Did you know that I have strengths? I didn't. I'm not talking about things like sense of humour and smart, and that sort of thing.
I'm talking about :
Via Institute on Character
There's a self-test that you can do there that is quite long. But what you end up with (if you choose the free summary) is a list of all the strengths in order.
The plan for week 4 is to look at these strengths and utilise them in the way you would do your goals.
These are mine:
Your Top Character Strength
Love of learning
You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.
Utilising this strength: That's easy - it's all the research over the net, doing the happiness diet in the first place, and creating this blog to research and follow up what I'm doing.
Your Second Character Strength
Appreciation of beauty and excellence
You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.
Utilising this strength: I don't know. I suppose making my home beautiful is using this, but how do I do it for the health-related goals.
Your Third Character Strength
Fairness, equity, and justice
Treating all people fairly is one of your abiding principles. You do not let your personal feelings bias your decisions about other people. You give everyone a chance.
Utilising this strength: I need to give myself a chance. I also need to call myself out when I'm slacking or procrastinating. Humm..... Not easy. When I'm whiney, being fair and calling myself out feels like punishment.
Your Fourth Character Strength
Forgiveness and mercy
You forgive those who have done you wrong. You always give people a second chance. Your guiding principle is mercy and not revenge.
Utilising this strength: I suspect not beating myself up when I fail is the goal here - especially when I'm being whiney. OK. How do I combine this one with the previous one?
Your Fifth Character Strength
Kindness and generosity
You are kind and generous to others, and you are never too busy to do a favor. You enjoy doing good deeds for others, even if you do not know them well.
Utilising this strength: No idea. How do I do kindness and generousity for my goals?
Character Strength #6
Spirituality, sense of purpose, and faith
You have strong and coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe. You know where you fit in the larger scheme. Your beliefs shape your actions and are a source of comfort to you.
Utilising this strength: OK. This one is easy. Get God involved. Well actually he's been involved from the beginning. God loves me, and I should be looking after his beloved in the way he would want me to. I'm the one with the bad behaviour.
Character Strength #7
Curiosity and interest in the world
You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.
Utilising this strength: See Point 1. Pretty much got it covered.
Character Strength #8
Humor and playfulness
You like to laugh and tease. Bringing smiles to other people is important to you. You try to see the light side of all situations.
Utilising this strength: Maybe this is the way to deal with the whinyness - laugh at it! :D I can do that.
Character Strength #9
Judgment, critical thinking, and open-mindedness
Thinking things through and examining them from all sides are important aspects of who you are. You do not jump to conclusions, and you rely only on solid evidence to make your decisions. You are able to change your mind.
Utilising this strength: Also part of Strength 1.
Character Strength #10
Leadership
You excel at the tasks of leadership: encouraging a group to get things done and preserving harmony within the group by making everyone feel included. You do a good job organizing activities and seeing that they happen.
Utilising this strength. This one is an unwanted strength. I hate being a leader except when I have to be, and I prefer to be one that lets others get on with it rather than being an overlord. Also organising others is super-stressful. I think I'll skip this one.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Wednesday was Goodbye Day!
Good bye to the Filing Cabinet! There's a big hole where the cabinet used to be and I'm already planning to fill it :D There are bookcases in my future! :D
Also started moving the DVD's to the ring binders. I've gotten packets of "Compact Disc Storage Pockets" that fit in ring binders. Enough for 400 DVDs. (I hope that's enough). Already been through 3 boxes. 1 more box to go. I thought I had 5 boxes but it appears it's just 4. I only had 2 ring binders though - so will have to get another one from the Garage I know there are suckers in there! Maybe on Saturday or Friday?
Then throwing out all the DVD covers - replacing 4 boxes of DVDs with 3 ring binders that fit in one box. Woot!
It's all coming together!
Also started moving the DVD's to the ring binders. I've gotten packets of "Compact Disc Storage Pockets" that fit in ring binders. Enough for 400 DVDs. (I hope that's enough). Already been through 3 boxes. 1 more box to go. I thought I had 5 boxes but it appears it's just 4. I only had 2 ring binders though - so will have to get another one from the Garage I know there are suckers in there! Maybe on Saturday or Friday?
Then throwing out all the DVD covers - replacing 4 boxes of DVDs with 3 ring binders that fit in one box. Woot!
It's all coming together!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Menu Plan - Week ending 22 Jan
Have to get back onto this.
Breakfasts... Muesli works. But I'll need to do muesli without milk until Friday. Um... I'll use juice although that's off plan.
Lunch... Tuna and salad. Lots of Tuna to get rid of.
Dinner:
Monday: Omelette and steamed vege. No Dairy!
Tuesday: Steamed Fish and steamed vege. No dairy. Sauce = paprika, soy, lemongrass
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken and steamed vege. No Dairy
Thursday: Cauliflower and Parmesan soup. Something Cheesy!
Friday: Takeout.
Saturday: Lentil Curry
Sunday: Lentil patties from left over curry, and steamed veges.
