumping jacks with Zumba toning sticks in hand
15 pushups (still working on making it all the way down for the full 10)
15 crunches/sit-ups
15 wide-legged squats
Now that I have a fairly good routine going on with step 1, on to step 2 of chasing dreams.
I want to be published in print. To do so, I need to write, and I need to put myself out there. First off, I want to finish my novel. So step 2 part 1 is: Work on the novel (whether it's writing, brainstorming, editing, etc) every single day for at least 15 minutes.
Then when I update here, I have to say what I was doing (whether it was writing, editing, etc).
Now, when I do my update next week, there will be two parts to it. The update for step 1 (health) and the update for step 2 (writing/publishing).
Hope you'll follow along and share your steps toward chasing down your dreams!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Monthly Budget Breakdown: June 2012
Budgeting for dummies... or something. Since I started keeping track of money (again) in June, I figured maybe I could do an update of sorts too. Keep things interesting. Everyone has money (or doesn't...), and everyone needs to use it to buy stuff they want.
Learning how to spend it smart is one of the best things that my mom ever taught me. It comes to my attention now and then that the general public has no idea how to determine the cost by weight/mass of an item in a store. They also tend to have no clue how to tell if something is a good price or not (hint: if the "sale" is 20 cents off... it's just publicity).
So, I'm going to update my monthly budget here.
June's budget was the following:
Rent: 1110.41
Rogers/Hydro/Telus: 131.08 (had to pay 2 months worth of Telus since I neglected to pay for it last month... thankfully I just pay my dad since the account is in his name and the payments are automatic)
Car payments: 212.62
Various insurance: 160.51 (car and life)
Daycare: 221.34
TFSA Savings: 200 (ING is great for keeping money out of sight and safe)
Entertainment: 30.53 (netflix and zip memberships... we don't have cable)
Groceries: 420.20 (was aiming for less than 400$ so I've got to get that under control)
Dining out: 294.86 (family came into town, so we happily took them out on our dime :) other than that, we spent less than 150$ on restaurant food)
Gas: 77.85 (way less than I thought it would be! maybe our car is more efficient than I thought!)
Smokes: 44.43 (I always budget 60, just in case)
Psych: 850 (some will be reimbursed, and switched providers as well to one less expensive)
Dental: 60
Car (other): 53.65
Other: 55.51
Total expenses: 4062.99
Income:
Salaries: 4648.87
Babysitting: 95
Total: 4743.87
Difference: 680.88
Now, you may be wondering why I wouldn't put that difference in a savings account or use it to pay off the car loan. For now, since my job situation is less than secure, we are working on increasing the amount we have in our general use account. Until we know if I will have a job in October, any difference in income versus expenses is going to be kept aside and not invested. That way, we will have a buffer of cash (kind of like an emergency fund) in the off-chance that I won't be able to find a job for a month or two. That way all of our expenses will still be covered, and we will not go into debt.
The number one way I save money in a month is by controlling grocery spending and not eating out. I know that sounds like two separate ways, but they are intrinsically connected. I always make sure I have a lot of cheap food in the house from groceries to minimize how often we resort to going to restaurants for eating. By cheap, I mean quality but inexpensive. Very few of the items in my pantry/fridge/freezer are no name or store brand. We are almost always able to get the name brands because we wait for them to be cheaper than e store brands. No crappy toilet paper (tehe... pun intended) in our home, and no off-brand ketchup to ruin sandwiches.
Once the job situation is sorted out, the extra float money in waiting will be applied to the car loan as a lump sum. Hopefully we'll be able to drop a few grand onto the balance, shortening our financing term a year or two. We shall see.
All it takes is patience and good money management. And of course, a wife (WonderWife, even) to keep her manic wife from spending all their money on fabric and beads. *grin*
Goal for next month (July): bring total expenses down unter 3500. Bring it on.
Got budgeting plans or ideas? Helpful hints or concerns with money? Share them here, bring finances out of the dark and into the light. Help can only be found when people know that it is needed.
Learning how to spend it smart is one of the best things that my mom ever taught me. It comes to my attention now and then that the general public has no idea how to determine the cost by weight/mass of an item in a store. They also tend to have no clue how to tell if something is a good price or not (hint: if the "sale" is 20 cents off... it's just publicity).
