Loveable_Bouncer

Thank you Chris. Honestly, just the discussions that have come out of being "we are becoming a family". But damn how to word it... just throwing in spoiler. It's basically relationship talk on our beliefs and what the relationship is. And as it is the last week of the challenge! Refresh on some goals. I'm realizing OA and CODA are 2 areas I might bring up here but I have to view as living things. While also having priorities I need to work on, with a goal of showing up but I can also allow myself to not stress out about it. Goals that are SMART and tangible. Daily Cardio- It can be just 1 minute! (Goal is to find a way I enjoy to get 20 mins in). I need to get moving. I signed up for a gym work challenge to help me get back in the gym. FEB's challenge is to do exercising for 26.2 miles (each 26.2 is a raffle entered, idk what the prices are. But I found out Friday that I can do a mile in 5 mins on a bike... so why not?). Frugal Nutrition- Wanting to cut down hours (from 50+ to 40) had me relook at my money situation. I'm wrapping my head around the money/life stress I am feeling and honestly will have to work on adding hours again, but to take a breather I'm tightening around my food budget for now. I will have extra hours to have, but want to set up my life quite a bit. Invisalign and Shiny Sink - I get my Invisalign today (in about 2 hours)! Exciting and also... oh I will be very conscious when I'm eating something now. (Not bad for the grand scheme of things but will be an adjustment). Also I'm back on FlyLady, I was rereading things about "busy lives" with my favorite peeps and it is 100% do and adjust. Getting the dishes done daily trips me up, but I have a lovely dishwasher that makes it work when I use it. So going to work on making sure the dishes are out of the sink, and sink is wiped down! Reward - 80% success is $5 toward fun money.

Nice! I personally do the same as my main job is a bit chill for me to write it out. Just need to remember to plan foods I actually have time to prepare... If you have a system that works for you, why not stick with it? My issue is I usually need to plan/make the meals for lunches for the week since I'm still working 2 jobs that end late enough that the idea of cooking is just as bad as pulling teeth every night. I'm going down to less hours starting in February but having a plan is 100% helpful on willpower, cost and hopefully after enough practice energy. --- For my meal planning I realize I actually need to meal plan through next Sunday. I have a 4 day weekend next weekend (birthday weekend!), but am pretty busy this weekend/next weekend. With that I also realized I will be needing to stock up on my cat food and ran out of cat litter which a bit more expense full. Aka money is being directed to the cats, but I also need enough food that is approximately 27 meals and 14 servings of snacks. (With next Saturday's being on the go meals). Meals Planned so far from Cupboard: (1 meal) 1 can of soup w/ a baked potato or cooked wild rice w/ serving of frozen peas (I had these for lunch this week and so glad I only have more, as I loath it). (4 meals) Lentil pasta with tomato sauce and cheese (throw in a fried onion for veggies) I also have some oranges and pears for snacks, but just a handful of servings. Things to use up I will be working on to my meal plan: wild rice, frozen peas, canned chickpeas, a couple canned white beans, 1 blackeyed beans. TOFU - have to use it now. Along with Temph in the freezer.

May there be joy in the process of gifting and window shopping! Ugh and Hugs! I personally hate doing taxes and having old stuff pop up that doesn't quite make sense is exhausting... I hope things go for the better after you find answers. The upside is the money is there, and life just decided to give you the "nope, not yet..." 100% figuring out what your current priorities are right now, and the long game... I personally also have felt dismayed on this and would give up. Hope we can help you keep marching on!

Also been quiet, I'm having life/relationship changes that will change how I spend money in the next year. Today I sat down with my Conscious Spending Plan and realize how much cash I will have on me weekly. Being a single adult I'm on the boat of REALLY having to cut back on food, especially with some higher items I keep for my cats (we will all eat well to keep us healthy, but there are days where no one wants to eat the chicken lol... at least I can save mine for leftovers ). Everyone cool with a meal plan check-in, weekly? Might just have to do move it to my own challenge. But wowzah the amount of brain work to plan, execute and eat what you made is something else.

