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March is going to be about getting my life in order and setting up a routine. I have a court case to go through and I'm returning to work after over a year on maternity/unpaid leave. It doesn't suit me to be particularly diet/fitness focused at present, so my goals are ones I think I can meet and will improve my overall quality of life and health. Internet sayz, when you get your life in order, your health improves as a result. Finding Resolution: Get Stuff Out After a massive acquisition binge in Jan/Feb, I now need to purge a heap of things (literal heap) from my home. I'm not the type of person that can just chuck stuff in the bin, so I'll be listing them on internet sites, posting them to charities etc. Specifically: Take photos of items to listPost items on ebay/gumtree/freecycle as appropriateDispatch or allow collection of items that other people wantMake decisions on stuff for charityPost stuff for charityFor electrical rubbish, research a safe way to dispose of itActually dispose of electrical stuffGet large cardboard boxes out of house (whether in parents' loft or in recycling is TBD)For things I ordered that don't work, contact manufacturer to resolveIf things haven't shifted by the end of the challenge, then I may have to consider a more drastic way of disposing of them. Finding Resolution: A Clutter-free, Clean and Tidy House I've made so much progress, but there is more to do! Vacuum regularly - once a week in all rooms with powerful vacDust/clean regularly with microfibre clothsUnpack all goods acquired and learn how to use them properly, including:new toothbrushoven Finding Resolution: Earlier to Bed I want to keep my current goals which have been to shift all the pre-bedtime prerequisites earlier in the evening. This month is a somewhat experimental goal, but I will try different things and regularly review to see how each approach is working for me. I need to figure out a way to limit internet/TV interference with bedtime. I also need to decide on what I think is an 'ok' bedtime, given that my "only-me-time" night starts at around 8pm. Exercise: Use Sling Regularly Goal is to use it at least 4 days a week for short walks. Will track that here. Mindfulness: Be Present When It Matters This is an 'edit' addition challenge. Today I was reading an article by Leo Babatu of Zen Habits that really rang home, about people who plan plan plan because they seek to control things and reduce their anxiety. I realise that I am very guilty of this; I recognise planning is my main coping skill, however I do it waaaaay to excess. So. Be present when it matters: Around babyNotice his beautiful faceNotice his cute little curlsNotice how adorable he looks in the outfits I have lovingly chosen for himNotice the cute little babbling noises he makesNotice the tiny little person he is nowAt workParticularly in meetings, I do well when I pay attention & badly when I zone outThere will come times where planning is all well & good, e.g. during my commute into work.

As usual I have too much to do for just the requisite amount of goals per month, but unless I make great headway I'll never get anywhere so I'm making another big push this month. I also have to return to work in March so it's now or never! 1. Improve Diet Continue to eat soups/pasta/healthy pre-prepared meals/baked beans/omelettes for dinner at least 5 days/weekGet started on a joint meal plan, for me & baby.Consider how to limit snacking during this stressful period2. Exercise take baby outside at least 5 days/week - using sling where possible3. Posture stand up straight when following baby around, aim not to sit down during this time, or max sitting time 1 min every 154. Bedtime Routine finish eating by 8:30 pm (unless baby bedtime takes too long, but it's usually finished by 8)continue January task of doing housework to "reset to zero" right after eating, i.e. washing up, cleaning kitchen, tidying away toys etconce housework is done, get ready for bed all bar teeth cleaningclean teeth by 9:30 pm5. Forgiveness "To forgive is to release a prisoner, and realise that prisoner was you" After some stomach-turning betrayals I need to move forward with my life. Plan: there are 3 people I want to get started with; so that's an average of 1 / weekwrite a letter to them explaining why I am cross with themwrite a pretend letter back from them explaining why they are sorry (apparently this technique does actually work!!)6. Enjoy Time With Baby This is the most important one of all! This is the last month where I am not at work and he is not at nursery. This is linked to my "being present" tag. Limit mobile phone usage to only 1 min every 15No mobile phone during meal timesRead together every dayFind more baby activities in the area for himTake him to swings when possible6a. Sub-Goal: Deactivate facebook account I feel this will assist with the being present, and having more time to get on with things. 7. Tidying I moved house at the end of December into an unfurnished property. By the end of January I have made massive improvements to my living space, and some of the house is happiness-inducing nice. Other parts make me feel the weight of stuff to do. I have 28 items of house tidying that I want to achieve in Feb - there's 28 days in the month, and 26 days of this challenge, so averaging 1/day will work out nicely. In no particular order... Lounge get TV table assembledput up pictures throughout house (pictures are all currently boxed up in the lounge)wipe clean yoga ballwipe down all window sills (throughout house)Mirrored Room move stuff to donate/sell to spare roomwash all clothes that I will be putting in new drawers/wardrobemake decision on awkward clothingdeclutter corner of mirrored roomget rid of plastic boxes in mirrored roomtidy baby changing unitKitchen clean inside fridgeclean inside freezerclean inside repaired cupboardwash all items that had been in repaired cupboardrearrange kitchen organisation with extra cupboard to helporganise kitchen cupboards and drawers, buying organisers (that fit - measure first!) where necessarydeclutter and tidy counter topsresearch baby proofing items (for kitchen & for stairs)order baby proofing items (for kitchen & for stairs)consider a staging area for recycling and incoming mail/mid-processing mailBathroom declutter bathroom possessionsorganise bathroom possessionsclean bathroomBedroom unpack (and connect) printerput more curtain rings on bedroom curtainsget second memory box & start putting stuff in it (mem box ordered - trying out amazon prime "deliver this evening")Spare Room put up curtainsdeclutter stationary drawersgive clothes to charity that I no longer want

