spooky

Yay! Picture and inches progress!!! You are rocking this!

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It's like your message beamed into my brain!I did recover wonderfully this morning! I meditated for ~8 minutes this morningenjoyed my breakfastwent on a 45 minute walk in my neighborhood (with a big hill at the end since I live on top of a hill) listened to some new music on my walkworked on my paperAnd all before 10 am on a Saturday! Very proud of myself for rebounding and accomplishing my goals first thing. I'll probably meditate some more today, definitely work on my paper more (it'll be finished today) and then enjoy my Sunday as a day off. I have a family lunch at a chinese restaurant (eek) but I already looked at the menu and know what I'm getting (chinese chicken salad, egg drop soup). It's been a lovely day so far! I was able to let yesterday go and that's huge

Daily Inspiration: 48 "In pursuit of knowledge, every day something is added. In the practice of the Tao, every day something is dropped. Less and less do you need to force things, until finally you arrive at non-action. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way. It can't be gained by interfering." "It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." -Confucius "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." -Mark Twain "You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead." -George Lucas "With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." -Eleanor Roosevelt Today's goal is the same as yesterday's: let the day be an experiment, no judgment or expectations, just actions, reactions, and course corrections if necessary.

meh....binged on nut brittle. at least it's out of the house now. Will not be buying anymore then that turned into eating three slices of banana bread... sigh..... oh well I will do better today.

Food: Breakfast: Greek yogurt, 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1 tbsp honey, pomegranate seeds, grapes, frozen raspberries, strawberries, chia seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes Snack: 1 nectarine, 1 minneola Lunch: Sauteed vegetables 2 cups(1 tbsp butter, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, sweet potato, onion, shallots, chipotle pepper, lemon juice, lime juice, fresh thyme, fresh dill, seasoned salt, red wine, minced garlic, pepper) w/ 2 tbsp fresh grated Asiago Snack: ~20 cherries, 1 nectarine Dinner: 3 slices fresh carved turkey, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup creamed spinach Dessert: ~15 cherries Yup, a lot of fruit. At least it's a variety . I think it's also that it's such an easy snack. I'll have experiment with snacking on veggies instead. Something to be more mindful of.

Exercise: C25K (complete 5/7) Meditation: complete, 20 minutes (5 outside, 15 inside) (5/7) Writing: good work on essay today, should be done tonight or tomorrow. just the final polishing left + citations Water: over 2+L. I drink a lot more water using a small (.4L) water bottle. Mindful Eating: Pretty good today, lots of fruit and veg. I think cutting back on fruit will be part of my next challenge. I've cut back a lot of processed sugar but I eat a lot of fruit. One step at time however. I'm still eat much better than I was before I started this challenge and that's the important part. Notes: Finished one collection of short stories last night. Trying to decide what to read next. I love library book sales so I have a lot of choices...a good and bad thing.

Daily Template Exercise: C25K Meditation: Writing: Water: Mindful Eating: Notes: 3 days no chocolate Mood is good today, woke up and smiled that I could come so far emotionally in a couple of days. The lows will always balance out, they are transient. Today's goal: approach the day like an experiment, let life happen without judgement. Today's inspiration: "Things do not change; we change." -Henry David Thoreau "You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space."-Johnny Cash "There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." -Buddha "You make mistakes. Mistakes don't make you." -Maxwell Maltz

Exercise: 10 minutes treadmill, will do C25k tomorrow since I didn't do it today. During the ten minutes of walking I felt nauseous and had a horrible headache so I'm calling this a rest day Meditation: 20 minutes complete (4/7) Writing: Worked on paper, will do more (4/7) Water: 2+ L (4/7) Mindful Eating: good today Breakfast: 1 crumpet w/butter, 1 nectarine, 1/2 banana Lunch: Apple with Almond butter Snacks: 20 saltines Dinner: salad-Mixed lettuce (romaine, spinach,+ spring mix), 2tbsp walnut pieces, 2 tbsp asiago cheese, 1/2 cup shredded chicken, 1/8 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 avocado, 1 tbsp homemade vinaigrette Dessert: 1 nectarine Mood was much better today but had a killer headache and mild-moderate nausea. I also had a good, productive therapy session. Sat in the (rare) May rain and felt at peace. I love the rain.

