1. Create a “100 Days to Conquer Clutter Calendar” by penciling in one group of items you plan to declutter every day, for the next 100 days. (Magazines, Books, DVD's, Game Cartridges, etc)
My house has been mostly decluttered. It took 14 days. My garage still needs some work, but I've turned my attention to the cabin. Slowly but surely, one closet at a time, I am being ruthless in my efforts to declutter. I was up there today and came home with a pickup truck bed full of crap for the dump.
2. Follow the advice proffered by positive psychologists and write down 5 to 10 things that you’re grateful for, every day.
On days that I have the energy to blog, I've increased from three things to be thankful for to FIVE things. Maybe you've noticed?
3. Make a list of 20 small things that you enjoy doing, and make sure that you do at least one of these things every day for the next 100 days. Some days, too many lately, I don't do any of these things. I'm in a blue funk.
Twenty things I enjoy doing:
1. Read for fun
2. Take photos
3. Write blog posts
4. Sit in the sun
5. Talk with friends
6. Walk along the beach, river, downtown streets
7. Explore new streets/neighbourhoods
8. Be a tourist
9. Attend seminars/lectures/book signings
10. See a movie/play/concert
11. Facebook chat (with Clint)
12. Play games at the cabin (with Drew and Danica)
13. Attend NA meetings (with Max)
14. Pray
15. Make crafty things with friends
16. Daydream
17. Attend church
18. Hang out in coffee shops, talking
19. Plan holidays or fun days
20. Wander through creative places (craft stores, home decor stores, funky accessories stores, fairs, night markets)
21. Do just about anything with my kids, even if it's at midnight.
22. Spend time in book stores (used or new)
23. Pinning. On pinterest.
4. Keep a log of your mental chatter, both positive and negative, for ten days. (Be as specific as possible: How many times per day do I beat myself up? Do I have feelings of inadequacy? Am I constantly thinking critical thoughts of others? etc) Then, for the next 90 days, begin changing your emotions for the better by modifying your mental chatter.
3. Make a list of 20 small things that you enjoy doing, and make sure that you do at least one of these things every day for the next 100 days. Some days, too many lately, I don't do any of these things. I'm in a blue funk.
Twenty things I enjoy doing:
1. Read for fun
2. Take photos
3. Write blog posts
4. Sit in the sun
5. Talk with friends
6. Walk along the beach, river, downtown streets
7. Explore new streets/neighbourhoods
8. Be a tourist
9. Attend seminars/lectures/book signings
10. See a movie/play/concert
11. Facebook chat (with Clint)
12. Play games at the cabin (with Drew and Danica)
13. Attend NA meetings (with Max)
14. Pray
15. Make crafty things with friends
16. Daydream
17. Attend church
18. Hang out in coffee shops, talking
19. Plan holidays or fun days
20. Wander through creative places (craft stores, home decor stores, funky accessories stores, fairs, night markets)
21. Do just about anything with my kids, even if it's at midnight.
22. Spend time in book stores (used or new)
23. Pinning. On pinterest.
4. Keep a log of your mental chatter, both positive and negative, for ten days. (Be as specific as possible: How many times per day do I beat myself up? Do I have feelings of inadequacy? Am I constantly thinking critical thoughts of others? etc) Then, for the next 90 days, begin changing your emotions for the better by modifying your mental chatter.
My mental chatter was upbeat for most of June, but by the end of the month, it was too exhausting to be positive. Maybe it's the rain?
5. Choose a book that requires effort and concentration and read a little of it every day, so that you read it from cover to cover in 100 days.
6. Make it a point to learn at least one new thing each day: the name of a flower that grows in your garden, the capital of a far-off country, or the name of a piece of classical music you hear playing in your favorite clothing boutique as you shop. If it’s time for bed and you can’t identify anything you’ve learned that day, take out your dictionary and learn a new word.
5. Choose a book that requires effort and concentration and read a little of it every day, so that you read it from cover to cover in 100 days.
That Boenhoffer biography? I will start it tomorrow.
6. Make it a point to learn at least one new thing each day: the name of a flower that grows in your garden, the capital of a far-off country, or the name of a piece of classical music you hear playing in your favorite clothing boutique as you shop. If it’s time for bed and you can’t identify anything you’ve learned that day, take out your dictionary and learn a new word.
I haven't been very intentional in this, but I HAVE been learning alot about diamonds, used car salesmen, late night faxing options in Langley, and insurance claims. As soon as this is all settled, maybe I'll be intentional regarding learning something this summer.