Well I'm a few days late to the party thanks to a giant city-closing snow storm and a whole slew of medical non-sense, but I'm here. This challenge is not going to be a normal challenge for me. I absolutely just need to focus on stress management and deal with whatever is thrown at me over the next few weeks. Even if things turn out best case scenario, I will have a lot going on, and self care is going to be very important. STAY SANE: Get my diet in order. I lost 5 lbs last challenge and I'd like to keep that momentum going. But let's be honest here - i don't eat when I'm stressed. Not "I don't eat well," just, I don't eat. So I'm going to focus on trying to keep my diet as healthy and normal as possible, while actually making a conscious effort to keep eating. - Eat! - Make good food choices - Don't eat crap I didn't bring to work (occasional popcorn allowed if I'm not eating enough) Strength Train Regularly. I feel better when I work out. I am going to be making up time at work from medical appointments and this massive snow storm. But I need to make an effort to stay active. - Exercise! Aiming for any kind, 2x a week. Preferably weight lifting Work on Decluttering My House. I made some good progress on decluttering last challenge. My kitchen is looking a million times better. I still have some areas that need work in there, as well as most of the rest of the house (eep!). Decluttering is something that takes my mind off stress and brings me peace. I need to keep it up in some form, even while dealing with life. - Get rid of something significant and measureable every week! MOTIVATION "You're going to go through touch times - that's life. But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.' See the positive in negative events." "Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious" PROGRESS

2015 was a great year for me, but I want to make 2016 even better!! There are already big plans in progress for this year, but I don't want to be totally underprepared for everything. The first few things to happen to me this year will be the new roller derby season and us going on holidays, then moving house soon afterwards. I want to continue building habits to make all of these things go smoothly so I can enjoy everything this year throws at me! Goal 1: Exercise to build Strength and Confidence Fitness levels are handy for roller derby. I am also a better skater when I have confidence in myself! 2 Yoga Sessions 3 Body weights sessions Goal 2: Fight the Grime! Follow Fly Lady's routine. The very most basic one for now! Daily self-care routine: Brush Teeth, wash face, get dressed to shoes Declutter a room for 15 minutes daily Clear and wipe the kitchen sink Do something with the laundry Goal 3: De-clutter the Darkest Corners ... of the house. Throw out 1 box of stuff weekly, donate 1 box of stuff weekly. Goal 4: Holiday Planning! These things really need to be done before I go away or I'm going to be stressing last minute. I also know that I am totally able to put these things off until last minute even though they need to be done. Organise travel sickness fix - make a dr's appt Plan tours for holiday Prepaid debit card for spending money Buy a Suitcase.

I would love to go to Italy. I have been there twice on student trips as a chaperon. It is inspiring sight seeing but I would like to go there to study and interact with people beyond the bus driver and the tour guides. I love learning new things and I admire others who are multilingual so I am turning this challenge into a language learning challenge. I am taking a break from lifting and running because I am dealing with some health issues. I am pursuing treatment and it is best for me to stop heavy lifting of any kind So figuring out a new form of exercise is also a goal of mine. I would also like to develop my creativity further and I think my next step is learning to clear my mind. This is a concept from a TED Talk by David Allen. He talks about clearing space in your head to give move for creative thoughts. That means keeping nothing on your mind; clear away the chatter, the shopping list, the to do lists, the conversations in your head. Write things down and get out of your head. Be in the moment and do one thing at a time; be mindful. I am a person who has multiple projects going on with clutter in my head and in my surroundings. Time to clear away the insignificant and inconsequential. I want quality over quantity in my life. This challenge: #1 Practice Italian each day using Duolingo & Memrise Find one native speaker to have a conversation with in Italian. Read one article in Italian each week. (6 articles) Watch one movie in Italian during this challenge. Save $50 each week toward a study trip to Italy. $300 into savings. (A summer art history class in Rome is a possibility) #2 Health issues, diet and exercise Hormone reset diet is back on. Limit sugar, no red meats, no alcohol, one pound of veggies per day Daily water is a must! Three bottles a day Take supplements Schedule appointment and surgery Find a low impact exercise that I can enjoy #3 Clearing clutter Brain dumping - Write down all the things roaming in my brain. Get them out of my head and on paper. Immediate action - Single action items should be done the moment they pop into my head. Meditation - 30 minute of meditation to clear away remaining thoughts Throw out or give away unused, unneeded and unnecessary papers, clothes, books, etc.. (Flylady 27 fling boogie) Well this is it "sfida a vivere una vita bella" my challenge to live a beautiful life; Do things I enjoy, appreciate the body I have been given and clear out the things that don't matter.