So, I'm going to update my monthly budget here.
June's budget was the following:
Rent: 1110.41
Rogers/Hydro/Telus: 131.08 (had to pay 2 months worth of Telus since I neglected to pay for it last month... thankfully I just pay my dad since the account is in his name and the payments are automatic)
Car payments: 212.62
Various insurance: 160.51 (car and life)
Daycare: 221.34
TFSA Savings: 200 (ING is great for keeping money out of sight and safe)
Entertainment: 30.53 (netflix and zip memberships... we don't have cable)
Groceries: 420.20 (was aiming for less than 400$ so I've got to get that under control)
Dining out: 294.86 (family came into town, so we happily took them out on our dime :) other than that, we spent less than 150$ on restaurant food)
Gas: 77.85 (way less than I thought it would be! maybe our car is more efficient than I thought!)
Smokes: 44.43 (I always budget 60, just in case)
Psych: 850 (some will be reimbursed, and switched providers as well to one less expensive)
Dental: 60
Car (other): 53.65
Other: 55.51
Total expenses: 4062.99
Income:
Salaries: 4648.87
Babysitting: 95
Total: 4743.87
Difference: 680.88
Now, you may be wondering why I wouldn't put that difference in a savings account or use it to pay off the car loan. For now, since my job situation is less than secure, we are working on increasing the amount we have in our general use account. Until we know if I will have a job in October, any difference in income versus expenses is going to be kept aside and not invested. That way, we will have a buffer of cash (kind of like an emergency fund) in the off-chance that I won't be able to find a job for a month or two. That way all of our expenses will still be covered, and we will not go into debt.
The number one way I save money in a month is by controlling grocery spending and not eating out. I know that sounds like two separate ways, but they are intrinsically connected. I always make sure I have a lot of cheap food in the house from groceries to minimize how often we resort to going to restaurants for eating. By cheap, I mean quality but inexpensive. Very few of the items in my pantry/fridge/freezer are no name or store brand. We are almost always able to get the name brands because we wait for them to be cheaper than e store brands. No crappy toilet paper (tehe... pun intended) in our home, and no off-brand ketchup to ruin sandwiches.
Once the job situation is sorted out, the extra float money in waiting will be applied to the car loan as a lump sum. Hopefully we'll be able to drop a few grand onto the balance, shortening our financing term a year or two. We shall see.
All it takes is patience and good money management. And of course, a wife (WonderWife, even) to keep her manic wife from spending all their money on fabric and beads. *grin*
Goal for next month (July): bring total expenses down unter 3500. Bring it on.
Got budgeting plans or ideas? Helpful hints or concerns with money? Share them here, bring finances out of the dark and into the light. Help can only be found when people know that it is needed.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Movie Review: The Avengers
WW and I finally got to get out just the two of us for some "adult time" and so we went on a date! To the movies! And we saw:
The Avengers!
Yes! Absolute nerd-gasm going on just at the thought of seeing it, so despite the fact that it was released to theaters forever ago, I still got to see it on the big screen. Awesome.
Anyways, as for the actual movie, it was incredible.
1. Robert Downey Jr. IS Tony Stark. No one could ever play him better. The sass, the attitude, the natural looking facial expressions. Just such perfection for depicting the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist.
2. Mark Ruffalo redeemed himself in my eyes. I despised his character in The Kids Are Alright, and he just seemed like a boring, lame, stupid-funny actor with no depth. But oh my god did he ever pull the Hulk off like a boss. Seriously. I love Edward Norton, but Mark Ruffalo is definitely a better Hulk, both in human form and Hulk form.
3. Hawkeye was not that boring, he actually had some depth and important moments. Not to mention he made Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) show off some of her humanity and backstory. Good stuff.
4. Loki. Oh my Marvel!
There were some sad moments as well, which I can't really share without screaming SPOILERS so I won't. But deep stuff, very well made.
The entire movie was chock full of quality one-liners and funny moments, while also showing the struggle and the depth of the plot. It was pulled off extremely well in my opinion, and I look forward to the next one. But they had better use the same actors/actresses. Seriously.
