It’s no secret that I love to give myself challenges. Yearly challenges! Monthly challenges! Decadely challenges! All The Challenges!
As someone with perfectionist tendencies and who is prone to really-very-very toxic negative self-talk, I’m amazed that I’m at the point where I’m pretty relaxed about what get done. I’m generally satisfied if I complete half of my intentions.
This is quite the staggering breakthrough! Would that I could apply this healthy thinking to other areas of my life.
We’re almost halfway through the year (how?!), so I figure it’s a good time to check in with those 2019 intentions?
+ Facial 1x per month
YES! This is not an inexpensive undertaking and I don’t know if I will stretch it beyond the year, but I very much enjoy taking time just for me while having goop and weird lights and jade rollers applied to my face in a darkened room for an hour each month.
Obviously I’m an old lady who lives in a harsh, sun-drenched climate, so my wrinkles and lines are well established and not going anywhere. But I think there’s a visible difference to my skin, this is also likely helped by a recently established somewhat disciplined skin care routine.
+ Wear nice sleepwear
NO! Despite this list being stuck on my noticeboard in my line of sight, I completely forgot this was a *thing* until earlier this week.
Three days in and I don’t know that I feel anymore like a fancy lady than I did when I was rocking the grody singlets.
+ Use my keep cup
YES! I have not used a disposable cup all year! I don’t always have the keep cup on me, so have combined this with sitting down in cafes (very civilised).
That’s ~120 disposable cups saved! Small in the grand scheme of the world, but likely better than if I did nothing at all. I very much like this quote on that topic:
You may worry so much about getting everything perfect that you feel too paralyzed to ever start. We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly zero waste chef – how to cope with environmental guilt (excellent post – go read – I’ll wait).
+ Don’t cross my legs when sitting
MOSTLY! I’ve tilted up the front of my work chair, so crossing my legs is almost impossible without contortion. Possibly not the most ideal thing for my overall posture, but I’m not longer experiencing leg/ankle issues – outside wearing certain shoes, which is another post entirely.
+ No daily digital news
YES! While I might still be less than calm and centred, I can’t even begin to imagine what I’d be like reading doom, gloom, catastrophe and misery at every turn. I’m still somewhat conflicted by this as it seems slightly irresponsible, but can recommend as an approach. Even for just a little while. Go on – why not try a week? or even a day? You really will feel better for it.
+ No snacking post-dinner. Fruit only after work.
OH MY NO! This really needs a reset – a total reset. The last month has been particularly appalling – there’s so much going on at SML and I come home and eat and eat and eat. And then I eat some more. Thank TheUniverse that I don’t drink alcohol anymore, else I’d be perpetually smashed.
I’ve attempted to ban myself from certain foods (chocolate), unfortunately I just replace it with something else – ice-cream! cookies! shortbread! I need a non-destructive replacement soothing behaviour – or even better, work out the cause and deal with it.
+ Limit personal spending. Stop shopping for sport.
While I’d like to say yes to this, I really cannot with any conscience. I mean, it is not as if I am spending anywhere near beyond my means, but I’m not entirely certain that I really need everything I’m buying.
roller thingy from diaso – did I really need this in my life?
I spend quite a bit of time in shops when I take a lunch break. Honestly, I’d be better just going for a walk (perhaps a July challenge).
And because I like to set myself up to not achieve everything I’m aiming to, I threw in some targets from the 60before60 list:
#48 Move the blog to self-hosted wordpress
YES! Small learning curve, but much improved experience. There are still some things I need to get a handle on (the wildly unattractive blockquote format is a good example!) and I’d like to migrate all the photos from the old host (which is a HUGE undertaking) – but glad I finally pulled the trigger after dithering for years.
#27 Kill my gmail account(s)
Partially. Ditched most accounts. Deleted almost 85,000 emails from my primary gmail account. Unfortunately that email address is my appleid and it is an exceptionally non-trivial exercise to change this – but I am determined it will be gone by year end.
#13 Read no self-help books for a year
YAY! Lasted almost six months, paused for end of procrastination, another blip when I re-read Caroline Webb: how to have a good day. I probably didn’t need that second one – these books really all do become a blur.
If I was to delve deep into my psyche, I’d say I was looking for something – actually this quest for something probably explains a lot of what I do in life.
#47 Record all personal spending for a year
NO! I tell myself this is because I haven’t found the format to make this easy – I’m probably ever-so-slightly lying.
I gave starting another shot on Thursday: eight tiny ceramic buddhas for my team, essential oil rollers, vintage levis for me, non-vintage levis for Joe/Frank (hmmmm – how many of those things did I *need*?).
a little reminder to stay chillaxed – it’s a stressful time
We’ll see if this method sticks – if not I think I’ll abandon the endeavour entirely.
#41 Be more present (precisely how to do this is yet to be determined)
OH MY NO! I think I am possibly more scatty than ever. I’m generally thinking about 800 other things rather than what is in front of me.
#51 [something] yoga
If [something] is attend sporadically, avoid and then pretty much abandon yoga, then I was all over it!
Obviously I’ve got some sort of blocker happening here too.
xxx
All up – fairly decent progress!