Using my Leet Analysis Skills (tee hee) from Business Analysis, and looking at the Future Me picture: I get the following Goals, working from top to bottom:
1. Savings Goal - Amount of money required to be able to visit Dustbunnie and Annefia, that allows for 8 weeks of rent, cattery, and overseas expenses.
a. Determine approx. when (in next 5 years)
b. Calculate amount of money required - and include estimated amounts for inflation.
c. Create savings plan
d. Find best place to save to - bonds, etc.
e. Commence plan, and continue until completed within 5 years.
f. Spend the money wisely and see my friends!
Pre-requisite - a steady income that is above my basic needs.
2. Work/Career Goal - part-time or contract work, that allows me to look after myself health-wise, has a steady income (see Goal 1), that includes creativity, problem-solving, doing something good for the world.
a. Continue in current work as it achieves a steady income.
b. Career Counselling, or something similiar to determine direction.
c. Can I change my career this late in the peace and still have a decent income?
d. Research creative ways of determining this.
3. Health Goal - Not having my life controlled by my health issues.
a. Diabetes under control = 5.5% HBA1C.
b. Depression - No moderate depressive episodes for 12 months.
c. IBS - no accidents for 12 months.
d. Sleep - refreshing sleep, for between 8-9 hours average for 12 months.
e. 1/2 hour of exercise every day, and swimming 1ce a week.
f. Arthritis pain controlled - um... I'm not too sure how to measure this one.
g. Period problems - if PCOS, then controlled PCOSly, if not PCOS, then controlled in some other way, with full co-operation from doctor.
4. Mental health Goals -
a. Body and self associated together.
b. A strong sense of identity - knowing what I like.
c. 'Comfortable in my own skin' - liking what I know.
d. Being able to deal with bullies.
e. appropriate anger management.
f. Procrastination issues.
5. Enjoyment Goals -
a. Being creative
b. Enjoying cats and friends
c. Writing
d. Finishing things!
e. Doing Craft - textiles, etc.
6. Home Goals -
a. Fit into 1 bedroom flat
b. Have a place for all the above goals.
c. 2 Cats. <- this one is already done! YAY me!
d. Have all my things in my own place.
e. Sub-goal is by end of 2012, have all my boxes that are stored at Emby's house out of there.
That's 33 Goals in 6 Categories. And I'm pretty sure that's not all of them. Hmmm - not one single goal is to do with weight.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Talking to Dustbunnie and De-cluttering
I CAN multi-task!! :D
So today I decided to start on the declutterisation of the Kitchen Table. Took the smallest box first - so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.
And this is what I did - I have a small pile of papers to give away to people who have children. (Hello Emby!)
A HUGE pile of paper to chuck out.
And a small pile of paper that has been put into a folder and needs to be labelled. either Spiritual or Religion.
It's a small start and it took about an hour - but I feel less overwhelmed about the rest of the pile in there.
Also yesterday Emby and I went out to IKEA and had crazy mad fun looking at storage furniture and boxes and stuff. She got a Trofast for Small Boy, and I bought 10 boxes for the storing of things.
I like matching boxes. :D
So today I decided to start on the declutterisation of the Kitchen Table. Took the smallest box first - so I wouldn't get overwhelmed.
And this is what I did - I have a small pile of papers to give away to people who have children. (Hello Emby!)
A HUGE pile of paper to chuck out.
And a small pile of paper that has been put into a folder and needs to be labelled. either Spiritual or Religion.
It's a small start and it took about an hour - but I feel less overwhelmed about the rest of the pile in there.
Also yesterday Emby and I went out to IKEA and had crazy mad fun looking at storage furniture and boxes and stuff. She got a Trofast for Small Boy, and I bought 10 boxes for the storing of things.
I like matching boxes. :D
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
measuring the flat.
Thoughts... Will be in this flat long-term.
1. It's cheap enough that I can afford it when I'm unemployed.
2. It's light enough that I don't feel like I'm in darkness.
3. It feels like home.
Problems:
1. It's cheap enough that I can afford it when I'm unemployed.
2. It's light enough that I don't feel like I'm in darkness.
3. It feels like home.
Problems:
- Flat is 39.22sqm. That's 422Sqft. i.e. TINY
- Flooring is sub-optimal - concrete in kitchen and bathroom is painted mustard yellow, and is chipped. Carpet is stained. Even more so since I did the great laundry accident of 2011.
- Not much storage space at all, and built-ins - kitchen, wardrobe, bathroom and old, and grody. Also Blanche likes to get into the kitchen cupboards.
- I have enough stuff for a 3-bedroom house. So need to reduce to 1 bedroom house.
- Some essentials - Piano, Bookcases, are too big/many for the flat. Do NOT know what to do.
- Want the flat to feel spacious and comfy. Not cluttered - as clutter makes me feel stressed.
- Want the flat to be usable - Don't want to have to give up all my hobbies just so I can do point six.
- I have too many hobbies.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Hummm..... Christmas... maintenance mode.
No decluttering or purging or anything much really the last few days. Just working, and having the life scared out of me by Blanche, who escaped from the flat for 1/2 hour then sat on my doorstep waiting to come in. Think I've found her escape hatch and ruined it for her but time will tell.
Eating Maintenance Plan while I am at my brothers - eat everything they give me except simple carbs. So no bread, rice, potatoes or pasta - but good for everything else.
Cats are fooded up - and will be good to go for Valma, the lonely pet club minder.
I'm way behind on Christmas Presents. OK for my brother and his family, and Hans. Haven't even started for my sister's family.
The boxes in the kitchen scare me. I have no idea how I'm going to store what I'm going to keep and make decisions about what I get rid of.
I need some storage solutions.
Eating Maintenance Plan while I am at my brothers - eat everything they give me except simple carbs. So no bread, rice, potatoes or pasta - but good for everything else.
Cats are fooded up - and will be good to go for Valma, the lonely pet club minder.
I'm way behind on Christmas Presents. OK for my brother and his family, and Hans. Haven't even started for my sister's family.
The boxes in the kitchen scare me. I have no idea how I'm going to store what I'm going to keep and make decisions about what I get rid of.
I need some storage solutions.
Monday, December 19, 2011
An interesting You tube ... that I want to keep track of...
Being Fit.
If you are overweight and fit - you are better off than being overweight and not fit. BUT interestingly enough - it's also better than slim and not fit.
Low Fitness is the strongest predictor of death. Not weight.
So what does this mean for me? Come January - 1/2 hour of exercise a day is one of the goals to add.
Menu Plan - Week Ending Christmas Day!!
Monday: Lunch - Mushroom/Onion with spaghetti, Dinner - Canned Soup
Tuesday: Lunch - Lentil Curry Dinner - Steamed Fish and Veges with Soy and Vinegar.
Wednesday: Lunch - Vege Curry Dinner - Omelette (I can do an omelette).... I hope
Thursday: Lunch - Lentil Patties with Veges, Dinner - Steamed Veges with Tuna, and Eggplant
Friday: Lunch - Leftovers Dinner - Flying out - so whatever is healthy at the airport/on the plane.
Saturday: Eating at my Brother's House
Sunday: Eating at my Brother's House
Monday: Eating at my Brother's House
Tuesday: Lunch - Tuna with veges. Dinner - Canned Soup.
Breakfast: Muesli. I can't burn down the kitchen with Muesli. So we'll stick with that for the time being.