I am back to assassin. I know I know, I'm a distracted nomad class hopper. But I just love all the people! I have some other 'stuff' going on in my life that I'll discuss from time to time, but these are my main goals/focus for this challenge: BADASS WOMAN Part of my level 50 involves reducing my consumption. I have made good progress - I need to make more. Now that the weather is nicer, I need to work on my garage. Goal is to have the main area organized/cleaned out by the end of the challenge. I got a slap in the face with my last bodpod scan. I NEED to do resistance training to see body composition changes. I have started a new kettle bell routine that I am really enjoying. Goal is to do 3 KB or strength workouts a week. I have been focusing on increasing strength in a different ways with my eventual goal being handstands. I saw significant progress with headstands in my last challenge. I need to spend 5-mins a day working on handstand related things (wrist strength, headstands, wall planks). Goal is a freestanding headstand by the end of the challenge.SIDE QUESTS I need to spend time working with my dogs. Because my puppy is such a good girl, I don't work with them as much as I should. I must work on training my dogs 3x a week. This includes going for walks or working on basic command training. I need to get my customary BodPod scan. I am hoping that my elimination/anti-inflammatory diet along with restarting strength training will help me see a big jump this time. I have to have my forth BodPod scan completed. Cancelled due to life being too awesome to care MOTIVATION PROGRESS Week 1 Summary: Work on Garage: 2/3 Strength Workouts: 3/3 Headstand Work: Done. Dog Training: 2/3 Week 2 Summary: Work on Garage: 2/3 Strength Workouts: 3/3 Headstand Work: Done. Dog Training: 3/3 Week 3 Summary: Work on Garage: 1/3 Strength Workouts: 1/3 Headstand Work: Done. 3x free standing Dog Training: 3/3 Week 4 Summary: Work on Garage: 3/3 Strength Workouts: 2/3 Headstand Work: Done. 3x free standing Dog Training: 3/3 Week 5 Summary: Work on Garage: 3/3 Strength Workouts: 2/3 Headstand Work: Done. Dog Training: 3/3 Week 6 Summary: Work on Garage: 3/3 Strength Workouts: 3/3 Headstand Work: Done. Dog Training: 2/3 6 week challenge summary: Overall I wasn't feeling it this time. I'm not sure what my problem is. I have made strides in my self esteem and life, which is never a bad thing. Goal is to have the main area organized/cleaned out by the end of the challenge. Fail. Goal is to do 3 KB or strength workouts a week. Mostly Pass. Goal is a freestanding headstand by the end of the challenge. Nailed it. Nailed this so hard. And it feels fucking amazing. SIDE QUESTS I must work on training my dogs 3x a week. Mostly Pass. I need to get my customary BodPod scan. I am hoping that my elimination/anti-inflammatory diet along with restarting strength training will help me see a big jump this time. I have to have my forth BodPod scan completed. Cancelled due to life being too awesome to care

Respawning seems to be a theme right now. Maybe it has to do with overambitious New Year's resolutions? For me, January sucked, and it took longer than a month to recover from the sheer panic of being convinced that hubby's work was trying to kill him before he could leave. Since I make New Year's resolutions in the spring (not necessarily April first) because that's when my energy picks up again, I'm not planning anything too ambitious until at least then. No points this challenge, just getting things accomplished for the benefits that result. I'm wanting to start with building a routine now that our life can support one. There is a bit of a problem since I don't wake up at a consistent time. Sometimes I'm awake at stupid-o-clock, sometimes I stay asleep until after dawn. I refuse to do much of anything useful before dawn, especially if hubby is still asleep. That means that some days require goofing off first thing if I'm being stubborn about the dawn thing. Idealistically, I would wake up, make tea, maybe a little goofing off in the form of checking wecomics while I flex my feet. Then I'd go through my kitchen checks, know what I'm making for dinner, and possibly do whatever prep-work I could before doing less-critical things. I want to add to my daily list, but I'm going to start with the very basics. I re-read challenge seven about doing dailies, I still don't have a good rule about when dailies reset. I could clean the kitchen in the evening and double-dip on the "done" because I can consider the counter wiped if nothing got on it between me cleaning it and noon the next day. Other than going on a 36-hour schedule, it just means I got to follow the intent of what I hope to accomplish. Basically there are going to be some days when I don't do my dailies and it doesn't count as a negative because I cleaned in the evening and didn't mess it up until next evening, meaning it was clean during the day, even if I cleaned in the morning as well. Darnit, I'm confused again, but I know what I mean. Do the dailies: What I'm trying to accomplish is to always have the kitchen be "ready" and not an overwhelming mess. Hopefully I can spread to my craft room, the living room being in similar states of readiness, and even have the storage rooms be clean enough to be able to mindlessly wander in and grab something. Be intentional about downtime: I want to do crafts, draw and color, play with toys. Right now I'm just poking around online and waiting for things to be better, probably the definition of collecting underpants? With the mess right now, it's probably less-ambitious to set aside time for video games and reading stuff on the kindle or real books. Check in just about every day: Not being aware of what day it is was a relaxing coping mechanism, but it's really past time to reject paying attention to time. Mostly I'll be talking about how the day went, what I accomplished, what I made for dinner.