Week 5 Day 4 Daily Template Exercise: C25K (waiting on this till nausea + headache subside) Meditation: 20 minutes complete (4/7) Writing: Worked on paper, will do more (4/7) Water: Mindful Eating: Notes: No chocolate yesterday (2 days in a row!) YEAHHHHHH!!!!! Even though I felt like 3 day old poop by the side of the road yesterday I still accomplished all of my goals. I did minor work on the paper (still counts), meditated, drank over 2 L of water, exercised, and (most importantly) I didn't use feeling bad as an excuse to eat badly. I rested in bed most of the day, took it easy, and started to feel my mood lift around 6 pm. Feeling better today (though not all the way) and thankfully I have therapy as well this afternoon. Today's inspiration: 25 - Twenty-Five Wu Wang / Remaining Blameless Thunder rolls beneath Heaven, as is its nature and place: Sage rulers aligned themselves with the changing seasons, nurturing and guiding their subjects to do the same. Exceptional Progress if you are mindful to keep out of the way of the natural Flow. It would be a fatal error to try to alter its course. This is a time of Being, not Doing. SITUATION ANALYSIS: This is thoroughly a matter of the heart. If everything you attempt, no matter how carefully planned, ends in disarray, then examine your motives. They are the cause of your predicament. It isn't that your motives aren't pure -- even the best intentions will fail under these circumstances. What stymies you in this situation is that you have a motive at all. Free yourself of all expectations, release any tenuous grip you may have, and roll with it. This is totally out of your control. There are higher powers and more elements affecting the outcome of this situation than you can imagine. Get out of their way. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle" -Albert Einstein "I celebrate myself, and sing myself" -Walt Whitman "We convince by our presence" -Walt Whitman (totally diving into my copy of Leaves of Grass today)

Yes! I needed to remind myself there is more to me than my jerky brain! Still working on finding the off switch. Thanks oodles of noodles for the much needed support Big huge hearts right back to you. I embraced the meh day and feel better today. Silly cats helped a lot. I accepted that i felt crappy and I think that helped me get through it faster.

still feeling off today...frustrated and sad and stuck in my head....need to brainstorm ways to work through it....

YAY YOU'RE BACK. I agree with all the excellent advise above. You are awesome, you will find something that you love to do and are excellent at. Right now you're excellent at being you and that's no small feat It sucks that the moving thing isn't working out at the moment. The middle part between deciding you want something and achieving can suck. But you'll get through it and learn whatever lesson the universe wants you to learn by keeping you in Florida at the moment. You made it through a period of emotional suckiness but you didn't let it derail your goals which is amazing. You are amazing. No matter where you live . I've struggled with the desire for instant achievement too. The more I wanted to return to school the less I was able to deal with my current situation. I had to realize that the struggle and hard work is what creates value. And you're bursting at the seams with value . It's never going to be comfortable or ideal but it will always be worth it. Keep on keepin' on. You'll continue to do amazing things, that's for sure

From Bekah's thread (I loved this so much) When the Going Gets Tough... BY KATRINA KENISON (@KATRINAKENISON), When the going gets tough may I resist my first impulse to wade in, fix, explain, resolve, and restore. May I sit down instead. When the going gets tough may I be quiet. May I steep for a while in stillness. When the going gets tough may I have faith that things are unfolding as they are meant to. May I remember that my life is what it is, not what I ask for. May I find the strength to bear it, the grace to accept it, the faith to embrace it. When the going gets tough may I practice with what I’m given, rather than wish for something else. When the going gets tough may I assume nothing. May I not take it personally. May I opt for trust over doubt, compassion over suspicion, vulnerability over vengeance. When the going gets tough may I open my heart before I open my mouth. When the going gets tough may I be the first to apologize. May I leave it at that. May I bend with all my being toward forgiveness. When the going gets tough may I look for a door to step through rather than a wall to hide behind. When the going gets tough may I turn my gaze up to the sky above my head, rather than down to the mess at my feet. May I count my blessings. When the going gets tough may I pause, reach out a hand, and make the way easier for someone else. When the going gets tough may I remember that I’m not alone. May I be kind. When the going gets tough may I choose love over fear. Every time.

