Post: #41

Yeah, I may have to start making notes anytime an idea strikes me. I think that would be a great idea. I do have a whole bunch of notecards and notebooks laying around my house because they are something I adore anyway. So must make a plan of doing so. Hopefully the idea will come back soon and I can use it then. In the meantime, I have other things going on.

Post: #42

Hey, Moira. I want to thank you for introducing me to 750words.com.

I've known about it since you first mentioned it a couple months ago but I never actually typed out 750 words until tonight. I didn't know it gives you all those usage statistics after you are done writing. That's an awesome feature. If there are people who have not used the site yet, it analyzes what mindset you where in, where your focus was, your most used words, and a few other things. I love it! I'm definitely going to be making it a daily habit to use the site.

Post: #43

It is part of my daily routine in the morning and I love it because I can start the day with a clear head. I would imagine it's also pretty good for use right before bed for the same reason. But whatever time of day you decide to add it to your routine, I hope you come to enjoy it as much as I have! I love the statistics and there is also a way for you to use it to store metadata. That's pretty awesome too. If you want to keep track of things like how much sleep or coffee or whatever effect your mood, you just have to enter it in every day and it will make the graph for you! There is a section about it under Eternity and your subconscious.

Post: #44

I love 750 words too! Sometimes it feels like a real drag to manage all the words, but those days also seem to be the most revealing. I tend to use it last thing at night to get the day out of my system. The subconscious section is creepily accurate...

I try really hard not to fail. Sometimes this is unavoidable. If I do fail, at least I will learn something useful.

Post: #45

I used to use it last thing in the day but sometimes I would forget and then end up prying myself out of bed at the last minute to make sure I didn't lose my streak! Haha! So now I do it first thing in the morning to clear my mind for the day ahead of me and jot down any ideas about what I should be moving forward thinking about the coming day. I do a lot of brainstorming about what I want of my life and doing it in the morning helps me to make conscious choices during the day that might align with those long term goals.

But either way, I think it is good for people which is why I keep promoting it shamelessly here. I find it to be a valuable tool in my self evaluation and figuring out where to put my energy.

Post: #46

I've heard about 750 Words before, but I've never really looked into it or thought about using it...now you're all making me think that maybe it's something I should incorporate into my morning routine!

Looking at the page, the stats, scores and badges sound great! (Ooooooh, and custom metadata! o.O) I'm infinitely motivated by silly little things like that, so it could be good for me. :-) (Speaking of which: epiphany! Why don't I find more ways to incorporate them into my life‽ I think I need to get my own LYBL journal soon to chronicle such revelations!)

(05-03-2011 06:30 AM)Moirawr Wrote:  Yeah, I may have to start making notes anytime an idea strikes me. I think that would be a great idea. I do have a whole bunch of notecards and notebooks laying around my house because they are something I adore anyway. So must make a plan of doing so. Hopefully the idea will come back soon and I can use it then. In the meantime, I have other things going on.

I don't know if you're a technology sort of person, but I've found recently that I'm so much better at making notes (ahem, "ubiquitous capture", if you want to use the jargon) when I'm using my iPod touch. Have you considered using a phone or something similar (that you probably already carry around everywhere) rather than a notebook?

Post: #47

Kaitlin! You should definitely start a LYBL journal. I have found so much motivation and encouragement from posting here and having others respond and cheer me on! I am glad you poked around 750 words and are considering using it. I wouldn't, ahem, recommend it so hardcore if it wasn't something that bought my own life a lot more clarity. I am exceedingly thankful it exists and that I have managed to make it part of my daily routine. (I'm ten days away from my 200 day badge and less than 50k words from my double flock badge!)

As to your suggestion, I have recently downgraded my phone because I was exceedingly tired of having a set that could do so many things but was not particularly good at any of them. The calls were not clear, the music was hallow, etc. There was no point in it. I am sure that even in my basic phone there is an option for entering notes but I'd imagine it probably isn't all that easy to use. I think I might be better off sticking with a small notebook as I always have a pen on me anyway. Though one day I hope to invest in a Kindle and possibly a netbook and I think the former has note taking abilities and that could be awesome.

Post: #48

I figured I needed to do an update. The last couple of weeks have been hard on me and I've been barely sticking to my morning routine most days because my work schedule has gotten all sorts of crazy. I work until 11pm one night and then have to be back at 6am the next day, essentially only spending 6 hours at home between my shifts. That example is true and some others that I won't even bother about complaining about. I, for the most part, enjoy my job but this is crazy and it definitely needs to change. I think I could get away with blacking out any shifts past 8pm and I think I will speak with the HR manager and make it so. It has been hard to pull myself out of bed at the normal 4am and get myself to do my morning yoga.

I will admit, I have not done any yoga in well over a week. And I do not feel good about it. I feel more lethargic and cranky and I am not sure if that has more to do with the crazy hours and lack of sleep followed by trying to make up for that lack the next day, or if it has to do with my disappointment in myself in not keeping up my morning routine. Many times this week I have done my daily writing in the evenings (tonight included!) At least I have done them and I haven't missed out on any of my badges, especially as I am drawing close to my 200 day mark for daily writing.

I do not feel good about it, but this coming week looks to be a lot better schedule-wise and I hope to get my note into the system this week about not wanting to be there so late in the evenings anymore. Tomorrow, I fully intend on prying myself out of bed and making myself do my yoga and writing first thing again.

I will let you know how that goes.

I have also found that after the fruit and vegetable cleanse, my body had grown accustomed to eating larger quantities of food and I still haven't managed to shake that off completely. I am always hungry, even after larger meals. This was not my intention but I don't think it was a good thing. Like I said in many threads, next time I really need to do the proper water only fast.