So, it’s challenge time again, and I did not complete the last challenge because of reasons. But, it’s Lent which is a time of making space and such, and I have a much easier time giving up things during this season for whatever reason. So, enter the de-CRAP-tastic challenge! Goal 1: Decrapify my home Let’s be frank: I buy too much stuff that I end up not even using. I have an amazon box still unopened in my house. So, for Lent, I am going to challenge myself to remove 40 bags of stuff in 40 days. I get Sundays off [because they’re not in Lent, do the math, how cool!] or one day of the week of my choosing = 4 points per bag -> 160 points possible Goal 2: Refrain from buying MOAR CRAP that ends up in my home Until Easter, I will not buy anything that isn’t essential to my survival. This includes food/perishables and paper products. This does NOT include: - purses - makeup - starbucks [when not going out with friends] etc - breakfast sandwiches [i work from home] - the next doodad or gadget I must have I’ll put everything I want on a wishlist [which helps my family with birthday gift choices next month], and at the end of the challenge, I’ll evaluate what items I still want and which ones I didn’t need to buy in the first place = -1 point for every $1 I spend extraneously Goal 3: Reduce crap in my diet I really resonated with raptron’s realization that it is easy to make myself do the things I don’t want to do versus getting myself to NOT DO things I want to do [like eat ice cream]. So, I’m going to focus on the things that I can add to my routine, and not the things I should cut out from my routine. The daily checklist: + Eat protein at every meal + Drink 100oz of water + Eat 5+ cups of vegetables + Log what I eat BONUS POINTS: + MOVE everyday (mobility, walking, workout) + Mindful eating (chew your food slowly, get away from the TV) + Sleep 7-9 hours = 184 points possible [not including bonus] Goal 4: Clear out the mental crap I use the internet WAY too much, and I mostly am sucked into a time vortex which doesn’t do a lot for me, and just leaves things piling up. Also, I have a lot of crap that runs through my head and I don’t take enough time to brain dump it. To wit, I shall: + Turn off the internet at 7 pm every day [2 points per day] + Write a reflection / lessons learned on the day [2 points per day] = 184 points possible You’ll notice I don’t have any specific lifting goals - this is because I’ve gotten into olympic lifting and love it and it’s actually not an issue with willingness to go to class or my personal coaching. I never thought I’d be in a position to say that regarding exercise, but it’s true!

As the title suggests, this challenge is all about acquiring as much money as possible. Most of my mental breakdowns have been triggered by money-related things, and my fear of getting evicted and living in poverty. Student loan repayments are also approaching soon, and more bills are coming in, and my work hours are getting cut, and fuck everything I HATE LIFE AND EVERYTHING IS HOPELESS I need to have as much money as possible so that I can keep doing the things that I still enjoy: going to the gym and cosplaying. Since making money will involve selling some of my old things, this challenge will also fit with my recent efforts to de-clutter my living space. I'm not being a greedy asshole, I'm striving toward a minimalist lifestyle 1. SELL SHIT. By the end of the challenge, I want to be rid of the following: - My old GT SnoRacers - Set of Riddick knives. They look badass - Piles of Undertaker and Kane action figures - Kane/See No Evil stuff (okay, so I used to be a big WWE fan. Don't judge me.) - Xbox 360 that's still in the box - Second Xbox 360 that's been collecting dust since like 2008 - Old BMX bike - Old scooter, the ones that kids use - Waterworld stuff collection (I used to love that movie when I was younger, and nobody else did, so at least these items will have some kind of rarity?) - Clothes that I no longer wear The items written in black will go on eBay, and the ones written in blue will go locally on Kijiji. Clothes will be a mix of both. 2. START A BUSINESS. Or two. I mentioned a coffee reselling business in the previous challenge, but then depression happened, and I had the blahs for like 3 weeks over the holidays and never did the thing. More on this later. I've also considered starting a cat-sitting business, or a cosplay props business, but that requires some kind of an investment. The cat-sitting one might be okay in this city since it's full of rich government workers that might not mind paying for things like cat-sitting. 3. DO A VISUALIZATION EXERCISE EVERY DAY. It's from this book. I put it under a cut because it's sort of long. Also, THIS IS WHERE I NEED THE AFFIRMATION. I was thinking of using "I am calm", but does anyone have other suggestions for good affirmations? There are a few other ones from the same book I've been meaning to try also, will write them in later. 4. EAT MORE VEGETABLES. Or eat less granola and peanut butter by replacing it with vegetables. I've done this before, usually poorly. The challenge: 5 or more servings of vegetables: 5 points 4 servings of vegetables: 4 points 3 servings of vegetables: 3 points 2 servings of vegetables: 2 points 1 serving of vegetables: 1 point 0 servings of vegetables: 0 points The maximum amount of points will be 210. Am I a bad enough dude to get 210 points? Also, what's a high-protein option for breakfast that isn't eggs? I love eggs, but about half my diet right now is eggs, which probably isn't good :\ Also, this has to be something that's easy to make/cook. LIFE QUEST 1: Personal thing that I'll elaborate on once it's done. If I pass, all will be well, and my quality of life will increase dramatically. If I fail, I'll probably be homeless and kill myself shortly after. No pressure LIFE QUEST 2: Continue chopping heads off the To-Do-List Hydra. Self-explanatory (Low quality picture of to-do-list Hyrda will go here) Finish trollface mask E-mail (someone doing a coat for me) Finish new Loki coat diagrams (DO THIS ONE ASAP) Write OG letter! Call (insurance company) to ask about a thing E-mail (guy from psych training) Call (local forestry products company) and ask if hiring. Cosplay: scales Cosplay: get cardboard pattern of shoulder piece to send request to (tumblr friend who has access to 3D printer) Cosplay: buy more craft foam Cosplay: re-do chest plate Cosplay: craft mouth piece Buy brown paper roll for pattern drafting Order shit from Tandy Order smooth-on (ASK FRIEND WHICH KIND I NEED TO GET) Build stand for cosplays so my cat stops fucking sleeping on my Loki clothes Make a list of sci-fi and fantasy books that I have and no longer read, or won't have time to read THESIS: corrections (reader 1) THESIS: re-do all spectra Set up cosplay page on FB Sewing machine maintenance Clear out top drawer Buy underwear (fuuuuuuck) Buy pants (fuuuuuuck, but less so than underwear) Box with class notes: put the notes in binders Write to T.H. Take pics of clothes to sell/give away Bring leftover clothes to ValueVillage