Breakfasts... Muesli works. But I'll need to do muesli without milk until Friday. Um... I'll use juice although that's off plan.
Lunch... Tuna and salad. Lots of Tuna to get rid of.
Dinner:
Monday: Omelette and steamed vege. No Dairy!
Tuesday: Steamed Fish and steamed vege. No dairy. Sauce = paprika, soy, lemongrass
Wednesday: Grilled Chicken and steamed vege. No Dairy
Thursday: Cauliflower and Parmesan soup. Something Cheesy!
Friday: Takeout.
Saturday: Lentil Curry
Sunday: Lentil patties from left over curry, and steamed veges.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Monster Task: Step Two of Ten
Today (after a very nice sleep!) is Step 2 of Monster Task.
2. Sort the ones I have to keep into 5 piles, one for each year that I'm keeping.
This one should be a bit easier to do considering that
(a) I have folders for them, and
(b) all the junk is thrown out already.
Hopefully this will be a nice short simple task - unless I make it more complicated by combining steps.
Off to put on loud friendly music and do the job!
7pm. Returned. Did half a bag, and have many, many more to do. But ran out of oomph for paperwork.
Did this stop me doing stuff? Nope. I went through all my tech stuff and now have a pile of tech stuff to throw out, depending on whether my geek friends want any of it. (I suspect no - so it'll make it to the garbage).
The thin part of the bookcase in the kitchen is now empty. Yup that's right! The thin part is empty! Woot. That is going to be the CRAFT cupboard! Yay! I finally worked out how to deal with that.
So productive - but not so much in the way I expected to be.
2. Sort the ones I have to keep into 5 piles, one for each year that I'm keeping.
This one should be a bit easier to do considering that
(a) I have folders for them, and
(b) all the junk is thrown out already.
Hopefully this will be a nice short simple task - unless I make it more complicated by combining steps.
Off to put on loud friendly music and do the job!
7pm. Returned. Did half a bag, and have many, many more to do. But ran out of oomph for paperwork.
Did this stop me doing stuff? Nope. I went through all my tech stuff and now have a pile of tech stuff to throw out, depending on whether my geek friends want any of it. (I suspect no - so it'll make it to the garbage).
The thin part of the bookcase in the kitchen is now empty. Yup that's right! The thin part is empty! Woot. That is going to be the CRAFT cupboard! Yay! I finally worked out how to deal with that.
So productive - but not so much in the way I expected to be.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Friday - Not so much chucking things out as bringing things in
Tee hee!
Off to the doctor this morning for little to no reason - the message from the nurse didn't go through to the doctor. So she's going to write me a referral and post it to me.
walls - that also need to be decorated , and sanded.
Had a spiffing good time coming back with 4 self-stick vinyl tiles to try out, 3 bottles of sampler paint for my MOPPE and some wood stain and sandpaper for the frames.
Then I discovered the Pet Warehouse - and they had grey mousies for Blanche! She enjoyed that.
Then to Officeworks and got my system for my financial papers - folder pockets and a concertina file.
Perfect!
Off to the doctor this morning for little to no reason - the message from the nurse didn't go through to the doctor. So she's going to write me a referral and post it to me.
walls - that also need to be decorated , and sanded.
Had a spiffing good time coming back with 4 self-stick vinyl tiles to try out, 3 bottles of sampler paint for my MOPPE and some wood stain and sandpaper for the frames.
Then I discovered the Pet Warehouse - and they had grey mousies for Blanche! She enjoyed that.
Then to Officeworks and got my system for my financial papers - folder pockets and a concertina file.
Perfect!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
How do you know you've got Depression?
The Official symptoms of Depression are:
Diabetes - Weight/Appetite change, Sleep changes, Difficulty concentrating.
Anybody who deals with pain knows you get lack of Energy and fatigue.
So all that's left is the mood, the self-beating up-edness and wanting to die. And yet - you can be depressed without them too.
And when you've lived with some of those feelings and self-beating-up-edness for so long that it's not really a measure of whether I am having an episode or not.
And the truth is, that most days I have a micro episode. And here's how it is for me: I get anxious about doing things that I normally have a handle on - anxious as in, there's a hot stifling blanket pushing in on my chest and making it hard to breathe. I can feel a weight on my head pushing me down, and making it hard to think. There's a ringing in my ears, and if the truth be told, I'd have a cry if I actually had anything to cry about. It lasts maybe an hour maybe more. And it goes away after I have a sleep.
My darling friends know - I'm out of spoons. And it's time for to go get some.
What I don't understand is how I can have a load of spoons in the morning, do really well - then all of a sudden they're gone and I can't remember even using them?
Take today. Went to the Diabetes Nurse. Got commended for getting my sugars down between 5-9 for most of the time. Came home. Cleaner turned up and cleaned house. Smells good! The house is clean and tidy, and I've just done my bits and pieces at my own pace. Absolutely no reason to be down - I haven't used that many spoons. And yet... I'm as anxious as anything for no reason, I've not gone to work because I'm too sad, things are exciting with the decluttering, and I'm not stressed about the things that apparently I'm supposed to be stressing about because I have got them to a place that makes sense to me, and feels in control.