Have you seen the Avengers? What did you think? Share, share, share!
Yes! Absolute nerd-gasm going on just at the thought of seeing it, so despite the fact that it was released to theaters forever ago, I still got to see it on the big screen. Awesome.
Anyways, as for the actual movie, it was incredible.
1. Robert Downey Jr. IS Tony Stark. No one could ever play him better. The sass, the attitude, the natural looking facial expressions. Just such perfection for depicting the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist.
2. Mark Ruffalo redeemed himself in my eyes. I despised his character in The Kids Are Alright, and he just seemed like a boring, lame, stupid-funny actor with no depth. But oh my god did he ever pull the Hulk off like a boss. Seriously. I love Edward Norton, but Mark Ruffalo is definitely a better Hulk, both in human form and Hulk form.
3. Hawkeye was not that boring, he actually had some depth and important moments. Not to mention he made Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) show off some of her humanity and backstory. Good stuff.
4. Loki. Oh my Marvel!
There were some sad moments as well, which I can't really share without screaming SPOILERS so I won't. But deep stuff, very well made.
The entire movie was chock full of quality one-liners and funny moments, while also showing the struggle and the depth of the plot. It was pulled off extremely well in my opinion, and I look forward to the next one. But they had better use the same actors/actresses. Seriously.
Have you seen the Avengers? What did you think? Share, share, share!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Chasing Dreams Step 1 Update #3
My god I am boring lately! Holy crap! I swear, hopefully soon I will start posting some more interesting diatribes... Maybe... Well I'll try.
So anyways, here is my update from the last week about my dream chasing:
Thursday June 28: Done!
Friday June 29: Partially done (skipped the crunches/situps)
Saturday June 30: Negative, but took a 20 minute walk
Sunday July 1: Nope, but took a 15 minute walk
Monday July 2: Holiday Monday, sheesh I didn't do anything!
Tuesday July 3: Done!
Wednesday July 4: Done!
3.5/7 isn't that like 50%? That's a PASS! WOO! Yeah... I'm reaching.
So, since I still have soreness going on with this routine, I'm going to continue it. I think that tracking it is ACTUALLY making me more accountable, because before I would say I was going to exercise more regularly... and didn't. But since I'm reporting it here (even though no one reads it) I feel more obligated.
This is the routine, in case you're too lazy to check the last update:
50 jumping jacks with Zumba toning sticks in hand
10 pushups (still working on making it all the way down for the full 10)
10 crunches/sit-ups
5 wide-legged squats
Work in progress!
I know I also haven't been writing like... anything lately, anywhere. My weekly wrap-ups haven't been happening... because I haven't really been writing. At least not outside of my novel, that I'm not posting because I would love to publish it when it's done. It will be awesome.
Still willing to share character write-ups though, if there's interest.
Anyone else chasing their dreams one step at a time? Chime in!
So anyways, here is my update from the last week about my dream chasing:
Thursday June 28: Done!
Friday June 29: Partially done (skipped the crunches/situps)
Saturday June 30: Negative, but took a 20 minute walk
Sunday July 1: Nope, but took a 15 minute walk
Monday July 2: Holiday Monday, sheesh I didn't do anything!
Tuesday July 3: Done!
Wednesday July 4: Done!
3.5/7 isn't that like 50%? That's a PASS! WOO! Yeah... I'm reaching.
So, since I still have soreness going on with this routine, I'm going to continue it. I think that tracking it is ACTUALLY making me more accountable, because before I would say I was going to exercise more regularly... and didn't. But since I'm reporting it here (even though no one reads it) I feel more obligated.
This is the routine, in case you're too lazy to check the last update:
50 jumping jacks with Zumba toning sticks in hand
10 pushups (still working on making it all the way down for the full 10)
10 crunches/sit-ups
5 wide-legged squats
Work in progress!
I know I also haven't been writing like... anything lately, anywhere. My weekly wrap-ups haven't been happening... because I haven't really been writing. At least not outside of my novel, that I'm not posting because I would love to publish it when it's done. It will be awesome.
Still willing to share character write-ups though, if there's interest.
