Echocheanic navigates

[Echoceanic]

Hello guys!

 

 

One of my biggest problems right now is discipline. I know what I want to do and what I need to do to make it, but I tend to trip off the wagon a lot and it makes me not want to set any huge goals for me out of fear - because the goals are small I manage not to fail spectacularly. This obviously has to stop, because if I only keep to what I know I can do I won't challenge myself. So I need to make discipline itself into a habit. I am worth making an effort for and sitting around doing nothing will not make me better or stronger. And I want to be both of those things.

Last challenge was a good way to dip my toe back in. So now we have four goals:

 

• Fitness: incline countdown

This is pretty much me tackling something really hard - I have a total of 1 000 inclines to do this month and by the 28th (so middle of week three) I should do every single one of them. Do I incorporate them with other exercises? Do I do sets of 5 or 6 all day? It depends on the day. I have started with this already - 70 down, but missed yesterday which means I'm already behind and need to catch up one of these days. This has the added benefit of me getting used to the fact I am an exercise person.

 

• Big life goal: book, exam and classes

Week Zero - read your entire book, fix stuff and send it to the editor. Get your classes set up.

Week One Two and Three - classes and your one exam. Do them. Study and work.

 

• Habits and discipline: 80% completion for all monthly trackers; complete all of your monthly goals

The trackers are all mostly to do with curbing procrastination and fixing my sleep, along with making good habits stick. Mostly boring stuff like - turn off computer at 10 pm, do the dishes, make your bed, get up from said bed, meditate, exercise, don't procrastinate, etc. It's a table in my planner that I tick off. I will count these at the end of February and I will decide if I succeed.

Goals are a paradox cause some of them are included in this challenge. Some of them are - write 15k words, finish the book you're reading, call people you need to call. 

I have also been experimenting with time blocks, aka I do my to do list for the day and then time block the day under it. Will give my thoughts on this as I go.

 

• Miscellaneous: two narratives for the challenge

Cause I like writing, and I want to pursue the narrative I started last time.. These don't count in the word count thing.

 

As you can see the goals are mostly ending in the middle of week three. After that we get new ones. 

 

[Salinger]

Here to support you Echo....!!!! xx

[Elastigirl]

Nice challenge. It seems to me that when I make things like unloading the dishwasher every morning a habit, after a while the disclipline of doing just becomes automatic and doesn't require near as much discipline. 

[Novaurora]

Here for this!!

[jonfirestar]

I love this! Following along. 

[shaar]

Hey fellow habit builder!  HERE FOR THIS~

[Echoceanic]

3 hours ago, Salinger said:

Here to support you Echo....!!!! xx

 

Glad to see you here Sal (or Liz I have no idea what name to use)

 

3 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

It seems to me that when I make things like unloading the dishwasher every morning a habit, after a while the disclipline of doing just becomes automatic and doesn't require near as much discipline. 

 

For sure. Making my bed is mostly a habit at this pint  - I have to consciously decide not to do it but tracking it for some reason is easier than not tracking it? When I did't track it I did it less. And I think I first need to actually do the things long enough for them to become a habit, which is where I fail, hence the discipline thing.

 

3 hours ago, Stribs said:

Here for this!!

 

Thanks for being here!

 

2 hours ago, jonfirestar said:

I love this! Following along. 

 

This is gonna be funny but you gave me the idea (among others in NF, but you're the loudest in my head). I never thought I could do it even if I kept trying and then I came here and saw all this *gestures vaguely* so now I'm determined to fix this weird 'I can't make myself do stuff I want' thing. 

 

2 hours ago, shaar said:

Hey fellow habit builder!  HERE FOR THIS~

 

HELLO SHAAR! We're gonna do this! 

 

 

DAY 1

 

So, as always this day is kinda the easiest. I did three hours of reading on my own book - up to chapter 18 and I made myself laugh several times so I'm liking it so far, so far added 50 incline push ups to my 1 000 goal - so 120 down - no other exercise. Excited for upping the sets and you know, trying to do an actual push up at the end of this. The weather i s also warm enough for me to try running again (and no ice) so that will happen another weekend. This week is the only one where I don't have a trip planned. A lot of bus sitting will happen. But also progress and it's not a very long commute - I know most of you travel more for work.

And I should wash my hair and do the evening things as I have 30 minutes left before the computer needs to turn off.

Not bad for 2 pm wake up time. Yes this is an annoying problem, but it's also the hardest thing so I'm gonna leave it when I'm not swamped and have more of a routine. Removing the pressure is a good thing. I also had a nice meal today and yesterday - I know how to put pasta in stuff now and not just eat half a packet plain as a whole meal (yes you heard me).

[jonfirestar]

19 minutes ago, Echoceanic said:

This is gonna be funny but you gave me the idea (among others in NF, but you're the loudest in my head). I never thought I could do it even if I kept trying and then I came here and saw all this *gestures vaguely* so now I'm determined to fix this weird 'I can't make myself do stuff I want' thing. 

 and I chose this time round to create a challenge about being able to accept nice things being said about me. Thank you. Honestly I've achieved so much from being here and drawing on the strength of others that if I can help you do the same that is just awesome! 

 

 

[Echoceanic]

DAY 2

 

I might need to cut back on sugar a bit. Basically not buy any sweets when I got to the store from tomorrow till the 15th. Sounds like a good idea to curb this weird hunger that has been happening since last month.

Got up earlier, spent the hours listening to music.

 

Did exercise:

3 sets, 1 min break between sets, no breaks between exercises apart from you know, picking up the weights

5 inclines (so 15 total for today)

20 woodchoppers (4 kg)

20 kettlebell swings (4 kg)

I like this one, made my heart race, was murder on the arms but I could still move later and was fast.

