[auntdinosaur] unstuck in time

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When we last left our hero...

I was last active here in 2015-2016, but have had a few false starts since then. The short version is that I've been dealing with depression most of my life, and since 2013 have lost both parents, ended two relationships, and of course have recently been dealing with the effects of the pandemic as someone who works in and is finishing up a degree in hotel and restaurants hospitality. It's been really, really hard to have any motivation to do anything. My depression has gotten a lot worse, I haven't been doing well in school or work, and I have gained about 20lbs.

 

I've tried to jump into a challenge a few times recently but for whatever reason get immediately overwhelmed with the challenge and keeping up with the forums, so I've decided to sort of slip through the back and work on my battle log while commenting on others' challenges for the time being. 

 

Anyway. Hi. I'm Cody, she/her, 35 from Michigan. I'm 100% a Druid that low-key wants to be a Ranger. I very much miss when we were doing subclasses/professions like Innkeeper on the forums and would love to bring it back. 

 

[oldnews]

Main quest

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[Artemis Prime]

Welcome back Cody! As someone who is also returning to tbe forums after a lengthy absence and a 100% Ranger who's always been kind of interested in being a Druid (to be fair, I'm kind of interested in most things, hence the Ranger), I feel you. Looking forward to seeing your quest unfold and cheering you on!

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Captain's Log: Aug 23, 2020

 

I read Miracle Morning (again) last night and worked up a morning routine. It's not terribly different than what I had been trying to do, but having a set plan is a little more motivating than having a vague idea of what I would like to have happen.

 

The plan:

• Get up at 8am. Have a glass of water and pour a cup of coffee.
• Headspace - 15min
• DuoLingo- 10 min
• reading 10min
• journalling 10 min
• yoga 15min

 

What actually happened:

• Get up at 8:27am because I fell back asleep. Have a glass of water and pour a cup of coffee.
• 100% chance of Headspace putting me to sleep, so DuoLingo 10min
• internet for... awhile
• Headspace 15min 
• yoga 10min
• journalling right now by doing this? maybe? 
• no reading so far and it's noon

 

I've decided to move Headspace to just before yoga for a few reasons; First, it sets a nice mood for gentle morning yoga. Second, I need a little time to wake up before focusing on my breath with my eyes closed if I plan to stay awake. Third, it takes at least 30 minutes for my cat to get bored with my existence after I first get up.

 

I know language-learning isn't part of the Miracle Morning recommendations and it's probably what is going to stretch my morning routine well past an hour, but I've recently decided to get serious about learning Spanish so I think practicing in the morning (and at night) is going to be part of my quest.

 

Yoga this morning was forward folds and sun salutations. Using the meditation timer on Calm to play music with a chime at the end of the 10 minutes seems to work pretty well.

 

Breakfast was supposed to be a sou-vide egg bite meal from Marley Spoon but they forgot the egg bites, so I made medium-boiled eggs to go with the herb ricotta toast and tomato salad. (Left image is this morning, right is last time I had the meal.)

 

 

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22 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

Welcome back Cody! As someone who is also returning to tbe forums after a lengthy absence and a 100% Ranger who's always been kind of interested in being a Druid (to be fair, I'm kind of interested in most things, hence the Ranger), I feel you. Looking forward to seeing your quest unfold and cheering you on!

 

Thank you! And welcome back to the crew. 😊

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Captain's Log: Aug 24, 2020

 

Apparently my alarm is set for 8:15 so I was not quite as late as I thought I was yesterday. Got up with the alarm today. Unfortunately I forgot to press start after setting up the coffee pot last night, so that set me back a few minutes.

 

DuoLingo: 3 lessons - I used the wrong language a lot first thing in the morning

Reading: flipped through Level Up Your Life again, started Fluent Forever

Headspace: Starting Basics 2 (for roughly the third time, it's been awhile) on the 15 minute setting

Yoga: 10 minutes of forward folds and hip openers

 

Journalling: I would really like to start making use of the bullet journal supplies I have but I keep getting distracted and discouraged very quickly. I've been looking up language learning journaling because I think writing (as opposed to typing) some Spanish would help.

 

Breakfast: yogurt parfait with strawberries and granola

 

[cd667]

Welcome! It is good to have you along at your own pace.

 

On 8/23/2020 at 4:30 PM, auntdinosaur said:

I've tried to jump into a challenge a few times recently but for whatever reason get immediately overwhelmed with the challenge and keeping up with the forums, so I've decided to sort of slip through the back and work on my battle log while commenting on others' challenges for the time being.

 

The world is not really set up for people to be their best at the minute, so I can completely understand this reaction. Slipping in at the back is great. You're in control here.

 

I will do my best to cheer you on from the sidelines.

[Artemis Prime]

Your breakfasts look amazing!

[Stickman_11]

What is Miracle Morning? Tell me more.  As a guy who sets his alarm for 6am then RE-sets it for the latest possible time I can without being late to work, I would be highly interested in making a morning routine for myself.  I. Just. Cant. Get. Up. 

 

Anyway, welcome! And as a fellow false-starter, I really am glad to see you back in the game.  

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How on earth was I last here in AUGUST? Unstuck in time, indeed.

 

I'm currently reading Mini Habits and had an idea to combine the mini habits with the Miracle Morning. 

 

 

The Miracle Morning habits I have been trying (and failing) to start were around 10min each of yoga, reading, meditation, journaling, and language study. I haven't quite found a way to work in Affirmation and Visualization, though I feel like some of the Headspace meditations, my reading, and journalling might apply. 

 

The idea behind Mini Habits is to set goals that are 'too small to fail.' This morning I chose the 5 minute option on Headspace (which I've previously thought was 'pointless') and set out to do exactly one sun salutation. Having both things done in under ten minutes instead of waiting around until I felt like doing 15 minutes of each helped a lot. I plan to set my DuoLingo goal 'stupid small' here in a moment and do that one, too. 

 

The idea is once you are already on the mat/reading the book/meditating/whatever, you may find you actually have the momentum to keep going. One problem I am seeing with the meditation is that the 5min guided Headspace meditation has a beginning and an end, so it's not just as easy as continuing to meditate once I get into the groove. Maybe just knowing I can do the 5min if that's all I feel like doing, but selecting the longer meditations if I'm in the mood?

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Day Three of hitting all of my goals in mini form is... a lot better than what I have been doing. 👍

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Day Eight! 

 

I've noticed the one goal I am having the most trouble with is the meditation, and I really cannot figure out what my brain thinks is SO BAD about spending 5 minutes on meditation. This was really not a problem for me before the last few years.