This will be another quietish challenge for me. After this, I get back to bigger things, promise! First Perspective: Judo Theory and Philosophy I have been terribly remiss in not reading cover to cover several books on Judo in my possession. As there will be two weeks in which I am barred from working out, this will be an excellent time to read them. Kodokan Judo by Jigoro Kano Mind Over Muscle: Writings From the Founder of Judo by Jigoro Kano Judo itself is not going to be a goal this challenge. I will go when permitted to do so and nothing else should be a problem. Second Perspective: Get upside down! Use the GMB guide and work on handstands and their supporting exercises at least 3x/week except when I am forbidden from working out. Third Perspective: My apartment I love the place but being away for a week showed me that it needs some deeper cleanup and maybe some rearranging. Make it sparkly and awesome again. Clean out/handle the items on the following list. Cupboardsclosetson top/inside the fridgemove knitting supplies to the trunkclean out dresser for other storagejunk drawersmove book cases and media to my bedroom?set up computer desk in living room (may not happen this challenge)swap large bookcase and dresser, see how that looksClean stairway walls, with magic eraser if neccessaryFix floor scratches left by previous occupantClean out boxes/misc crap in odd cornersfind all of the cat toys hiding under furnituremove my Grandfather's painting to a better locationreplace the broken blinds in the living roomDust the odd corners that don't usually get reachedGo through my booksTry to clean the bathroom blindsAcquire curtain rod and hang stupid curtains in my bedroom!Transfer my African Violets to a larger planterLife Goal - Improve my wardrobe Purge wardrobe of things that don't fit, I never wear, or are just in too bad shape to keepWardrobe diagnostics - look at the breakdown of what I need versus what I haveFigure out style(s) that I like - post pictures, read advice and check out what's availableIdentify minimum number of needed items to allow me to dress well for my regular activitiesBudget some money for clothing each monthBuy and hang a mirror - would be nice to not need to stand on my toes in the bathtub to see my upper body in the bathroom mirrorBuy and hang a hook for longer dresses/skirts - I have nowhere to store longer items as my closets are too lowMaybe make a nice cowl? Completed but given to my Mom since she loved it so much. Complete the second one :-)

Being late seems to become a second nature for me . I'm not sure that I like this... Anyway, here are my targets. Actually I have started at the right time last monday, but no online free-time until now. Earth, the place where the foundations should be. Earth is solid, is stable, it does not change and it it at the base of every thing else. For me earth is my "long life" routine: meditate 15-30 minuteskarate outdoor (30 minutes) or walk (2 hours)sleep 50 hours per week (7 hours/day, but I use the average per week to give me some room)eat daily according to plan (2 meals per week are free)CON +2, STA +2, WIS +1 Fire is the destroyer, the bringer of emptiness and new order. Decluttering is the key word decluttering 15 minutes every dayCHA +3 Water is always moving, always changing, always adapting. It is something that takes always new forms. I need the agility to move like water follow GMB F1 progressionDEX +2. STR +2 Air is freedom, it is growing and expanding. As should my knowledge as a martial artist have at least 3 sessions with my Sensei or a more experience studentWIS +2, DEX+1 Edit: the mighty tracker

Okay - I'm starting a battle log here, and as my nickname is Maigrey Awesome, this will be filled of awesomeness. And, because I am me, it will be filled with plenty of random rambles. Please keep your hands inside the car and make sure your harness is securely fastened before the ride starts! Here are the basic things I'm working on, and what I want to focus on for the rest of the year and 2015: 1) Get strong. I joined crossfit and I really like it - especially the lifting part. My box has an oly track and I'm going to do those classes twice a week, and at least one other CF class (most likely on friday) during the week. I also need to work on my ankle mobility especially. I cannot do ATG squats on my own, but I can with a 2.5 lb weights under my heels. So, I want to aim for 10 min of ATG squats per day, or some other ankle mobility exercises [note - I need to ask @wufkar what she and littlewings were doing for their PVP] Adding in yoga would be great, too, but I have a tendency to over-commit and under-deliver, so we'll start here 2) Lose Weight. I know the scale lies, but at 5'6" and 217ish pounds, I don't think anyone can argue that I've got a lot of weight to lose, even with getting stronger as part of the agenda. Right now I'm in the middle of holiday foo, and taking a trip to Texas for christmas/new years, and Ill be honest - I know it's going to make things harder, but right now I am not at the point where I'm ready to limit my food. I am ready to start something on Jan 5th, the Monday after I get back. I'm thinking about the 21 day Primal Challenge or another Whole30. I also need to really think about how I want to go about this. I had a lot of success with the fast 2 days a week (~500 cals) earlier, and I actually grew to like it, but when I added crossfit into the mix, I really didn't have any clue how to fit that into the rest of the week. In addition, I really want to get into a routine - I need to make healthy use of my google calendar to schedule in workouts and weekly food planning/prep. Although, my crossfit box does have a paleo premade food service that I WILL look into for January just to get everything started on the right foot. Maybe I will start taking pictures of everything I eat. The honest truth is, I know what I should do here, the issue is in the execution. This means I need to really be honest with my food and my feelings and get back to going to meetings and using my tools, which I have really let slide. I can be okay without carbapalooza, I just need to be a better parent to 'little maigs' and remember that sugar will only make you feel better for about 5 min, and guilty for about 3 days, etc. Key for me here is - planning foods weekly, and doing a weekly cookup so I always have something decent in the house to eat. I could go on and on about the 800 things I need to do here, but I think this is enough for now. 3) Get the rest of my act together. There are about 400 things I could put down here. Overall, I love my life, don't get me wrong. But I'm well aware of the fact that there is so much more I could do! But for now, I will focus on two things: Declutter my house. [i love gadgets and have a putting things away issue, so I really want to get this under control] Get back into dating. I explained a lot of this in my challenge, but I would like to spend just 15 min a day revamping my profile and shopping for rejections.So, this is just a start. Most likely you'll get a bunch of rambling thoughts throughout the day and the above will all modify and change. Annnd we're off!

