Category Archives: Goals

Getting My Documentation Mojo Back – Part Two: Mini-books, Project Life and 2012

So when we left off I had lost my mojo. After a wild night of putting our Hawaii photos into an album though, I finally felt like I was back and ready to tackle more creative documentation of all the fun stuff going on in our lives. I think Laura over at Hollywood Housewife is really on to something with the philosophy of Starting Where You Are when it comes to documenting your life. If you let yourself get too overwhelmed by all the documentation projects you HAVEN’T finished, it really takes away from the joy that comes from documenting what’s happening right now!

So I was ready to get back to documenting, but what to do?

Coincidentally, I was reading one of Amy’s Friday link posts (always full of gems, by the way – check them out) and she mentioned Elise’s blog. One of the first posts I read when I clicked on over was about her minibooks. They were fun, small and easy for on the go documenting, so I picked one up from her shop just to see if I would keep up with it.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure I would. Elise posts some awesome tutorials about how she approaches her book and honestly it is WELL ABOVE my skill level. I mentioned in my last post that I’m not super crafty, and find the detail work of embellishing sort of overwhelming so there was part of me that thought I might hate the end result. But I wanted to try something different. Something more “In the moment” and something that would exercise that part of my creative brain that sometimes gets a little stifled between working full time, CrossFit and getting dinner on the table. And you know what?

I LOVED IT!

It was just perfect in the end because it fully captured all of the fall fun that I had in a cute little hand-held album. And it was totally therapeutic and fun to put together piece by piece.

Here are some snapshots of a couple pages:

Autumn MinibookAutumn MinibookAutumn MinibookAutumn MinibookAutumn MinibookP1040426P1040427Autumn MinibookAutumn MinibookAutumn Mini Book

It’s my first one — obviously I could critique it from head to toe and worry about my lack of craftiness, but the thing about it is no matter how UN-crafty it appears, it captures the highlights of the season PERFECTLY! I showed it to Garrett and even he loved it. For me it wasn’t about making my life look glossy and fabulous, it was about keeping track of the little things in the moment and documenting the places and things that told our story.

Obviously I had so much fun doing this one that I can’t wait to do some more documenting projects in the coming year. 2012 will be our last baby-free year (by choice! fingers crossed!) so I want to make sure we really capture this special time in our life when our family is just two. Plus we will be planning a wedding, getting married, getting a dog — I MEAN THE LIST GOES ON AND ON! 2012 will be a big year. Here is how I plan to document it.

Documentation Goals For 2012
Documentation Goals

1. Project Life — So as I mentioned, I’m really a non-scrapbooker — but Project Life seems to be a great way to keep track of life events and happenings, all with relative ease. I’m not trying to stress out over keeping a scrapbook, so all of the readymade-ness of Project Life appeals to me, yet it allows you to customize as you see fit. Run with your creativity, or just keep it simple. I like it! I ordered it on a whim and I wasn’t sure I would be into it, but when it showed up the other day I thought to myself– THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR! Win.

2. More Minibooks! — I think this year I will approach minibooks as a fun way to document vacations or specific events rather than seasons. I think the Project Life umbrella will help me organize the big things so the minibooks will be more of a creative outlet for me along with being a way to document some of our trips. Plus I always come back from vacations with silly mementos, scraps of paper, coasters, matchbooks, tchotchkes — and minibooks are a perfect way to keep all of that stuff.

3. Week In The Life Album — Oh you guys, I am so doing this!!! How fun to look back on what a week in your life was like before you had kids — full of words, pictures and emotions. You can find great inspiration all over the place for this project ( How about here, here, here and here.) General consensus seems to be that Blurb is the way to go, so I’m going to try that. I’ll let you know how it works!

4. Personal (Individual) Albums for Me and Garrett — This is last on the list because it will be the first to go if I feel overwhelmed, but I’d like to complete albums about just us. Growing up I remember thinking it was so crazy that my parents had lives before me (I know, I KNOW!) so I think it would be fun to have a little something to show them down the road. These were your parents! Here’s what they were all about in their 30s! Just for fun. We’ll see how that goes.

******

And that’s it! Are you all starting any documentation projects next year? Do you have experience with any of the projects above? I’m always interested in inspiration!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Emptyness. Input vs. Output. Progress.