Snacks: Nuts, Cheese, Berries. Yoghurt.
You'll notice that I've included Next Monday and Tuesday here - that's because I'll be in Tassie with my Brother and family. Back on Tuesday. So planning for meals
I've moved the cooking to Lunch time on the offchance that I will do it.
And Now to write it out! :)
Tuesday: Lunch - Lentil Curry Dinner - Steamed Fish and Veges with Soy and Vinegar.
Wednesday: Lunch - Vege Curry Dinner - Omelette (I can do an omelette).... I hope
Thursday: Lunch - Lentil Patties with Veges, Dinner - Steamed Veges with Tuna, and Eggplant
Friday: Lunch - Leftovers Dinner - Flying out - so whatever is healthy at the airport/on the plane.
Saturday: Eating at my Brother's House
Sunday: Eating at my Brother's House
Monday: Eating at my Brother's House
Tuesday: Lunch - Tuna with veges. Dinner - Canned Soup.
Breakfast: Muesli. I can't burn down the kitchen with Muesli. So we'll stick with that for the time being.
Snacks: Nuts, Cheese, Berries. Yoghurt.
You'll notice that I've included Next Monday and Tuesday here - that's because I'll be in Tassie with my Brother and family. Back on Tuesday. So planning for meals
I've moved the cooking to Lunch time on the offchance that I will do it.
And Now to write it out! :)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday Musing - What works, what doesn't , what to change...
Menu plan:
What worked:
The nuts for snacks worked beautifully, and surprisingly so did the frozen mango fingers. Muesli is also a winner for breakfast. Much less (read no) feeling like I wanted to go to the corner shop for naughties. What was really interesting to me, is that I didn't want to pig out on the snacks. Just a small amount in my nut dish = approx 1/8 cup was enough. AND just the one Mango finger was good.
Steaming the fish in the microwave was very nice. The fish was cooked and succulent, the sauce - a slosh of soy sauce, a slosh of white vinegar was tasty, and the steamed veges with fish was very nice.
Salad veges with tuna and salsa was a good and easy meal to make.
Canned soup was OK - but with the weather being hot and humid, it was too bulky for the weather. Save this for winter.
What didn't work:
Making eggs for breakfast turned into - how to weld an egg to a pot. I do not have the focus to boil eggs first thing in the morning.
Cooking at dinner time. Apart from the fish, it was pretty much a wash-out. If I want to have lentil curry, then it needs to be cooked during the day when I have the energy. Evening is a no-spoons zone. And that goes pretty much for any meal that isn't just being stuck into the microwave for some minutes.
If I want to use a menu plan, then it would be a good idea to have a printed copy stuck up in the kitchen. Because that's where I need it. It being in the blog mean that I had to turn on the PC and find it before I could eat. Adding too many spoons to the activity.
What to Change:
What worked:
The nuts for snacks worked beautifully, and surprisingly so did the frozen mango fingers. Muesli is also a winner for breakfast. Much less (read no) feeling like I wanted to go to the corner shop for naughties. What was really interesting to me, is that I didn't want to pig out on the snacks. Just a small amount in my nut dish = approx 1/8 cup was enough. AND just the one Mango finger was good.
Steaming the fish in the microwave was very nice. The fish was cooked and succulent, the sauce - a slosh of soy sauce, a slosh of white vinegar was tasty, and the steamed veges with fish was very nice.
Salad veges with tuna and salsa was a good and easy meal to make.
Canned soup was OK - but with the weather being hot and humid, it was too bulky for the weather. Save this for winter.
What didn't work:
Making eggs for breakfast turned into - how to weld an egg to a pot. I do not have the focus to boil eggs first thing in the morning.
Cooking at dinner time. Apart from the fish, it was pretty much a wash-out. If I want to have lentil curry, then it needs to be cooked during the day when I have the energy. Evening is a no-spoons zone. And that goes pretty much for any meal that isn't just being stuck into the microwave for some minutes.
If I want to use a menu plan, then it would be a good idea to have a printed copy stuck up in the kitchen. Because that's where I need it. It being in the blog mean that I had to turn on the PC and find it before I could eat. Adding too many spoons to the activity.
What to Change:
- Write out Menu Plan onto piece of paper and stick up on Fridge.
- Stick to non-cook breakfasts
- Find a day with space for cooking, and pre-cook meals for dinner. (not this coming week)
- Increase/Research more no-time meals.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Saturday doings
Working on the Goal: House to Home.
Thursday I brought home 4 boxes. These ones aren't as easy to sort and categorise, and throw and put.
Today, I moved the dining table from the kitchen out to the Living room for more desk space while I sort papers.
Decided to sort into categories rather than find places for things. There is way too much paper here and sorting through the ton is going to be too overwhelming to do it in one sitting.
So... I have a folder now labelled 'Writing' which has a pile that was a thumb thick, plus 2 more folders that were half-started. All the writing has been consolidated into 1 folder. And the 2 empty folders put in the cane basket which has also been emptied.
there is a box called craft, which all the craft things are going in. It is a BIG box. So far I've come to the conclusion - I have a fetish for stationery. Not the letter writing sort. No. The Blank Book type. And lots of books that have started the first 5 pages, and then nothing.
A shoe box size for bible studies and sunday school stuff. And I thought I'd given away all the Sunday School stuff!.
A bag full of receipts.
I've also chucked out all the Babylon 5 notes that I printed from a website when it was on at the time. I haven't re-read them in years and don't expect to. The website is gone but I'm sure I'll survive! That's a very large folder emptied!
I've got more things for my suitcase of momentos from last week. Which is good :D
And 2 more piles - Business stuff, and...
The I don't know - but I need to keep it pile. Hmmm Maybe Health? It's the Beyond Blue guides to what works for Depression, and What works for Anxiety Disorders.
It's taken 2 hours to do that - and it feels very draining to do. So off to have a nap before I start on the next box.
Yup - All of that from just 1 box. And I brought home 4 boxes. Sigh.
Note - I'm not doing any purging at all. Just sorting. Purging comes later when I'm looking at like-to-like. Still trying to think of some ways that I can do this.
Glad I have a scanner. :D
Thursday I brought home 4 boxes. These ones aren't as easy to sort and categorise, and throw and put.
Today, I moved the dining table from the kitchen out to the Living room for more desk space while I sort papers.
Decided to sort into categories rather than find places for things. There is way too much paper here and sorting through the ton is going to be too overwhelming to do it in one sitting.
So... I have a folder now labelled 'Writing' which has a pile that was a thumb thick, plus 2 more folders that were half-started. All the writing has been consolidated into 1 folder. And the 2 empty folders put in the cane basket which has also been emptied.
there is a box called craft, which all the craft things are going in. It is a BIG box. So far I've come to the conclusion - I have a fetish for stationery. Not the letter writing sort. No. The Blank Book type. And lots of books that have started the first 5 pages, and then nothing.
A shoe box size for bible studies and sunday school stuff. And I thought I'd given away all the Sunday School stuff!.
A bag full of receipts.
I've also chucked out all the Babylon 5 notes that I printed from a website when it was on at the time. I haven't re-read them in years and don't expect to. The website is gone but I'm sure I'll survive! That's a very large folder emptied!
I've got more things for my suitcase of momentos from last week. Which is good :D
And 2 more piles - Business stuff, and...
The I don't know - but I need to keep it pile. Hmmm Maybe Health? It's the Beyond Blue guides to what works for Depression, and What works for Anxiety Disorders.