Wedding stuff is finally dying down its spark. Last Friday I bought my ring with a very tired Fiancé. They said it will only take a week before I receive my ring. Learned quite a bit about Nigerian business culture... (finding most of the local businesses want me to be the one to persuade them to serve at my wedding.... which has me like.. wha? I just want to know what services you offer). Due to this culture struggle, my Fiancé has to kind of take the wheel. And we decided the wedding date is TBD... He does have some current life stressors that kind of have us go "aww we can wait a little bit". Things I worked on toward my goals. I went to an OA meeting every day this last week. I have the 5 am group automatic now to pop up on my phone (replace my morning routine of doom scrolling). Honestly its not my favorite group but 100% is easy to automate into a habit. That I can combine movement and "food plan of the day". I walk in place for 5 mins at minimum. I personally find the OA process is 100% what I need not only for my eating, but I need the 12 step process for my relationships, saving money/not wasting food. Just a bit of support... especially as I'm dealing with grouchiness. I do need to expand for meditation, journaling and talking with other members (create a support system...). Along with continuing to remind myself the whole process takes 1 day at a time!

Okay.... I'm working on morning exercises, showing up to a surprise exercise might have me appreciate the exercises I can do I'm finding. Burpees: 20 Glute Flex: 20

Exactly, 100% focus on each step and we will make it Down the aisle. I heard this too, but I was actually told by my dentist to clean my mouth much as possible. To floss right away with at least a floss pick, and at least rinse out my mouth with water... while trying to eat anything under 20 mins - especially sugary (like sipping on my sweet coffee all morning isnt a good idea).. Very different than I have read but also I was informed I have high plague bacteria and acidity in my mouth I'm trying to chill down. With invisalign it will be really important I clean all the teeth so I have less stuff in the retainer to cause the bacteria to build up. The dentist even told me he has seen huge dental health improvement when people followed through with the steps. To give you an idea also I was told I needed them in 22 hours a day... For me noticing the transition of eating and cleaning my teeth the 120 mins goes by quickly. It eill be fine but definitely gives me a little anxiety around my eating habits. Realize how much one grazes when she needs to floss and brush soon after. I just get a feeling 18 months of having to make sure I can brush/floss my teeth right away after eating will change things very differently. Though glad I am figuring out my OA schedule to help with the part of me that need support.

Okay, Fiancé told me last night I need to slow down on wedding planning. We have an actual checklist in order and I need to follow through by not jumping around. We are allowing flexibility of the date to fall whenever. So I can't stress about certain timeline things at least until we get the date, and I know I need 9-12 months to just buy the dress. Will still update it here.... but my goal is to come up with a list of venues from the two caterers we are looking at. Goal is the food to be good especially as sensitive as some of the ingredients are for Nigerian food the better. Goals I'm going to work on this week: Brush and floss my teeth after I eat something. -- I decided to speed ahead my invisalign! I asked my stepdad for a loan, he agreed (and saved me more money that will make it easier to pay back). The trick is every time I will take them out to eat I will need to brush and floss my teeth before putting them back. Will 100% my mouth health by just starting the habit now so its easier to deal with. Other goal: Read Atomic Habits... I don't have to finish it. But I finally bought the book on kindle and audio book. I have many goals and do need help to focus them so I have what I want to achieve in my 30s

That also makes sense, thank you. Will be interesting what falls into place. True, especially in corporate world due to PTO to go out of town is big here especially with hybrid work being a norm. Thank you! We get to ear twice this weekend after I work late tonight... sigh.

Interesting, I've been told by peeps around here that it is off season here for large venues. Many places are shut down or much cheaper for what I'm looking for in the winter. It might be helpful that I'm in cold climates, where fewer people want weddings. Especially as I look on the Knot they are like "look we have patios" which is only fun in November - February if there is a fire of some sort >.> Yay! Aww I need to save the Cinderella GIF, lol. 2024 I am going to be Cinderella. I already am blonde/blue eyed and have 2 cats that have full on conversations with me. Just will skip the glass slippers!

