Heidi Creates a Mild-mannered Facade.

[Heidi]

This challenge marks a year of my involvement with the Nerd Fitness community.

I have had varying success, and am looking forward to this challenge. More than anything, I need to create some good habits, build on the foundation I put in place over the last year, and kick a couple bad habits to the curb. All in keeping with the Mild-mannered citizen cover that we need, I'm focusing on my "normal" self and smoothing some of the rougher edges of my respectability.

Water: Drink at least two litres of water a day. CON +5

36-42: A 29-35: B 21-28: C 14-20: D 0-13: F

Smoking: No more than 4 cigarettes a day. Graded weekly. CHA +5

0-28: A 29-35: B 36-42: C 43-49: D

Walking: Walk - around the block, on a treadmill, to the park. 4 times a week. STA +5

24+: A 20-23: B 16-19: C 12-15: D

Life:

A: Clean and organize the upstairs: 1 bedroom a week. CHA +1

4: A 3: B 2: C 1: D

B: Do dishes before bed each night CON +1

36-42: A 29-35: B 21-28: C 14-20: D

C: Do laundry twice a week CHA +1

12: A 10: B 8: C 6: D

D: Classes and Classwork each week. WIS +1

36-42: A 29-35: B 21-28: C 14-20: D

E: Yoga / Pilates 60 minutes a week DEX +1

4: A 3: B 2: C 1: D

love & peace,

Heidi

[pbandbrains]

It happens to be my NF anniversary as well. I'll be interested in seeing your progress and good luck!

[Heidi]

Totally looking forward to this upcoming week.

love & peace,

Heidi

[Heidi]

Completely cleaned and organized the nook in my bedroom. It was a jumble of stuff I had no idea what to do with, and now the drawers are sorted, there is a space heater for the coming chilly mornings, a footstool for sitting, and a side table for the ever-necessary cup of tea to face the day.

I would like to hang a couple hooks as a valet station for the clothes for the day, but overall I am pretty pleased with this morning's accomplishments.

love & peace,

Heidi

[Heidi]

Holy didn't-expect-that, Batman. The dressing room makes the perfect meditation and yoga space.

I just did ten minutes of meditation there and it felt better than any meditation I have ever done before.

Bonus!

love & peace,

Heidi

[alienjenn]

Yay for having meditation space!

(sent by the phone. .. all mistakes are the phones fault)

[Heidi]

My Main Quest

I have this image of myself : elegant, fluid, effortlessly organized. Calm, centered, implacable.

In truth, this is as far from reality as me being Wonder Woman, but it's no less a part of my Epic Quest than any of the other elements: Warrior strength, Amazon bowmanship, Scout speed, Assassin free running and Druid flexibility.

This persona is my social armor, and in many ways it is more daunting than anything I will take up at the gym. This is no solitary quest with only a stopwatch, tape measure or weight set as my yardstick. This is dependent on other people's measure of my respectability and grace.

I'm not good at this. I'm not comfortable letting other people's opinion of me matter. I'm scared and I feel horribly inadequate to the task.

The Plan:

Paralegal certificate: this will assure me a job within a social realm in which I want to operate. I'm good enough to excel in this field without stressing over the tasks, so it leaves me free to work on the social aspects of my self while making enough (only just) to support my family.

Professional wardrobe: this is fairly basic, nothing designer here, but still - good suits, well made. A hidden expense is that these clothes require dry cleaning, something I have never really used. Overall, I figure I need five suits, ten blouses, and two pair of dress shoes. I have a few items from my existing wardrobe that will help me in the interim, thank goodness. This is going to be pricey.

I'd also like to be able to afford regular salon visits to have my hair done. I know other people take this for granted, but I just never seem to have time and money.

