SHOOT! I seriously meant to post this yesterday. Well this is my challenge and I make the rules so I’m going to count it anyway and continue on by posting TWICE today…ugh
*****Quick side note: I got distracted by other people’s drama. This is something I really want to explore more within myself. Why do I take on others’ energy so readily and completely neglect to protect mine?*****
As I’ve mentioned before, I am working toward creating a podcast in 2020. It’s been about a year now that I’ve been dreaming about this and about 6 solid months of research, creative brainstorming, and figuring out logistics.
With the help of my super supportive husband (for real – I’m so grateful to have him), between Christmas and my birthday, I was able to acquire nearly everything I need to get started! I have one mic but that’s totally OK to begin with. I’m missing the arm to keep it stable and I still have to decide what type of recording and editing software I want to use but I AM PUMPED. He got me an audio interface so I can now use my old laptop (a gift from him several years ago but it’s still going strong!) to connect to the really nice mic he gave me for Christmas. He even made sure I have a pop filter!!
I am very focused on this project I’ve created for myself. I have a concept (which honestly took me a while to figure out) and a tentative title (curse my indecisiveness). I’ve also created a list of at least 30 people who I’d love to interview and who I am also fairly confident would be interested in being on my show.
I am going to start my marketing plan and create an official timeline for recording, editing, and publishing my content. Along with the podcast, I will continue to write on my blog but I think ultimately I’m going to want separate the two since I’d want a dedicated blog for the podcast content.
It’s still super early in the year (Day 2) but I am riding that new year wave and I’m optimistic!
How are you with your 2020 goals so far? Do you have an action plan? Are you feeling excited, or stuck?
“Be thankful for every new day.” – my 2019 planner. I don’t enjoy being bound by a schedule but I’m realizing sometimes it just makes everything easier. Here’s to more pages being filled out for 2020!
If you read, “30 Day Challenge – Day 14” you know it’s been two days since I wrote about creating a new morning routine. Honestly, I’m off to a slow start. HOWEVER, everything I have read about forging new habits strongly suggests crawling before you can walk.
For both accountability and so I can give you a clearer idea of how this is going for me, I am going to outline the morning I would like to have and how it’s going so far.
Wake up by 6:30AM (don’t laugh at me, I don’t work until 11AM most days so this is early for me and another reason I struggle to wake up early since I don’t technically have to wake up early.)
By 6:45AM DRINK WATER (apparently if you drink water as soon as you wake up it’s really good for your body and could even support a healthier metabolism) *Around this time my husband would also take our pit bull Jayda out for her first walk*
BY 7:15AM eat breakfast with some coffee/more water (I never really eat breakfast but I would like to get back into the habit of eating 3 meals a day)
BY 7:45AM pack lunch & coffee for work (trying to SAVE MONEY and eat healthier)
BY 8:00AM Meditate/Read/Write/Stretch/Listen to a Podcast (I never make time for any of these healthy habits and I’d really like for it to become a part of my morning routine)
On Days I go to the gym:
BY 8:30AM feed my pit bull Jayda & get ready for gym to head out the door (this would give me enough time to get dressed and out the door and not have to RUSH to make it to class on time)
BY 9AM WORK OUT (I am currently a member of OrangeTheory and they have 9AM classes most week days at the location near me)
By 10:20AM SHOWER QUICKLY at home (has to be less than 10 mins so I can have time to get dressed and walk my pit bull Jayda!)
BY 10:30AM get dressed for work and give Jayda her second walk before I have to leave for work! (My husband works a more typical 9-5 schedule so he walks her when we wake up and then I walk her before I have to be at work at 11AM. This way it’s not crazy long between walks and I can walk her after she eats her breakfast)
BY 11AM be at work!!!!!! (I really struggle with this since I usually don’t leave myself much time to get to work which is ~15 mins away)
On Days I DON’T go to the gym:
BY 8:30 feed my pit bull Jayda & shower (without the gym I can take more time in the shower but ideally keep it under 20 mins)
BY 9AM work on a home project (laundry, dishes, straightening up around the house, prepping for dinner, misc errands or projects, etc)
BY 10AM get ready for work (this would make sure I’m not only on time but early to work!)