It's taken 2 hours to do that - and it feels very draining to do. So off to have a nap before I start on the next box.
Yup - All of that from just 1 box. And I brought home 4 boxes. Sigh.
Note - I'm not doing any purging at all. Just sorting. Purging comes later when I'm looking at like-to-like. Still trying to think of some ways that I can do this.
Glad I have a scanner. :D
Friday, December 16, 2011
Goals, Goalies, Times, and Timing.
Making some goals is easy. Trying to work out how and when and what and why - not so much.
The obvious goals so far:
House into Home:
a. Take a load of boxes every month home.
b. Sort through loads of boxes, and put things in an appropriate place within first week.
c. Send things out for donation (via friend and her car).
a. Provide a storage solution (tall bookcase with glass in doors) for destructo-cat-free place to put heirloom china, BJD's and other breakables that are nice for looking. Started 20/01/2012
b. Create space in living room for at least 2 bookcases of tall height - for the putting of books. 20/01/2012 DONE!!!!
c. Create Craft area/storage solution. Ideally a place where I can fold out my sewing machine to use, and then close the doors afterwards for protection of stuff from cats and cats from stuff.
d. Maximise archival possibilities in Pantry.
e. Archival of business/financial/personal paperwork - requires importantly to sort through the filing cabinet - and DO THE PAPERWORK. Doing the paperwork needs to be another goal - It is awesome and overwhelming in itself.
Outstanding problems without goals or solutions.... AS YET:
2 bedroom house into 1 bedroom house - there will be stuff that doesn't have an appropriate place but is also not something to throw out.
How to fit 13 bookcases of books into 2 bookcases. Sorted!
Filing Cabinet is big, full, and heavy and needs to go. This requires me to do the paperwork in the filing cabinet and find an archival system that will work. I have paperwork outstanding from 2000 - 2006 when I had a company. 12 years of paperwork is a lot of space. Sorted. Filing Cabinet left to find a new home 18/01/2012
The obvious goals so far:
House into Home:
1. Remove all the boxes from Friend's house by end of 2012. This will require me to declutter, purge, categorise, donate, sell and freecycle.
a. Take a load of boxes every month home.
b. Sort through loads of boxes, and put things in an appropriate place within first week.
c. Send things out for donation (via friend and her car).
2. Create appropriate places for all the activities of my life. - End of March 2012. Can't remove boxes if I don't have places to put things.
a. Provide a storage solution (tall bookcase with glass in doors) for destructo-cat-free place to put heirloom china, BJD's and other breakables that are nice for looking. Started 20/01/2012
b. Create space in living room for at least 2 bookcases of tall height - for the putting of books. 20/01/2012 DONE!!!!
c. Create Craft area/storage solution. Ideally a place where I can fold out my sewing machine to use, and then close the doors afterwards for protection of stuff from cats and cats from stuff.
d. Maximise archival possibilities in Pantry.
e. Archival of business/financial/personal paperwork - requires importantly to sort through the filing cabinet - and DO THE PAPERWORK. Doing the paperwork needs to be another goal - It is awesome and overwhelming in itself.
Outstanding problems without goals or solutions.... AS YET:
2 bedroom house into 1 bedroom house - there will be stuff that doesn't have an appropriate place but is also not something to throw out.
How to fit 13 bookcases of books into 2 bookcases. Sorted!
Filing Cabinet is big, full, and heavy and needs to go. This requires me to do the paperwork in the filing cabinet and find an archival system that will work. I have paperwork outstanding from 2000 - 2006 when I had a company. 12 years of paperwork is a lot of space. Sorted. Filing Cabinet left to find a new home 18/01/2012
Monday, December 12, 2011
Another Goal to work on
When I was on Jenny Craig, one of the things that I did like very much was the menu planner. It meant that I didn't have to think about what I was going to eat, and prepare. So I'm going to try this as a way of dealing with the Diabetes. If I plan the meals maybe I won't indulge in the wrong places.
This is not an original idea - it comes from I'm an Organising Junkie: Menu Plan Mondays and watching it work for Nony the Slob (who is currently a heroine of mine).
Doing it as a part of Menu Plan Mondays means that I have others who are doing at the same time - so it's kind of like support. Also because I am a spreadsheet junkie - it also means that I will have menu plans saved, and when I find recipes online, I'm putting them straight into the spreadsheet as well (separate page) so that I can re-use the ones that work.
A little bit different to MPM is that I'm including ALL meals, not just dinner. It isn't just dinner that is causing me to fall over.
Anyway - enough talk:
Monday: Muesli, Tuna and Salad Veges, Grilled Fish with steamed veges and a sugar-free, carb-free, but tasty sauce (still have to find that).
Tuesday: Boiled Egg, Soup (out of a can which is bad - but I'm getting rid of what I have in the cupboard). Lentil Curry with 1/4 cup rice.
Wednesday: Muesli, Tuna and Salad Veges, Bacon meatloaf with steamed veges.
Thursday: Strawberries, Canned Soup, Lentil patties (made from left-over curry) with steamed veges.
Friday: Muesli, Tuna and Salad, Chicken Stir-fry with Sweet Potato
Saturday: Mushroom and onion Omelette, Raw veges with a nice dip, Bacon and Cauliflower Soup with parmesan crisps.
Sunday: Strawberries, Tuna and Salad, TAKE-OUT!!!
Snacks: 6 Devilled Eggs, 1 cup fresh cranberries, mixed nuts, sugar-free yoghurt, cheese sticks, carrot sticks and cauliflower florets.
Treats: Low-joule or sugar free Jelly. Flummery made with Jelly, berries and sugar-free yoghurt.
I work from home - so making lunch is not a hard thing as it would be if I had to pack it. Evenings are more a problem. I'm generally too tired to cook. So we'll see how we go. After 49 years of having the big dinner - it's going to be a bit of a change to move the main meal to lunch time. I'll leave that for later.
This is not an original idea - it comes from I'm an Organising Junkie: Menu Plan Mondays and watching it work for Nony the Slob (who is currently a heroine of mine).
Doing it as a part of Menu Plan Mondays means that I have others who are doing at the same time - so it's kind of like support. Also because I am a spreadsheet junkie - it also means that I will have menu plans saved, and when I find recipes online, I'm putting them straight into the spreadsheet as well (separate page) so that I can re-use the ones that work.
A little bit different to MPM is that I'm including ALL meals, not just dinner. It isn't just dinner that is causing me to fall over.
Anyway - enough talk:
Monday: Muesli, Tuna and Salad Veges, Grilled Fish with steamed veges and a sugar-free, carb-free, but tasty sauce (still have to find that).
Tuesday: Boiled Egg, Soup (out of a can which is bad - but I'm getting rid of what I have in the cupboard). Lentil Curry with 1/4 cup rice.
Wednesday: Muesli, Tuna and Salad Veges, Bacon meatloaf with steamed veges.
Thursday: Strawberries, Canned Soup, Lentil patties (made from left-over curry) with steamed veges.
Friday: Muesli, Tuna and Salad, Chicken Stir-fry with Sweet Potato
Saturday: Mushroom and onion Omelette, Raw veges with a nice dip, Bacon and Cauliflower Soup with parmesan crisps.
Sunday: Strawberries, Tuna and Salad, TAKE-OUT!!!
