TokiDoki Kitty, tokidoki healthy

[TokiDokiKitty]

So, I joined the forums about six months back after having them bookmarked for a while. I've been keeping a rambling daily battle log as well, as much for a place to vent as a way to record progress and setbacks.   

 

I'm a forever-beginner in fitness; I enjoy the barbell, but seem to fall off the wagon every 5-6 months for various reasons, the most recent being depression and joint pain. [Doubly frustrating when those two issues can be eased by... you guessed it! Lifting weights.] 

 

I don't think I've ever entirely managed to get my Epic Quest distilled into a tidy mission statement - there's too dang much I want to do before I die (or live forever out of pure spite) - but the biggest goals are increased, consistent fitness and better (mental and physical) health habits; and get more Japanese culture and language under my belt. I currently take Japanese language lessons on Saturday mornings (at a school targeted at Japanese kids) and try to fit in lessons on how to wear kimono properly as best I can, with the goal of obtaining my teaching license eventually (for a tidy sum... savings goals are also included in my Questing...)  I also take Tea ceremony lessons every month and have been for 13 years now; given my larger American frame, it's a challenge both in grace and clothing choices, since there are strict requirements on what can be worn in the tearoom. (And being built like a Minnesotan draft horse, kimono that will fit size US 12/14 hips are few and far between! So I need the $ to order custom-made and the fitness to squeeze into Japanese size 'large' items.... And the sewing skills to manage alterations as needed... And if you give a Nerd some Knowledge... There's a definite mouse/cookie paradigm going on here.  )  

 

Other habits I'm trying to cultivate: 

• Get up earlier than 10-minutes-before-commute-time so I can do more in the mornings (proper nutrition, pack better lunches, gym/C25K/etc)
• Learn to enjoy run/jogging activities. I'll be restarting on Zombies Run again. [This is a 'maybe' goal, because I love the *idea* of going for a run, but I've never enjoyed it and my knees are my most painful inhibitors when it comes to activity. Since I live in SoCal, outdoor cardio is definitely an early-morning thing before it gets too hot. 
• Spend more time and energy (mental/physical resources) on meditation and spiritual goals [Pema Chodron's audio courses, for example] 
• Money and time in abundance.  Saving, not-spending, not-spending-stupidly, and making positive things into easy, mindless habits so that I stop shopping to feel better or collecting underpants in the form of things that "might" do something for me, or have potential (but no action... I have so very many blank journals, art supplies, sewing supplies...)
• Declutter (see above re: shopping) and actually USE the materials I've accumulated, or donate/sell/discard.  Read the KonMari book(s) and apply liberally. Just because something "might" be useful or is cute or pretty does NOT mean I need to have it/buy it/keep it/store it.  Now to train my lizard hindbrain to accept that fact. 
• Get my Etsy shop up and running. It's been open a year, but doing poorly. (Novice entrepreneurial skills need leveling up. Making business cards on VistaPrint is Not Enough.) 

 

 

Anyway - this is me, saying "hi" here, and hoping to join in the Rebellion more fully.   どうぞよろしくおねがいいたします！

 

I'm also part of the Academy, Rings and Handstands course, and just joined Rising Heroes (though the jury's still out on that one...) - hit me up if you want an accountabili-buddy on Facebook, MyFitnessPal, etc.