Me with all the above goals. 2024 has changed from self-care and "let's enjoy what I have to." Yo, relationship level up. Planning to combine all parts of our lives (house, name, finances... name change). Wedding plan has kind of been the great goal. I'm honestly in shock by having the best project partner I've had... Has it been perfect? Nope, 2 weeks in and I've freaked out a few times.. and he helped get me back in reality "let's not stress about this... hun" While my brain goes, "but we should be anxious about everything". no.. . So on that note... this challenge has been tipped over and emptied like the above table. Let me talk about the main focus: Cue wedding talk... Main life goal: Be married by March 2025. I would prefer a white wedding. We are planning an under 50 person wedding. Hoping to have the ceremony and reception at the same location Winter 2024/2025. Groom would prefer before the end of the year, but he also has been shocked by how many pieces to make a basic wedding... Our current plan is to find a Nigerian caterer... and that's when you realize you have like 4 options in the entire area lol. Choosing the caterer is priority so we can choose the venue quickly (that the caterer can actually serve at). Find the date and then things will get easier. Next to size/area to allow us to have all what we want at the venue. I'm praying for a fire pit (just a perk...). @Rookie bonfire wedding idea might have left a mark. Where reception we have a fire in the background to enjoy along with the regular events. But we will most likely be getting married at a hall like venue. Awesome part of living in the cities is the plus wedding dress options are around, I know I can find a dress that finds me amazing and my goal is to find a photographer that gets that feeling onto a 2D photograph.

Thank you Heidi! I think I have WAY too much going on this summer. But will definitely want to join to just play if I can play with Famer's Markets over the summer (or have an attempt at gardening if I figure that out). I also am the same way. YNAB (You need a Budget) I realize is the only way I can automate things to "not see the checking account number". Still not perfect, but has be mindful enough to make the subscription fee worth it.

In true Bouncer fashion. I realized I was having strong all or nothing thinking for this challenge. Lots of negative thinking, not doing good enough.. that was an interesting spiral. The more I watched "Call the Midwife," (season 11 is a rollercoaster of emotions), the more I realized how great my current life is right now. I'm anxious over REALLY good things in my life right now. The engagement really threw me off... Every time I go "why?" I get like 5 mental answer with another blast of anxiety. 100% because I can't control anything. As the lesson of life is "allowing things I can't control" and focus on what I can "control". Along with just being nice to myself... (I will probably post the above statement 10,000 more times until it finally breaks through my anxiety). I have a lot of life moving parts with a lot of "waiting time" to top it off. Anyway, I am going to try new goals! Show up to my 5 am OA meeting. It is a daily meeting that has several readings encourages exercise while in the meeting. And talking about exercise and compulsive eating. It is a perfect "double habits" meeting. I can tie this meeting habit with my current wake up time (my cats require me to get up at 5 am... no matter what day it is....) Only change is waking 30 mins earlier so I can be dressed and have the cats feed before the meeting starts. Read, journal, meditate for bedtime. With OA and CODA I have books and worksheets that can be worked on. Instead of mulling over one of my stressors I can work on healing myself/navigating my knee-jerk reactions through another tool... 5 minutes of work can be enough before I go to bed. This will also follow with my 9 pm bedtime. Plan Grocery shopping once a week. This habit has me "planning food once a week". Is it perfect, no. But this is a habit I had with coaching. It saves money and starts the week off with intention. Realizing stressing out on "eating out" isn't really helping out , except asking myself what I can make sure I buy on the weekends to for my kitchen to be stocked. Navigating what I need to "cook" and what I need to just have "warm up/grab and eat" will be part of this navigation also. But I'm hoping OA will help me work on that a bit better. Check in daily I need 80% success to unlock the reward... I enjoy having the excuse to check in daily1 Bonuses (not needed but always helps) Show up to CODA meetings Cleaning/organizing when I have energy/time... T minus 175 days until my lease ends. Train cats for traveling/moving (realized after January 28th I could actually have my fiancé cat sit with the cats in our future home. He has enough rooms to make one of the rooms their guest room/future base camp until I cat proof rest of the house).

So all week. My comfort shows have been on full blast, full attention on my phone. Me sitting all day at work coming up and on the couch or bed watching Gilmore Girls or Call the Midwife (100% wanting to feel a community lol, which I am getting with talking to family and friends about the wedding--- chasing the dopamine right now). I realized last night, especially when I had a friend call me out of the blue to say "hey, I'm overwhelmed want to chat." I was like "me too!" Kind of like having someone bring the "life savers/floaties, rope and paddles" to get both of us out of the muddy waters. One thing I want to do is put the screens away when I get home. I can leave the ringer on. But I need to put the phone away when I get home to stop fighting with willpower and be alone with myself, thoughts and actually see my home. I also see this goal needed, as I see with my cats asking me for "play with me mom" as Sunshine has figured out how to play catch... (she is a golden retriever snack sized) or both of them getting my attention. And realizing how fast kids are going to be around, I want to not be so dependent with screen time. I need to hack the matrix!