Snacks: 6 Devilled Eggs, 1 cup fresh cranberries, mixed nuts, sugar-free yoghurt, cheese sticks, carrot sticks and cauliflower florets.
Treats: Low-joule or sugar free Jelly. Flummery made with Jelly, berries and sugar-free yoghurt.
I work from home - so making lunch is not a hard thing as it would be if I had to pack it. Evenings are more a problem. I'm generally too tired to cook. So we'll see how we go. After 49 years of having the big dinner - it's going to be a bit of a change to move the main meal to lunch time. I'll leave that for later.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Today I...
On my on going quest to make house into home and fit 2 bedroom house worth of stuff into One...
1. I put my Ball Jointed Dolls (hereafter called BJDs) into their boxes, and into the bedside table and bottom drawer of Dresser. This fits into the 'protecting things from Destructo-Cat' goal.
2. Sorted through my suitcase of memories and found lots to throw out. Also 2 different types of Seders. Many, many memories - more drawings of clothing than I imagined I would have drawn, and some extremely poor poetry written as a 17yo. I think under the circumstances, I will weed out the poetry that I can bear to look at without cringing, and ceremonially burn the rest. I was a very sad and woebegone 17 year old and I'm not that person anymore. Thank the Lord!
3. Did not do any work, and now it's all too late. Do I feel bad about this? No. But will make a bigger effort to do some extra hours during the week. Deadlines to meet.
1. I put my Ball Jointed Dolls (hereafter called BJDs) into their boxes, and into the bedside table and bottom drawer of Dresser. This fits into the 'protecting things from Destructo-Cat' goal.
2. Sorted through my suitcase of memories and found lots to throw out. Also 2 different types of Seders. Many, many memories - more drawings of clothing than I imagined I would have drawn, and some extremely poor poetry written as a 17yo. I think under the circumstances, I will weed out the poetry that I can bear to look at without cringing, and ceremonially burn the rest. I was a very sad and woebegone 17 year old and I'm not that person anymore. Thank the Lord!
3. Did not do any work, and now it's all too late. Do I feel bad about this? No. But will make a bigger effort to do some extra hours during the week. Deadlines to meet.
Week 3: Making Goals...
Haven't started/finished this weeks thing. I'm feeling pretty cool with the 'Vision of the Future' so I've already started breaking down into bits just naturally.
Maybe one of my strengths is analysis? Don't mind me thinking about strengths. That's week 4.
I started to read Week 3, and then realised I'd prefer it in print. So off up to the Post Office tomorrow to get it hard-copied.
I've made goals before but I'm a procrastinator when it comes to my own things. Work deadlines? Yeah - I'm good with them. Deadlines for me? Not a chance. Dustbunnie knows about that - So many things that she WILL eventually get, but haven't gotten round to them.
Anyways Goal Setting - this is what I need to think about when I make Goals:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Timed
Extend
Review
In many ways it looks similiar to what we do with project management in the IT field. Breaking jobs up into smaller pieces, assigning people who can do it, giving them time limits. Working out dependancies and risks. Always trying to get more done for less time or money. The IT field was something I fell into because a career advisor thought it would flow with my love of maths.
To be honest, it IS something I've enjoyed - the thrill of learning new ways of thinking and analysing. But there's a lot of bureaucracy involved, office politics, quick and dirty rather than thorough and working - that often kills that enjoyment. I don't want to keep doing IT until I retire, unless I can do something else as well that gives me more. I can't deny that doing IT has changed the way I think. I do tend to be more methodical than I was. More focussed in what I'm doing. It's helped reduce the chaos in my thinking. And that's a good thing. Oh yes, where was I? Talking about goals and being focussed. LMAO!!
Maybe one of my strengths is analysis? Don't mind me thinking about strengths. That's week 4.
I started to read Week 3, and then realised I'd prefer it in print. So off up to the Post Office tomorrow to get it hard-copied.
I've made goals before but I'm a procrastinator when it comes to my own things. Work deadlines? Yeah - I'm good with them. Deadlines for me? Not a chance. Dustbunnie knows about that - So many things that she WILL eventually get, but haven't gotten round to them.
Anyways Goal Setting - this is what I need to think about when I make Goals:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Timed
Extend
Review
In many ways it looks similiar to what we do with project management in the IT field. Breaking jobs up into smaller pieces, assigning people who can do it, giving them time limits. Working out dependancies and risks. Always trying to get more done for less time or money. The IT field was something I fell into because a career advisor thought it would flow with my love of maths.
To be honest, it IS something I've enjoyed - the thrill of learning new ways of thinking and analysing. But there's a lot of bureaucracy involved, office politics, quick and dirty rather than thorough and working - that often kills that enjoyment. I don't want to keep doing IT until I retire, unless I can do something else as well that gives me more. I can't deny that doing IT has changed the way I think. I do tend to be more methodical than I was. More focussed in what I'm doing. It's helped reduce the chaos in my thinking. And that's a good thing. Oh yes, where was I? Talking about goals and being focussed. LMAO!!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Making a Goal.
I haven't read Week 3 yet - I still feel like I'm in week 2 until Friday to be perfectly honest as I let the new 'vision of the future' bed down in my sub-conscious and I let it simmer into my life.
But to be truthful - I'm itching to do something about some of the vision - and working on the 'House into a home' part of the vision is probably the easiest to split up into goals and will take a long time to do. But here's the good thing - it's something that will make a big impact as soon as I achieve a small goal.
This week and in some previous weeks I've been checking out IKEA catalogs, and looking at blogs to see how other people down-sized their places and got them organised so that they were homes.
I've ended up with 2 blogs that I keep coming back to -
A Slob comes Clean and
I'm an Organizing Junkie and
IKEA Family Live
When I see some of the spaces that people live in, in the last link - I consider my small flat HUGE in comparison, and feel blessed. Still have no idea how I'm going to fit a piano and 13 bookcases into it. But still. I can find my way through.
TASK 1: Organising my Linen
So setting a task - picked an easy one to start with - Organising my Linen. I have one large shelf to do this with. 2 IKEA clothing boxes, a bag that one of the Doona's came in and that's it.
I've labelled one box "Heirloom Linen" and put all my beautiful embroidered linen that I love to take out and use for special occasions and that I've inherited. The sentimental value of the linen far outweighs the usage of them. There's linen there from my grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother from one or both sides of the family. I hope to leave it to my neices and nephews when I go.
The other box is labelled "Winter Linen" but more reasonably it's the Off-season Linen. Downsizing my winter doona covers to 2 was a bright idea, especially when I did it during a period of financial abundance and got 2 beautiful quilted and patchworked Doona covers that are heavy enough to make a summer doona warm enough for winter too.
I came up with an innovation too - I've put my winter nighties in with the doona cover sets. Freeing up space in my chest of drawers. Yay!
The Bag isn't labelled... yet. But it has all the bits and pieces for my sofa bed. It's a single bed - so it has it's own doona, pillow, and linen set. Only 1 this time. It all fits in the bag, so that makes it easy. And the bag fits on top of the heirloom linen box, and that frees up a stack of space in my linen shelf.
So Summer Linen - I have 4 sets there - but summer linen takes up so less space and ever since I saw a spot on Better Homes and Gardens about putting all the linen of a set into a pillow case and storing that together, I've been doing that too.