Anyone else chasing their dreams one step at a time? Chime in!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Musings on Novel Writing
So I've been trying to actually write a novel, on and off, for around ten years now. Not the same novel the whole time, after a few years I give up on the one idea and toss it. Then I start a new one a few months later.
This time, I've been working on a novel that I think I might actually finish, but we'll see.
So, in light of this point in my novel writing "career" I'm going to share a few tips on how to actually write stuff down. In no particular order at all.
1. Just freaking write. Yeah, you aren't inspired, the light isn't right, and the moon just hasn't hit the right alignment yet. So what? Write anyways. Doesn't have to be able your story, but get something on paper.
2. Read your stuff. Go back every now and then and read stuff that you have already written. If you want, do some edits to tidy it up a bit. Maybe you'll come up with new ideas or sub-ideas to expand on just from reading your own awesome words.
3. Get over yourself. The first draft is never perfect. It isn't supposed to be, that's why it's a draft.
4. Type whole words. Seriously, no1 wantz 2 reed wen u typ lyk dis. Write the whole word out and stop being so... ridiculous. It just makes you look dumb.
5. I'm awesome, and people love reading my stuff. I don't know why, but you know what? Who cares? I love writing, so if people wanna read it, GO FOR IT! Win-win for me! Want me to read your awesome stuff? Link it to me, and I'll check it out!
Basically, if you want to write, just do it. Don't worry about being published or having the final novel manuscript when you haven't even written a first draft. Make mistakes, then make more mistakes. Fix them, learn from them, improve.
Most of all: Just write.
This time, I've been working on a novel that I think I might actually finish, but we'll see.
So, in light of this point in my novel writing "career" I'm going to share a few tips on how to actually write stuff down. In no particular order at all.
1. Just freaking write. Yeah, you aren't inspired, the light isn't right, and the moon just hasn't hit the right alignment yet. So what? Write anyways. Doesn't have to be able your story, but get something on paper.
2. Read your stuff. Go back every now and then and read stuff that you have already written. If you want, do some edits to tidy it up a bit. Maybe you'll come up with new ideas or sub-ideas to expand on just from reading your own awesome words.
3. Get over yourself. The first draft is never perfect. It isn't supposed to be, that's why it's a draft.
4. Type whole words. Seriously, no1 wantz 2 reed wen u typ lyk dis. Write the whole word out and stop being so... ridiculous. It just makes you look dumb.
5. I'm awesome, and people love reading my stuff. I don't know why, but you know what? Who cares? I love writing, so if people wanna read it, GO FOR IT! Win-win for me! Want me to read your awesome stuff? Link it to me, and I'll check it out!
Basically, if you want to write, just do it. Don't worry about being published or having the final novel manuscript when you haven't even written a first draft. Make mistakes, then make more mistakes. Fix them, learn from them, improve.
Most of all: Just write.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Chasing Dreams: Step 1 Update #2
So here is my update from the last week about my dream chasing:
Thursday June 21: Done!
Friday June 22: Nope
Saturday June 23: Negative
Sunday June 24: Done!
Monday June 25: Done!
Tuesday June 26: Done!
Wednesday June 27: Done!
Oh yeah, I rock. 5/7 is a WAYYY better track record. Seriously. And I'm not too sore, despite doing 4 days in a row! Awesome!
Now to switch it up a bit, here's my new routine:
50 jumping jacks with Zumba toning sticks in hand
10 pushups (still working on making it all the way down for the full 10)
10 crunches/sit-ups
5 wide-legged squats
Just a few changes, little by little! I would also like to note that since the last time I weighed myself, I dropped 4 pounds. Not that I'm really aiming for a specific number, but it's kind of nice to see a difference. Especially when the clothes aren't really fitting better yet.
Work in progress!
Also, does anyone else thinks it's sad that my last post was a week ago, which was update #1? I need to write more. I've been slacking.
And by slacking, I mean working feverishly to finish the novel (A Quiet Awakening is my working title) I started over a year ago. Still on the first draft phase, but I'm at least back to adding to it. I should really start typing it up.
Is anyone interested in reading character summaries?
Anyone else chasing their dreams one step at a time? Chime in!
Thursday June 21: Done!
Friday June 22: Nope
Saturday June 23: Negative
Sunday June 24: Done!
Monday June 25: Done!
