Ok, I was suppose to start blogging a couple of weeks ago and I failed at that. I have been falling short on many of my goals lately. I think one of the problems I have with the Happiness Project and goal setting in general is that often I find it easy to come up with excuses why it just isn't possible to do whatever it is I'm suppose to do. That and I have a horrible memory and a habit of doing the same thing after work every day. I need to come up with mantras that get me motivated to change my habits.
Today at work a friend and I were discussing doing what you are passionate about. She asked me what I love to do. I love to sit on my butt and watch TV. Unfortunately that doesn't earn me any money. I love getting lost in a good sci-fi/fantasy book or series for weeks and months at a time. Also not something that earns me money. I think this is part of my feeling that I just want to do everything. I want to learn to code. I want to learn how to assist the dentist. I want to learn how to manage an office. I want to do everything. I can't do everything though, and I know that once I start doing something new I won't necessary like it as much as I thought I would. So I have to grow up and figure out something that I can do well, even if I don't love it, and then get someone to pay me for it. I think for me that this is going to be coding, because, really, the internet isn't going anywhere.
So some of the goals I am going to start getting back on track with...
Learn to code
There's this awesome app for the iPad called iTunes U that has a whole bunch of college courses for free. Specifically there's an intro to computer science course from Harvard. I started it a couple of weeks ago. Made a couple of monkeys jump on a bed and then stopped. I am going to start that up again. I just finished satisfying my TV addiction with The Vampire Diaries, so I really have no excuse not to spend and hour a night watching the next lecture or doing the next assignment.
On top of that a friend of mine is starting a food truck business and wants me to do her webpage. This is an amazing opportunity for me and instead of starting it I have been moping about things that have happened that I have no control over.
Go Swimming
You were calling me for awhile to get me out of bed to go swimming. It worked well. And then I decided that I could get out of bed myself, and I can. I still get up every morning at 5, I just don't follow through. Part of my excuse for this one is that my swim suit is too big and I constantly feel like my boobs are going to fall out of it. As great as that would be for the lifeguards and the male swimmers, it'd be kind of embarrassing for me. Now in reality, I'm a good 90% sure that this is not going to happen, but I'm still self conscious about it. Why don't you just get a new swimsuit that fits, you ask? Because then I'd have to get my ass out of bed at 5am and part of me likes having the excuse to sleep for another hour. No more!
[Pause.........]
Swimsuit purchased and on it's way.
Finish the Couch to 5K program I started last fall
Granted my iPhone was stolen, so I can't use the couch to 5K app I had anymore. Also it's winter and I'm not very keen to run on ice. Both of those are excuses. We have this handy dandy membership to the YMCA which I am using to go swimming. And they have an indoor track at said Y. So maybe I should get off my ass and just go run in circles for awhile. Any amount is more than I am doing now and will help me on the way to a 5K. And when I get a new phone (in a couple of weeks) I can get the app again and zoom through the first couple of weeks and feel good about myself.
I think in this setting myself back on my goals I have come up with some rules of my own that I know are always my down fall when I try and do things:
No excuses
The past is in the past
Stop watching TV (non productive TV that is. I watch the iTunes U lectures on TV.)
There's only three right now, but I'm sure I'll come up with more as I go along.
Right now I think I'm going to work on these three goals as I seem to have a problem with adding lots of things to my routine. I think these are three easy ones I can add without too much disruption. And I can even alternate the swimming with the running in the morning so I don't have to find "extra" time to do it. Because I know myself and I would use the "I don't have any time" excuse in a heartbeat.
I think your idea of posting your rules around. For me, right on the TV will be a good place for them. Also, I may have to make a background for my phone so that it's in front of my face when I hit snooze in the morning. Though I did label my alarm "Get your lazy ass out of bed and go swimming." It at least makes me feel a little bad about hitting snooze.
-Carin
Today at work a friend and I were discussing doing what you are passionate about. She asked me what I love to do. I love to sit on my butt and watch TV. Unfortunately that doesn't earn me any money. I love getting lost in a good sci-fi/fantasy book or series for weeks and months at a time. Also not something that earns me money. I think this is part of my feeling that I just want to do everything. I want to learn to code. I want to learn how to assist the dentist. I want to learn how to manage an office. I want to do everything. I can't do everything though, and I know that once I start doing something new I won't necessary like it as much as I thought I would. So I have to grow up and figure out something that I can do well, even if I don't love it, and then get someone to pay me for it. I think for me that this is going to be coding, because, really, the internet isn't going anywhere.
So some of the goals I am going to start getting back on track with...
Learn to code
There's this awesome app for the iPad called iTunes U that has a whole bunch of college courses for free. Specifically there's an intro to computer science course from Harvard. I started it a couple of weeks ago. Made a couple of monkeys jump on a bed and then stopped. I am going to start that up again. I just finished satisfying my TV addiction with The Vampire Diaries, so I really have no excuse not to spend and hour a night watching the next lecture or doing the next assignment.
On top of that a friend of mine is starting a food truck business and wants me to do her webpage. This is an amazing opportunity for me and instead of starting it I have been moping about things that have happened that I have no control over.
Go Swimming
You were calling me for awhile to get me out of bed to go swimming. It worked well. And then I decided that I could get out of bed myself, and I can. I still get up every morning at 5, I just don't follow through. Part of my excuse for this one is that my swim suit is too big and I constantly feel like my boobs are going to fall out of it. As great as that would be for the lifeguards and the male swimmers, it'd be kind of embarrassing for me. Now in reality, I'm a good 90% sure that this is not going to happen, but I'm still self conscious about it. Why don't you just get a new swimsuit that fits, you ask? Because then I'd have to get my ass out of bed at 5am and part of me likes having the excuse to sleep for another hour. No more!
[Pause.........]
Swimsuit purchased and on it's way.
Finish the Couch to 5K program I started last fall
Granted my iPhone was stolen, so I can't use the couch to 5K app I had anymore. Also it's winter and I'm not very keen to run on ice. Both of those are excuses. We have this handy dandy membership to the YMCA which I am using to go swimming. And they have an indoor track at said Y. So maybe I should get off my ass and just go run in circles for awhile. Any amount is more than I am doing now and will help me on the way to a 5K. And when I get a new phone (in a couple of weeks) I can get the app again and zoom through the first couple of weeks and feel good about myself.
I think in this setting myself back on my goals I have come up with some rules of my own that I know are always my down fall when I try and do things:
No excuses
The past is in the past
Stop watching TV (non productive TV that is. I watch the iTunes U lectures on TV.)
There's only three right now, but I'm sure I'll come up with more as I go along.
Right now I think I'm going to work on these three goals as I seem to have a problem with adding lots of things to my routine. I think these are three easy ones I can add without too much disruption. And I can even alternate the swimming with the running in the morning so I don't have to find "extra" time to do it. Because I know myself and I would use the "I don't have any time" excuse in a heartbeat.
I think your idea of posting your rules around. For me, right on the TV will be a good place for them. Also, I may have to make a background for my phone so that it's in front of my face when I hit snooze in the morning. Though I did label my alarm "Get your lazy ass out of bed and go swimming." It at least makes me feel a little bad about hitting snooze.
-Carin
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