Mind Over Matter

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Mind over matter. I heard that a lot as a kid. Recently, I have begun to see the importance of mind over matter. You can overcome any obstacle when you set your mind to it. And let's face it, I have a lot of obstacles to overcome. I've already started making improvements to my life that will help me become a healthier person. Make as many changes as I want, without a healthy mindset I will undo any physical progress I have made.

 

I completed my first challenge with flying colors. I did so much better than I expected. But the whole time I was thinking about what I could have added to my challenge and how I wasn't doing enough. I eventually was able to start pushing that mindset to the back burner as I started making progress. It would still crop up and make me feel like I wasn't good enough and I should just give up. But I refused to listen and finished strong.

Now it's time to take those thoughts and unhealthy mindset off the back burner and tackle it head first.  The best way to defeat this mindset is to train myself to think positive. I'm going to start meditating, and I've broken my meditation into two parts: reading and coloring. I can't do the whole "empty your mind" thing, but I can focus on my breathing when I color. It's weird but it works for me.

 

My mindset is going to be the primary focus this time around, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to neglect everything I worked on last time. I'm continuing to improve my diet by continuing to Paleo and keeping a food journal. During my last 6-week challenge, I developed a need to eat chocolate. I'm guessing that's due to all of the sugar that was cut out of my diet from carbs. I bought a lot of chocolate (enough to last a few weeks) and plan on gradually weaning myself off sugar. I'm also going to continue doing yoga, but this time I'm working out 2-3 times a week.

 

Update: Facebook has became a major source of stress for me. I need to spend less time on Facebook and more time on Twitter. I'm going to stay off of Facebook except for once a week. I will not touch FB except for one day of the week. (The messenger app does not count. The only time I check it is when I have a message or want to send someone a message and can't find my phone.) This is going to be difficult since I check FB daily, multiple times a day. The goal is to spend 6 days a week on Twitter and 1 day a week on Facebook.

 

Mind:

 

Daily meditative reading

Daily color meditation

Daily reading

Weekly share: share one positive quote, verse, poem, or thought each week.

Vlog at least 3x a week (to keep a visual track of my progress)

Check Facebook 1x a week. This gives me enough time to check my notifications and see what's going on. 

Check Twitter 6x a week. This includes posting on Twitter.

 

Matter:

 

Do yoga 2x a week

Do handstand helpers 1x a week

Eat Paleo 3x a week

Eat less chocolate

Keep a food journal/log

 

Life Quest 1:

I want to make my own yoga mat rug/towel. I plan on crocheting it out of cotton yarn. During this challenge, I must complete making the first 53 circles.

 

Life Quest 2:

Alright, this is something I've wanted to do for years but always allowed everyone to talk me out of it. I want to get into longboarding. I don't want to do any fancy tricks. I just want to ride on a board and feel the wind blowing through my hair. I can ride a bike but I don't seem to like it as much as the idea of skateboarding. I own a Ripstick, but I'm not balanced enough to keep it moving long enough to enjoy it. I liked it, but I think a traditional board will work better for me. I'm currently too heavy for my Ripstick and the only board that can handle my weight is a bamboo longboard. The current goal is to get all equipment that I need. 

 

Equipment needed: helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and a longboard.

 

Equipment owned:

[Gaming_Jeweler]

So, I'm going to go by percentages again. But I'm going to do things a bit differently. I will do weekly grading and average my totals from there, just like college report cards. My reward this time around is going to be a piece of gear for longboarding. I would love to split $100 between rewards but I have a few things around the house that need to be repaired first. So my reward for completing this challenge is going to be gear that I can use to help me get healthier!

 

Grading scale:

A = 100% completed. I hit every single goal. 

B = 75% completed. I completed three quarters of what I set out to accomplish. 

C = 50% completed. I did half of what I wanted to.   
D = 25% completed. I only managed to complete a quarter of my goal.   
F = 0% completed. I didn't do a thing. 

 

Reward scale:

A = longboard
B = helmet
C = elbow/ knee pads
D = gloves
F = Nothing

[spooky]

Love your goals for this challenge! Also coloring meditation is a real thing and if it helps you relax then it's awesome! And I have friends who longboard and love it. So happy you're going for something you've always wanted to do! Looking forward to watching you fly!

[Gobnait]

I love the coloring mediation concept, and would love to hear a more in-depth explanation of it.

[JessOfAllTrades]

As someone who works with young children, I have to say coloring mediation sounds like the greatest idea ever. I love it!

[spooky]

Here's one explanation of coloring meditation with a free mandala to color. And here is another (also with a free mandala). I know that there was also a discussion of coloring meditation in Jenn's thread last challenge around post 76 and through the next page. Also NF member Lightning created 30 minute coloring mandala's that she linked there but that I will also link here! Hope that helps!

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Love your goals for this challenge! Also coloring meditation is a real thing and if it helps you relax then it's awesome! And I have friends who longboard and love it. So happy you're going for something you've always wanted to do! Looking forward to watching you fly!

 

Thank  you! I had thought about skateboarding, but I'm too heavy for most boards. Then I found a bamboo longboard. It's not made for tricks, but I don't want to do tricks. The board I found is made for just riding around at fast speeds, which is exactly what I want to do.

 

I love the coloring mediation concept, and would love to hear a more in-depth explanation of it.