This challenge coincides with the end of my second trimester. From what I've read, this is the last period of time I'll be feeling good and energetic in the next few months! 1. Make a beautiful home for snowdrop Continue with the purging & decluttering, selling & donating; including specifically: reduce CD/DVD collection to curated physical media; everything else to become digital (estimated time: 3 days) get father to help identify miscellaneous cables (estimated time: 1 hour) Make it a clean house, including specifically: remove all scum from the kitchen sink (estimated time: 3 days) clean the extractor fan exterior (estimated time: 1 hour) clean the wall beneath the bathroom sink (estimated time: 1/2 hour) dust every room (estimated time: 1/2 hour) Weekly purge of handbag/bag clutter 2. No news is good news For the pursuit of a clean & happy mind, get other peoples' thoughts and bad news out of my own! Cut out: BBC News talking points (the comments section always sets me off!) Daily Mail newspaper Facebook PF FI forum Stretch goals: BBC News website, Metro newspaper 3. Shift mind to positive Stop the rumination - notice I'm ruminating, document subject, examine why Stop being annoyed with people... e.g. ... who ignore the "no entry" sign, and the tide of people coming up the stairs ... who claim to have OCD when they don't ... who break the rules ... who moan about being a victim (when they seem to have a good life!) - everything is relative ... who are inconsiderate ... car drivers who temporarily park in the pedestrian crossing when you are trying to cross the road! Forget and forgive bitterness, reset mind to serene - list all people I am annoyed with - write a draft email to get it off my chest - don't send ;-) Meditate on why minimalism will bring me happiness & why I want less in my life Practice gratitude challenge - 10 grateful thoughts per week Deal with people not replying on facebook/forums 4. Get on top of it all Keep a to-do list Smash it (i.e. complete tasks vigorously) Track procrastinating thoughts & question them Electronic clutter: Get rid of all the draft emails in my main inbox (home) - estimated time: 5 hours Get all unread emails down to 0, and maintain this (home, secondary & work) - estimated time to 0: 4 hours Have an empty desktop (work & home) - estimated time: 2 hours Clear out the Downloads folder (home) - estimated time: 4 hours Re-organise money folders to High Elf's recommendations (home) - estimated time: 2 hours Transfer & delete unneeded photos on mobile phone - estimated time: 3 hours Back up important / meaningful files - estimated time: 4 hours (currently blocked on obtaining better back-up storage) 5. Live healthily Do basic stretches every night for 5 minutes Eat clean at work - no snacking during the working day Start pelvic floor exercises (eek)

Life Quest: Grow a healthy snowdrop baby 1. Stretching Haven't stretched for ages and I'm awfully stiff. Apparently this isn't a good thing for labour. - research suitable stretching exercises & create stretching plan - do stretching - aim to sign up to a pregnancy yoga course (dependency on the High Elf here so won't count it as part of my scoring) - continue with frequent noticing & correcting posture (from last challenge) 2. Make mental space I've been grumpy recently and I don't think it's hormones. So time to cut down on the annoying/pointless things in life... - unsubscribe from all the unread emails that are cluttering up my spare inbox etc - cut out unhealthy newspaper reading habit - look to minimise or cut out facebook 3. Make physical space A 1-bed flat with 2 people and a baby will make for interesting living, and that's before all baby stuff and maternity stuff enters into the equation. - declutter stuff I can guess that I won't use for a while - sell sellable stuff on ebay Side Quest: Improve communication 4. Happy High Elf The High Elf doesn't like surprises and likes knowing that things are done, or going to be done. - JDI where possible - write down (and action) task list - tell High Elf when tasks get done, or if appropriate when they are planned for Diet/Fitness Quest 5. More Walking and Less Eating I have found it difficult to exercise due to exhaustion & regular palpitations/racing heart. However, I would like to do more walking to stay in shape. Morning is probably unwise as that is when it seems worst, afternoon/evening better. - walk at least 3 km per day, unless body says no - no sugary puddings/crisps after lunch

