What's your Goal?

We are over half way thru 2018?  How did that happen??????????

I thought since I sorta abandoned the New Year's Resolution updates in my monthly (well, sometimes monthly other times quarterly) blogs, I would do it here.....and this is one of those blogs that is really for me to maintain accountability in goals I set.  I hope it's not to boring for the rest of you...

Resolution #1
At least 26 'Something to Think About' Journal entries.

my journal and a page prompt.

I have done 10 and I am completely ok with that number.  I'm not as consistent with them as I thought I would be, but I've noticed a trend in my journaling-from April to August, I don't typically write as often, but from September to February, I'm a writing machine, March can go either way..  I may not get to 26 by the end of the year, but I've definitely done more that any other year.

Resolution #2
Bucket List items

Here's why I think Resolutions are such a good thing to tie with Bucket List items, 3 of my resolutions are actually on my Bucket List.  

Resolution #3
Get outdoors more!  Hiking, snowshoeing, x-country skiing, rowing, camping, etc

It's funny on this one, because sometimes I think nature is against me.  The winds have been blowing this summer and it has kept me off the lake and rowing less than I would prefer, but they are not keeping me off completely.  The other thing I've realize about this goal, you have to plan and make it a priority if you want to get out there, otherwise life will get in the way.  I made a goal for the summer to go out once a week for a small mountain adventure.  I'm now aware of it and look for days to go and make the actual plans...

Resolution #4
See if the idea in my head really is a novel

This is a slower process than I believed it was going to be....  The characters may of been in my head, but the plot had massive holes in it.  I saw a quote in January from a writer that basically said always have an outline of where you want your novel to go otherwise you can write yourself into a dead end faster than you will ever believe.  I have the opening and closing chapters written, but have spent the majority of my time planning in a small notebook plot lines, characteristics of the main and secondary characters.  This matters to me more than I thought and I want to do it right...I don't know what I'll do with the end product, but I will finish this.

Resolution #5
More water

Every month I have set a goal which has increased until June when it hit 80 ounces of water a day.  Somedays I go way over 80, but 80 is a reasonable and healthy number for me.  I have for some crazy reason missed 1 day every month, not by a lot, but every dang month...

Resolution #6
 Work on my lettering/calligraphy

I bought a kit from Crayola and started from there.  I thought I couldn't ruin Crayola markers while I self taught myself pressure and shapes and I think it turned out somewhat ok.  I did a 30 day challenge starting in February where I practiced everyday and made HUGE strides.  I'm still working on creative placements and finding my own style and still learning...  On July 19th, I took a workshop from Melissa Esplin whose work I really admire and is a distant relative. Utah has a ton of well known letterers (who knew), so I got some in person help there.  Being a leftie in this has had its challenges and the hardest is that my natural slant is slightly different from all of the others that I see, but the workshop helped me to embrace my natural style, now I just need to get consistent with it.....

some of my practicing.....

Resolution #7
Try something new every month....a restaurant, activity, etc

This is the list of restaurants I am working from.  All that I have been to have been AMAZING!

I keep a list of what I do in my written journal every month.  It just makes me happy to see my world expanding from new restaurants, classes, museums, etc...

Resolution #8
Find and maintain my Meditation Practice

This is still a work in progress.  I'm finding that once a week I do a formal meditation of 20 minutes or longer and it's not the same day of the week, I just do it when it feels right.  The thing I am noticing the most, is that I am doing mini meditations almost daily, I am taking time to do 5-10 deep breaths and just stop and focus.  This has been a very happy and welcome addition in my day to day life.

Resolution #9
Travel Solo

My plan is still in motion.  I'm not going to say more than that for now, but this is going to happen.

Resolution #10
Penny savings challenge

I have a plan, but I switch up weeks according to whim and knowing how my money is in certain months.  I am on schedule and very happy about this.  Here's to almost $700 by the end of the year for fun stuff during 2019!

my money jar...

Here We Go Again...

Hi.

New Year's Resolutions get such a bad rap and a significant number of eye rolls, but I like them, so I am sticking with them and I ask that you don't throw anything at the computer/phone as you read what is coming up in this post....

Here we go for 2016!  (ok, I guess my first one should be to type 2016 within 4 tries....)

#1.  See a movie in a theater once a month.