 

I actually first heard of color meditiation here on NF. I was talking with someone about it and they sent me this article to help explain it. I found it every helpful. http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Meditate-When-You-Cant-Sit-Still&id=1101951 If you want a good book to start with, I recommend the Really Relaxing Colouring Book series. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1908707461?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

 

As someone who works with young children, I have to say coloring mediation sounds like the greatest idea ever. I love it!

 

It think it is. It's surprisingly fun. I've found that I find the simple things in life to be the most fun.

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Here's one explanation of coloring meditation with a free mandala to color. And here is another (also with a free mandala). I know that there was also a discussion of coloring meditation in Jenn's thread last challenge around post 76 and through the next page. Also NF member Lightning created 30 minute coloring mandala's that she linked there but that I will also link here! Hope that helps!

 

Lol, we both shared articles about color meditation. I guess great minds think alike. Lightning's the one who gave me the article.

[spooky]

 

 

 I've found that I find the simple things in life to be the most fun. 

Quoted for truth. 

[Miw_Sher]

I'm curious – what is meditative reading? I know colour medication but reading for me is a stimulating activity that requires your mind to be active, how does it become meditative?

[sterre]

Colouring meditation sounds like a lot of fun! I might have to borrow that idea for next challenge.

[Gaming_Jeweler]

I'm curious – what is meditative reading? I know colour medication but reading for me is a stimulating activity that requires your mind to be active, how does it become meditative?

I use the terms meditative reading to describe and differentiate reading spiritual books from other forms of meditation. I grew up in a Christian house and often heard people talk about the importance of meditating the Scriptures. It always confused me as a kid. Then I found out that they meant read a passage of the Bible and think about what you just read or learned for a while. That's what I will be doing. I'm going to read through a part of the Bible & an encouraging poetry book each day. Then I'm going to think about what I read and learn how to apply it to my life. For example, there is a verse in Hebrews that says we should encourage each other daily. This means I should encourage my family, friends, and others around me who are having a hard time. Does this make sense?

[oldnews]

I love your meditation goals. I bought a coloring book (Creative Cats, I believe) awhile ago, but haven't used it much. I finished a stained-glass mosaic book awhile before that. I'd like to get mandalas or something more relaxing than my Cats.

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Hey lady. Watching you! Hoping to see wonderful things.

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Colouring meditation sounds like a lot of fun! I might have to borrow that idea for next challenge.

 

It's defiantly worth trying. I recommend testing a color mandala out (maybe the one Spookyfoot shared a link to) and see if it's something you enjoy.

 

I love your meditation goals. I bought a coloring book (Creative Cats, I believe) awhile ago, but haven't used it much. I finished a stained-glass mosaic book awhile before that. I'd like to get mandalas or something more relaxing than my Cats.

 

I saw the Creative Cats book but it didn't catch my interest as much as Botanicals in Bloom. The last time I was at Barnes & Noble, they had a lot of mandala coloring books and I was thinking "Man, I wish I got this one instead." The stained glass coloring book sounds interesting.

 

Hey lady. Watching you! Hoping to see wonderful things.

 

Hey! Glad to have you following! I can't wait to see what unfolds this time around either!

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Things have been a little tough for me lately. My husband and I have both been on edge because a few people in our family got really sick and things didn't look good for a while. But they're ok now. Facebook has also become a stressor for me. I have several family members who have posted, shared, and said things that have put me on edge. (I'm seriously thinking about adding a "spend less time on FB" goal to the challenge.) Because of everything going on and me being a little bit stressed, my husband sent me a link to a cute little comic called Sheldon the Dinosaur. The cuteness of the comic made my day. I thought I would share some of the cuteness with a few of the comics.

 

These are my favorites:

 

 

 

[spooky]

Oh man I hear you on Facebook being a stressor (well duh, see yesterday's freakout). I think limiting Facebook time is a good idea!

 

Also thanks for sharing those cute cartoons! They made me smile 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Things have been a little tough for me lately. My husband and I have both been on edge because a few people in our family got really sick and things didn't look good for a while. But they're ok now. Facebook has also become a stressor for me. I have several family members who have posted, shared, and said things that have put me on edge. (I'm seriously thinking about adding a "spend less time on FB" goal to the challenge.) Because of everything going on and me being a little bit stressed, my husband sent me a link to a cute little comic called Sheldon the Dinosaur. The cuteness of the comic made my day. I thought I would share some of the cuteness with a few of the comics.

 

These are my favorites:

 

 

 

This was totally the laugh I needed today!

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Oh man I hear you on Facebook being a stressor (well duh, see yesterday's freakout). I think limiting Facebook time is a good idea!

 

Also thanks for sharing those cute cartoons! They made me smile 

 

I'm glad you liked them! I plan on posting things like this for my weekly share goal. I want to share the positivity.

[Gaming_Jeweler]

This was totally the laugh I needed today!

 

I'm glad you liked it. It was too cute not to share. 

[Gaming_Jeweler]

I finally settled on a grading system I like and updated it. One step closer to starting challenge 2. 

[spooky]

I finally settled on a grading system I like and updated it. One step closer to starting challenge 2. 

This is awesome! 

[Miw_Sher]

Sheldon is definitely in the top 10 of the most adorable things on the Internet. <3

 

And yes, I get what you mean with meditative reading now. Thanks for the explanation!

[oldnews]

I love Sheldon.

 

I've basically hidden everyone on Facebook to the point that I've created a little echo chamber of only people who post good things. There is no reason to follow and read people who dwell on negativity, or whose opinions bring up my own negativity. 

[JessOfAllTrades]

Those comics are amazing. I will need to go read more of them.