Post: #49

Hi Moira
I'm so sorry to hear about the past 2 weeks!! That sounds awful. I am glad that this week is looking up in terms of your schedule. Where do you work if you don't mind me asking?
On the other hand, GREAT JOB on coming close to your 200 day mark! That's a huge achievement-over half a year! Do you feel like this experience has benefited you?

Post: #50

Hi Moira, I like the way you have written your goals as short term and long term.

I write at 750words.com too. But I must admit, I am more tempted by the stats, scores and badges it provides I find it to be interesting and sometimes stress relieving too.

Good luck for the goals. Have a nice week

EDIT: Oh, I missed your latest post above. I am sorry to hear that the last couple of weeks have been hard on you. But its nice to know that the coming week is better schedule wise and I hope you have a great week ahead.

I have tried the fasting thing sometime in the past and ended up eating more after the fasting period. Now I stay away from fasting. It doesn't suit me.

Post: #51

Thanks for your support everyone. I got up this morning and did my yoga followed directly by my writing and I definitely feel better about myself having done that. I had intended on doing some meditation when I got home from work but that did not happen. Oh well, Rome wasn't built in a day. I did get to spend some nice time with my boyfriend after work so that was lovely.

Hannah, I currently work in the cash office at a huge retail chain. Basically, I spend my days counting lots of money that isn't mine. I could name names but I would rather not just in case I ever say something negative about my job, it won't be traced to me here. I highly doubt that; other than the fact they really ought to give me a raise, I like my job. But it's a safety thing.

Thanks for your congratulations on my 200 days writing, though I am not quite there. I think I am at 193 or something like that. Just another week, though. I don't expect that I will suddenly miss a day now that I have dragged myself through that long. I think it's a properly ingrained habit, even if some days I decide not to do it first thing in the morning.

I would like to try at least one of the longer fasts and see how well it suits me. I have only done a handful of 3-5 day fasts in the past. If it doesn't suit me, I probably won't try it again but I am hoping for the same emotional and mental reaction that Celes had towards her relationship with food. I am hoping that an extended fast will teach me that I do not need as much food as I think I do to live a healthy lifestyle. But it could not be for me as well, but I won't know until I try.

Post: #52

Hi Moira, I'm sorry about the hard time you are having at work these past couple weeks. It's hard to keep focussed on goals in such situations.

Congratulations on your writing. It's great you managed to stick to your plans in respect of that.

Post: #53

Thank you, Ish!

I am happy to update that I have gotten up and done my yoga first thing in the morning every day since I made that post; tomorrow will be day four since I re-started. I hope that this time I can make it stick and not find some silly excuse to skip it. I will be working on that.

Still have not managed to get to that meditation straight from work though. I think it would be beneficial to my state of mind but haven't managed to put it in practice at all.

Post: #54

Moira, I think you're doing really well. Being able to stick to any kind of routine can be tough. Just the fact that you're posting about it here shows how determined you are. That alone can easily be inspiring enough for the rest of us here.

Glenn Thomas - Sydney, Australia
Avene Website | Personal Website | Facebook Page | Twitter

Post: #55

Thank you, Glenn!

I have to say that I am seriously considering making another live your best life journal like Hannah did, with better laid plans than I posted in this one and daily accountability on certain things I want to form into habits. I will have to see though, because I am quite busy taking my boyfriend and nephew to the aquarium and zoo today and I want it to be a well thought out post. More thought out than this original one was.

Also, I did my yoga first thing this morning with my 2 year old nephew watching quite intently. I am not sure he understood what was going on but judging by the random downward dogs he was doing, it must have looked fun!

Oh, and quick edit: I found a great deal on a month of Bikram Yoga classes so I went ahead and purchased that today and I look forward to using them! I have never done yoga in a class setting, nor tried hot yoga so this should be interesting.

Post: #56

(05-19-2011 03:06 AM)Moirawr Wrote:  I have to say that I am seriously considering making another live your best life journal like Hannah did, with better laid plans than I posted in this one and daily accountability on certain things I want to form into habits.

Moira, that sounds like a great idea! Sometimes a fresh start is really all you need and will help make your goals clearer. I am looking forwards to your post!
I have never done yoga in a class setting before either, I think I should definitely try it. I LOVE exercise lead by an instructor, I find them very fun and it's nice being with others rather than by yourself in front the the TV. Tell us how it goes!

Post: #57

For some reason my sister sent me the horrible pictures of me to my e-mail, and hopefully I will get to add the rest of the photos later! But here is my Photobucket folder with the zoo pictures. Some of the polar bear ones would probably make lovely wallpapers.

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z145/...oo%20Trip/

Post: #58

(05-20-2011 11:39 AM)Moirawr Wrote:  For some reason my sister sent me the horrible pictures of me to my e-mail, and hopefully I will get to add the rest of the photos later! But here is my Photobucket folder with the zoo pictures. Some of the polar bear ones would probably make lovely wallpapers.

http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z145/...oo%20Trip/

Awww those bears are so cute! And you look really great, I wish there were more pics of you!

"Everything you can imagine is real." - Pablo Picasso
Welcome to Stacey Dream's World | Follow Stacey Dream on twitter!

Post: #59

I am considering doing some glamour shots later today. We have a portrait studio at work so the ladies there always bug me when they have glamour specials, which they happen to today.

Post: #60

And I finally got all of the zoo pictures uploaded together on my photobucket link above, if anyone is interested in seeing the rest of them.