Hehe thank you. That is 100% why the matrix story last year kind of hit me. Which is something I'm realizing I need to change my Cat Cave a little bit.... to maybe help make room for the habits.

I hope so as I'm walking away from the plan. Thank you! I'm also REALLY seeing my own characters popping up that I read on your challenge for self-sabotage and anxiety. Like everything is EXCITING and FUN! (And I am allowed to steer the ship...) But wowza I'm having some aggressive old habits pop up Thanks! I am running into the issue of starting the work.... Because I have another shiny thing to hyper focus on (and literally have something shiny too which is a real wonder).

As we can see I'm alive. A little difficulty staying focused. I ended up welcoming the new year with my fiancé at his church (they do a service from 9 pm to almost 1 am - a reason why we haven't celebrated New Year's together). Sooo... celebrating the year by trying not to overeat my treats and resting up where I can between work (thankful for my 1st off). On that I had a hard time keeping up with my goals. I decided to not eat out due to my budget but found that feeding myself foods I need (like vegetables and protein) over the chocolate I had around... was difficult. I started to notice what OA calls "compulsive eating." Wasn't quite the level I normally go but noticed all the darn emotions that come up with having to decide to eat something that will help me... So, going to cut out the eating out goal for now. And switch to journaling, and piecing together a plan with OA. There are 9 tools in their program, one of them being "following a plan." The plans are very similar to what my coach was talking about, but I need to set up a time outside of meetings daily for journaling, meditating and finding a sponsor. My mentor made it clear for me to order the books right away, and a recommendation where to buy them. Which I will do today!

Thank you all! Thank you! It's a little bizarre to me that this is the last challenge in my 20s especially as I was 21 when I first found NF. I will be adjusting the plan a little I think. But there is some solid habits to come here!

Soo.... my new years eve was the busiest holiday of 2023. 2023 was the year I started a 2nd job to grow and became a cat mom. 2024 had revealed itself be an adventure....

Oh can do! Will spoiler it due to the brain dumps but will tag you once I sit down with my notes. My one thing I realized is my coach was trying to teach me many of the tools I'm being introduced to. But OA had the lovely meetings you can go daily to feel less alone with all the emotions. Biggest thing about OA is each meeting had their own vibe. And will be definitely trying out different meetings right now as I come up with a tool plan. Glad to have you here! And yes, and glad it is working. Okay it's honestly nice to enter the decade people remember fondly. Especially as my teens and most of my 20s have their lovely not so lovely development periods.

Hi! And yay! Thank you! Me too! Thank you for the encouragement Kitten an cat size goals.... true. They just hit over 5 lbs which just seems huge from their tiny things I had 6 months ago!

Thursday... for the Short 0 Week Bedtime: 0%, I realized starting my bedtime routine 20 mins before bedtime really doesn't work (especially when it means to play with cats and feed them while I get ready for bed) Food from Home: 50% - Dr appointments = eating out. The caffeine free Diet Coke probably made me feel worst, but now I know. BUJO: 100% - I wrote out pre-appointment things I wanted to focus on. Honestly was irrevalint as the Dr. was more than happy to help when she came in. Meeting: I actually showed up to 3 meetings this week. 1 yesterday (left early as I didn't care for it...). But I've been told just show up, if you don't like it you can leave. Glad to have you here!

Following, really like the stackable quests as I also strive for! I'm borrowing your breakfast idea as I realized that is my goal also! I now realize I really to see what a sexy raincoat looks like for me!

Same girl! Same! I'm also doing this behind the scenes. I have them ties to my morning and evening routines. Bur feel you on this twice a day. --- And for that wedding vision! Yay, you know what you want and where you can adjust! I could smell the fire and eat the pizza with what you would like!

Joining in! I have a 2024 goal to buy invisaligns! My hope is to find where I cut down , and earn more to find what I need!