On Wednesday night I looked at Garrett and said, “My tank is empty.” Luckily I wasn’t talking about my love tank but maybe even more sadly, my life tank. I’ve been feeling drained this week. Moments after saying that (and coming up with a good excuse not go to the gym) I closed my eyes, curled up on the couch and slept like the dead for 2 hours. It was life changing. Kind of like Target Jeggings, actually. Who knew?

Anyway.

I think I’m just in one of those moods this week where I need to focus on the information and energy I’m taking in instead of focusing on what I’m putting out into the world. Input vs. Output — such a fine balance, you know? Consequently I’ve been fine tuning all of my goals, which I will be posting next week along with a review of literally, yes…LITERALLY, the best cookbook I’ve cracked open all year. I know it seems like I’m being hyperbolic, but I mean it. Especially if you have even the tiniest interest/curiosity about Paleo Cooking.

So, as I was de-sweat-ifying after the gym last night the overarching theme of 2012 came to me like a vision, you all. I had a coworker who used to call any epiphany a “shower thought” which, you know, was kind of awkward when she’d say “I had a shower thought about you” in a meeting, but dude WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE SHOWER THAT BRINGS SUCH CLARITY? Truth. 2011 was was my year to get healthy. 2010 was my year to get honest with myself. So what thematic variation does 2012 hold?

Well I’ve finally decided:

Last night my workout involved a series of exercises called Toes to Bar. It looks like this in case you have no idea what the hell I’m talking about. Anyway, the point is a year ago when I walked into my CrossFit box, I couldn’t do them. Last night in my workout…well, I still couldn’t do them. Wait, what? No triumphant story of overcoming adversity? Nope, not here. But last night, I was still celebrating. I came the closest I’ve ever come to being able to doing them. In one workout they went from something that I couldn’t do, to something that is well within my reach. And those are powerful moments that we often overlook because it’s so much easier to wait to celebrate when we have something concrete to check off a list.

In CrossFit there are progressions to just about every movement so that if you can’t do it exactly as prescribed, there is a scalable way you can work towards it. Working through these measurable little checkpoints have helped me make vast improvements this year. I’m still not the best or fastest or most amazing athlete in the box, but I am kicking ass at being my best self! And I get better every single day that I walk in that gym. And those baby steps need a little pause for recognition every once in a while.

I have lots of goals in my life — and frankly probably too many goals for next year but I can’t help myself — aspiring to be better is something that motivates me. Tempering that with my desire to live a balanced life, however, means I want to keep my eye OFF of the prize a little bit more next year and instead keep my eye focused on finding joy in the journey. My plan is not to stop making goals, but rather to stop being so hyper-focused on the part where checking them off is the only measure of success and joy. I want to focus on the little moments. The baby steps. The Progressions. Walking out of the gym last night I felt really happy. My life tank felt full. I’m feeling improvements and I’m working in the right direction. So that’s what I want 2012 to be about.

Not the end result, but the journey.

Progress.

I like it.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

6 Pieces of Simple Wisdom

With Respect To All My Goals

With Respect to My Professional Goals

With Respect to My Weight Loss Goals

With Respect to My Financial Goals

2012 is going to be for
MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.

Sources of inspiration can be found listed individually here.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

2011 Autumn Bucket List — How’d I Do?

While it isn’t *exactly* winter yet, a few days in a row of frost and Christmas decorations everywhere have me mostly ready to say goodbye to fall and embrace winter. Or perhaps it’s because I didn’t really have the energy to do many of the things on my To-Do List so I’m just ready to put it to bed so it doesn’t hang over my head and taunt me anymore.

Home

*Plan and execute Fall Garden – So in the end I made a conscious decision NOT to do this. I wanted *to want* to do this but every time I sat down to decide what to grow or when we would plant or whatever, I just wanted to do something else. Maybe next year when I pull the summer stuff I’ll just immediately plant the fall stuff so I don’t have time to get lazy about it.

*Buy a ridiculously good smelling candle – I bought two. And used them often!
I'll give you one guess as to what's on my agenda today

*Paint AT LEAST one room – BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA My paint phobia continues despite support from everywhere. I need an intervention! But I think it *might* get done before the year is out. I’m going to attack the Master Bedroom since it is tiny.

