power of one: january project #2
I keep putting this post off. Why? Because I don't want to write it. I'm afraid I'll look back on this 6 months from now and not have accomplished anything. However, I'm slowly learning thatWriting down my plans and goals for my life shouldn't scare me. Sure, I may have to adjust some things along the way but without a plan I'm just hobbling along making the best of my situation instead of taking the bull by the horns and making my life the life that I want.
So what is it that I want?
Physical Goals
Conquer my back problems: May will be one year since I injured my back. I still have no idea what I did to cause it, but during my training for the San Diego Half Marathon I managed to develop a herniated disc. I've had 3 cortisone injections and while the first 2 helped relieve pain for a little while the 3rd one did not. I don't really know what to do. I don't want to have an invasive surgical procedure but what would other options be?
I know that walking doesn't bother me. Oodles of walking in Orlando last weekend proved that. Running does hurt. So my short term plan is to walk 3 days a week and do Pilates the other 3 days to build up my core and strengthen my abs and back. I'll plan to take one day off a week (either Saturday or Sunday).
This is my start. I know I'll need to readjust this at some point and make a decision on fixing my disc problems.
5K by June: This goal stems from the previous one. I WILL walk a 5K by June. I found a few this Spring on Active.com and will sign-up for one of those. I will also plan to take part in the 5K at Fitbloggin. Until I can figure out my back it will be a walking 5K. Walking it is definitely better than not doing it at all, right? Right.
Get within 10 lbs of my goal weight by end of 2011: I'll admit, this is the scariest of them all. 40 pounds is what I need to lose to get within 10 pounds of my goal weight. 50 pounds would actually get me to goal. I know this is feasible because I lost 60 pounds in 11 months back in 2003; so 40 pounds in 11.5 months is reasonable and healthy. Getting there will take some serious discipline from me though. I will need to stick to my exercise plan of walking and Pilates and I will have to keep my eating and Points in check. Daily.
Other Goals
To better manage my time: This is a really general goal but the long and short of it is I want to put myself on a schedule. I thrive on routine and having a to-do list. With no routine at all I don't feel like doing anything and/or I get so overwhelmed I don't know where to start. I have started working on a daily schedule for myself and am going to do my best to stick with it. It's actually 90% done. I need to tweak it a bit and I plan to start working with that schedule on Tuesday. (Tomorrow is a play day - movies with my kids and my nieces!)
Research alternate schooling for my kids: This one overwhelms me so much; but I'm not happy with the school we put our 6 year old in this year. I don't like the hours he's away or knowing that he's in a class full of kids with anger issues, bullying problems, etc. I get that dealing with difficult peers is part of life but I don't believe that at 6 he should be forced to deal with these things.
If I could turn back the clock 6 months we wouldn't have moved to the area we chose if for no other reason but the school system. But as it stands now we've purchased a home and this is where we are so I need to do something.
I've gotten some information from an awesome friend on charter schooling and am going to start reading everything I can get my hands on and researching this. Honestly? I don't want to go the at home route because for starters it's not easy. And the idea of tackling something so big is, well, scary. (See paragraph 1 and my phobia of the unknown.)
Another option is private schooling of some sort but the cost is prohibitive at this point in time.
Any feedback on this goal or any of 'em, for that matter, would be really appreciated.
Gracias!
power of one: january project #1
Instead of a monthly project for January, the Sisterhood has decided to mix things up and make our projects weekly. I'm behind as they've already posted our week 2 assignment but I am really trying to keep up so I'll post mine as I can. Better late than never, right? Right.This project was to write a letter to your future self. So I am going to attempt to write a letter to me in 2012 talking about 2011 and how I succeeded, was challenged, etc. I didn't participate last year because, frankly, I was overwhelmed. I wish I had because maybe it would've kept me more focused on the overall picture. Oh well, live and learn.
Dear Roo,
It's January 2012 and I gotta say 2011 flew by. But don't the years always seem to fly by now that you're a grown-up with kids of your own?
You've managed to stay married for 10 years (holy smokes!) and you've got two beautiful kids that you adore.
You were worried there at the beginning of the year how you would fare with your re-dedication to Weight Watchers and being healthy but you did great, woman! You kicked 2011 in the ass and told it that there's no way you'd let it be as crappy as 2010. You are so close to your goal weight. I have no idea why it took you so long to get your head back in the game but we are so glad you did.
Learning to put yourself first has been so hard. You're a giver and while we love that about you it makes it much harder for you to do what you need to do for yourself. You finally started exercising again and that back problem? Yep. You finally got that fixed. You can exercise again without pain. It took long enough but you're there. What a relief!
I'm really proud of you. You have made tremendous strides over the last year. Let's keep it up!
Love,
Future Roo
december's project
Last month's project at the Sisterhood was to make the holiday season better for others. Truly one of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the giving. Don't get me wrong, I triple puffy heart receiving presents but I love, love, love giving. Even if I never see the recipient's face, knowing that I was able to give something to help them or make them smile makes my own heart smile and I love that feeling. I hope I can remember everything to highlight but I didn't write it down so I'm totally going by memory here and anyone that knows me well knows I suffer from "mommy brain". That being said...In an effort to teach my children that they are really blessed we went shopping and each one picked a toy for another child his/her age. We then donated the toys to a Toys for Tots drive at my six year old's school.
Running through Burger King for a large diet coke one morning (I know, it's a bad habit), the person in front of me paid for my drink. I, in turn, paid for the person behind me. The cashier said this had been going on all morning long and hadn't stopped. Each person continued to pay for the person behind them.
Each time we passed a bell ringer for the Salvation Army my three year old asked for money. And of course I gave it to her. She did that more times than I can count.
My Christmas gift to Melissa's son Bridger was a donation to his fundraiser for clean water. And did you know he actually exceeded his goal of $5,000??? What an amazing little boy.
I feel like there's something I'm forgetting and I very well might be. The point is that blessing others ends up blessing you. I don't know about you, but I plan to continue paying it forward in 2011.
i love me!!!
Yep, I said it. *gasp* I love myself. Most days. But I'm still a work in progress. So along with my Shrinking Jeans Sisters, I am participating in the Monthly Project for October and taking the pledge to love myself unconditionally, without strings attached and just because I should.
Won't you join us? Raise your right hand, button up and/or blog:
The Pledge to Love Myself.
I pledge allegiance, TO MYSELF.
Today I will proclaim it
out loud,
TALL AND PROUD
I LOVE MYSELF.
From this day forward,
I promise to be nice.
TO myself and ABOUT myself.
I will accept my quirks and I will love my faults.
I will love my shape, whatever it is
My bones, my muscles, my hair and my face.
My body, all of it, inside and out.
Because that is what makes me, ME.
And there is only one of me.
I will finally allow myself
to see what others see.
My kindness, my spirit, my love.
And starting today, I will share some of it,
with ME.
Because I deserve it.
I will fight for myself, because I’m important.
And I deserve to be everything I am capable of in my life.
I deserve to find my greatness and live my life fully and completely.
With no regrets.
There is so much I want to do in my life,
but first, it begins with “me.”
I LOVE MYSELF.
Today, tomorrow, and every day after that.
I LOVE MYSELF, DAMMIT!
And no one can stop me.
