Dawnwings

Sounds like you're doing well at coming here, so well done! And chookas (good luck) on the sewing project! I hope Betsy is helpful

Sound like good challenge goals, and you seem to have good plans to get them done. If you haven't already checked them out, UCLA have some free guided mindful meditations that I have found really helpful. They're done by their Mindful Awareness Research Centre, and are free to listen to or download. They've made meditation and mindfulness much easier for me, which is nice. Can't wait to see how you go

Sounds like you have some pretty solid reasons to meet your goals, and some great adventures lined up! Remember, rewards can be as little as curling up with your favourite book or movie guilt free, to something awesome for your adventures you may no have otherwise got. I can definitely understand not doing food, but if you start to find the abstract only reward a little tricky, there are heaps of other non-food options that might work for you

Tracking things is surprisingly helpful, and all the little things you do will make the big things easier.

Nice achievable goals! Good work

Sound like good goals! You might find the meal planning helps with the home cooked meals too. Nothing like having something delicious the next meal from left overs to make cooking fun Looking forward to seeing how you go

So, here I am again. This time, I will not be changing medication during the challenge, and I will be avoiding chemist brands, to give this challenge the best chance. Because while hilarious, neither will help me hit my goals. And future challenges can be about meds anyway. Much to my amusement, I managed to tick off a character goal, only to have it line up with my Level 50 goal/class of Valkyrie. I have been to an SCA event over the weekend, which was coincidentally the Crown Tournament, and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are Norse characters. If the universe was trying to tell me something, I get the message. So, it's time to get some little steps happening. Goal 1 Eat more fruit/veggies. Add one serve to each meal. One takeout dinner a week, but the leftovers can be had as long as there are added veggies or fruit for entree/desert. Goal 2 One new meal recipe a week. Preferably high protein, maybe even paleo, but one recipe a week of seriously good food. Since my lovely partner cooks a lot, me doing one night will share the burden and hopefully get me a little more confident in the kitchen. Goal Three. Beginner Bodyweight Workout three times a week. Last challenge I slacked off when I only had to do one a week, and left it to last minute. I don't want to get better each time, I want to do something. Given the hilarity that ensued with my body and meds last challenge, just doing the exercises will count. Goal 4 Half an hour planning for Camp NaNo July, no excuses. If I'm stupid enough to try my even-crazier-than-Camp idea, the planning is the only thing that will give me a chance. Goal 5 Consolidate skin care routine. Add in morning spf moisturiser when I remember. Because my it really does make me feel better, and with the cold and gross weather, anything that makes me feel better is good. Hopefully, those should be achievable and within my area of control. I thought about putting in horsey goals or sewing or gardening, but with it being Melbourne at the change over of seasons I think I had best be cautious of weather's influence.

On foot, this is my intro to see if I like it. Which is likely. And to see which theme I want for my persona, and meet cool people Forgot to do measurements, and have had breakfast, so tomorrow it is. The small things really get reinforced with horse training, so huzzah I have practise

Feeling really done this week. I am considering taking my measurements tomorrow morning, and just be glad I made it through. Mostly got my goals, and when I allow for brain mush, I think that's good. I will take the week between challenges to consolidate, get and idea how much I like SCA, and that will give me some more things to do next. I've done well, I have been doing small things. Totally counts

'Spinach' is celosia, or cockscomb, which is a seriously hardy African edible plant that basically works like spinach. Since it grows free in my yard, and I am in the process of learning to garden, I use it whenever I get the chance. Today, it was in my first ever attempt at home made from scratch ravioli. Which was delicious and huge and so much in the freezer for next time Bridget definitely helps. I found some tatting I was doing pre-move to make mane danglies for her and it made me want to do things. Managed to get my veggie, and skin care challenges today too, so small steps. It's all just small steps. Thanks so much for the support guys, I can't tell you how much it helps

Guess who fell off the wagon and is a terrible tracker! Yup, that's me! Do not, I repeat, do not play with brain meds while attempting other challenges. It is asking for trouble. And I found it. So, for the last week of this challenge, I am just going to focus on not being so overwhelmed by medication, and do meditations and self-care so I can feel prepared next time. Now, I am going to make two kinds of biscuits, 'spinach' and ricotta ravioli, and waffles, and drink copious amounts of tea.