Here is (mostly) what the walls currently looks like:

Master Bedroom

Here is what I would like the walls to look like:

source

The year is not over yet — it could happen!

*Have a Football Party – Nope. Sure didn’t. I mean, Super Bowl is still coming, but it’s not high on my list.

*Try 5 new soups — I think I’m extending this goal into winter because it is a fun one, I’m just moving slowly.

*Attempt to make a Paleo Pecan or Apple Pie — Here’s the thing about Paleo Pie — it’s not as good as regular pie. That’s not to say ALL Paleo Desserts are not as good, but in this particular instance I’m taking a stand. So I plan to just 80/20 that situation and have the real thing if necessary (YEAH, I said necessary. Sometimes pie is necessary!) Oddly enough, haven’t felt the urge to have either anyway, so why bother with a Paleo version.

*Bake apples in the crockpot
– Yep. And it wasn’t that exciting. Or photogenic. 🙂

Fitness

*Beat last year’s 5k time (41 minutes) in Run to Feed the Hungry
I DID beat my time! And I did it with many fun folks from my gym. Despite the fact that it was pouring rain (we don’t even look wet in this picture and dude it was FREEZING AND RAINY) we all kicked ass and took names!

 

*Get a pull up on a DAMN BAND!
I did this too! And it was elusive for a whole year! There are three bands in the gym — blue is the most resistance (easiest), red is in the middle, and green is the least resistnace (hardest). I’m currently using the blue in WODs but practicing (successfully, 1 or 2 at a time) on the red. My goal on the white board at the gym is to have an unassisted pullup by June 2012.

*Do 10 non-girl pushups (current count was 3)
The current count is now 10! YAY! Hooray for increased upper body strength. I’m not doing them in WODS all the time because it kind of takes ALL MY ENERGY to do 10 pushups (ha!) and rarely is that the only element in the workout. But I CAN do it. Which makes me happy.

*Get some double unders, yo!
(Demo at 1:20. I really just linked to this because I kind of have a crush on Chris Spealler. Why is he only like 4 feet tall?)
Anyway, I got some! Now granted at the most I’ve only done 4 in a row but hey — STILL! I’m excited, but there is much work to do!

Fun

*Keep up with Autumn Minibook — I did this and it was great! I show you the results sometime soon. It was a blast!

*Read 10 books (Sept-Nov) — I did! But just barely.

*Carve Pumpkins with Garrett – Fail. I’m probably going to be a terrible, lazy parent because I just couldn’t get excited about doing this, this year. I think I was too distracted eating ALL! THE! HALLOWEEN! CANDY!

*Figure out some legit Halloween costumes for the annual party we get invited to — YEP. I showed you already.

*Do an updated photo sitting with Donna Beck Photography – professional, blog photos, xmas card photos, family photos
*Ahem* Send Christmas Cards (well, towards the end of fall)
Let’s talk about Christmas Cards. While I love getting them, even the fact that Tiny Prints offered me 50 FREE CHRISTMAS CARDS to blog about them couldn’t even get me motivated. That is a sad situation, y’all. That said, I still need to take some updated pictures — especially to replace these blog ones that don’t even really look like me anymore. MUST DO!

*Soak in hot springs – No dice. Sadly.

*Have a FABULOUS GIRLS WEEKEND with AndreAnna and Liz – Um, done.

P1040080

Fashion

*Buy a loud colored coat – I bought a cream colored coat and I love it. No shame.

*Wear more of your fun hats – haven’t worn a single one. FAIL.

*Buy some fun tights – Yep. I bought a few pairs and I’ve worn them and loved them. Apparently not enough to photograph though.

*Find a damn perfect pair of boots! — I did. You’ve seen them. And I have a black pair too — and I love them both!

30 Days of Denim - Day Thirteen

***

Wow, I guess I did a little more achieving than I thought. I was feeling pretty down about all of my laziness this season but the truth is I did more than I thought! This is just why I do this — writing it down sort of burns the intention into my brain.

I’m not doing a Winter Bucket List because winter is for hibernating, and of course finishing up anything outstanding on my annual goals. But also, because I’m thinking more along the lines of wrapping up the end of the year and global planning for 2012. I’ve already got a head start on making Personal, Professional, Blog and Fitness goals so there will be many lists to come, don’t worry! The Bucket List will be back come spring!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Radvent Day Two // Balance

I love end of year reflection, so I’ve decided to participate in Princess Lasertron’s 2011 Radvent. I enjoyed reading the posts last year, so this year I’m going to take the time to do a little journaling each day. Check out the details here.

