The latest from Weekly Simplicity Tips (newsletter@encouragingcoach.com)
1. Take one action to go towards one of your goals.
Hmmmm..... this is a tough one. I mean, first I have to define what my goals are, right?
2. What will you say no to so you can protect your self-care? ie 2nd helpings, clutter, debt,
procrastination, missing deadlines, working on Sundays.
Hmmmm..... another tough one. What do you do when you are a people pleaser, and one of those people that you want to please is yourself?
3.One evening this week, do something fun.
Fun? I don't have a clue as to what that means anymore ... I know there are times when I have fun, but I don't know how to go out and have fun ... pretty sad, huh? I guess that maybe that should be a goal that I define for myself. I do have fun with my kids, but I don't want to be one of those sad, sad people whose definitions of themselves revolve around their kids. I don't think that is true of me -- it's just a comfortable place for me right now (and why do I suddenly feel like I am going to burst into tears?).
4. What kind of choices are you making lately?
Another loaded question! I think that I am making some good choices. I have been getting rid of things through Freecycle and posting them on Craigslist, but then I am still not where I want to be in my life, so maybe I am not making the best choices ... Lately, it seems like all my choices revolve around money -- spending it. I truly like the things that I am getting, but it is not like I have the money to get them ... so the guilt just pores in (should be the topic of my next post ....)
How can you make better ones?
Probably by being less impulsive.
5. Do the most unpleasant task first today.
This one was a piece of cake. I hate to wake up early -- I am just not a morning person. However, my daughter does need to get to school, and since we live 1.85 miles from the school, she is technically a walker. No way in hell will I let my 14-year-old daughter walk to school in the dark, in whatever weather it is for the day, carrying all the stuff that an active child needs to bring to school. Surprisingly enough, it is one of the few things that her dad (my ex) agree upon.
Anyway, back to the task at hand -- I woke up at the dutiful 6:15, made sure my daughter was up, and made her lunch. Then went outside and started the car, hoping it would get slightly warm -- hah, that was a joke.
See how you feel afterwards.
Crappy ... no other word for it. I got no joy in watching the sun rise. All I wanted to do and did was crawl back into bed ... did not really get back to sleep (I should take a note of that ...), so I have felt horrible the entire day ....
6. Act like you are in control of your time. You have more control then you think.
Ok, this is a tough one too... I guess I just don't know what this means. Perhaps somebody can explain it to me. When it gets tough, I just want to crawl into bed and hide ...
7. Enjoy some freshly sqeezed juice.
Finally, an easy one -- freshly squeezed juice just does not appeal to me. Now, don't get me wrong .... I love juice, and I love the old-fashioned juice makers, but c'mon -- take time to make freshly squeezed juice that is pulpy and may contain seeds? Give me an orange! and no guilt in this one!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Leading a Simple Life ...
Weekly Simplicity Tips from My Simpler Life (www.mysimplerlife.com)
1. Put all your to do's together in a notebook or list.
2. Make health a priority by scheduling exercise.
3. Trade your books at BookMooch.com instead of buying new. Wow! I actually did this!
4. When you start to rush, focus your mind on the task at hand and block out the rest of your to do's.
5. Keep your eye out for something wonderful today. Hmmm... easier said than done ... Ok .. here is something ... I actually slept for six hours straight without waking up.
6. What is frustrating you? What can you do about it? LIFE ... try to cope ...
7. Take some time to relax with a book. Easy one ...
1. Put all your to do's together in a notebook or list.
2. Make health a priority by scheduling exercise.
3. Trade your books at BookMooch.com instead of buying new. Wow! I actually did this!
4. When you start to rush, focus your mind on the task at hand and block out the rest of your to do's.
5. Keep your eye out for something wonderful today. Hmmm... easier said than done ... Ok .. here is something ... I actually slept for six hours straight without waking up.
6. What is frustrating you? What can you do about it? LIFE ... try to cope ...
7. Take some time to relax with a book. Easy one ...
some thoughts
From a list friend ...
Accomplishment isn't about visible things like being elected president (apt image for this year!) or publishing a book, but also about the quiet personal triumphs no one else is aware of. One thing I've found is that some of my best accomplishments happened with little or no effort on my part. I had a pretty bad drug habit for years. During that period my mind was saying "STOP IT", and I knew I WANTED to stop, but I didn't. I made the effort of will to stop quite a few times, and it would last for maybe a few weeks, but it was always based on my mind screaming at me "DON'T DO IT!" The effort of will that was required only took me so far. When the drug problem finally stopped, it was with little or no effort on my part. It finally just "happened", of its own accord. The mind was right in what was needed, but it seemed to be wrong about the timing. And I do believe that if I hadn't tried so hard to stop, it might have ended earlier.
Accomplishment isn't about visible things like being elected president (apt image for this year!) or publishing a book, but also about the quiet personal triumphs no one else is aware of. One thing I've found is that some of my best accomplishments happened with little or no effort on my part. I had a pretty bad drug habit for years. During that period my mind was saying "STOP IT", and I knew I WANTED to stop, but I didn't. I made the effort of will to stop quite a few times, and it would last for maybe a few weeks, but it was always based on my mind screaming at me "DON'T DO IT!" The effort of will that was required only took me so far. When the drug problem finally stopped, it was with little or no effort on my part. It finally just "happened", of its own accord. The mind was right in what was needed, but it seemed to be wrong about the timing. And I do believe that if I hadn't tried so hard to stop, it might have ended earlier.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Procrastination
I swore that I was going to do this on January 1. But here it is, January 2, and I am only get this up now.
I got this e-mail from my mom. I'm not sure where they came from, but I thought there were some pretty good lessons.
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will.Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd probably grab ours back.
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
Plus 5 to grow on...
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift!
I got this e-mail from my mom. I'm not sure where they came from, but I thought there were some pretty good lessons.
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will.Stay in touch.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd probably grab ours back.
41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
Plus 5 to grow on...
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don't ask, you don't get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift!
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