As I mentioned in my last post, I intend to start now with changes to myself and my lifestyle. No more putting it off. I've also learned, though past experience, that I have a Very Hard Time starting something slow. This tends to be a problem because I burn out and quit. For example: I say "I'm going to start exercising more" and proceed to go out and roller blade 20 miles; not 5 or 6 (which isn't far for me as I like to skate long distances), but 20. Or, "I'm going to start running again" and I go out and run 3 miles as fast as I can (which is a long distance for me because I hate running). Then, tired, frustrated at my inability to do well, and fed up...I stop.
Goal 1: Start Small.
It may not seem like a hard concept. Staring small, take a small bite of the pie, and work my way up. For me, though, it's extremely hard. I am not a patient person (and admitting that to myself has taken 27 years). I like things done NOW! I like and hate knitting for that very reason. I love that you see the instant gratification. Finish row of knitting, can see row of knitting. I hate it because you still have 200 more rows of knitting before you can see the final project. The same is true for me of working out, and trying to 'get in shape'. I go to the gym, I work out, I 'feel the burn', but I still have a whole lot more of this before I see the end result. It's worse on working out and etc, because it shouldn't just be a 'lose 10 lbs' or 'one year' goal...it should be a change of lifestyle and an 'always thing'. So. Very. Hard.
So, Goal number one for me is to Start Small. Make a small change, work at small change, when it becomes a habit, move on to the next small change. Also, as part of this, I will be prioritizing the changes, and listing them as 'easier' and 'ouch'. Easier, relatively, of course is something like take my vitamin every day. 'Ouch' are the changes in habit of diet and exercise because, face it...I love food.
Goal 2: The Blog Itself
"What does that mean?" you ask. I am the type of person who can work out by herself. I can make goals. Really. But, I am also the kind of person who will allow herself to cheat. If I don't hold myself accountable, somehow, I will do 9 situps instead of 10. I will skip a day if I 'just don't feel like it', I'll find myself eating that extra snack. I know the only one I'm cheating is me. But that little sentence does nothing to stop it. I'm hoping 'the blog itself' will help with that accountability....I do not intend to be using this space as a 'look at me, look at me! lookey how cool I am.' place. Nor do I intend to hurt anyones feelings if the topic I am discussing seems to...strike home. This is something to help me stay accountable to myself. If you have advise, encouragement, constructive critism, want to play along, that's awsome!! It's always more fun when you are not in this kind of endeavor alone. I also realize that other peoples methods and goals are going to be different than mine. That is cool too. :P (Here ends the 'disclaimer' part of this blog). I mentioned a few posts ago that the reason 'whimsical doodles' has a new look and new name is because it had outgrown its original purpose, and that is true. "the blog itself" is the other reason for the new name and new look. I am not forgetting about the path behind (some parts of it are circular and I'll find myself on them again and again), which is why I didn't sunset Whimsical Doodles.
Originally, I was all gung ho to start a new blog, even a new webpage about life changes and fitness goals and using it to keep myself accountable. (See goal number 1). I sat down to create the blog for it, and...NO TITLE would come to my mind (Recall with Blogger one starts with title and description). I had a few ideas, but they all sounded - wrong - after some thought. Then, when I was finally frustrated enough to stop and think...the idea of changing my current blog came to mind and the process went smoothly. At first I didn't even think about why. I just thanked my lucky stars and got to work. The title - there it was, I found a template that didnt' completely irritate me (although it has some quirks I want to be rid of), I had a new description, found some pictures, and away I went. Then I thought about it. The reason I had trouble with creating a new web page/blog was because it was too big a chunk. I was falling into old traps. (DUH! - but I'm not always the brightest when it comes to my own foibles.)
Originally, I had drafted the first post in my mind, and thought - hey, others might want to join me, I can even make it editable by many people, and we can all use it.... It may get there, someday. Maybe people who read this will like the idea and want to jump on board. We can be like a writing group or book club, except we're clubbing our life changes. Maybe we'll have a website where we each have our own personal blogs linked instead, or maybe we'll have a community elsewhere. I have no idea. But the point is, that wasn't where this needed to start. I was starting in the middle, not at the beginning. I was wanting to be done before I had begun.
I can see that Goal 1 is going to be an 'ouch', but for me, it's a life lesson, one of the quinteciential building blocks of my path...I have found a wa yto help me with my goals, and my path...this, the blog itself. Now, I'll just have to tag this post and reread it often so I don't lose myself on some of those lovely circular paths I have mentioned.
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