Minna's mental momentum

[Minna]

Building on the quest from my last challenge, I want to keep making progress against depression and continue the exercise and diet habits that I started in September. I don’t need to focus this challenge on the same diet and exercise goals, because I feel that those are ingrained now, but I need to work on other things that help me in the same direction.

 

And that's my main quest: I’m still hoping to be able to work again, rejoin the world and become a grounded, happy person.

• Back in September, I had to go on an extreme elimination diet; I’ve since been able to reintroduce most everything, thank the gods, but still want to keep up with the good eating I was doing. 
• I’ve also been walking as much as 20 miles a week, and it’s gotten to the point that I really miss it on a day I don’t do it. I’m now THAT person you see out walking in the rain. 
• I’m still extremely isolated, though, so I need to continue to work on my social habits. Halp!

My goals

1. I will reach out to a friend at least once a week, and meet the challenges I’m undertaking in therapy.
2. I will stick to the physical therapy I need for my knee. Srsly this time.
3. I will drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Because migraines bad.

My life quest

 

I will keep a daily journal. 

 

My motivation

 

As before, I want to be truly happy for the first time in my life, for myself and for my family.

[Evermist]

Sounds great! All the best

 

Subbed!

[Cinderellis]

Building on the quest from my last challenge, I want to keep making progress against depression and continue the exercise and diet habits that I started in September. I don’t need to focus this challenge on the same diet and exercise goals, because I feel that those are ingrained now, but I need to work on other things that help me in the same direction.

 

...

 

My motivation

 

As before, I want to be truly happy for the first time in my life, for myself and for my family.

 

Hey there! Cinderellis from your acountabilibuddies group here I wanted to say congratulations on your ingrained habits from last challenge! That's super inspiring for a first-timer like myself. I think your quests and goals are wonderful--feel free to reach out anytime if you need anything. Really! I'm a somewhat recovering introvert, but I still find the social game hard at times too. High five for meeting new acountabilibuddies

[Lilia]

Hi, Minna! I'm still here, cheering you on

 

I’ve also been walking as much as 20 miles a week, and it’s gotten to the point that I really miss it on a day I don’t do it. I’m now THAT person you see out walking in the rain. 

 

 

Sounds like you made really awesome progress in the last challenge! It must be a great feeling to miss a new habit. You rock!

[Ballad]

Accountabilibuddy popping in to say hi! Your challenge looks great, and I'm so excited to see you succeed. How's day one going?

 

PS. Feel free to reach out any time if you need the extra accountability. (Sub-ing!)

[Minna]

Hey there! Cinderellis from your acountabilibuddies group here I wanted to say congratulations on your ingrained habits from last challenge! That's super inspiring for a first-timer like myself. I think your quests and goals are wonderful--feel free to reach out anytime if you need anything. Really! I'm a somewhat recovering introvert, but I still find the social game hard at times too. High five for meeting new acountabilibuddies

 

Hi Cinderellis! Welcome! I loved my first challenge, and it made all the difference in the world having buddies to keep me accountable and be witness to the pledge I'd made myself. I can't begin to express how much easier it was doing everything, knowing I had the NF folks at my back. Let me know if I can help you in any way! I'll follow your progress!

[Minna]

Accountabilibuddy popping in to say hi! Your challenge looks great, and I'm so excited to see you succeed. How's day one going?

 

Hi Ballad! Day one was great on the water, not perfect on the PT, and I'll do fine on the journal. I had to have an abdominal CT scan today and that threw a monkeywrench into my perfect PT plans. It would help to learn to be a bit more adaptable at times... that, or just be a bit more forgiving with myself.

[Terinatum]

SUB'D

 

Looking serious and doable, girl. This challenge will bring out your strength even more and put it to good use.

Good luck!

[Minna]

Pwned day 1, although I'm having an allergic reaction to the IV contrast dye from the CT scan. They call it "iodide mumps" because your salivary glands swell up and HURT. It could take a week to go away. I do not recommend it.

[Jakkals]

Following for the social habit tips.

[Terinatum]

I'm glad you kicked ass on the first day. And dealing with medical crap should be worth points!

