Nina-Rose: A Slinky Summer

[Nina-Rose]

Last month I tried to measure ALL THE THINGS.

It was hard. I was hoping to feel a sense of increased achievement, but I actually just felt the pressure, and then like a failure for missing bits. Lesson learned (in science, it’s all about learning what DOESN’T work too).

Now... I haven't climbed since May, and I keep telling myself to go once more, before my membership ends in August, to say I gave it a solid go, but the very idea of having to take clothes, change, park, walk in (no on-site parking), then hope someone else is there so I can ‘legally’ climb, but not more than about 6 people as it’s too cramped, then I leave after 15-20 minutes ANYWAY…. It just doesn’t feel ‘worth it’ for me.

However, if I can commit to going once, Ill have gone 6 times in 6 months, which will make me feel less like a quitter. 

 

POSSIBLE CLIMBING DATES:  - 27-29Jun - 3-5Jul - 17Jul - 20-23Jul

 

So for this challenge, I’m dialling it back.

I want to take part in the Mini, because exercise is almost the last thing I’m actually progressing in. I found 'daily' check-ins just failed, so removing all the 'daily' ones, except writing, which has been a daily goal for about 2.5 years.

 

So this month, I’m keeping it simple. It’s my last month of University, so that has to come first. Equally, I want to launch my business at the end of the Summer, so that needs to get moving.

 

My Five Week Goals:

* Finish COP 1-9 Entirely (9)

* Finish Portfolio Entirely(1)

 

Finish Course Plan (4 weeks, intro/ending) for Business (5)

Three Workouts a Week. MINIS COUNT. Yoga counts. Dance counts. (15)

Three 'Meditates' a week (15)
Clean kitchen once a week (5)

Write fiction daily (35)

Log Extra Exercise (5)

 

That’s a weekly target of 10 points + Uni assignments completed (10 points overall). The Uni stuff is all due by July 26th so... Pressures on!

 

Let's do this.

 

[Nina-Rose]

Week 0, Days 1+2: 

 

Meditate: 1/3

Fiction: 2/35

 

[Asa Pond]

Following! Congrats on the last month of Uni! Super exciting!

[Nina-Rose]

On 6/26/2017 at 8:00 PM, Asa Pond said:

Following! Congrats on the last month of Uni! Super exciting!

Thanks. I've just got my had around being a 'mature student' and now it's almost over

Week 0, Day 3: 
Workout: 1/3 - LEAD desk-yoga at work today  Then vacuumed living room and sofa after finding more cat fleas. Counting it.

Meditate: 2/3 - Walking meditation then counting desk-yoga as additional. 

Fiction: 3/35

[Lilmissbri]

Following! 

[Nina-Rose]

Week 0, Day 4:

Workout: 1/3 

Meditate: 3/3 - Explained some techniques to a co-worker, and practised 2 mins at my desk. 

Fiction: 4/35

Extra: 1/5 - Walked 1km to pick up husband.

Kitchen: 1/5 - Only about half, but counting the fact I vaccuumed two rooms, took the bins out, washed up and did washing =)

[Nina-Rose]

Week 0, Day 5 + 6:

* Finish COP: 4/9 [1/3/5/9] 2 just needs a heck on the work system to know if its finished entirely..

Workout: 2/3: just a brief yoga stretch and bodyweight moves, but counting it because I had the dentist and got myself in a tizz

Meditate: 4/3 - didn't go well but I spent time trying to force it, so counting it. 

Extra: 1/5 Walked 1.8km + 1km to pick up husband

Fiction: 6/35

 

Also washed up tonight (kitchen 1/2)

[Nina-Rose]

Week 0, Day 7:

Meditate: 4/3 - didn't go well but I spent time trying to force it, so counting it. 

Extra: 1/5 Walked 1.8km + 1km to pick up husband

Fiction: 6/35

 

Also washed up tonight (kitchen 1/2)

WEEK 0 TOTAL:      8/10   +   4/10

 

Portfolio bonus: 4/10

Course: 0/1
Workouts 2/3

Meditate:  4/3
Clean: 1/1

Write: 1/1

Extra: 1/1

80% is an A in my book. Moving on.