*****

This is such an apt prompt for me since I feel like all I do is wax philosophical on balance. Does it surprise you that I’m a Libra? It probably shouldn’t.

The secret to how I do it all is that I don’t. This year I’ve come to terms with the fact that you really CAN have everything, you just can’t have it all at once. And really having a *knowing* about that, has been my biggest light bulb this year. Yeah I just got a little hippy woo woo on you. What of it?

Balance is a choice. And on some days I make better choices than others, just like with anything. Here is how I find focus — which for me leads to more balance:

I think about what I really want my life to look and feel like.
I try to assess my current situation as accurately as possible.
I work backwards and set goals.
I make lists.
I find mentors. (Even if that seems dorky.)
I say my intentions out loud. (Dorkier.)
I figure out how to do things better if I fail.
I ask for help from friends.
I spend time alone.
I read books.
I sleep, and take bubble baths and burn candles.
I remind myself to be grateful for whatever situation I’m in.

And if none of that works? Well, I change my direction and then start over from the top.

This year for me has been about improving health. It’s been about seeking sanity. About making space in my life for a baby. Many times that has meant I’ve skipped something else that I think is *important.* But more often than not, the important things have found me when I had some time to spare. Or they have stayed around in my psyche reminding me they exist every once in a while. There is time for everything, but the time for everything isn’t now. I have been diligent and focused, but this year I have also felt in balance.

And I hope I keep making that choice in 2012.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
2 Comments
POSTED IN:


When It’s Time To Change You’ve Got To Rearrange

Here, allow me to really get that ear worm into your head.

Anyway, the time for rearranging some of my priorities is now. I tried on 5 pairs of jeans this morning in order to find a comfortable pair to wear grocery shopping. I am a fan of stuffing and pumpkin pie, but I am not a fan of my pants feeling tight. This is the first time it has happened in 16 months and let me tell you it was a rude awakening.

The truth is my eating habits have been quite…um, lax in the past few weeks. This is to be expected with the holidays and happy hours and dinners out and working in a office where every one feels the need to celebrate with baked goods, and to be honest I find the festivities of the season a good reason to let your diet go off the rails a bit. I am all about enjoying traditions and not being too anal about every single thing you eat when things like Thanksgiving and Christmas only come once a year.

HOWEVER.

Personally, I am having trouble lately drawing the line between enjoying a seasonal treat and eating a mini snickers for breakfast because someone has brought them into the office.  And since I blew breakfast, I might as well enjoy that Pumpkin Spice latte at lunch because the red cups ONLY COME AROUND ONCE PER YEAR!

And the truth is I have been having trouble for the past few weeks.

What makes the situation complex is that I am still kicking ass at the gym.  Fitness is still a huge priority.  I mean, I ran a 5k on Thanksgiving Day FOR FUN!  (And annihilated my previous time!  2011 Goal — CHECK!)  And it was fun.  And I have no doubt that I will continue to workout and prioritize the sanity that exercise brings and continue to maintain my weight in a healthy way.  So what is the big deal if I have a little bourbon egg nog cocktail on a Friday night, right?  No need to be so regimented!

But the problem with this thinking is that I am not trying to maintain my weight right now.   Next year, maybe I will have cocktails every Friday night for the entire holiday season.  But currently I am in the home stretch with my goals and I would just like to get there!  So I need to rearrange my priorities a bit.  I have at least 40 ish lbs left to go (though I am becoming less and less attached to a particular number the fitter I get) and continuing to just maintain isn’t getting me where I want to go.  And you know how much I love checking off lists and achieving goals, so — it’s time for some change.

Enter, AndreAnna. My dietary fairy godmother. Do you have one of those? I recommend it. It’s nice to have someone you can text while you are walking up and down the aisle of Costco thinking to yourself “PEPPERMINT MALT BALLS? THEY MAKE THOSE? I MUST BUY THEM ALL!”  And have her remind you that bulking up on healthy stuff is going to get you where you want t be.  She has put together a Look Better Naked Paleo Challenge and because I need a lifeline with my nutrition right now, I’ve decided to participate.