[Faervel17]

you can do it! Medical issues suck but glad to hear your first day was mostly good. 

[Jill Beat]

"As before, I want to be truly happy for the first time in my life, for myself and for my family."

This is both heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time.  

 

​Sounds like you built some great habits - I love getting to that point when you miss daily moving (whatever it may be!) 

 

Pwned day 1, although I'm having an allergic reaction to the IV contrast dye from the CT scan. They call it "iodide mumps" because your salivary glands swell up and HURT. It could take a week to go away. I do not recommend it.

 

Booo to medical side effects! I hope it gets better sooner than a week!  

[Randa Rooskie]

Hey Minna!  I'm dropping in to help you "work on your social habits."  You can do it!!!  Since you're going to be doing physical therapy, does that mean you aren't doing the yoga with your friend anymore?

[Toxophilite]

I’m now THAT person you see out walking in the rain. 

That's strange. I thought THAT person was me

[Minna]

Hey Minna!  I'm dropping in to help you "work on your social habits."  You can do it!!!  Since you're going to be doing physical therapy, does that mean you aren't doing the yoga with your friend anymore?

 

Hi Randa! I started volunteering for my daughter's class, and that's at the same time as the yoga class so I had to stop doing that. But I still do yoga through yogaglo.com. The knee makes it hard to do some of the really bent-knee poses, so I just adapt as needed.

[Lilia]

That medical stuff sounds nasty Hope that it's getting better!

 

[Evermist]

The allergic reaction sucks D: I hope you get better soon!

[Cinderellis]

So happy to hear you're kicking butt despite allergies! I've had a gross cold this week. We will prevail! *shakes fist triumphantly*

[GingaNinja]

I think my post must have totally gotten lost, I was sure I'd commented on here! Oh well

 

Good luck with everything, you know where I am if you have any questions of concerns <3

[Randa Rooskie]

So has everything cleared up since that problem with the IV dye?  Oh, and what kind of stuff do you write about in your journal?  Is it more of a record of your day - what happened - or your thoughts for the future?  Or just happy ramblings?  I used to try to keep one, but I always thought that I wouldn't want to go back and read the random stuff I was actually writing in it... heh.

[Minna]

Yes, it took a few days though. 

 

My journal is a kind of brain-dump, and a record of anything I don't want to forget: odd anecdotes from the day and things I won't want to forget. I wish I'd done that for the first seven years of my daughter's life.

 

Oy, my first week has flown by and I haven't been impressed with myself. Time to tally things up...

[Minna]

Here's how my first week went.

 

Following up on the habits I started in the last challenge

• I've kept up with a good diet but have gotten lazy at eating fresh greens and eating enough protein. And I've become terrible at keeping up with the supplements I was prescribed.
  
• Haven't walked as much as I wanted to due to bad weather.
  
• Have committed to having people over for dinner. 
  

Update on my goals for this challenge

1. Reaching out to friends: Didn't happen last week. I'd like to blame my book deadline, but how long does it take to send an email?
   
2. Physical therapy on my knee: Did it about half the time. Meh.
   
3. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day: Really need to work on this. Did about 30 percent of it.
   
4. Life quest, writing in the journal: Did it for about five of the seven days.
   
5. Adventurers mini-challenge: doing one brave thing this week. Mine was a scary job interview.
   

Summary

 

Not a great start. But maybe there's a hidden opportunity here: learning to be kind to myself when I don't meet my own expectations. I did really well in the last challenge and didn't have to confront my own failures, so this is a chance to learn how not to beat myself up. 

[Gobnait]

About the bad weather, perhaps you need a better coat?  Sometimes it still isn't fun to walk in bad weather even with good gear.

 

Either buckle-down or re-evaluate what your goals are.

[Randa Rooskie]

Your challenge is called, "Mental Momentum."  Just because this past week you didn't rush ahead at high velocity doesn't mean you aren't still moving in the right direction.  The momentum is still there and we're still here to cheer you on!  You're right, take it as a chance to love yourself as you are, take some deep breaths, get your yoga on, and gear up for a good day tomorrow!