[Nina-Rose]

Week 1, Day 1:

Portfolio bonus: 2/10 - finished numbers 4 and 8. Did some of 6....7 can wait  

Course: 1/1 - pretty much done last week's bit today 
Workouts 1/3 - I did a proper workout! Warm up + 3 sets of 5-inch-worms-with-plank, 2 sets of doorway arm rows, 2 sets of 10 unassisted squats, 10 lunges, 15 seconds of tree pose on each side. It's the equivalent of the 3x3 things + one extra that theacademy workouts use  

Meditate:  1/3
Write: 1/1

[Nina-Rose]

Week 1, Days 2/3/4:

Portfolio bonus: 9/10 - Gave my drafts of 4, 6, 7, and 8 to supervisor today! It's officially out of my hands for now!

Course: 1/2 - Working on it today
Workouts 2/3 - Second workout was a tad light ue to horrific DOMS still here after 4 days... Did toe-touches, tree pose, planks, side planks, press ups and general stretching.

Meditate: 1/3  - Need to do this again!

Clean: 0/1 - About half-done on this.

Write: 4/7 - Daily

 

[Nina-Rose]

Week 1, Days 5/6:

Clean: 1/1

Write: 6/7 - Daily 

 

I went shopping tonight, and I made a few healthy choices:
- Plain malt cereal (checked sugar/protein) instead of chocolate muesli or 'fruit wheats'
- Bought 3 vanilla milkshake syrup packs (1 bottle lasted me 3 weeks and likely took the place of about 30 packs of sweets/chocolate so it seems worth it for someone trying to cut down on sugar reliance...)

- Bought flaked almonds, cashews and dates so I can attempt to make my own NAKD bars at home...

 

I danced which I COULD count as a workout but I'm trying to keep focused on strength because one of my lack-of-motivation-to-keep-up-diet is that there's no point if I'm not building muscle... So tomorrow I'm aiming to workout.

 

And having got back at 9:45pm and it's boiling hot in this heatwave, I had a bowl of plain malt cereal instead of a chocolate yoghurt [baby steps]

[Nina-Rose]

WEEK 1 TOTAL:      8/10   +   9/10

 

Portfolio bonus: 9/10

Course: 1/1
Workouts 2/3 - Back pain stopped my third attempt short.

Meditate:  2/3 - Fell off the wagon and got back on by the end of the week again.
Clean: 1/1 - Yusss.

Write: 1/1 - Yarp.

Extra: 1/1 - Fri: 1.7km, Saturday 3.4km

 

That's 80% again.

 

Fri/Sat (& Sun as it happens) my mood has been a tonne more stable. My dose was upped Tuesday so it feels a bit early to blame that but whatever it is, I'll freakin' take it! 

 

[Nina-Rose]

Week 2, Day 1:

Portfolio bonus: 9/10

Course: 1/3 - Worked on it again today  New survey's led to new ideas. Huzzah for market research!
Workouts 1/3 - Did yoga stretches with my bad back. Cried. Stopped. Counting it.

Meditate: 1/3  - Yus! With a candle and everything

Clean: 0/1 - Not yet this week.

Write: 1/7 - Still daily.
Extra: 3.4km

[Nina-Rose]

Week 2, Day 2+3:

Portfolio bonus: 9/10 - Half way through the "part 10"

Course: 2/3 - May need to give this a break to finish off my portfolio but we'll see!
Workouts 1/3 - Not today.

Meditate: 1/3  - Aiming to do a walking/desk meditate tomorrow. 

Write: 3/7 - Still daily.
Extra: Walked 3km Monday

Also wanting to note that my husband made an awesome stir-fry: cabbage, chicken, onion, red pepper, carrot and radish pods in a supermarket sauce... without starch! (i would eat 75% of my meals as pata/potatoes if I had a choice!)

[Lilmissbri]

18 hours ago, Nina-Rose said:

Also wanting to note that my husband made an awesome stir-fry: cabbage, chicken, onion, red pepper, carrot and radish pods in a supermarket sauce... without starch! (i would eat 75% of my meals as pata/potatoes if I had a choice!)

uh... YUM! That sounds really good.

[Nina-Rose]

4 hours ago, Lilmissbri said:

uh... YUM! That sounds really good.

Last night, my birthday present form my husband arrived and I though of you. T'might be Horizon

[Nina-Rose]

Week 2, Day 4:

Portfolio bonus: 9/10 - Three quarters of the way through the "part 10"

Workouts 1/3 - Planned to today, but left work early due to not feeling well. 