Week 5 Day 3 Daily Template Exercise: Pilates, 8:30 am Meditation: Writing: Water: Mindful Eating: notes: No chocolate yesterday, YEAHHHHHH!!!!! Today's inspiration: True perfection seems imperfect, yet it is perfectly itself. True fullness seems empty, yet it is fully present. True straightness seems crooked. True wisdom seems foolish. True art seems artless. The Master allows things to happen. She shapes events as they come. She steps out of the way and lets the Tao speak for itself. "If you want to be proud of yourself, then do things in which you can take pride" - Karen Horney "I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life - and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do." -Georgia O'Keeffe "Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon... must inevitably come to pass!"-Paul J. Meyer My goal today is to let the day unfold, enjoying each moment and surprise. I will accomplish my goals but there is no reason to be tense or anxious while doing so.

Chicken broth strained, contained, label-ained (okay that last one didn't work). I used the roast chicken ehem...carcass... to make broth in my crock pot. Added some veggies in the last couple hours for extra nutrients. Broth makes everything better. Now to start scheming how to use it... muahahahahahaha. I'll use some of the meat to make chicken tacos. nom nom nom.

joining the chorus: come baaaaaaaackkkkkk!

positive things from today (to re-train my jerky brain): -a new re-usable water bottle with dinosaurs on it to replace the free one I have that always leaks on me -yogi kava stress relief tea which tastes like chocolate -no chocolate so far today -fairly healthy food today -accomplished a lot of my paper (and most of my daily goals) before noon -silly kitties who make me smile -a beautiful spring day in Southern California -the realization that if I shouldn't stay stuck while working on my paper, move on to another paragraph and come back to it later -the fact that I'm working through my so-so mood instead of wallowing in it

I've been feeling weird all day today. Dissatisfied and itchy in my own skin. I'm doing well on my goals so I guess it's just my brain being a jerk

Exercise: C25K, complete (2/7) Meditation: 30 minutes, complete (2/7) Writing: Started work on essay for the day Water: 1L of water so far (Edit: Complete 2/7) Mindful Eating: I think I'm going to restrict myself to 3 meals today. Snacks are where I seem to get off track. Breakfast- greek yogurt w/ protein powder, mixed nuts, pomegranate seeds, frozen raspberries, unsweetened coconut flakes, .5tbsp honey, 1/2 banana, 2 tbsp chia seeds Snack: 1 nectarine, 8 corn nuts, tea (so much for only 3 meals )

Thanks! They really help me set a positive tone for the day, it gets me in the right headspace. I'm glad that you enjoy them too

Week 5 Day 2 Daily Template Exercise: C25K Meditation: Writing: Water: Mindful Eating: Today's inspiration: Fame or integrity: which is more important? Money or happiness: which is more valuable? Success or failure: which is more destructive? If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. "Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity" -Louis Pasteur "The only journey is the one within." -Rainer Maria Rilke "The best way out is always through."-Robert Frost

Inventory Exercise: Yes, (1/7) 60 minutes Pilates. Did some hard balance stuff today. Lots of core and leg work +Jumpboard. Meditation: 7 minutes. More after this post (1/7) Writing: Yes, starting to take shape Water 2+L Food: Snack: haribo gummi bears Dinner: 1 square lasagna bolognese Desert 1 cup whole strawberries, grain-free "cereal" (nuts, dries cranberries, unsweetened coconut flakes, milk) I need to go back to tracking my calories...

Snacks: 1 crumpet w/1tbsp butter, 1 avocado truffle, 1 mini hershey's milk chocolate Lunch:1.5 cups 50/50 spring lettuce+ spinach mix w/ 3 oz chicken breast, 1.5 tbsp fresh grated asiago, homemade vinaigrette (3:1 ratio of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, splash of lemon juice, splash of lime juice, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, dash of seasoned salt, dash of fresh ground pepper)

Oh yeah....I've been there with staying up till 3 in the morning to finish a novel. I always read short stories before bed so that there's a definite ending. Plus I keep the light dim, only the lamp next to my bed, no overhead lights. Making your lunch is a good idea! Or you could ask yourself "what will keep me up at night if I don't do it right now?" Usually when I can't fall asleep it's because my mind is running on something I'm convinced I should have done before I went to sleep (like packing a lunch) . Use those thirty to take care of the things that would keep you awake. Another strategy. Purposefully do nothing. Say that your goal for those thirty minutes is to Not Do, which is different than not doing. 30 minutes for relaxed non-action to get ready for bed, if that makes sense. Just some ideas, maybe they'll help . Sleep will help with the exercising thing too.