Challenges

For the past eight day's I have been participating in the 30 Day Push Challenge. It's something I heard about on the weight watchers message boards and something that caught my attention to help me towards my goal of becoming more organized.

The challenge is 30 days long (obviously) and only takes 5-10 minutes a day. Perfect!

It's really getting me thinking too. About things I want. I focus a lot of my time and energy on the things I think I should want in order to be portrayed in a certain way. Well, if I want to spend an hour crocheting a scarf, then I shouldn't feel guilty about that because it makes me happy.

Here is what I have so far for the past eight days. I highly encourage anyone even remotely interested to sign up. It's been a step in a positive direction for me and I would assume for the majority of people who have tried it. Please note that the assignment for each day is not exactly what she says word for word. It is what I've written down for myself.

Day 1: What are your values? What's most important to you?
A: 1. My family: husband, children, parents, siblings (including in-laws).
2. My health: nutrition and exercise, especially running.
3. My finances: getting out of debt and building up savings.
4. My career: appreciating and enjoying the job I have while finding what I'm passionate for.

Day 2: What is meaningful to you? List three ultimate priorities:
A: 1. My number one priority is to spend more quality time with my family by making the time to be present and by being patient in our day-to-day life while also planning special dates for one-on-one time.
2. My number two priority is to pay off debt in order to build up savings so that we can afford certain things we want and not just need.
3. My number three priority is to spend more time focusing on hobbies which bring me happiness because I deserve to enjoy things that make me happy without feeling guilty about it.

Day 3: Create a list of ten goals that if they happened within a year it would be absolutely amazing. Decide which goal is your "push goal." Your push goal is the goal that makes many (if not all) of your remaining goals possible. Repeat making this list once a week.
A: 1. Get out of debt
2. Build up personal savings
3. Build  up all other savings
4. Complete a marathon in under 6 hours
5. Read 24+ books
6. Take a cake decorating class
7. Ask for a raise and prove I deserve it
8. Organize photos into albums
9. Become organized at home and stay that way
10. Start selling scarves

Day 4: What is your push goal? Brain storm about it.
A: Push goal- get out of debt. Getting out of debt will make so many other things possible. I will have more money for savings and I won't feel guilty buying certain things every once in a while. I'm sure I'll feel like a weight has been lifted. My plan is to pay $50 toward each credit card until one is paid off. Then I'll pay $100 toward the next lowest amount and $50 on the others, and so on until they're paid.

Day 5: Important person promise.
A: 1. List the person this goal affects the most: Patrick
2. Write down the name of someone who's opinion matters to you: My mom
3. Tell both of these people your goal.

Day 6: The Carefully Crafted and Diligently Maintained To-Do List.
A: 1. Make your to-do list at the same time every day.
2. Make your to-do list in the same place every day.
3. Keep your list with you at all times.
4. Add two or three small steps that will move you forward on your list every day.
5. Review and revisit the list.

Day 7: "I am creating my daily to-do list every day at 8 am. I am keeping it in the same place and it is with me at all times in the form of a notebook. I rock! This is my year! I will accomplish every one of my goals this year!"

Engineering your to-do list: Push goal, every pending project, family members, events, health/fitness, shopping, home maintenance, car maintenance, finances, commitments, public service, faith, career, hobbies, beauty, vacation, technology, habits/self development.

Circle items that need to be done this week (blue), star items that need to be done today (need to, not want to) (green), all other items need to be done "soon" (black).

1. Deposit check
2. Transfer money to kids savings
3. Wrap Madison's present
4. Madison's birthday party
5. Get dad's birthday present
6. Sign retirement card
7. Go to Valley Produce Market
8. Pick up living room
9. Organize cupcake cabinet
10. Label spices
11. Start laundry
12. Vacuum car
13. Get plants for patio
14. Make scarves
15. Clean bathrooms

Today is day 8 and I left my headphones at home so I haven't watched the video yet. I plan on doing this tonight. I made my to-do list, but I believe there is something else I need to do with it, so I'll be posting about day 8 tonight.

I also signed up for another "challenge." This one is a Happier at Home 21 Day Relationship Challenge.

Today was day one and both Patrick and I received our email this morning. Day one: Kiss in the morning, Kiss at night.

May seem silly, but it was really nice to have Patrick kiss me good bye this morning, even if he did follow it by "I completed half of our homework.." Like it was a chore or something he had to do.

It's not something we're always able to do because most days we have opposite schedules. But it is something I can commit to doing. I can kiss his cheek before I leave for work in the morning (even if it wakes him up- my excuse for not doing it) and I can definitely kiss him good night. I'm awake anyways.

It's something so simple and yet it's something I don't do too often. As Gretchin said in her email "Couples feel more connected if they kiss and touch frequently; research establishes that kissing boosts feelings of intimacy, eases stress, and encourages bonding."

Bring it on!