So I'm not going to work. I'm going to bed if the cats let me, and see what I can do about getting some spoons. See you on the flip side.
- Depressed Mood.
- Loss of interest or pleasure in things that normally make you smile.
- Feelings of guilt, hopelessness, worthlessness.
- Suicidal thoughts or re-curring thoughts of Death
- Sleep Disturbance
- Weight/appetite change although you're doing nothing different
- Difficulty concentrating
- Lack of Energy and fatigue.
Diabetes - Weight/Appetite change, Sleep changes, Difficulty concentrating.
Anybody who deals with pain knows you get lack of Energy and fatigue.
So all that's left is the mood, the self-beating up-edness and wanting to die. And yet - you can be depressed without them too.
And when you've lived with some of those feelings and self-beating-up-edness for so long that it's not really a measure of whether I am having an episode or not.
And the truth is, that most days I have a micro episode. And here's how it is for me: I get anxious about doing things that I normally have a handle on - anxious as in, there's a hot stifling blanket pushing in on my chest and making it hard to breathe. I can feel a weight on my head pushing me down, and making it hard to think. There's a ringing in my ears, and if the truth be told, I'd have a cry if I actually had anything to cry about. It lasts maybe an hour maybe more. And it goes away after I have a sleep.
My darling friends know - I'm out of spoons. And it's time for to go get some.
What I don't understand is how I can have a load of spoons in the morning, do really well - then all of a sudden they're gone and I can't remember even using them?
Take today. Went to the Diabetes Nurse. Got commended for getting my sugars down between 5-9 for most of the time. Came home. Cleaner turned up and cleaned house. Smells good! The house is clean and tidy, and I've just done my bits and pieces at my own pace. Absolutely no reason to be down - I haven't used that many spoons. And yet... I'm as anxious as anything for no reason, I've not gone to work because I'm too sad, things are exciting with the decluttering, and I'm not stressed about the things that apparently I'm supposed to be stressing about because I have got them to a place that makes sense to me, and feels in control.
So I'm not going to work. I'm going to bed if the cats let me, and see what I can do about getting some spoons. See you on the flip side.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sunday: Laid back task day today...
Today when I went to church, I ran into Daff and Peter, who I had a USB and DVD to return too. So more stuff out of the house.
Also leaving the house today, is 1986 - 2011 diaries after the useful bits had been removed from them. 2 of the diaries were almost completely empty. I teared out the pages, and have two more blank books to go to my friends.
Buts what is more exciting to me is what came IN the house. :D I have 3 Magazine sets - Creating your Home, Changing Rooms and Creative Ideas.
My big plan for these books, is to scan them into the computer and make them into a html book for the reading of, then discard the books themselves (except for the patterns that I want to keep). Even though they are the Part-Series magazines they are full of good ideas and something I've read and re-read and perused over and over.
I just don't want to keep the big hulking books any more. There are 12 Folders, and the plan is to reduce them to just 1 or 2 folders with the appropriate patterns in them.
Also I bought a calendar of Tamara de Limpicka pictures (that I love) and will be cutting out the appropriate ones to put on my gallery wall. And finally a book on Chinese Textiles complete with CD-Rom which I'm hoping to use when I make the wallpaper for my bookcases.
Oh? Didn't I mention that I'm going to wallpaper the back of my bookcases with a handmade wallpaper made out of Smala paper from IKEA? And paint the rest of the bookcases in my favourite Dolphin Blue, leaving the shelves and inside sides white. My Bad! :giggle:
Also leaving the house today, is 1986 - 2011 diaries after the useful bits had been removed from them. 2 of the diaries were almost completely empty. I teared out the pages, and have two more blank books to go to my friends.
Buts what is more exciting to me is what came IN the house. :D I have 3 Magazine sets - Creating your Home, Changing Rooms and Creative Ideas.
My big plan for these books, is to scan them into the computer and make them into a html book for the reading of, then discard the books themselves (except for the patterns that I want to keep). Even though they are the Part-Series magazines they are full of good ideas and something I've read and re-read and perused over and over.
I just don't want to keep the big hulking books any more. There are 12 Folders, and the plan is to reduce them to just 1 or 2 folders with the appropriate patterns in them.
Also I bought a calendar of Tamara de Limpicka pictures (that I love) and will be cutting out the appropriate ones to put on my gallery wall. And finally a book on Chinese Textiles complete with CD-Rom which I'm hoping to use when I make the wallpaper for my bookcases.
Oh? Didn't I mention that I'm going to wallpaper the back of my bookcases with a handmade wallpaper made out of Smala paper from IKEA? And paint the rest of the bookcases in my favourite Dolphin Blue, leaving the shelves and inside sides white. My Bad! :giggle:
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