        I managed to see 3 movies in the theater this year.  THREE!!!  It's not like I didn't have opportunities because I did, I just never seem to make it.  This also seems like a fun resolution to do.

Update:  I saw 15!!!!!!!  It was such a fun thing to do and I found out that I like going to the movies on my own.  I never thought I would say that...

#2.  Daily walk.

       As I went outside today and froze, I was questioning this a bit, but here is the thing, being outside is so dang good for me and an added little boost of exercise is never a bad thing either.  I'm not setting any conditions on this but, trusting that each day, I will make the right choice for me.

Update:  I missed on average 3 days a month but this was a sanity saver this year!

#3.  Celebrate a Weird/non traditional  Holiday a Month

        Why you ask?  Why not?  I found a great website that I made my selections from and have a plan.  I plan on writing about most of the adventures, so it will help keep me writing on here as well.
The link for the website is Here

Update:  I had so much fun with this!  I tried new things, ate new foods, and realized that there is an opportunity to celebrate everyday!

#4.  Validate the People in my life more.

        How often do you tell the people in your life they are loved? doing a good job? or that you appreciate how much they do for you?  I realized I could do a lot better in this.  I'm going to take different forms on how I do this, but I believe this is a good focus for the year.

Update: I did well with texts and phone calls, and I definitely told people what they meant to me, but I realized something this year that I really value the written word.  Sometimes you just need to put it on paper, so I will be incorporating that into my 2017 resolutions...

#5.  Classic Book Challenge

       Yep, the reading challenge is back.....  I LOVED doing this in 2015 and as I was finding my books, I realized one thing, I had not read a ton of the 'Top Books to Read' and in noticing this, I found that there are A LOT of Top 50, Top 100 book lists out there, and was wondering what list to do and then I found it.  This WEBSITE solved my conundrum, due to the fact, the person behind the website crunched all of the data from all of the booklists they could find and statistically ranked the books.  I am going to read the top 50 this year, which seems like a lot, but as you'll see due to last year and a little rule I put in, it's really quite doable.

Update:  I am not going to lie, this was rough....although I found some books that I loved, I also read some books that I never want to read again.

#6.  Don't Relapse on Things I have been Working on

       There is nothing more frustrating that having to start over once again.  My intention in setting this resolution is that I keep moving forward and not stall or slide back on any of the things that I have worked through or have found that keep me in the present.

Update:  I maintained in some areas and considering what I dealt with this year, I am a-ok with this.  Other areas, I moved WAY forward....

#7.  Break a Bad Habit

       I have a couple of bad habits that I want to break, but I am going to focus on one and then see where I'm at.  I may or may not keep you updated on here depending on which one I chose, but know that I am working on improving my life.  :)

Update:  Made progress on one, and completely eliminated one.  WAHOOOOOO!

#8.  Do a Food Challenge

      I found a Food Challenge from the same group that did my Reading Challenge last year and I decided to tackle it.   Here is a LINK to it.  I'm going to tweak it a bit, so there will be more information to come....

Update:  I have 6 items left to do, but this was a fun thing to attempt.

#9.  A Perfect Form Push Up

      Are you ready for a confession?  I struggle (and by struggle, I mean I am unable to do them correctly) with push ups, even the so-called and somewhat insulting (yet, appropriate for me) girl push ups.  It affects my yoga practice; it puts me at risk for injury due to weakness; and at the end of the day just ticks me off!!!  I have been doing research for a bit and have found a program that starts at a very beginner level and builds from there....  Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it.

Update:  I can do 1 really well!!  This was rough, especially with the health adventure I went on this year..

#10.  Bucket List stuff

       Were you getting worried that the item that has been on my Resolution list for the past 4 years wasn't going to make it?  Never fear, here it is....

Update:  Once again, I did ones I did not expect and didn't do ones I thought I would, but I still love this being a resolution, because it keeps it on my radar.

My list seems to get longer each year, but this one has a number of light hearted items, and I went with what felt right.

Here's to another year!
Melissa

2015 Resolutions!

Yep, I'm doing it again....

Resolutions...
I have defended them,
I have completed them,
and I have left some incomplete,
but still I resolve.

In 2015,
I make resolutions to....