By 10:15AM give Jayda her second walk (she’s really efficient with her bathroom breaks so it’s pretty easy to keep this schedule)
BY 10:30AM leave for work! (Yay to being EARLY instead of late)
BY 10:45AM be at work (This would literally make me feel like a champion haha)
OKAY so, how successful am I so far? Well considering (except for walking Jayda) I have been doing none of these things consistently or timely, I’d say I should give myself some credit.
To start – I never wake up early. Or rather, I wake up early to help my husband get ready for work and then I go back to sleep because I’m tired. However, I know if I just push through it I could stay awake so that’s going to be my biggest challenge.
I do always make sure Jayda is fed and goes for her second walk but I don’t always give myself time to do any of the things I should be doing for myself. Quite honestly my current routine is:
Wake up some time between 6AM and 6:30AM to help my husband get ready for work and then go back to sleep
Wake up between 10AM and 10:30AM to feed and walk Jayda (sometimes I feed her before I go back to sleep…but yeah)
Frantically rush to get ready and leave at practically 11AM
Get to work sometime between 11:10AM and 11:30AM nearly every day
Yikes is right.
So baby steps. I’m packing my lunch and bringing coffee to work! That’s about it though.
I think before I can push myself to do ALL of the items on my morning routine, if I can at least get up earlier and stay awake that would really help get me closer to achieving the entire morning routine (heck I’d be happy with even half of the routine!)
Stay tuned to see how I am doing and look out for more ideas on how to start new healthy habits or to break unhealthy ones (I’m trying to do both with this routine so I’ve got so much more to share with you!)
Do you have healthy habits you are trying to start or unhealthy habits you are trying to break? How are you approaching your goals? Have you found anything in particular that has worked for you? If you’ve succeeded already, do you have any tips for maintaining?
I missed a day; it was bound to happen. I have a hard time writing when other people are in the room and so yesterday ended up being a bust.
Instead of giving up I’m going to keep moving forward. I want to give up though, of course.
I should really carve out time each day to write but I don’t. I write frantically in moments of solitude at the most random and often inconvenient times.
I think it’s important that I recognize writing must be a lifestyle if I want to succeed. I can’t be ashamed of writing. If I want the respect of others I have to respect myself and make writing a priority by making time to write. That’s part of this challenge – not being afraid to prioritize writing and working on my goals.
I’ve heard in order to truly move forward I must forgive myself for my stumble and learn from it.
Do you ever feel that urge to just give up when things don’t seem to go right? How do you overcome it? Do you have a hard time completing projects?
I’ve recently started to appreciate tea more. ✨ I enjoy a nice chamomile and when I’m feeling stressed it’s always great to throw in some lavender 🥰
I am exactly 1 week into my challenge and am already starting to feel impatient.
I have to remember that drastic change will take time.
Small victories are that I’ve been keeping up with classes and have been eating more mindfully.
I’m still struggling with eating healthy, though. Temptation is everywhere and this weekend something totally unexpected happened.
THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES WON THE SUPERBOWL!
Yup. It’s been a long standing joke that the team just always seemed to choke. Did hard fans always knew they’d do it one day of course, but most people scoffed at it.
Why? Because time and time again the Eagles would look super promising, they’d make it really far, and then as if in fear of actually achieving what they set out to do, they’d self sabotage in some way – sometimes with spectacular drama, other times just fizzling out like a cheap sparkler. Not quite making it to the end.
This story doesn’t really sound all that unfamiliar, does it? This cycle of trying and burning bright and looking so promising and then – womp. A whole lotta’ nothing.
What is it that allows me to accept this fate? Why don’t I fight harder? Why don’t I really look at what it is that keeps me from completing something or reaching my goals?
The Eagles may not be everyone’s favorite sports team but one thing they’ve done in a time where we all can often feel so defeated – stop and reflect and dig deep. What isn’t working? CHANGE IT. And then take what’s yours. Don’t stop until you get it and don’t let any of the haters make you feel foolish for knowing it belongs to you.
I may not have been perfect last night, but I tried. And I know I deserve what I’m going after so I won’t give up. As my mom points out, today is a new day and we can’t forget that.
Observations, information and hopefully inspiration.
Emily's Esoterica 