Just have to work out how to deal with the towels, washers, teatowels and other bits and pieces. It needs to be open because what I don't see, I don't use. But I need some way of keeping the sheets and towels separate. Will think about this. What would Nony (the Slob) do? Oh yeah - she has a whole closet with a shelf just for towels. Hmmm.
I WILL add pictures to this as I finish the project. Back to adding the linen back in.
Edited to add at 11pm:
I spent most of the day until I had to work doing this. I am looking at 5 garbage bags full of clothing and bits and pieces that I know I will never miss in a pile ready to be taken away tomorrow for donation.
I cleaned the wardrobe, the dresser, the bed boxes, moved some things around. Created a clutterbox. Clutterbox is an innovation of mine too - it's the 'I have no clue where these go so I'll put them here and then work it out later' box. It's got mostly BJD things in it at the moment. I have to find somewhere to put them where destructo-cat won't get to them.
Now THAT was a satisfying activity!
And I promised you some pictures...
This is actually wonderful to me - The boxes in the corner are the single bed set, and the heirloom linen. The ones in the middle are my summer doonas and sheets. The box that is missing is the matching one from the other side and it has accent pillows and a throw rug from the summer sets.
You can see how full the wardrobe hanging space is. It isn't now!
But to be truthful - I'm itching to do something about some of the vision - and working on the 'House into a home' part of the vision is probably the easiest to split up into goals and will take a long time to do. But here's the good thing - it's something that will make a big impact as soon as I achieve a small goal.
This week and in some previous weeks I've been checking out IKEA catalogs, and looking at blogs to see how other people down-sized their places and got them organised so that they were homes.
I've ended up with 2 blogs that I keep coming back to -
A Slob comes Clean and
I'm an Organizing Junkie and
IKEA Family Live
When I see some of the spaces that people live in, in the last link - I consider my small flat HUGE in comparison, and feel blessed. Still have no idea how I'm going to fit a piano and 13 bookcases into it. But still. I can find my way through.
TASK 1: Organising my Linen
So setting a task - picked an easy one to start with - Organising my Linen. I have one large shelf to do this with. 2 IKEA clothing boxes, a bag that one of the Doona's came in and that's it.
I've labelled one box "Heirloom Linen" and put all my beautiful embroidered linen that I love to take out and use for special occasions and that I've inherited. The sentimental value of the linen far outweighs the usage of them. There's linen there from my grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother from one or both sides of the family. I hope to leave it to my neices and nephews when I go.
The other box is labelled "Winter Linen" but more reasonably it's the Off-season Linen. Downsizing my winter doona covers to 2 was a bright idea, especially when I did it during a period of financial abundance and got 2 beautiful quilted and patchworked Doona covers that are heavy enough to make a summer doona warm enough for winter too.
I came up with an innovation too - I've put my winter nighties in with the doona cover sets. Freeing up space in my chest of drawers. Yay!
The Bag isn't labelled... yet. But it has all the bits and pieces for my sofa bed. It's a single bed - so it has it's own doona, pillow, and linen set. Only 1 this time. It all fits in the bag, so that makes it easy. And the bag fits on top of the heirloom linen box, and that frees up a stack of space in my linen shelf.
So Summer Linen - I have 4 sets there - but summer linen takes up so less space and ever since I saw a spot on Better Homes and Gardens about putting all the linen of a set into a pillow case and storing that together, I've been doing that too.
Just have to work out how to deal with the towels, washers, teatowels and other bits and pieces. It needs to be open because what I don't see, I don't use. But I need some way of keeping the sheets and towels separate. Will think about this. What would Nony (the Slob) do? Oh yeah - she has a whole closet with a shelf just for towels. Hmmm.
I WILL add pictures to this as I finish the project. Back to adding the linen back in.
Edited to add at 11pm:
I spent most of the day until I had to work doing this. I am looking at 5 garbage bags full of clothing and bits and pieces that I know I will never miss in a pile ready to be taken away tomorrow for donation.
I cleaned the wardrobe, the dresser, the bed boxes, moved some things around. Created a clutterbox. Clutterbox is an innovation of mine too - it's the 'I have no clue where these go so I'll put them here and then work it out later' box. It's got mostly BJD things in it at the moment. I have to find somewhere to put them where destructo-cat won't get to them.
Now THAT was a satisfying activity!
And I promised you some pictures...
You can see how full the wardrobe hanging space is. It isn't now!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Imagine your best future self...
OK I'm actually feeling like I'm able to do this now.
The image I have of me at 55 -
Talking with my friends Dustbunnie and Annefia, and being able to visit them for a month each. (although for Annefia, it will be in the summer, and in the little bits that she can cope with)
Being in a part-time job that pays my for my basic needs and a little bit extra. I don't want to have to worry about money, but I know that my health requires that I look after myself. I'd like a job that harnesses my creativity and problem-solving, that is something that I feel good about because it is doing good for the world - leaving a legacy of hope and empowerment.
Health-wise, I'd like to be able to sleep a normal amount of time, and have energy when I wake up. So - diabetes under control, arthritis and sciatica controlled so that I don't have to wait for 2 hours after I get up before I can put my undies on. I would love to be menopausal!! I know that sounds completely weird. But the thought of not being a prisoner of my hormones is my definition of bliss. Power surges = layered clothing, dry places = moisturiser, and I swear my moods can't be any worse post-menopausal than they are pre-.
Living with myself and my cats. I want both Blanche and Leanne to live a good long time - more than 10 years please! if they can. I want both my babies to be healthy and happy and enjoying life with me.
A house that I can call home that contains all the things that are important to me - my piano, books, craft and is fun to visit for my friends. With the breakable things under glass or behind doors so destructo-cat (Blanche) doesn't destroy it.
What I will be doing for fun: Being creative, enjoying my friends and my cats. Having the time and spoons to finish writing the books I have un-finished. Drawing in pastels, sewing - patchworking, embroidery, crotcheting... FINISHING things!
I'd like to have the spoons to be able to help out at a charity somewhere rather than just send money. Especially with kids - I'd love to be able to bring joy into some children's lives.
How would I feel about my life - satisfied and content. Joyous - in the old fashioned, active sense of the word. Feeling that my life has some stabililty and purposefulness. Companionable with my cats and friends.
How would I feel about myself - I'm not sure about this. I might have to give this some more thought. But probably similiar to my life - satisfied, joyous. Not feeling like I've arrived, but that I'm well on the journey. Not feeling like I have to watch everything I say and do because I can be so toxic. I think that's what I'd like - it's OK to be me. I'm not perfect, but I'm facing in the right direction.
How would I feel about my body/health. I'd like to be able to notice my body as a part of myself, rather than just the machine that carries me. I'd care about the maintenance and condition of the body. I'd feel good that I had my blood sugars down to normal, and happy that it was habitualised so that I didn't feel like I had to make conscious effort to keep it there. That I enjoy the food and exercise that I need to do to keep me healthy. I'd be glad that we finally found the links between my health problems so that we could find a way to control ALL of them - taking all of them seriously rather than tossing it off because its one of those things that on it's own is something lots of people live with.
For any of the you out there that don't know me - Health problem list from the head down is:
It would be completely unreasonable to expect these to be "cured" but I think - completely reasonable to hope that they would be controlled - at least in 5 years.
How have I benefited from being healthier?
Having a life that is not controlled by my health symptoms. Being able to decide on things I like because I like them and not because I'm trying to defend myself from other's desires for me, or subordinating myself to others desires for me - no matter how well-intentioned and good they are.