The effortless organization is hard, and I can't do it alone. My biggest nemesis is Chaos, and usually I'm the only one who cleans and neatens, but with the boys being teenagers, I'm not doing them any favors by picking up behind them. Minimalism is my enchanted sword for this element. I have found that clutter disappears when there isnt much stuff to begin with. So I made a General Issue list: a mess kit, a basic wardrobe, a single bookcase, a footlocker and a desk for each of us. Two sets of sheets, two sets of towels, a bin for socks and another for undies. One robe, three pjs. One week's worth of clothes. And then a place for everything. If you run out, then clean it.

Frankly, having regular, assigned chores makes it easier on all of us. Also, once we are organized, I will feel better about trying to find the money for a regular housekeeper. We deserve to live in a clean, orderly home.

Calm and centered: meditation and regular exercise, good food and plenty of sleep are the arsenal for this. I simply have to take care of myself or I am always on edge. Me first is not selfish; it's essential.

love & peace,

Heidi

[cavemom]

We have two of the same goals--walking and water.  Looking forward to doing this challenge with you!

[Heidi]

Drank a half litre of water while cleaning some more of my room. I had to go through a pile of WhatIsThisAnyway, so I collected the items that will be appropriate (and fit) for work when I get a job offer.

Three pants suits, four skirts, five shirts and a couple sweaters. I feel much calmer about my wardrobe.

I hung the shirts and skirts on tiered hangers to help isolate them from the non-work stuff and to keep them neat. It is also helping me feel better about donating a lot of the other stuff in my closet, since basic jeans and pjs and workout clothes are in the dresser.

love & peace,

Heidi

[Heidi]

Ah, too bad this is a rental. I just realized that I could turn the opened up, soon to be empty closet into a master bath.

love & peace,

Heidi

[Twibbly]

With a hot tub? I want a hot tub.

Don't forget that thrift stores and Goodwill often have suits and such, as do places like Marshall's and TJ Maxx. Most of mine came from TJ Maxx, and they're all Tahari because that's the only brand that makes them long enough for me.

[BigDRay]

Woah, 4 cigarettes a day?! You are a very brave soul. Haha, I'm not even to the point where I can keep such good track of how many I have during a day.

[Heidi]

Oooo. Hot tub!

And thanks for the reminder about goodwill - I get most of my stuff from consignment.

love & peace,

Heidi

[cavemom]

Very productive day so far!  I like it!

[Heidi]

Measurements for future reference:

Bust 40

Waist 32

Abdomen 39 (improvement here would be amazing for me!)

Hips 41

love & peace,

Heidi

[Erick the Red]

Good progress already with cleaning!

 

Your life goals seem so normal!  I was surprised at first, but then I tried to remember the last time that our laundry was done and suddenly felt a little sheepish.

 

I will be looking forward to seeing your successes!

[Foxfinding]

Tackling cigarettes is always hard. Good on you for cutting down.

 

Also, way to find a silver lining of a meditation space in a dressing room. Score!

[Heidi]

I cleaned more of my room.

I did dishes and cleaned The Crock Pot Experiment.

I drank water.

I walked 2.5 miles.

And then I came home, made dinner, talked with a friend and basically said to hell with everything else.

love & peace,

Heidi

[Heidi]

Five cigarettes so far. Not feeling the power on this one yet.

love & peace,

Heidi

[cavemom]

You can do it, Heidi!  What's your strategy for cutting out some cigarettes?  Are you replacing them with anything, like gum?  I don't have personal experience with cutting down on or stopping smoking, but my husband has been quitting and starting and quitting, etc., ever since we got married 14 years ago.  I have seen the struggle.  Let me know if there's anything I can do. 

[Unikarm]

yay pilates

[Heidi]

Im making myself track my smoking with an app (beeminder). Also, water and planking to help with cravings. And sleep.

love & peace,

Heidi

[Foxfinding]

Five cigarettes so far. Not feeling the power on this one yet.

 

I don't know where you're starting from, but 5 for a goal of 4 doesn't seem that bad to me. Less is less, and that's a good start!

[Twibbly]

Didja do your dishes?

[Heidi]

Didja do your dishes?

I did! I feel so proud of day one.

Five cigarettes, not 4,but kicking everything else.

love & peace,

Heidi