Urgency, Planning and Success

Two people this week commented on how skinny I'm getting. When you are working hard at something and people recognize your effort...it's always a good feeling. I sat for a moment and wondered why I'm having success this time when I haven't in the past? How is it that I've been walking and working out since the first of the year...when normally I would have quit long ago? It didn't take long before the answer came to me. It was two parts....urgency and a plan.

For me to have success with anything, I need that sense of urgency. If I don't have that, I don't take what I am doing seriously. Previously, I just wanted to work out and get healthy because I should. This time I am in a race with my weakening bones and I want to win.

For me to have success with anything, I also need some kind of a plan. Previously, I would just work out a day here, maybe walk a day now and then...if I missed a day...oh well. I didn't have a plan. Now I have a plan. It's on paper...and I'm stickin' to it!

What I need to do now is bring that same sense of urgency to my etsy business, FourDogDay. That doesn't mean to be running around like a lunatic everyday...it means that I need to know when I want to retire. I need to know how much extra money FourDogDay would need to be bringing in each month in order for that to happen. Then I will "see" the urgency and I will get serious.

I also need a plan to get me where I need to be at that time. I need it on paper...so I have something to follow...a plan I can stick to. I have had plans before but I lacked the urgency. If I don't have both parts, it just doesn't work for me.

For me...this doesn't only apply to my health and FourDogDay...it applies to anything I really want to accomplish. No urgency, no plan, no do. Take my basement for example. I swore I would get it dejunked before summer. There was no reason I had to have it done by then, I just wanted to. So, no real true urgency, no plan....it isn't getting done. Now if I wanted to put my house on the market this spring....THERE would be the urgency. You can be sure it would be getting done!

How are you with major things you want to accomplish? Do you need urgency? Do you need a written plan or are you disciplined enough to do it without? I would love to hear how you accomplish things either in your business or in your life....

Chee Hoo!

It's FRIDAY! It's my no work out day. It's my no walk day. It's my eat whatever I want day. It's jeans day at work. It's Starbucks day. It's Dunkin' Donuts day. It's even PAYDAY!!! I actually couldn't wait to get up this morning!! Chee Hoo!

I cannot believe I have been working out and walking and eating healthy for three weeks. That has to be a record for me. Yes, there are some mornings when the last thing I want to do at 5:30 a.m. is yoga or pilates...but I'm doing it.

There are plenty of days when I get home from work and the last thing I want to do is change my clothes, bundle up and head out into the frigid air to walk....but I'm doing it!

Many evenings I have no interest in preparing a healthy balanced dinner for myself....but I'm doing it.

I am not to the point where these things are a positive habit for me yet. In fact, I still find it all a big pain in the butt....but I'm doing it.

My neck and upper back issue has caused me to rethink my workout. If I didn't, I might have quit. Instead I took out the arm and shoulder dumb bell workout until my neck and upper back are more tolerant of the yoga and pilates. Once they are, I will add the arm work back in. I did add some leg work on the days I do pilates too.

I am really looking forward to spring when I can be working out with the doors and windows open, and I can pile on the sunscreen, throw on my hat and walk until I want to come in rather than having to come in because my eyes are tearing, my nose is running and my face and everything running down it is frozen solid!

If you made some changes....healthy eating, working out or other changes for the New Year...how are you doing? Need a Chee Hoo or some encouragement? I'm here for you. :)

Bye Bye Summer Hours

Today was the last day of summer hours.....no, I'm really not sad. Believe me, I LOVE getting off at noon on Friday, but in all honesty, after a few weeks of it....I've had enough.

See, I work for a school district, which means our salaries are paid by tax dollars. So where most people just get off early on Friday, we have to work those extra hours during the week in order to leave early on Friday. I normally start at 7:30 a.m. and it takes me 45 minutes to get to work. For summer hours, I start at 7:00 a.m. meaning I have to leave my house at 6:15 a.m.

First thing I do as I am waking up is to check my 3 e-mails, my blog, my 2 etsy shops and pop in to say Good Morning on Facebook. Then I have to walk the dog one mile. Next, I have to get cleaned up, dressed, make up on and hair done. After that I need to make a healthy lunch and pack up lots of healthy little snacks since I am one of those people that have to be eating every hour or so. Then I can go to work. As you can see, if I get up at 5:00 a.m. and even spend an extra minute on anything....I won't be there by 7:00 a.m.

Did I happen to mention that I don't like to rush? I like calm and peaceful starts to my day. I like music playing as I waltz through my morning routine.

I actually have a plan in place for next week. I AM going to pack up as much of my lunch as I can the night before. I am NOT going to turn the computer on in the morning unless everything else is done. I AM going to work out instead. HAHAHA!! Wish me luck!

Are your mornings calm and peaceful? Just curious.

Off the Wagon AGAIN

Okay, so I fell of the wagon AGAIN! I cannot stop eating crappy food. I know how bad it is for me. I know how many calories it all has in it. I know the fat content of what I eat. I know it's clogging my arteries. I know it's going to make me gain weight. I know. I know. I know!

But I can't seem to stop. I am out of control.

I have had a chai latte from Starbucks 10 times in the past 2 weeks. Not only is that a lot of calories I don't need, at $3.22 each, that is way too much money to be spending on junk food!

Every Friday, in fact last week it was Thursday AND Friday, and this week it was Friday AND today......it's an egg and cheese croissant from Dunkin' Donuts.

Last night it was a mushroom swiss black bean burger from Chilis and of course I had to get the Paradise Pie for dessert. That Paradise Pie is on the top ten list of the worst things you can eat. Doesn't it look just awesome though....and you should taste it...oh my word!!!!


What on earth is up? I never use to eat like this. I am just craving crap food right now, and have been for quite a while. This just isn't me and it isn't who I want to be.

So, here it is. I need to make a change....and I plan to start on Monday. No point in trying to start today. I still have 1/2 of my Paradise Pie left to eat, and I know I will eat it, and then tomorrow we are going to Michael and Bern's for the afternoon. I know I will eat whatever is put in front of me. Monday will be better. It's just me and the food with no outside influences....sort of.

I am going to try to go cold turkey with the chai lattes. I think that is the only way. To cut down won't help because I live for that chai every morning. If I have it one day....I will have it every day...guaranteed.

I will only bring good food to work...and that isn't hard to do and I usually do that. It's the cake and cookies and crap that other people bring to "share" that I can't keep my hands off of. I will try.

The weekends are sheer hell. I just eat whatever looks good and that has to stop. So, it will.

I am walking the dog one mile every morning...it's hard to do that at 5:30 a.m., but I can do it, and I said I was going to start doing my yoga and pilates after work. I really have to do that, but it is so darn hard to use that precious time for that when I have a million other things to do.

I once followed this awesome plan where you ate good all week and then you had one day where you could seriously eat anything you wanted. It was great and I did so well on it. I might give that a try again rather than deprive myself of every nasty food I love. The funny thing is that when that eat whatever you want day rolls around, you can only eat so much crap without feeling sick so you really don't eat all that much!

So, how do you do it? Do you eat good and exercise? Are you motivated? Do you stick with it or do you start and quit over and over and over again like I do? I am open to any and all suggestions......help?