My watchword for 2014 is FREEDOM. This idea encapsulates many elements, such as: freedom of body (long-term goal: perfect posture, suppleness)freedom of mind (forgiveness, joyfulness, gratitude)freedom of time and space (minimalism, spending time wisely)My goals for this first challenge are mainly to build on my Quest for Perfect Posture, with the aim of improving my overall physical health. My side-quests are to support freedom in space and mind. 0. Maintain current posture progress Continue to vigilantly check that I am standing up straight, my head is up, and that when bending over to perform tasks (e.g. when using the sink) I keep a straight back. This still doesn't come naturally or as habit, and if I don't set it as a goal, I fear I may slip back. However, it's a no-points goal for this challenge. 1. Sit up straight - STR +4 When I sit down, don't slouch my lower back for at least 30 seconds. My plan is to try to build up this time over the challenge. When seated during a task (e.g. watching the television, at the computer), periodically check if my shoulders are tense and consciously relax them. 2. Run with a better posture - STA +3 This goal is two-fold: go to the gym at least twice a weekon my cardio exercises, be as conscious as possible of keeping my shoulders relaxed (and not adopting my traditional round-shouldered, hunched running style) 3. Look after my teeth and body - CON +4 I did really well last challenge at avoiding sugary foods, and cleaning my teeth. With Christmas finally out of the way, I want to cut out the sugar while at work again, with the intention of losing some weight in the process. 4. Use it or lose it - decluttering goal - WIS +2 Make strides in reducing toiletries (by using my many portable shower gels, shampoos etc that I have accumulated) and make-up. If I haven't brought myself to at least try using a bathroom cupboard item during this challenge, then it has to go! I also want to reduce all my stuff that is currently lurking in drawers (not clothes, but things like stationery). 5. Stay off facebook - CHA +2 I've just de-activated my facebook account. Excluding requests to participate in one group's discussion if necessary (as a referee for my club), I want to stay off this entirely. This goal is for my peace of mind and to free up some time!

Last challenge was not so successful for me, so let's try this again... its the exact same challenge as last time, but with a couple of modifications, upping the challenge on those points I did well at. Goals: 1 - cook one new recipe per week CON +2, WIS +2 • This time round, I'm going to challenge myself a bit further. Each new recipe must use at least one of the following: i) a new ingredient or something I rarely use ii) a new cooking method or one I rarely use or want to become more proficient at iii) rarely used kitchen appliances / equipment I already own 2 - stretch every day for 10 minutes DEX +2, CON +1 • this will increase flexibility and reduce stress. I will probably do this at night before bed, or while watching TV. 3 - strength 3 times per week STR +3, STA +1 • this will increase strength, specifically core strength 4 - De-clutter / Cleaning / Organizing WIS +2, CON +2 • this will reduce stress, and set me up for "everything in its place" • this is one of the toughest things for me for some reason, so I need to figure out a way to make myself do it, especially those tasks I really do not enjoy. I've set up my google doc for tracking so I'll be able to keep up with that. Hopefully I'll also be able to keep up with posting on here, too. It's a bit different with this job - I'm sharing a room with someone else and it feels funny to be surfing message boards when I"m meant to be working! I'll try, though.