Tuesday June 26: Done!
Wednesday June 27: Done!
Oh yeah, I rock. 5/7 is a WAYYY better track record. Seriously. And I'm not too sore, despite doing 4 days in a row! Awesome!
Now to switch it up a bit, here's my new routine:
50 jumping jacks with Zumba toning sticks in hand
10 pushups (still working on making it all the way down for the full 10)
10 crunches/sit-ups
5 wide-legged squats
Just a few changes, little by little! I would also like to note that since the last time I weighed myself, I dropped 4 pounds. Not that I'm really aiming for a specific number, but it's kind of nice to see a difference. Especially when the clothes aren't really fitting better yet.
Work in progress!
Also, does anyone else thinks it's sad that my last post was a week ago, which was update #1? I need to write more. I've been slacking.
And by slacking, I mean working feverishly to finish the novel (A Quiet Awakening is my working title) I started over a year ago. Still on the first draft phase, but I'm at least back to adding to it. I should really start typing it up.
Is anyone interested in reading character summaries?
Anyone else chasing their dreams one step at a time? Chime in!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Chasing Dreams: Step 1 Update
After last week's post on Chasing Dreams, literally the next day, I came down with a cold that knocked me off my feet for 2 days. Go figure. I am still recovering from the cold, but have been doing my exercises for the past 2 days. So here is my update:
Wednesday June 13: Done!
Thursday June 14: Sick
Friday June 15: Sick
Saturday June 16: Not done (strawberry picking instead, and recovering)
Sunday June 17: Not done (recovering)
Monday June 18: Not done (recovering)
Tuesday June 19: Done! (recovering)
Wednesday June 20: Done! (recovering)
After doing it 2 days in a row this week, my muscles are sore. So I'm not going to increase any reps or sets until next week.
Until next week, my morning routine is still as follows:
50 jumping jacks
10 pushups
5 yoga ball sit-ups (or 10 bed crunches)
Anyone else chasing their dreams one step at a time? Chime in!
Wednesday June 13: Done!
Thursday June 14: Sick
Friday June 15: Sick
Saturday June 16: Not done (strawberry picking instead, and recovering)
Sunday June 17: Not done (recovering)
Monday June 18: Not done (recovering)
Tuesday June 19: Done! (recovering)
Wednesday June 20: Done! (recovering)
After doing it 2 days in a row this week, my muscles are sore. So I'm not going to increase any reps or sets until next week.
Until next week, my morning routine is still as follows:
50 jumping jacks
10 pushups
5 yoga ball sit-ups (or 10 bed crunches)
Anyone else chasing their dreams one step at a time? Chime in!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Chasing Dreams: Step 1
Chasing my dreams is a big deal, and I want to share my progress with anyone who comes across this site. It all starts with small steps, and from there you take increasing amounts of small steps. It's a big deal in the end, but the progress seems easy. Keep it simple, make it easy, make it impossible to give up on yourself.
Step one towards chasing my dreams is going to be increasing my health and fitness level. I eat relatively healthy most of the time, but I am very inactive. I barely exercise, and some days I really don't understand how I don't weigh more than I do.
So starting today, I am pledging this small step.
50 jumping jacks in the morning
10 push ups in the morning
5 yoga ball sit ups in the morning
That's it! A week from now, I'm going to reassess, see if it's getting any easier. This small routine should take all of 5 minutes to complete, but it can make a huge difference.
Not to mention that increasing my health through activity is a great way to ensure mental health, and help keep my mood swings a little more manageable. Routine is the key to consistency to any degree, and having routine helps keep me going even when all I want to do is curl up into a ball and pretend the world doesn't exist.
Through this small addition to my routine, I am opening the door for increased fitness and exercise throughout the day, and throughout my life.
Take a step today towards a bigger goal. Make a small change that you can't say no to.
I know I did.
Step one towards chasing my dreams is going to be increasing my health and fitness level. I eat relatively healthy most of the time, but I am very inactive. I barely exercise, and some days I really don't understand how I don't weigh more than I do.
So starting today, I am pledging this small step.