7. For the next 100 days, keep Morning Pages, which is a tool suggested by Julia Cameron. Morning Pages are simply three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning.
7. For the next 100 days, keep Morning Pages, which is a tool suggested by Julia Cameron. Morning Pages are simply three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning.
Sadly, this is just not happening.
8. Create a spending plan (also known as a budget). Track every cent that you spend for the next 100 days to make sure that you’re sticking to your spending plan. Plan? Budget? I've been on a spending spree ...
8. Create a spending plan (also known as a budget). Track every cent that you spend for the next 100 days to make sure that you’re sticking to your spending plan. Plan? Budget? I've been on a spending spree ...
Once this is all settled, I'll get serious about not spending money.
9. Set an hour aside every day for the next 100 days to devote to creating one source of passive income.
9. Set an hour aside every day for the next 100 days to devote to creating one source of passive income.
Passive income. I still need to do this. Starting soonish.
10. For the next 100 days, take a notebook with you everywhere in order to keep your mind decluttered. Record everything, so that it’s safely stored in one place—out of your head—where you can decide what to do with it later. Include things such as the following: (blog ideas, grocery lists, appointment and meeting dates, to do list items)
I love this so much I now how 3 notebooks on the go.
11. Identify one low-priority activity which you can stop doing for the next 100 days, and devote that time to a high priority task instead.
11. Identify one low-priority activity which you can stop doing for the next 100 days, and devote that time to a high priority task instead.
Starting today? No more Wheel of Fortune.
12. For the next 100 days, plan your day the night before.
12. For the next 100 days, plan your day the night before.
This has been helpful.
13. For the next 100 days, do the most important thing on your To-Do list first, before you do anything else.
13. For the next 100 days, do the most important thing on your To-Do list first, before you do anything else.
Sometimes it's hard to know what exactly the most important thing is, but in the end, the important things are mostly getting done in a somewhat timely matter.
14. For the next 100 days, eat five servings of vegetables every day.
14. For the next 100 days, eat five servings of vegetables every day.
yeah, as expected, this is definitely not happening.
15. For the next 100 days, eat three servings of fruit of every day.
15. For the next 100 days, eat three servings of fruit of every day.
This? Is happening. YAY. I am drinking them, but still. It counts.
16. For the next 100 days, get at least twenty minutes of daily exercise.
16. For the next 100 days, get at least twenty minutes of daily exercise.
I've been counting the half hour I push dad around the Lodge as exercise.
And I downloaded this - which I might do.
17. Connect with someone new every day for the next 100 days, whether it’s by greeting a neighbor you’ve never spoken to before, following someone new on Twitter, leaving a comment on a blog you’ve never commented on before, and so on.
As anticipated, the new people I'm meeting are dad's caregivers and neighbours. Sigh.
But I am 'meeting' new folks on pinterest.
And instagram.
18. For the next 100 days do one kind deed for someone every day, however small, even if it’s just sending a silent blessing their way.
Do I need to be more intentional with this? I'm kinda assuming I MUST do a kind deed a day (what kind of person would I be if I didn't?) but maybe I should keep track to make sure?
19. For the next 100 days, make it a point to give praise and approval to those who deserve it.
19. For the next 100 days, make it a point to give praise and approval to those who deserve it.
Again, I hope I am. I guess I should make a point to be more vocal. Another notebook? With a tally of who I said words of affirmation to?
20. For the next 100 days, pray for a different country and read from The Bible in One Year.
20. For the next 100 days, pray for a different country and read from The Bible in One Year.
How honest do I have to be here?
I'm better at the THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR than the praying for a different country... but still. WHY CAN'T THIS JUST BE HABIT WITH ME?
Have you challenged yourself to "do" something this summer? How're you doing?
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Just finished this book, which was highly recommended by just about everyone who's ever read it:
He won a Pulitzer Prize for it, and it WAS entertaining, gripping, fascinating and memorable. This is how it starts:
“I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. It rained all day long at Cultus. Which was a very good thing. I was there, with Grace, to clean. And clean we did. With not even one moment of wishing we could sit outside.
2. Kevin and Sharon were at the cabin last weekend, weeding the gardens. I finally saw how thoroughly they ripped out invasive plant life that shouldn't have been thriving. It looks awesome. THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU.
3. I am thankful that all three boys are employed this summer. I've never experienced this before...
4. I am thankful for the friends who are keeping in touch during this weird season in my life.
5. I am thankful that I can pray. And that I can pray to a God who listens. I am thankful that His will will be done. I am thankful that He is in the business of making us all Holy. I am thankful that He who began a good work in us, will continue until that day...
Shalom,
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