1.  Celebrate more!!
      People, not just on Birthdays or major events, but on Tuesday just cause...  Events, I said no a lot last year, for no reason.  Saying yes is a positive thing and I want and need more positivity in my life.  So if you ask, and if I can and I am able, I am IN!  And if I can find other ways to celebrate life, I'm going to do it.  This resolution was inspired by a quote I've been seeing a lot lately...
                    Until further notice, Celebrate EVERYTHING!!

2.  Exercise with the intention of Love, not Fear.
     If you read my 2014 Resolution Recap, you know why I am doing this...It is a simple concept that I have recently embraced and want to keep going.

3.  Twice a month (minimum) get my camera out and take pictures.
     I have a tendency only to use my camera when I am on vacation.  My photography will improve by shooting more and just as important, I love spending time with my camera.  The city that I live in is beautiful and I need to document my view of it....and so are the people and animals that inhabit it.

4.  Do a Money Savings Challenge.
    Redo from 2014, I had no plan last year, but I do now and it's a twist of a popular one seen on both Facebook and Pinterest.  I will be doing a post on my plan in the next week or so to explain....

5.  Get the piano tuned and then find a piano teacher and start taking lessons again.
     Throughout 2014, I began to miss playing the piano consistently.  When I was playing, it was a great stress reliever.  I had certain pieces that I would play when I was upset or frustrated and I would take it out on the keys and pour my passion into it.  The piano in my house has been left alone for years, and if you know pianos, they need and loved to be played to stay healthy.  I, first, need to come up with funds to get my piano happy again, and then I want to take lessons and play again.  I miss the joy of playing a new piece.  I also want to see if by being a little older, my fear of playing in public will of lessened or if I will need to overcome that as well....

6.  Do a Reading Challenge.
     I am a voracious reader.  I read a lot.  I mean A LOT.  Having said that, it does not mean I have been reading great novels or a wide variety of books.  I have fallen into a lazy reading pattern and with this challenge will break out of it.  I found my challenge on Pinterest, of course I did you are thinking, and will be doing a post with categories and my planned books, but if you don't want to wait for it, here is a link to my Pinterest post, 2015 Book Challenge.

7.  Cross more Items off my BucketList.
    Yes, more National Parks will be visited in 2015, but I am also planning on some of the more service oriented items as well.

8.  Don't Let Things Sit (emotions, projects, or you name it).  Stay in the PRESENT.
     When I deal with things immediately, I do well..
     If I let them fester, I don't....
    I need to stay in the PRESENT, not the past, and not thinking about a future that I can not control.
    For the projects, working until completion and enjoy the process....

9.  Journal consistently, at least twice a month.
     When I journal, I deal with things immediately...(see above)
     I also just get it out of my head, so my mind quiets.
    I plan to do traditional journaling, journaling with questions to guide, and SoulCollage cards.
    During my Yoga retreat, every afternoon, I hung out in a hammock and journaled and I began to feel better....and I realized how much I needed journaling in my life.

Another long list, but once again, it just feels right.
Here we go 2015.
Melissa

Double Take...

I'll admit it...
I forgot.

Truth be told, I wrote it in another location, my personal journal.

You have been with this for a year and so I thought you were due some closure.

About my 2014 New Year's Resolutions.....
let go of that breath I know you were holding. (snark intended)

First, let's review the list and why I chose them here....

And now for closure,

#1.  Get cards to people on time.
      My best year ever.... my niece, who's Birthday was December 26th, may not agree with me as I sent her card not only late but to her dorm address and not her home address where she was at the time of her Birthday.  A pleasant surprise will greet her when she gets back to school.  Surprise!!!  That was my only big goof on this one.  My entire family was pretty much in shock this year.

#2.  Finish Projects in a timely and sane manner.
    I Let it Go!!!  Let it Go!!  Sorry, couldn't help but breaking into song.  I released this notion that it HAD TO BE DONE NOW!!!!!!  and had more fun with my crafty and other projects this year.  The ultimate irony of this, by relaxing I generally got things done faster.

#3.  Work on my personal style.
    I did ok with this one.  I struggled with a little weight that I put on throughout the year and it definitely put me in a not buying clothes mood.  I did, however, clean out my closets and drawers and donated clothing I either did not like, did not fit, or was so totally out of style no one would want to be near me when I wore it.  I actually bought 2 items that are in my Pinterest 'My Style' board and love them.  I also realized I am completely ok with going to the grocery store in sweats and no makeup and I stopped feeling like I had to dress up for things that did not matter to me.  On the flip side, I love to dress up for events.  Glam me up on those occasions.  The last thing I did for my personal style was to CHOP my hair!!  It went from reaching the bottom of my shoulder blades to right below my ears.  It was liberating and apparently flattering because people have been telling me to keep this hair cut.