Write: 4/7 - 
 

[Lilmissbri]

20 hours ago, Nina-Rose said:

T'might be Horizon

OH MAN!!!!! How exciting! Have you started playing yet?

[Nina-Rose]

On 7/13/2017 at 5:10 PM, Lilmissbri said:

OH MAN!!!!! How exciting! Have you started playing yet?

My birthday is END OF AUGUST. -sigh- I'm not sure if he'll let me play it early or not >_>

 

Week 2, Days 5+6

Portfolio bonus: 9/10 - should finish this at the weekend.

Course: 1.5/2 - had a very useful business coaching call
Workouts 2/3 - 20 lunges, 40 seconds tree pose yoga, 10 full press-ups + stretches.

Meditate:  2/3 - Small space today.
Clean: 1/1 - Did this yesterday

Write: 6/7 - Yus.

[Lilmissbri]

End of August, eh? I know what your challenge theme will be.  

[Nina-Rose]

Week 2, Day 7:

Meditate:  3/3 - I spent 30% of my day in the garden cuddling my cats and the neighbours cat. Counting it, because I consciously chose to be in the moment. 
Write: 1/1 - I had my novel document open for over 8 hours, and managed 15 words.

 

I had the worse mental health day I've had in... two years? I slept, cried, ate chocolate, and lovingly begged my cats for cuddles. I don't give a shit that i've not done my workout and I'm not going to force myself to try. Tomorrow is a new day.

[Nina-Rose]

WEEK 2 TOTAL:      8/10   +   9/10

 

Portfolio bonus: 9/10

Course: 2/2 - I had a business coaching call which helped me realise not to focus on h group modules as there are 2 key things missing from my website/offerings as they stand: so I did 2/2 'business things' 
Workouts 2/3 - Happy with that considering how I felt yesterday. 

Meditate:  3/3 

Write: 1/1 - Yes.

[Nina-Rose]

Week 3, Days 1/2/3:

Portfolio bonus: 10/10 - DONE. I'm giving it to my supervisor tomorrow. She needs to approve it, I make any changes, re-approve any changes and then I need to submit it by 27th! Epp!

Course: 3/3 - I had an hour-long interview with an 'ideal client to help me 'resonate' correctly. I also began two group coaching programmes this week as a beta, so I'm learning tons.
Workouts 1/3 - I've done small bits of yoga Sun and Tues, and Ember went missing so I did an anxious walk around the neighbourhood Mon. Counting those 3 together as 1 workout

Meditate:  1/3 - I sat on the kitchen floor while the kettle boiled today to force myself to spend 2 minutes (or however long a kettle boiling takes) in quiet mind. This really worked for me, interestingly. 

Write: 1/1 - Yus.

[Nina-Rose]

Week 3, Day 4:

Portfolio bonus: 10/10 - My supervisor has it. *cue biting of nails*

Course: 3/3 - Had a beta coaching session with a friend and updated 4 of my webpages...
I must workout tomorrow.

Meditate:  2/3 - Sat at my desk for 3 mins this morning.

Write: 1/1 - As usual  

 

Also, I've had the same lunch for 3 days and it's really interesting watching my energy levels:

pork pie, smoked cheese, cherries, pear/apple, banana, homemade lara bars, crisps, dry roasted peanuts + sultanas, and a cereal bar.
Compared with the 4-5 mini chocolate bars + sandwiches + 2 packs crisps + grapes, I feel this is a step in the right direction!

[Nina-Rose]

Week 3, Days 5,6 and 7:

Portfolio bonus: 10/10 I HANDED THIS IN TO UNIVERSITY YESTERDAY. Its due on 27th. I feel sick but it's done. A year of an emotionally demanding job all for this qualification.

Course: 1/1 - I've been making progress on my business, even though I'm no longer planning that course
Workouts 2/3 - I did a proper workout Thursday, and had another really low mental health day when my 3rd workout was due.   
Meditate:  3/3 - I definitely did at last 3 sessions this week.
Clean: 1/1 - It wasn't perfect but I did some leaning across the week. our freezer is STILL broken. 

Write: 1/1 - Hit my minimums each day.

Extra: 1/1 - Thurs: 1.7km.