Summer Work

Starting my summer work today. Write every day. Write about something, someone, some event… just write. Time to stop waiting for the time to write and just starting to write. 

I love the summer… time to just do and be and even to do nothing if you want. No bells and deadlines. The only stresses are the ones that I create for myself, the only demands on my time are the demands I make. So what will this summer be? I don’t know…. let’s just wait and see. 

What am I afraid of?

I have this pattern of signing up for races or training sessions and then getting so in my head that instead of being something fun, it becomes a stress or burden in my life. It’s like I want to have a problem, so I look for a way to manufacture one. So today, I am going to practice the swim for the Ramblin’ Rose. I have been upset since I got up this morning about it; I’ve spent the whole day visualizing how poorly I will do in it. Well, that’s ridiculous… I will not be afraid; I will not worry. I will just do what I can and be OK with the outcome.

First Week – Living a Reasonable Life

Friday was the perfect example of setting unrealistic expectations and creating stress and self-loathing.  I woke up saying, “I am going to go to muscle class and then cycle”. Then, later in the day, that changed to “I am going to run, then go to muscle class”. Then, I considered just running or just going to muscle. In the end, I didn’t do any of it. So, the moral of this story? First, don’t ever assume that after working from 6:30 AM until 3:45 PM that you will EVER be interested in going to TWO exercise classes on a Friday afternoon. Second, be reasonable in what you are going to do to exercise. So, I am going to follow my training plan. Today, I am supposed to walk for 60 minutes; so, I will walk for 60 minutes. Tomorrow, I will run for 35 minutes. I will set reasonable expectations… I will, I will, I will…. 

How do you live a manageable life?

Living a manageable life is my theme for 2013.  So, how do I start? Making a list? That seems reasonable. 

So, step 1 to living a manageable, reasonable life … make a list with no more than three things on it. Everyone can do three things each day. Set small goals and meet them; set reasonable goals. Don’t say, “Today I am going to run for 60 minutes” when I haven’t run for 10 minutes in 60 days. People who live reasonable lives say, “Today, I am going to run”, and then they do what they say they are going to do.

Therefore, step 2 is do what you say you are going to do. Unresolved goals and plans are what create stress; creating expectations that you don’t achieve perpetuates the cycle of failure. So… say it, then do it.

Finally, (step 3) live in the moment. The only time we have is now; the only moment that’s real is the current one. When we live in our heads instead of in our life, we miss the moments that are real… important.

 

So, three simple steps to life that’s manageable… easy, right?

Finding your rhythm

Since the girls left in August, I’ve had a very hard time feeling normal. I am a creature of routine, and since my routines have changed, I don’t feel like myself anymore. Two months… feeling like an alien in my own life. It’s  so strange and I just can’t move beyond it. 

The only choice I have is to change. Really testing the idea of “If you want to be somebody else, change your mind”. 

Wow – Now I know why you need to write everyday

Just read my last post… did some of the things I listed, but not all of them. It’s the story of my life… make plans, make promises, but then never follow through. Why do I do that? Seriously, if anyone reads this blog and can tell me why I set myself up for failure, I’d love to hear your answer. Is it because my plans are too complicated? So instead of saying I’ll run every week, I say,”I will run four times each week and paint the house daily and never watch tv again and read all the classics in a week and always get everything for school done on time and set impossible deadlines to meet and agree to do things that I don’t want to do and then feel really bad about myself because I didn’t do any of those things”. Then, I fail.

So how do you live a life without unbelievable expectations? How do you live a manageable life? How do you live a life where you don’t always feel like a failure?

Spring Things

I love the sense of renewal that comes with the spring. New flowers sprout, the leaves bud, and I get motivated to make changes in my life. This spring I will accomplish the projects I have always been wanting to do. So here’s my list for the world to see

• plant a garden that will actually grow – research how to improve my soil
• get new blinds in the WHOLE house
• run at least four times every week
• spend more time outside
• read instead of watch – practice what I preach
• not let school be the most important thing in my life
• pray
• pray
• pray

When the universe speaks to you, do you listen?

When the universe speaks, do you listen? Or do you even know that she is sending you a message? Sometimes I hear her, and sometimes I totally ignore the messages. Lately, I have been so out of balance and my focus has been pulled in so many ways that any message I am getting, gets lost in the static of my daily existence. Also, can’t seem to slow down – get centered- feel peace. Last night, I should have been so happy, my show went well, people laughed at it… but all I could focus on was the negative. What went wrong – what was awful – how people upset and disapponted me – who pissed me off.    So universe,  do you have to say to me today? I am listening.

Thursday

Thursday is my favorite day. It’s close to the weekend, near the end of the week, and the day with all the best TV shows. Also, I rarely have meetings on Thursdays. It’s a nice day… my favorite day. Thursday.

Attitude is Everything

Sounds trite, I know. However, it is very true.  So today, what will your attitude be? Will you be resentful, angry, stressed, or frustrated? Or not? Making the decision to have a positive attitude requires strength. Will I have that strength today? Will you? I hope we all will; I hope we all will see that although we can’t make major changes in the world, we can have a good attitude about our part in it.