Might do more later cause I want to crank out a bit more inclines before bed.

 

Got to chapter 34 - this book moves faster than I gave it credit for - should be done tomorrow so I should email the editor. Went to the store and didn't put the heavy bag on my shoulder but carried it in my hand, so yay, should get up and cut the pineapple so it doesn't rot (cause my lemons did, in two days, which is unheard of, and it's making me suspicious of the one that survived).

 

The trackers are going well-ish. Some are stuck, like the dishes. Should move them along. Sleepy so I have a reason to go to bed early. I'd like to read a bit too.

 

I think that's it for today? Pretty good. The review is easier when I have a timer, I set it for an hour but I don't really take breaks after the hour if I don't want to. 

[TGP]

I'm here. LATE!  but here....

following you as you work on good habits and big goals

 

[RES]

[Cardinal_22]

On 2/4/2019 at 3:21 PM, Echoceanic said:

 

I know how to put pasta in stuff now and not just eat half a packet plain as a whole meal (yes you heard me).

Lol, we've all been there.  =)

[Echoceanic]

1 hour ago, TGP said:

I'm here. LATE!  but here....

 

Hi!

 

16 minutes ago, Cardinal_22 said:

Lol, we've all been there.  =)

 

I am suddenly not hungry after pasta and it's like a new world has opened.  

 

24 minutes ago, RES said:

 

I really like this one. 

[Salinger]

How you doing Echo ? xx

[Echoceanic]

DAY 5

 

Had to find time to write here. I'm doing good. I finished with my book and now it's a month of waiting as my editor goes through it. I am pretty satisfied with this draft honestly, though I will say some things are far more intense than what I thought they'd be.

I am going to class Monday - I have a feeling this won't go smoothly but noting I can do there. I just need to breathe and get through it.

I've been waking up around 11 these days so that's nice albeit unexpected.

 

Inclines are at 245 total -  40 on the 6th and 70 on the 7th so I could catch up. Now I'm on track. The good thing is my sets are at a flat 10 now and my motions are more confident. Today's count is 40 along with my regular exercise - should be done later today. I do them more when I set a goal for the day.

 

Mentally I've been... okay? Better than last month anyway. I am more focused on my day and while I do have problems I am not swamped over them. I am dealing. Like you do.  

[Salinger]

Good job Echo! x

[Novaurora]

On 2/8/2019 at 10:23 AM, Echoceanic said:

Had to find time to write here. I'm doing good. I finished with my book and now it's a month of waiting as my editor goes through it. I am pretty satisfied with this draft honestly, though I will say some things are far more intense than what I thought they'd be.

Fingers crossed you get good news back on this!!!

[shaar]

On 2/8/2019 at 10:23 AM, Echoceanic said:

I am dealing. Like you do.  

 

Sometimes this is all you can do!!

[Echoceanic]

WEEK 1 DAY 1

 

Well yesterday I simply ran out of time to do my inclines. The day before I tried and I can do my normal five sets on a much lower level too. Will stick to the previous for now but might switch mid month.

 

Today I didn't do them because I wound up with less than 1 hour of sleep, and then went to my class today. I also forgot my bus time so I missed one and got back home later. Also my abs and arms were tired because I rode in a mini bus - half the time sitting on the one stair in front of the four seats in the back, squeezed between two seats, less than my shoulder width apart, and standing up in the middle row, as the pot-holed and swaying road swung my 100 pound ass around. Cause yeah there was no room. I have no idea how fast the dude was going but I have been told me drive fast and everyone was swaying even if they sat.

 

Despite this I had a nice time. In the morning I made lemon and avocado, cause yum, I needed something heavy to hold me over, and I meditated nicely for 5 min. I dressed nicely - wore a dress and my hair was really nice cause I discovered leave in conditioner (and dyed it yesterday as well, it is always softer then). I don't have a full length mirror so when I did get a chance to see how long my hair was it was a nice surprise - half way down my back. I bought a new hairbrush too - my old one was no longer cleanable and the teeth itself were already done, it was also too big. I have long hair but a smaller brush works better apparently and this one is anti static. Also I had two coffees, nice walks, nice interactions with teachers and made progress on the new stuff I need to rewrite. And I will get one class and one exam done this month. Next month I might be able to finish the other three and year two is done. Hopefully.

 

I need to carry my PC to get reinstalled again cause yeah. So this week will also be that. Classes aka trips are on Monday.  Now I just need to go and not fall asleep, it's 5 am and I need to not go to bed till like 9. So I don't think I can do something really complicated now cause I am yawning.

[Salinger]

Sounds great Echo! What colour is your hair now?xx

[shaar]

I need one of those anti-static brushes biiiig time.  FWOOSH goes the long hair~

 

I hope you get better sleep tonight!!

[Echoceanic]

2 hours ago, Salinger said:

What colour is your hair now?

 

I dye my roots a dark brown, and that colour persists about half way down my hair, and after that is the old dark red I had (summary - had flaming red hair, got bored, put brown over it and got a dark deep red, started dying my roots brown and left it to grow cause both colours are the same depth but a different shade and it looks kinda cool and subtle). 

 

1 hour ago, shaar said:

I need one of those anti-static brushes biiiig time.  FWOOSH goes the long hair~

 

I just randomly read the label after I bought it cause of the size. I have no idea how but it does work - on flyaways too to a point. 

 

1 hour ago, shaar said:

I hope you get better sleep tonight!!

 

I will most likely pass out - insomnia doesn't feature heavily in my life.

[Elastigirl]

That mini bus sounds like quite an adventure!

[Echoceanic]

21 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

That mini bus sounds like quite an adventure!

 

I have no idea why the company sends mini busses on their busiest route ever but it was one of those situations where all you can do is laugh.

[Salinger]

Hope you are doing well Echo xx