Final Thoughts.
I think more than anything else for me, it's also about being on good terms with God - trusting him and therefore letting go of the anxiety of being me. God is a great, big God and it doesn't matter what happens - knowing I'm not alone in whatever situation I find myself in is a huge comfort, and one I hope I will take more notice of, as I get older. I want to have more and more love for God. And more and more love for the people around me, a generousity of spirit and the ability to do more for others.
The image I have of me at 55 -
Talking with my friends Dustbunnie and Annefia, and being able to visit them for a month each. (although for Annefia, it will be in the summer, and in the little bits that she can cope with)
Being in a part-time job that pays my for my basic needs and a little bit extra. I don't want to have to worry about money, but I know that my health requires that I look after myself. I'd like a job that harnesses my creativity and problem-solving, that is something that I feel good about because it is doing good for the world - leaving a legacy of hope and empowerment.
Health-wise, I'd like to be able to sleep a normal amount of time, and have energy when I wake up. So - diabetes under control, arthritis and sciatica controlled so that I don't have to wait for 2 hours after I get up before I can put my undies on. I would love to be menopausal!! I know that sounds completely weird. But the thought of not being a prisoner of my hormones is my definition of bliss. Power surges = layered clothing, dry places = moisturiser, and I swear my moods can't be any worse post-menopausal than they are pre-.
Living with myself and my cats. I want both Blanche and Leanne to live a good long time - more than 10 years please! if they can. I want both my babies to be healthy and happy and enjoying life with me.
A house that I can call home that contains all the things that are important to me - my piano, books, craft and is fun to visit for my friends. With the breakable things under glass or behind doors so destructo-cat (Blanche) doesn't destroy it.
What I will be doing for fun: Being creative, enjoying my friends and my cats. Having the time and spoons to finish writing the books I have un-finished. Drawing in pastels, sewing - patchworking, embroidery, crotcheting... FINISHING things!
I'd like to have the spoons to be able to help out at a charity somewhere rather than just send money. Especially with kids - I'd love to be able to bring joy into some children's lives.
How would I feel about my life - satisfied and content. Joyous - in the old fashioned, active sense of the word. Feeling that my life has some stabililty and purposefulness. Companionable with my cats and friends.
How would I feel about myself - I'm not sure about this. I might have to give this some more thought. But probably similiar to my life - satisfied, joyous. Not feeling like I've arrived, but that I'm well on the journey. Not feeling like I have to watch everything I say and do because I can be so toxic. I think that's what I'd like - it's OK to be me. I'm not perfect, but I'm facing in the right direction.
How would I feel about my body/health. I'd like to be able to notice my body as a part of myself, rather than just the machine that carries me. I'd care about the maintenance and condition of the body. I'd feel good that I had my blood sugars down to normal, and happy that it was habitualised so that I didn't feel like I had to make conscious effort to keep it there. That I enjoy the food and exercise that I need to do to keep me healthy. I'd be glad that we finally found the links between my health problems so that we could find a way to control ALL of them - taking all of them seriously rather than tossing it off because its one of those things that on it's own is something lots of people live with.
For any of the you out there that don't know me - Health problem list from the head down is:
- Depression
- Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
- Diabetes
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Period problems - including PMS, Dysmenorrhea, migraine, metabolic changes, and mood swings. (But not as serious as some have them)
- Obesity
- Arthritis in the Spine
- Sciatica in the thighs (comes with the arthritis in the spine)
- Problem with Right Knee clicking and painful (Probably more arthritis, or an artefact of the Arthritis in the spine)
It would be completely unreasonable to expect these to be "cured" but I think - completely reasonable to hope that they would be controlled - at least in 5 years.
How have I benefited from being healthier?
Having a life that is not controlled by my health symptoms. Being able to decide on things I like because I like them and not because I'm trying to defend myself from other's desires for me, or subordinating myself to others desires for me - no matter how well-intentioned and good they are.
Final Thoughts.
I think more than anything else for me, it's also about being on good terms with God - trusting him and therefore letting go of the anxiety of being me. God is a great, big God and it doesn't matter what happens - knowing I'm not alone in whatever situation I find myself in is a huge comfort, and one I hope I will take more notice of, as I get older. I want to have more and more love for God. And more and more love for the people around me, a generousity of spirit and the ability to do more for others.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Intermediate work - thinking of times when desires were good...
The big obvious ones are when I went overseas and met Annefia and Dustbunnie.
Annefia and Dustbunnie are two of the dearest and most wonderful friends I have in the world. And one lives in Sweden and one lives in Denmark. I met them online and we became friends online through a forum called SimPixels and Graphics. I had known them for years, and was talking to Dustbunnie almost every day via yahoo. They are both funny, wise, and loving and I was pretty sure that wasn't just an online persona. (Although there are many other people online and in forums that do - Online safety is a must!) After 5 years of knowing them online only I really really wanted to meet them in real-life. I couldn't see how I could, but I wanted to very much.
Life (and God) got on my side and gave me the ability to achieve this desire. I got offered a job in Ireland, and was there for 3 years. Back in 2006 - 2009. I was scared to visit, but I was also excited.
First I visited Dustbunnie. I organised to stay with her for just a weekend - thinking that would be the easiest thing, and if I needed to leave earlier I could. I remember getting off the plane in Arhus and seeing her through the glass as I was coming out of the gates with my bag. I couldn't stop smiling and I felt like I was going to burst with happiness. We waved ecstatically at each other until I could reach her, then we gave each other huge hugs and laughed. She was just like I pictured her to be - and I don't mean her body and face which looked familiar - but her spirit matched her. She was my Dustbunnie who I'd grown to love like a soul-sister. And it came straight out of her eyes and her expressions. Like most of our relationship on-line - we talked. And talked, and talked and talked and talked. There was no jarring in our relationship - nothing hidden, we were ourselves and had proved to be ourselves both online and in reality. My first time with her turned out to be way too short!!! But I have visited more times now - and even was able to have a Christmas with her and her son. When I moved back to Australia I knew that I would see her again. And it took me until August this year - but I did! And she was just as wonderful to be with.
One day, I would like to be able to visit her for a good long time - maybe a month. But in the meantime we talk everyday and I love doing it.
I was less scared visiting Annefia. After all if Dustbunnie was the same (and more so!) then so would Annefia be. Annefia was wonderful, and we talked and talked and talked and slept and enjoyed the cats, but mostly talked until I had no voice. Again she was just like herself and more so - and the funny, wise, generous and loving friend I had made was the one I now knew in the flesh!
Having met each other, my bonds with both these girls have strengthened and grown more solid.
They know my heart more than most people, and it is a joy to me to bring happiness and joy to them. I love making Annefia cry - in a good way! - and I hope to do it many more times. :D
I've known both these women now for 10 years and I can't imagine a happy future that they don't have a share of, or an influence over.
So there you go. A happy desire with a wonderful outcome!
Annefia and Dustbunnie are two of the dearest and most wonderful friends I have in the world. And one lives in Sweden and one lives in Denmark. I met them online and we became friends online through a forum called SimPixels and Graphics. I had known them for years, and was talking to Dustbunnie almost every day via yahoo. They are both funny, wise, and loving and I was pretty sure that wasn't just an online persona. (Although there are many other people online and in forums that do - Online safety is a must!) After 5 years of knowing them online only I really really wanted to meet them in real-life. I couldn't see how I could, but I wanted to very much.