#4.  Figure out my Yoga practice
  I found a studio, 2 streets away from my house that I can walk to, and LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  It is not a trendy place.  It focuses on the basics and it makes be calm.  I was very inconsistent, however, about going when life got funky, which is the absolute worst time to stop and that is something I am still working on, consistency.

#5.  Find balance in my workout schedule.
   Remember how I almost did not put this on my list?  I wrote a whole post about it in February, called A bit of the Blahs....  This resolution gave me grief.  I struggled the ENTIRE YEAR and it was not until mid December during an Abdominal Massage in Mexico that I realized why.  It was an emotional moment I tell you.... I honestly could not breathe....  I was working out due to fear.  I was never going to find balance in fear.  It is just not possible.  I had to and have to continue to workout from a place of love.  For example, I love what my body is able to do today or I love how I feel when I am in class or I love what I am doing.  This is going to be a lifelong process, but at least I know now what balance in my workout schedule should look like.
   Since December, I have taken days off when I have not felt well, instead of pushing myself too hard.  I have let go the expectation of what my poses should look like in yoga and have made progress like you can not believe.  I have made plans not to do it alone.
 
#6.  Cross items off my Bucket List.
  I love this one....more National Parks were visited, I completed a MARATHON, I had a tarot card reading, I'm almost done with the 100 best movies ever made list, and there were a few more.  This will make another appearance in 2015.

#7.  Do a monthly savings challenge.
  Absolute failure on this one.  I did not have a plan.  I did not make a plan.  I should of had the plan before I made the resolution.  Financially, I did ok in 2014, but I could of done better with a plan.  I am redoing this in 2015 and I already have my plan in place.

#8.  Be more creative.
  I put a lot of thought, effort and time into this one and eventually it paid off.  It was not without its pitfalls, however, I took classes that I just didn't click with, struggled with finding the right medium, and had some doubts.  In September, I found my unexpected gift.  I fell in love with Watercolors and for a person who is unable to draw a straight line with a ruler (I get that weird ruler bump), it loved me back.  I am enjoying painting immensely and am continuing my classes in 2015.

#9.  Maintain my progress and Move Forward.
   This year was interesting.  It had some High Highs and very Low Lows.  I got completely flipped by the end of the year and had lost my balance.  The benefit, however, of some life experience is that I flipped back right side up faster and with more ease than I had in the past.  I realized there are some very simple things that help keep me in balance and will use them not only when things are going well, but when they are not.  I also will ask for help before it gets too bad.  I am very lucky and grateful for the people in my life who have offered and given help to me.

Was that a year or what?
Some successes and some not.
But I will never regret making the Resolutions....

Melissa

In or Out of Motivation...

Have you ever had a thought or idea that keeps getting presented to you?

It has been happening to me a lot lately, in terms of a deceptively simple question.

Are you doing something in fear?
Or out of Love?

Over and over again, I was asked that question..
and I realized something.

I had been doing something right for the wrong reason.

It was not something that was easy to admit or sit with, but it explained quite a bit.  It explained why I had never been consistent for the long term and why I was having to start over once again.

I asked myself if I was doing it out of Fear?  Or in Love?

Sounds simple enough right?  The kicker, once you ask the question,  it really is.

I was exercising out of fear.

It dominated every moment of my workouts.  If I missed a workout, it meant I was wrong and made me feel guilty.  It made me a neurotic mess on race day mornings, because if I did not make a certain time, I was not good enough...

For fear, it is never enough....

Love, on the other hand, accepts....

Love accepts that today you felt like going for a long walk around your neighborhood, instead of a run that you were dreading doing because you were worn out and tired.  It is just happy you did something active and healthy for yourself.

Love accepts you are today.  It does not require you to be 20 pounds lighter.  Love does not require tight abs.  Love wants you to accept yourself as you are today.

Love wants you to find a passion that goes beyond race day or whatever goal you have set.  It wants you happy on race day and beyond.