What I’m committing to over the next 6 weeks:

1) Strict Primal eating (no grains, sugar, legumes, processed foods, only full-fat dairy)
2) Keep dairy to a minimum
3) At least 4 Workouts Per Week
4) Sleep at least 7 hours a night, aim for 8.
5) Keep my carbohydrate intake between 50-100g per day
6) Keep the alcohol intake to special occasions

And here are my goals I’d like to see by Jan 6:

1) 5-10 lbs weight loss
2) Do pull ups in a WOD with red band (I’ve been working on this for a bit and I think a drop in lbs and re-commitment to the gym will help me nail it)
3) Get my weight loss mojo back!

How I plan to get there

1) Tracking food intake, especially carbs at first
If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know that I despise food tracking. I think it is a recipe for mental anguish, food obsession, and frankly it interferes with your ability to listen to your body’s natural signals. Eat when you’re hungry, don’t when you’re not. THAT is a lifestyle. Counting calories/carbs/points is not, in my opinion. ***stepping off soapbox now. sorry**** That said, I need to get back to being able to HEAR my body’s signals so I need a little structure at first.

2) Prioritizing sleep.
This means I need to plan a little better if I’m going to wake up and tackle a 5 am WOD.

3) Reduce the caffeine consumption
I have a tendency to over caffeinate when I’m feeling worn out. Who doesn’t? But I really enjoy coffee black and I think it is one of life’s small pleasures and I tend to use that as an excuse when I’m starting to use it as a crutch. “But you enjoy it, Holly! You don’t even use cream and sugar! Deprivation is not the goal!” And then I drink 5 cups a day without even thinking about it and it wreaks a bit of havoc on my body. A cup in the morning is enough. If it’s not, sleep more, silly.

4) Focus on hydration.
I’ve been super lax about hydrating lately and that is another thing that, for me, really affects the way I feel, perform and eat. It’s time to stop lazing about and drag my ass down the water cooler.

******

So that’s my plan for the next 6 weeks. Re-commitment to healthy habits and to do things that make feel better instead of lethargic and sorry for myself.

It’s the hardest time of year to get this all in check, but I am feeling more dedicated than ever. Um…plus it’s a competition, and no one loves a little friendly competition more than me.

Wish me luck?

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Autumn Bucket List – 2011


source

It’s September! Let’s get this party started!

Home

*Plan and execute Fall Garden
*Buy a ridiculously good smelling candle
*Paint AT LEAST one room

Food

*Have a Football Party
*Try 5 new soups
*Attempt to make a Paleo Pecan or Apple Pie
*Bake apples in the crockpot

Fitness

*Beat last year’s 5k time (41 minutes) in Run to Feed the Hungry
*Get a pull up on a DAMN BAND!
*Do 10 non-girl pushups (current count is 3)
*Get some double unders, yo!

Fun

*Keep up with Autumn Minibook
*Read 10 books (Sept-Nov)
*Carve Pumpkins with Garrett
*Figure out some legit Halloween costumes for the annual party we get invited to
*Do an updated photo sitting with Donna Beck Photography – professional, blog photos, xmas card photos, family photos
*Ahem* Send Christmas Cards (well, towards the end of fall)
*Soak in hot springs, preferably these hot springs
*Have a FABULOUS GIRLS WEEKEND with these ladies

Fashion

*Buy a loud colored coat
*Wear more of your fun hats
*Buy some fun tights
*Find a damn perfect pair of boots!

And really, I think that is enough things to do before December, don’t you???

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

2011 Summer Bucket List — How’d I Do?

Oh man, the thing about goals is that I have ALOT OF THEM. I know some people think that is crazy, but I don’t always get them all crossed off, and that’s ok. But I like to push myself, and I think it is always good to have intention.

This time around is no different. I didn’t get to cross all of my goals off, but I think even where I “failed” the intention was still there. I’m wholly convinced this goal list helped me have a fantastic and memorable summer.

I can’t wait to start planning for Fall!

********************

Adventures

Go miniature golfing with Garrett (can you believe we have never done this together?) – FAIL

Hike Feather Falls (our favorite local hike. OMG, can’t wait!) – FAIL, but it is still warm out, so this one may still happen!