Life (and God) got on my side and gave me the ability to achieve this desire. I got offered a job in Ireland, and was there for 3 years. Back in 2006 - 2009. I was scared to visit, but I was also excited.
First I visited Dustbunnie. I organised to stay with her for just a weekend - thinking that would be the easiest thing, and if I needed to leave earlier I could. I remember getting off the plane in Arhus and seeing her through the glass as I was coming out of the gates with my bag. I couldn't stop smiling and I felt like I was going to burst with happiness. We waved ecstatically at each other until I could reach her, then we gave each other huge hugs and laughed. She was just like I pictured her to be - and I don't mean her body and face which looked familiar - but her spirit matched her. She was my Dustbunnie who I'd grown to love like a soul-sister. And it came straight out of her eyes and her expressions. Like most of our relationship on-line - we talked. And talked, and talked and talked and talked. There was no jarring in our relationship - nothing hidden, we were ourselves and had proved to be ourselves both online and in reality. My first time with her turned out to be way too short!!! But I have visited more times now - and even was able to have a Christmas with her and her son. When I moved back to Australia I knew that I would see her again. And it took me until August this year - but I did! And she was just as wonderful to be with.
One day, I would like to be able to visit her for a good long time - maybe a month. But in the meantime we talk everyday and I love doing it.
I was less scared visiting Annefia. After all if Dustbunnie was the same (and more so!) then so would Annefia be. Annefia was wonderful, and we talked and talked and talked and slept and enjoyed the cats, but mostly talked until I had no voice. Again she was just like herself and more so - and the funny, wise, generous and loving friend I had made was the one I now knew in the flesh!
Having met each other, my bonds with both these girls have strengthened and grown more solid.
They know my heart more than most people, and it is a joy to me to bring happiness and joy to them. I love making Annefia cry - in a good way! - and I hope to do it many more times. :D
I've known both these women now for 10 years and I can't imagine a happy future that they don't have a share of, or an influence over.
So there you go. A happy desire with a wonderful outcome!
Lesson 2 is already up!
"The primary goal for this week is to clarify your positive vision of the future."
Is there a scarier sentence in the English language? I don't think so.... OK I know 'You're going to die' is scary - but there's an end to that one that doesn't end in success or failure. Once you're dead there isn't any more choices to make. Which is one of the cooler things about being dead I reckon.
Planning for the future was never really something that I've had good experience with. In fact, it's almost been the other way around - if I want to make sure I do NOT get something - then make it a goal, make it a desire.
A vivid memory of my childhood. Singing in a choir. We were doing Australian Christmas Carols (which managed to copyright themselves out of usage very quickly. A great pity - we need Aussie Christmas Carols). It was in Springwood. I was very excited about it and it was an evening concert. I'd had to get permission from my parents.. i.e. mum to be able to join because it was made very clear that we could only join in the choir if we were committed to attending the concert. So the night of the concert, Mum says we're not going. So I went to my room and despaired. I was 7 years old or something. I felt hopeless and sad and that I was letting everyone down. About 15 minutes later, mum came in and said because I didn't make a fuss and argue, I could go. I don't remember the concert.
Looking back on that incident with adult eyes - Mum was stuck without transport, and 4 kids the youngest still a baby. Taking me to the concert would have been hard if Dad wasn't back with the car. Which I assume was the case. I can understand why she said no now. I think she managed to get someone to take me, but I went on my own. And all the joy of the event was gone.
But back then it was simply that I wanted something so she said no. And when I stopped wanting it, then I was allowed to have it.
Not long after that we moved to Sydney for 3 years while Dad studied at Moore. We had almost no income - couldn't afford food at times, and so desires was again a place that there was no point to do. Up until I was 17 or so, clothing was always second-hand hand-me-downs from other people. We could choose from the second-hand stuff but more often than not, it was chosen for us. Desires were things other people who could afford them had.
Now I always get the feeling with fulfilling desires - how am I going to have to pay for this? What's going to go wrong, what's the punishment?
I know it's not rational. But still it scares me to think of things like that.
More about this one later.
Is there a scarier sentence in the English language? I don't think so.... OK I know 'You're going to die' is scary - but there's an end to that one that doesn't end in success or failure. Once you're dead there isn't any more choices to make. Which is one of the cooler things about being dead I reckon.
Planning for the future was never really something that I've had good experience with. In fact, it's almost been the other way around - if I want to make sure I do NOT get something - then make it a goal, make it a desire.
A vivid memory of my childhood. Singing in a choir. We were doing Australian Christmas Carols (which managed to copyright themselves out of usage very quickly. A great pity - we need Aussie Christmas Carols). It was in Springwood. I was very excited about it and it was an evening concert. I'd had to get permission from my parents.. i.e. mum to be able to join because it was made very clear that we could only join in the choir if we were committed to attending the concert. So the night of the concert, Mum says we're not going. So I went to my room and despaired. I was 7 years old or something. I felt hopeless and sad and that I was letting everyone down. About 15 minutes later, mum came in and said because I didn't make a fuss and argue, I could go. I don't remember the concert.
Looking back on that incident with adult eyes - Mum was stuck without transport, and 4 kids the youngest still a baby. Taking me to the concert would have been hard if Dad wasn't back with the car. Which I assume was the case. I can understand why she said no now. I think she managed to get someone to take me, but I went on my own. And all the joy of the event was gone.
But back then it was simply that I wanted something so she said no. And when I stopped wanting it, then I was allowed to have it.
Not long after that we moved to Sydney for 3 years while Dad studied at Moore. We had almost no income - couldn't afford food at times, and so desires was again a place that there was no point to do. Up until I was 17 or so, clothing was always second-hand hand-me-downs from other people. We could choose from the second-hand stuff but more often than not, it was chosen for us. Desires were things other people who could afford them had.
Now I always get the feeling with fulfilling desires - how am I going to have to pay for this? What's going to go wrong, what's the punishment?
I know it's not rational. But still it scares me to think of things like that.
More about this one later.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Week 1: Bringing Fun to Food and Exercise and Realistic Expectations
The Homework this week is turning out to be harder than I thought it would be. I mean - scheduling fun and satisfying activities - how hard should that be?
Satisfying has been easy enough. I'm in 'nesting' mode at the moment - wanting to make my flat into a home, and dealing with the whole downsizing from a 2 bedroom house that a bibliophile would love, into a 1 bedroom flat that to be honest is smaller even in the rooms I do still have. So dealing with boxes of stuff, getting rid of stuff, and working on making my flat beautiful, comfortable and livable long-term is something that I've procrastinated long enough about. And having some energy to do it - it's a happy confluence of events.
Pleasurable events - that's a whole other kettle of fish. It was easy enough on the weekend - I watched Kung Fu Panda one day, and Kung Fu Panda 2 the other. But that's been the proverbial it. It's interesting though - I play Facebook games, and I don't think of them as pleasurable. Makes me wonder why I play them at all.
There wasn't particularly a family prohibition - I have very happy memories of listening to the Goons. I love Eccles and Bluebottle. But I also have strong memories of settling down with a book and feeling like I have to hide because mum would stop me to do some housework with her. To be fair, housework was not my forte and she was always having to nag me to do it. Mum would say 'do this' and so you'd go do this, expecting that you could go do something fun afterwards. Then you'd finish it, and she'd find you and get you to do something else. And so on until the morning was gone. I'd get frustrated because I could never plan ahead for something fun. Especially when doing housework was not even a satisfying activity for me. It was just torment. And that was so for gardening as well. I hated it. Still have a 'black' thumb, although I have more enjoyment in the garden.
