Search the Community

Hi, I'm KaiNicole, you can call me Kai for short. This is my first time doing something so big for myself completely on my own...and I'm a bit of an introvert, so it's really my first experience publicizing myself at all. I'll pour myself into this anyhow, and hopefully it will help with my accountability! I tend to struggle with procrastination To help me with both that, and this, I'm implementing a tool called HabitRPG...it makes your habits into a role playing game . In the last week or so I've found it fits really well with my life and motivates me more than most things I've tried. (I've also tried monetary rewards...but I'm a little poor for that at the moment ) I'm a college freshman, so being healthy has been a challenge, especially for the first semester. I lost about 10 pounds in muscle weight and gained 15 in fat since the day I graduated HS. This is just a rough estimate, as I've never particularly cared what the scale says. I mostly care about how I feel, and at the moment I don't feel so hot. I used to run track and cross country when I was in high school, and I'd like to get back to feeling as good as I remember feeling, if not better. I plan on starting this semester right! This is my Quest to Conquer the Glacial Void of Depression (and start feeling better about myself in general) Quest 1: Walk/Run for at least 20 minutes a day, at least 4 times a week Walking between classes on campus and physical labor at work DOES NOT COUNT. (Those are just bonuses for being awesome and working hard )4 times a week because that's more days doing it per week than not doing it. Majority rules! 20 minutes because that fits well with my time constraints and combined with other, normal, activity throughout the day will make me fairly active and helping to combat the Void.Grade A: do all the things (and more); Grade B: about 3 times a week; Grade C: only twice a week. ​Quest 2: Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night This greatly reduces stress/anxiety, as I can think straight, and it also decreases chances of getting sick. All sorts of studies show that not getting enough sleep is extremely detrimental you your mental, emotional, and physical health. Besides, I love sleeping Grade A: still all the things and hopefully more; Grade B: about 7 hours of sleep; Grade C: about 6 hours. [i wonder if these grades are directly correlate to my actual school grades...] Quest 3: Cut soda from my diet entirely Not even the little Starbucks Refreshers that are part juice... Healthy alternatives include: H20, milk, and other things I have yet to think of. I'll drink coffee/tea for caffeine, but only if I must.Grade A: alternatively, NONE of the things; Grade B: I slipped and had some of the things; Grade C: I had a moderate amount of the things (about equal to what I'm currently at, having already been working on cutting back). Life Side Quest: Go to ALL the Classes Except, of course, should there be extenuating circumstances such as an earthquake, an extreme blizzard, Murtagh/Sasuke suddenly appearing and sweeping me off my feet, or the legit flu.Grade A: going to my classes=passing them! ; Grade B: a battle or two lost with the Void; Grade C: enough absences to be detrimental to my (actual) grades My motivation, to feel better about myself, has to do largely with the wonderful people in my life, without whose help I probably wouldn't have made it through last semester at all. To my mom and dad, for supporting me in everything I do and believing that I'm capable of so much I didn't think was possible before. To my little brother, for the unconditional love you offer me every day, and the joy in your smile and exuberant hugs when your silly older sister visits from college. To my longtime boyfriend, for although you came from the 'Outside' you have always seen past my demons and taught me how to truly cherish what we have together, and this is my manifestation of that, for in loving myself I can open my whole heart to loving you. To my best friend, who, despite everything I put you through, you are still my best friend, and I wish to be able to carry you through your hard spots as loyally as you have me. I love you all; I always will. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed **I would also like to note that just because I have depression does not mean I am damaged goods, or that I'm eternally mopey. How some unbalanced chemicals in my brain say I should react to my surroundings isn't necessarily reflective of who I am, and it's my dream for everyone to understand that and have compassion for others that are struggling. I'm preaching the love, man!