Go Wine Tasting (if we hit up Amador, I can cross this off my 2011 list too. Multitasking!) – Partial Credit because we did go wine tasting, twice! Just not to Amador.
2007 American River Red.  YUM.

Have a picnic in the Plaza in Sonoma (Gina and Jim, consider yourself invited) – Yes, for my cousin Jim’s 34th Birthday

Get to San Diego to visit my cousin (Hi Jen! You are missed!) – FAIL. Oh, such a FAIL. Plane Tickets: Y U NO BE FREE???

Pack Dinner and a blanket and head to McKinley Park – Partial Credit. We packed a number of dinners up and headed out on a blanket to eat them this summer. Only we did it in our backyard instead of traipsing across town to McKinkley Park. Figuring out that dinner on your lawn is just as good as dinner at the park = Seriously winning.
Our Picnic

Spend a weekend in Chico with my family – Partial Credit. We didn’t make it up to Chico, but we did get to see our Chico family which was awesome!

Go to the beach (um, and wear sunscreen!) – Oh this is such an EPIC FAIL. And also the thing I hate the most about Sacramento — no beach! We didn’t get out of town a lot this summer and the beach time suffered. Luckily California has great weather for most of the year so who knows, we may get to the beach in Fall!

Have a rollerskating date with my cousin (Flashback!) – Partial Credit. We are actually in the process of planning this date right now.

Superficial Goals (hey, we all need some)

Buy a cute new bathing suit (old ones are still cute, but no longer fit, woot!) – Done! And no, I’m not posting a picture in it. You’re Welcome!

Find a maxi dress that doesn’t look like a tent when you put it on – Partial Credit. I found THE PERFECT Maxi Dress! At Old Navy of all places! And then it hung in my closet for over a month because every time I tried to wear it OMG, it was SO HOT! And really, I don’t need help in the “getting sweaty” department. And I also don’t think Unsightly Ass Sweat makes a dress cuter. So I returned it. (TMI?) Maybe maxi dresses aren’t for me. Or at least not in the summer.

Make a ridiculously delicious Paleo dessert – Do sliced Flavor Grenade Pluots count? Ha. Fail.

Cook something with Bison – I made Bison Burgers! And they were Awesome! So awesome I didn’t even snap a pic!

Finish redesigning and migrating website (this will involve calling a professional, I’m sure) – It did involve calling a professional. But she rocked! And it is done!

Get over my flabby arm phobia and just buy some damn tank tops in which to work out – Done and done!
Portrait of a CrossFitter

Get a few pedicures (for everyone else’s sake. 😉 – Nope. Didn’t even get ONE. I KNOW, right???

Have a dinner party in my backyard before it gets sweltering – I had brunch instead!

Relaxation

Read outside as often as humanly possible – Oh I did this like it was my JOB!

Spend an evening drinking Mai Tais and (finally!) put your Maui photos in an album – While I didn’t drink Mai Tais, I did put a bunch of photos in albums last weekend. So nice to have it organized!

Make an effort to get 8 hours of sleep per night (so hard in the summer because it’s SO DAMN HOT) – Yep. The summer was mild, and the sleepin’ easy!

Enjoy your garden and can your little heart out when those tomatoes get overwhelming – Obviously.

Make Jam – No jam. But I do wan’t to make BACON JAM. How good does that look???

photo credit

Will you make a Fall Bucket List?

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The Path vs. The Prize

There are two things speaking to me from the internet this morning, and I find when the internet sends you a couple of coincidentally thematic things in a row, it is best to listen. Except, of course, when that message is “Buy expensive things you can’t afford.”  Then I try to tune it out, but oh how that is hard!  When the messages are more introspective, however, and less consumer based — I certainly try to pay attention.

There are no coincidences, you know. Only glitches in The Matrix.

Do we need a gratuitous Keanu shot on this Wednesday morning?  Yes, yes I think we do. 

So the first thing I read this morning was this post on Zen and CrossFit over at The Five Tribe.  Honest to god, do you know how many times I have set and arbitrary goal for myself at the gym that has no basis is fact or experience and then have been DISAPPOINTED that I didn’t achieve it?  Many more than I would like to admit actually, and the insanity of that is not lost on me.  Not that this does not makes the disappointment go away, but since I am at least aware of it, I feel like I am not totally hopeless.  