Some days, it's the fan girling that gets you through Like today and yesterday. My chest seized yesterday morning, and my day was done. Couldn't wash my hair without being in tears painful. No work for me, but no brain power for anything either. I think I only managed to do my skin care routine, honestly. So back onto the 2.5 pills I go, and today I can function well enough to work, and the thing that gets me through is that despite being unwell, my horse was never out of control at the clinic. Not with bolting ponies, or jumps, or tarps, or umbrellas. Or her person skipping and singing and her following along. We were never out of control or even really sluggish. She was mentally balanced and responsive, given where we're at. She even avoided the gate of her own volition! So today, when I feel like I've had to compromise a lot to get back to baseline required, I remember the fluffy half of Team Snowflake. If she can get her attitude and anxiety under control, I sure can. Managed water and veggies, and will do skin care tonight. I'm also getting a prep list for next challenge, since May Crown is on and I can go find SCA and see if I like it. Then poor Bridget is going to learn a whole lot of things

Yay new fangirl! It really is cognitive behavioural therapy for horses, so the principles apply to people too He also has video subscription, which is reasonably priced and has like 250+ videos at the moment. I go back to it all the time There should be a leading one on YouTube with a palomino gelding. That might help your dad with his big fellow too. Just doing that leading, and keeping out of my space, stopped most of Bridget's cranky face. And she couldn't bite me from three foot away either

Warwick is based in California, but does so many clinics internationally there is a good chance you can find one to fence sit Along with YouTube videos and a Facebook community, there is a tonne of support to help get through sticky spots or just give you an idea what it's about. The basic premise is you teach the horse how to think through the problem, and that gives them the skills and confidence to aleast try what you're asking. I am stoked Bridget did as well as she did, especially considering not all the buttons are installed yet. She thought her way through everything I asked, and was totally chilled about everything when I hadn't asked for anything Except the bridge obstacle, but that is a work in progress One of the neat things about WSPH is you actually start riding in the halter, and because of all the groundwork you've done leading up to that, the horse is usually pretty responsive to it from the get go. It also makes them more responsive to the bit, because they know to follow the pressure with their nose. Bridget didn't know how to do that in a bit when I got her, but a couple of halter rides and she was softening at the poll and moving her nose then curving so she was 'straight' on the bend. Sorry for the super positive review, but I honestly wouldn't be where I am without it. And it's been a really good measuring stick for my health too, and helped me build it up, so I am a tad fangirl about it Today, my chest is acting like we had a clinic on the weekend, so no work today but all the writing instead! Mr Darcy isn't getting into space on his own! Thanks for all the encouragement guys

So, I return from the clinic, in a better physical state than I left for it. Who knew! Seriously, riding my horse bareback, which was awesome and not as hard as I thought, made my brain go 'oh, we're just doing body things, I can do that', so massive win there. It also turns out that tacking up my horse is exhausting, because lifting the saddle is hard work for my poor cranky body, so thank goodness my horse is about the same under saddle as she is bareback. Which is to say lazy. But I think I might like her again after the weekend. Team Snowflake, making small wins count! I do, predominantly, Warwick Schiller Performance Horsemanship and I've found it gives really solid, consistent, lasting results. I had to restart my mare, Bridget, because she was a cranky pants aggressive horse, all learnt behaviour, and the results have been amazing. Seriously, even with intermittent sessions, she went from a dangerous biter to a really easy horse to do things with. We rode bareback, in a halter, on the first day of the clinic and she was easy as to do things with, and I jumped her in a halter on day two. In a saddle, because my balance isn't that good yet, and they were just little cross rails, but she was so good and chilled about it all. I really couldn't have taken her on, or done as much as we have, without that particular horsemanship program, and we're not even up to the cool stuff yet I did manage to do passably with food, and I really did tick off my challenge goals, which was such a bonus, and I am feeling ready for the week ahead. I didn't do measurements today, because I was so low on energy last night, I may have eaten five pancakes when we stopped for tea at the in-laws... Tomorrow is a better day to measure And I would put in pictures, but for some reason it really doesn't like me doing that... I need to work out how to make the size smaller or something...