50 jumping jacks in the morning
10 push ups in the morning
5 yoga ball sit ups in the morning
That's it! A week from now, I'm going to reassess, see if it's getting any easier. This small routine should take all of 5 minutes to complete, but it can make a huge difference.
Not to mention that increasing my health through activity is a great way to ensure mental health, and help keep my mood swings a little more manageable. Routine is the key to consistency to any degree, and having routine helps keep me going even when all I want to do is curl up into a ball and pretend the world doesn't exist.
Through this small addition to my routine, I am opening the door for increased fitness and exercise throughout the day, and throughout my life.
Take a step today towards a bigger goal. Make a small change that you can't say no to.
I know I did.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Temper Tantrums Need More Than A Band-Aid Solution
If you are the parent of a toddler, pre-schooler, kindergartener, or even school-aged (6-12) child who often has trouble expressing themselves and their emotions, you are likely on the receiving end of multiple temper tantrums.
Despite being associated with the "terrible twos", temper tantrums affect children and adults of all ages and upbringings. There comes a time when a person, regardless of age, just cannot deal with the feelings and emotions and frustrations that they are experiencing.
For young children, often it seems like you are constantly disciplining the child for having these tantrums. However, discipline is really just a band-aid solution on a much deeper problem. The problem roots, often, in the fact that the language skills and the understanding skills are not at the same level as the complexity of the emotions.
This means that often, all a child who has trouble with tantrums needs is a little bit of compassion and patience. If you notice that your three-year-old often has break-downs when it comes to grocery shopping, maybe the source of the issue isn't that he's a poorly behaved child, maybe the child is just bored and wants something to do. Or maybe he is hungry and cranky.
Taking a little bit of time before each new activity when your child is younger (under 5-6) to explain that something is going to change, give them a transition time (example: "John, we are going to put away the crayons in ten minutes and then we will be getting ready for bed") and then keep to the time you provided, can make all the difference in how your child reacts to the change.
If the tantrums are caused by hunger or boredom, there are many easy ways to avoid them even in public places. Carry a few purse/bag safe snacks with you everywhere, and a few portable activities that will keep them occupied if boredom strikes.
Does this seem like catering to the child's whims to you? Maybe it does, but that is because of the way you were brought up. There is nothing wrong with you, and there is nothing wrong with providing something to meet your child's physical and emotional needs in any place necessary. That isn't catering, that's parenting. That is slowly teaching methods of coping with less than ideals circumstances. And that is the best thing you can do for yourself and for your child.
Parenting is all about doing the best you can with what you have, so give yourself the best tools and set everyone in the family up for success. You deserve it.
Despite being associated with the "terrible twos", temper tantrums affect children and adults of all ages and upbringings. There comes a time when a person, regardless of age, just cannot deal with the feelings and emotions and frustrations that they are experiencing.
For young children, often it seems like you are constantly disciplining the child for having these tantrums. However, discipline is really just a band-aid solution on a much deeper problem. The problem roots, often, in the fact that the language skills and the understanding skills are not at the same level as the complexity of the emotions.
This means that often, all a child who has trouble with tantrums needs is a little bit of compassion and patience. If you notice that your three-year-old often has break-downs when it comes to grocery shopping, maybe the source of the issue isn't that he's a poorly behaved child, maybe the child is just bored and wants something to do. Or maybe he is hungry and cranky.
Taking a little bit of time before each new activity when your child is younger (under 5-6) to explain that something is going to change, give them a transition time (example: "John, we are going to put away the crayons in ten minutes and then we will be getting ready for bed") and then keep to the time you provided, can make all the difference in how your child reacts to the change.
If the tantrums are caused by hunger or boredom, there are many easy ways to avoid them even in public places. Carry a few purse/bag safe snacks with you everywhere, and a few portable activities that will keep them occupied if boredom strikes.
Does this seem like catering to the child's whims to you? Maybe it does, but that is because of the way you were brought up. There is nothing wrong with you, and there is nothing wrong with providing something to meet your child's physical and emotional needs in any place necessary. That isn't catering, that's parenting. That is slowly teaching methods of coping with less than ideals circumstances. And that is the best thing you can do for yourself and for your child.
Parenting is all about doing the best you can with what you have, so give yourself the best tools and set everyone in the family up for success. You deserve it.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)