I don’t know where it comes from:   this desire to set goals and push relentlessly until I achieve them.  It is so god damn hardwired into my brain.  I know that sounds a little obnoxious on first glance — oh, woe is me, I love to set goals and achieve them…my life is so hard!  Also my diamond shoes are too tight and my money clip is just waaaaaaaay too small!  Sigh.  The thing is, it’s not the goal setting that is so awful, it is the narrow-focused drive that it sometimes awakens inside of me that pushes for achievement just for achievement’s sake.  The drive to cross something off of a list, to check a box, to identify with a number, to have an experience under my belt.  This is a productive flaw to have, I realize — better than the fierce and narrow-focused drive to stay in my bed — but it is also one that needs to be kept in check not only in the gym, but in life in order to maintain balance and sanity.  Good things, both of those.  Things that elude me on occasion.   

I’m still working hard on trying to just Be.  To show up and try hard.  To realize that when I am out running, even if I am bringing up the rear, I am still lapping everyone who is at home sitting on the couch.  This alone should be a victory for my demented and focused (and sometimes competitive) brain, AND YET.  I find it hard to have purpose when I don’t have a goal, or a drive to achieve.  I fear that if I let that go, there will be nothing left to see or do.  While I will never be a person who doesn’t set goals any more than I will ever be a person who doesn’t breathe daily  I know that I can try my best to control those achievement impulses and redirect that energy to enjoying the journey. The journey itself can be enjoyable!  

Let’s all chant it together!  

Ok, or not.

Then a few clicks later I read this little gem of a story posted by Melissa over at The Clothes Make the Girl

There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master:

“If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, “Ten years…”

The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast — How long then?”  Replied the Master, “Well, twenty years.”

“But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?” asked the student.  “Thirty years,” replied the Master.

“But, I do not understand,” said the disappointed student. “At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?”

Replied the Master, “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.”

And then all of a sudden, the light bulb went off.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

2011 Goals — Mid Year Check In

I know mid year wouldn’t technically be until the end of June but who wants to get technical anyway?  I’ve made a lot of progress in some areas and just about none in others.  It will be nice to have a little direction moving into the second half of the year.   

Health
Lose 50 more lbs *I’ve lost about 80 total, not too shabby.
Run another 5K (under 35 minutes)  *I’ve slowed down on all my running endeavors — the back story is here.  But I am still going to run a bit more before the year is out.  
Run a10K
Do 10 Non-Girl Push ups *Man, I can still only do about 2.  Come on upper body! 
Continue Paleo Cooking/Eating *Yep, and still loving it
Sleep 8 Hours Per Night    *I’m doing this 95% of the time

Travel
Visit all of the following places:
Austin  *Planning on it for The Blathering in October!
Arizona
New Mexico *Done!  And it was a blast!
Boston 

Finances
Merge finances with Garrett
Add to Savings
Open Roth IRA
Rollover old Retirement Account
Make financial life more automated  *I’m learning more about finances protection

Home Improvement
Re-do Guest Bedroom
Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Paint Living Room, Office
Re-do Master Bedroom   *Failing this category too.

Random Other Stuff Thrown In For Good Measure
Find a good red lipstick   *No surprises, Chanel Glossimer (Spark) is still my fave.
Buy a pair of boots
Make a Cooking Bucket List  (done!)
Read 50 books  *Holy hell I’ve already read 37
Start Fertility Charting *Yep
Entertain at least once a month (January:  New Year’s Brunch with Kelly + Gee, February: No one – but two in March counts, right?  March:  John + Janine, Jeremy + Katie April:  No one  May:  Garrett’s 30th Bday)  *Pretty good on this one, I think.
Write somewhere daily *Yep, and how awesome it has been!
See one of my favorite writers speak *Planning on trying to swing David Sedaris in November
Go to the ballet
Wine Taste in Amador

All in all, I am feeling pretty good with my progress at the halfway point. Health and Random Stuff are definitely earning A’s.  I’d give Travel a good solid B-.  Finances is currently getting an F but mostly I’m just being lazy about that.  Home Improvement is definitely getting an F but this should not come as a surprise to you.  We’ll see what happens.    

Looking forward to checking items off this list along with my Summer Bucket List and maybe a few things off of my Cooking Bucket List

I better stop typing and get busy!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Print Friendly, PDF & Email