So yeah - Fun is hard. Thank goodness for the cats. They're not so much scheduled fun, as unscheduled mayhem. Blanche leaping around like a lunatic makes me laugh. Patting and grooming Leanne, and enjoying companionship with her makes me feel good inside. Of course, there is also lots of not so pleasant activities that go with cats - litter, anyone? But their love and fun is just awesome. And the trust that they have in me, to be honest overwhelmed me to start with.
Working on scheduling fun activities.
Satisfying has been easy enough. I'm in 'nesting' mode at the moment - wanting to make my flat into a home, and dealing with the whole downsizing from a 2 bedroom house that a bibliophile would love, into a 1 bedroom flat that to be honest is smaller even in the rooms I do still have. So dealing with boxes of stuff, getting rid of stuff, and working on making my flat beautiful, comfortable and livable long-term is something that I've procrastinated long enough about. And having some energy to do it - it's a happy confluence of events.
Pleasurable events - that's a whole other kettle of fish. It was easy enough on the weekend - I watched Kung Fu Panda one day, and Kung Fu Panda 2 the other. But that's been the proverbial it. It's interesting though - I play Facebook games, and I don't think of them as pleasurable. Makes me wonder why I play them at all.
There wasn't particularly a family prohibition - I have very happy memories of listening to the Goons. I love Eccles and Bluebottle. But I also have strong memories of settling down with a book and feeling like I have to hide because mum would stop me to do some housework with her. To be fair, housework was not my forte and she was always having to nag me to do it. Mum would say 'do this' and so you'd go do this, expecting that you could go do something fun afterwards. Then you'd finish it, and she'd find you and get you to do something else. And so on until the morning was gone. I'd get frustrated because I could never plan ahead for something fun. Especially when doing housework was not even a satisfying activity for me. It was just torment. And that was so for gardening as well. I hated it. Still have a 'black' thumb, although I have more enjoyment in the garden.
So yeah - Fun is hard. Thank goodness for the cats. They're not so much scheduled fun, as unscheduled mayhem. Blanche leaping around like a lunatic makes me laugh. Patting and grooming Leanne, and enjoying companionship with her makes me feel good inside. Of course, there is also lots of not so pleasant activities that go with cats - litter, anyone? But their love and fun is just awesome. And the trust that they have in me, to be honest overwhelmed me to start with.
Working on scheduling fun activities.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Happiness Diet: The Introduction
Got a Video of Dr Sharp (or as he signs himself - Dr Happy) saying g'day and explaining what goes on.
I think the thing I've taken away from it is what he calls 'The Tyranny of When'. When you lose weight, then you'll be happy. When you get the right amount of money, the right car, the right job - then you'll be happy.
Now I know that is not true. I'm not that materialistic to be honest - BUT. (Don't you just love buts?) What I do know is that I hear that all around me - esp. from my Mum and other well-meaning people. If you lose weight, you'll get the relationship, and you'll be happy. If you lose weight, you'll get healthy and then you'll be happy. If you try harder, do more, get more faith, you'll be happy and spiritual and life will be perfect.
I'm realising that I have absorbed that in the way I think about myself, as much as I'd like not to - esp. in my relationship with God. If I try harder and fix myself I'll somehow be more acceptable to God. This is of course, absolute cow-dung. And I know that. So why do I keep falling into that sort of thinking?
Of course, there are things that need to be fixed - but not because they'll make me happier in some ethereal future - it's because like everything that's broken, if you want to be able to use it for the purpose that it was created for, you need to make sure it remains in good repair. It won't change anything except that it'll work. Getting my liver working won't do anything but get my liver working.
Goal setting is still a viable and useful tool - but making reasonable goals with realistic expectations of the outcomes is the way to go.
Losing weight may not make me more happy or less happy or change my life in ways that I expect. But what it will do is have me thinner, less physical exertion in movement, no rashes between my thighs, and if I do it the way that makes most sense to my health and body - I'll have lower blood sugar levels, a healthier liver.
The journey is important too.
I think the thing I've taken away from it is what he calls 'The Tyranny of When'. When you lose weight, then you'll be happy. When you get the right amount of money, the right car, the right job - then you'll be happy.
Now I know that is not true. I'm not that materialistic to be honest - BUT. (Don't you just love buts?) What I do know is that I hear that all around me - esp. from my Mum and other well-meaning people. If you lose weight, you'll get the relationship, and you'll be happy. If you lose weight, you'll get healthy and then you'll be happy. If you try harder, do more, get more faith, you'll be happy and spiritual and life will be perfect.
I'm realising that I have absorbed that in the way I think about myself, as much as I'd like not to - esp. in my relationship with God. If I try harder and fix myself I'll somehow be more acceptable to God. This is of course, absolute cow-dung. And I know that. So why do I keep falling into that sort of thinking?
Of course, there are things that need to be fixed - but not because they'll make me happier in some ethereal future - it's because like everything that's broken, if you want to be able to use it for the purpose that it was created for, you need to make sure it remains in good repair. It won't change anything except that it'll work. Getting my liver working won't do anything but get my liver working.
Goal setting is still a viable and useful tool - but making reasonable goals with realistic expectations of the outcomes is the way to go.
Losing weight may not make me more happy or less happy or change my life in ways that I expect. But what it will do is have me thinner, less physical exertion in movement, no rashes between my thighs, and if I do it the way that makes most sense to my health and body - I'll have lower blood sugar levels, a healthier liver.
The journey is important too.
Introduction: What is the Happiness Diet
The Happiness Diet - this is the link.
My interest in this was raised when I watched the program "The House of the Food Obsessives". It sounded and seemed like a new direction and one that may even work. This led me to subscribing to the Happiness Institute's weekly newsletter and researching 'Positive Psychology'.
Positive Psychology is the study of what makes us happy. Rather than concentrating on what makes us sad, and alleviating it - it looks at what makes us happy, fulfilled - a satisfying life.
Initially I thought it would be all a bit ra-ra, the usual clap-trap that you get on Work 'team-building' days, that is fairly meaningless. But the more I researched into it, and thought about, the more I realised that this isn't that shallow. Especially when you tackle topics like suffering and pain.
So I've taken the bull by the horns and I'm giving the happiness diet a try. You're welcome to follow me - ask questions - or what you like, and see what happens.
Go read the website, or look up the 'House of the Food Obsessives' at SBS or You-tube.
My interest in this was raised when I watched the program "The House of the Food Obsessives". It sounded and seemed like a new direction and one that may even work. This led me to subscribing to the Happiness Institute's weekly newsletter and researching 'Positive Psychology'.
Positive Psychology is the study of what makes us happy. Rather than concentrating on what makes us sad, and alleviating it - it looks at what makes us happy, fulfilled - a satisfying life.
Initially I thought it would be all a bit ra-ra, the usual clap-trap that you get on Work 'team-building' days, that is fairly meaningless. But the more I researched into it, and thought about, the more I realised that this isn't that shallow. Especially when you tackle topics like suffering and pain.
So I've taken the bull by the horns and I'm giving the happiness diet a try. You're welcome to follow me - ask questions - or what you like, and see what happens.
Go read the website, or look up the 'House of the Food Obsessives' at SBS or You-tube.
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