I'm un-challenging this time, because I feel like I'm in a good place with my current routine and don't want to disturb my rhythm. I'm also at a point where I don't need grades to feel motivated, and instead they tend to make my workouts feel more rigid and confined. So, no grades. This time, it's more of a daily battle log with a few areas of extra care. 1. Stay the course with my program Climbing 2-3 times/week + some finishing leg and push exercises. Strength 0-1 time/week (so climbing + strength = 3 times/week), concentrating on pull-ups, flex hangs, lock-offs, hanging leg raises, toes-to-bar, pistol squats, and Cossack squats. Balance based Yoga 2 times/week, focusing on slow, controlled motions and precise foot placement. I programmed a lot of my handbalances into my balance programs, so they aren't going anywhere. HIIT once per week. Clearly, I'm losing my mind, as I've started kind of enjoying burpees. No full rest days. I at least do some light yoga if I don't feel up to much. Whatever I feel like doing with the rest of my time. I often do more yoga, GTG pull-ups, playground workouts, and more. 2. Diet - Don't really care this time, as long as I don't have horrible holiday binging. If I gain, I'm doing enough strength that it'll probably be muscle. That's fine. If I lose, it'll probably be fat. That's fine. If I maintain, that's fine. I'm large framed and muscular, so at 5'6.5", my ideal/absolute goal weight is around 140-145. I'm about 147. At some point, I'll want to cut a little more, but it can wait until after the holidays. 3. Mental post-it notes (the things I want frequent reminders to do): 3a: Extra stretching and mobility work. Winter is coming, which means my body will be more stiff and susceptible to injury. The plan is to spend a few minutes doing some dynamic, full ROM warmups before hitting the harder exercises. When climbing, it means I should do some arm circles, leg swings, huggers, and such before simply jumping on the wall. I normally had been warming up by just doing V0s. Also, my shoulders have been touchy lately, so I'll spend more time doing shoulder and neck stretches, as well as some mobilitywods for these. 3b. Eliminate the clutter. It's a great time of year to fill donation bags with toys the kids no longer play with, clothes that no longer fit (or that we just don't wear), and other household items that aren't used enough to justify keeping them. 3c. Don't be a SAD assassin. I tend to get the winter blues. So, I need to remind myself to take Vitamin D supplements, go outdoors, even when it's cold and I don't feel like it, and find fun, exciting things to keep myself happy and productive. 3d. Exercise more with the kids. I played with this a few challenges ago with the Mario jump-a-thon thing, but I hate either dumping the kids in the gym daycare all of the time (I already use it on climbing days) or always using my son's naptime for my workouts. So, I'm compiling a list of exercises I can do while playing with the kids. So far, I have parkour tag at the playground, jumping & gymnastics stuff (kids will do a follow-the-leader thing with me), burpees (my son loves counting every time mommy jumps), and climbing on me while I do flex hangs, push-ups, squats, planks, or bridges. My son does not like having me do yoga, especially since I need to stay focused on it and not him for at least 30 minutes. So, I'll be saving yoga for naptime. 4. Jedi mind tricks (the ways I'm going to trick myself into making better choices). 4a. Avoid holiday binging. We're now in the season of halloween candy, thanksgiving pies, birthday cake for my daughter, Christmas cookies and candy, and any number of other unhealthy choices. If it's in the house, I will want to eat it. So, my aim is to mitigate the damage somewhat by making slightly healthier sweets, like chia pudding, sweet potato brownies, almond butter+ protein powder rum balls, etc., whenever there's a really unhealthy one in the house. The hope is that if I'm craving a cookie, pie, or candy, I can sate that craving with a healthier sweet. 4b. Less computer time. Restricting time of day or available websites hasn't helped with my time-wasting. Instead, I'm going to list a bunch of activities on post it notes that are more productive uses of my time, and then stick those notes on my computers. I'm hoping that will inspire me to do one of those productive things rather than waste time on the internet. So far, my list is: study for my MFE exam, read a book, read to the kids, play a game with the kids, house cleaning, decluttering, yoga, play the piano, look at recipes, work on photo album, and cross stitch. I'm sure I'll add to the list. Mostly, I'll use this thread to log my workouts and report on how well the reminders and Jedi mind tricks are working for me. If I fall way off track with the unchallenge, at least I'll know next time around to go back to rigid goals.

FIRST SIX WEEK CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo! The time has finally arrived and I am PUMPED! (If you couldn’t already tell…) This will be my first challenge. I will be grading myself on how well I follow the routines outlined here. The “defining moments†are proof to myself that I have actually made some progress for the main quest through these routines, and will not be part of how I grade myself at the end. However, I am including mini-prizes for myself for getting these done, just for fun. Also, I didn’t include diet related items because I’ve been doing pretty good with that already for last month. It’s been harder for me to remain consistently active. Let the battle begin! Motivator: Zombies HATE fast food! My motivator is more of a collage. I’m printing it and sticking it on the cover of my school planner, as well as my bathroom mirror. Main Quest: Become stronger and fitter! These are important attributes for surviving the zombie apocalypse! Weight loss ought to be a natural side effect of this, but my real main goal is to be strong and flexible. Three Goals for this Quest: 1) Do the Beginner Body Weight Workout twice a week, for at least 3 circuits each time. Working up to more would be awesome, but not the most important part at this point. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Related Stat: Strength Defining Moment: Doing 1 Unassisted Pull-Up DM Prize: NF (or other awesome) T-Shirt (priced $20 or less) 2) Attend Yoga or Pilates once a week, at least. Both is better, but in a pinch I think the routine of not missing a week completely is uber-important! Related Stat: Dexterity Defining Moment: Holding a Forward Bend for 60 Seconds (This doesn’t have to be all the way down – I’m not crazy! – but it must have correct form, with a straight back and neck. This has been a struggle thus far. Maybe I'll video it?) DM Prize: Cargo Pants (priced at $10 or less) 3) Run once a week, at least 1 mile. I used to walk 6 miles or more every day when I was car-free. So I’m hoping 1 mile a week is not too ambitious. It can be slow running at first, the goal is the activity and distance themselves. If I can increase that along the way, awesome! If not, no biggie. Related Stat: Stamina Defining Moment: Running 1 Uninterrupted Mile (This means no slowing down the pace – which doesn’t need to be too speedy or anything, just consistent - or stopping for water until the mile is complete.) DM Prize: Military Style Canteen (priced at $10 or less) Life Quest: Sell all my s***! Ok, maybe not all of it, but everything I can that I don’t use and that is of enough value to warrant the time and effort of selling it. Things that don’t meet the second criteria should be donated to charity or thrown away depending on how not-valuable they are. This will also be a nice way to get a little extra cash (to pay for prizes!). Goal for this Quest: Dispose of 10 items a week, everything counts except obvious sets (ie, a pair of shoes is one item, a chess set is one item). Selling, gifting, donating, and trashing all count. Related Stat: Wisdom Defining Moment: Free Space in the Spare Bedroom for My Workouts (I can currently do them in the living room, but I would like having the dedicated space!) DM Prize: Kindle eBook (priced at $10 or less) GRAND PRIZE Other than the awesomeness I will feel for doing these things, if I get an overall average of A at the end ("defining moments" not included) I will reward myself with a NerdFitness hoodie! Woot! Now that is motivation! Tally Sheets: uno, dos, tres, puntos medio!, cuatro, ... puntos final