Since I have been home, I have been planning my workouts out of a place of acceptance and love.  I have moved a workout by a day and felt so much better for it.  I went to a restorative yoga class instead of a more vigorous one and felt better for it.

The most important part of it all,
I have not felt guilt once.
I have felt love.....

Melissa

One Size Fits All?

If you have been following this blog, you know that I have been leaning off the edge of the health and fitness wagon and am working on getting back in the saddle.  One of the benefits of getting a little older is that you know your body a bit better, so you hopefully know what works for you....

For me,
Diet Cokes have to be gone.  When I drink them, my lower abdomen gets immediately puffy.  When I eliminate them from my diet, it goes away.  I have noticed this time on Diet Cokes, the sugar rush and resulting crash.  The puffiness, alone is worth getting off Diet Coke, but the rush/crash cycle is what has me motivated to get off them this time.  I think my body is realizing this is (FINGERS CROSSED) the last time Diet Cokes are around, so it is RESISTING big time.  I will make it, but it is taking some time.

Next for me, the more natural and less processed the better.  I have found that I can even have desserts in moderation, if they are homemade.  My body does not react well to the preservatives and chemicals.

And finally for me, movement....  A mixture of high and low impact cardio and yoga seems to work the best.

Now, you will notice that at the beginning I said for me...
there is a reason behind this.

My friends and I have been having conversations about diet and exercise lately and we have noticed a common theme,
One size (or diet or exercise plan) does not fit all...

but there are a few common ideas that do.  We call them the 4 M's.

1. Moderation.  No matter what you eat moderation is the key.

2. Movement.  Find what works for you and have some fun.

3. Mindfulness.  Be aware of your diet, movement and your thoughts.

4. Mind your Own Business.  What works wonders for you may be a nightmare for someone else.  For example, a vegan diet is a nightmare for me, due to the fact that a lot of the protein sources come from nuts and I have a massive issue with most nuts. (They trigger massive Migraine headaches)  However, if it works for you, I am happy and pleased for you.  Please do not judge or condemn a person for the diet and workout regiment they have chosen.  This also applies for exercise--Running is a favorite of mine for cardio and I toned up and got in shape faster with it than with any other exercise program.  One of my good friends would rather face her worst nightmare than go for a run, and that's fine by me.....

Notice that the Mind Your Own Business is the one with the most info on it.  My friends and I got into an almost fight before we realized this one was the most important one.  Losing weight is hard enough as it is and if a person has recognized that they need to lose weight, and trust me on this one, they know they are not looking their best, so any condemnation or criticism is going to hit deep and hard.  If they ask for help that is one thing and even then, be kind.  But for the most part, just encourage and celebrate their new choices and changes in their life.

I saw a quote the other day that sums up how I am approaching life lately...

Be firm on your goals,
But flexible on how you get there.

Making progress,
Melissa

A bit of the Blahs......

It's funny when I was making my New Year's Resolutions and the list was getting longer and longer, one of the items I wanted to take off the list was Find Balance in my Workouts.

I thought I had that down, so why was it keep popping up as a Resolution and one that WOULD NOT  go away?

This post is the reason why...

After my marathon and trip in January, I took about a week and a half off from working out.  I walked the dogs, but that was about it.  I was exhausted, and thanks to that foot that fell asleep during the race and a slip on the ice when I got home, I had a fatigued tendon in my ankle, no long term damage, but I needed to pamper it for a bit.

As a result, all of my motivation and excitement for working out was gone.

The schedule that had guided my life for almost 10 months was no longer needed.  I had completed my goal.  Yes, it was amazing and wonderful, but what I have been struggling with is this....

Now what?

It turns out that my Finding Balance in my Workouts was not only about getting all of the activities I love in, but more importantly......

Working out without a major goal in mind.

Yes, I know, my long term health is a goal, but it's not as exciting as running your first 5K, 10K, Half or Full Marathon.

I've been struggling with working out on those days when I am tired and the couch looks oh soooo comfortable and the Olympics are on or any of the other excuse that is easy to find.

The crazy thing is this....whenever I break thru the excuses, I always feel good and never regret the workout, even when my muscles are quivering from fatigue from a tough workout.

I need to find joy in the routine, in the little gains of strength, in breaking thru the plateaus of weight loss, and in the long term positive effects on my health.

I need to break thru the Blahs.......
and Just Do It.

Melissa