Spring Intentionality List Update
It's time for a Spring Intentionality List Update! Let's see how I've done.
Good For the Body:
👌 Work on movement: stretching and flexibility...we workout 4-6 days a week but I want to work on the other two things above.
I did okay with this. I really didn't work out a lot. A long story short, I went 8 weeks starting in January with no menstrual cycle, THEN in March I started and literally had a period for 4 weeks straight with two of them being horrifically heavy. With that came very little energy , so I didn't really want to push myself to exercise. I just listened to my body.
I've gotten back into working out and my cycle seems to have leveled out. Still not where I'd like to be, but I have been trying to be more conscious. I workout once a week with a group of ladies and the leader, a friend of mine, is great about taking time to stretch.
👍 Continue the goal of losing weight. I put on some weight in the last few months so more focus on exercise and eating well.
Well, along with the reason for the first goal, no, I haven't lost weight, in fact I have put on about 7 pounds much to my dismay, BUT am trying to give myself grace. Hoping that now that my cycle has ended (who knows for how long) and I'm taking a few things to help my iron levels I will get back at it. So while a thumbs down, I'm blaming Peri- menopause. It sucks.
I'll give this a thumbs up becase last update I had said I gained about 7 pounds, and I have been able to get most of those off and back in a routine of exercising regularly and eating intentionally.
👌 Less coffee, more smoothies, tea and Arbonne Fizz for energy
Doing better, but of course I was more tired lately so resorted to more coffee even though I'm convinced it doesn't perk me up, I guess it's just a comfort thing for me. I have been enjoying some iced Nettle Leaf tea that my Naturapath recommended. I finally found some at one of our local markets the other day.
Still an Ok on this one....though I've been doing more of the Arbonne Fizz, and I LOVE their Mind Health and Skin Elixer. I mix them all together and it tastes so good. Still probably drinking too much coffee, but we'll keep working on it. If it's cold out or I'm feeling chilly, I'm less likely to want a smoothie. Sometimes I'll do just protein powder shaken together with som almond milk. Not really a smoothie but a good protein drink.
👎 Purchase a fitness watch and maybe do some virtual races, or at least set a goal of how many miles I'd like to walk in a certain amount of time.
I haven't done this yet, but still plan to. I've had some recommendations so I just need to decide.
My daughters bought me a fitness watch for Mothers Day. Boy I discovered I don't get as many steps as I'd like to get. I'm on my feet all day, but it's not always moving so my steps by the end of the night can range from 4500-barely 6,000. I know it wouldn't take much to reach the 10,000, but sometimes by the time I get home from work, I'm just DONE. I'm going to look into some virtual races, or maybe I'll just set some goals for myself and if I accomplish them, reward myself.
Good For the Soul:
👍Back on track with reading. I've slacked off.
I have been reading more again. For my book club and I just ordered a book called The Wisdom of Menopause, and a journal to go with it. It should be here tomorrow. I got a sample downloaded to my kindle and really enjoyed it.
Thumbs up still on this one. Finished my book for our book club. I haven't read the Wisdom of Menopause book yet...it's REALLY big and long so I think I'm going to just look at the chapters that seem to apply most to me. I'm reading the books Greenlights and Everything is Spiritual, hoping I can finish those this next week.
I'm waiting on a book I ordered on Amazon written by an Italian gal I follow on IG, called The Sweetness of Doing Nothing. I'm anticipating it's arrival. I also am reading a book called Becoming America's Food Stories by Antoinette Truglio Martin who I found while participating in the Weekend Coffee Share links.
👌 Listen to uplifting podcasts/IG stories, etc. for growth, encouragement and fun
I've been doing a bit better at this...Some days it's hard to sit and listen...lol. And I've got a great library of Podcasts I just never seem to hit play.
I've listened to a few. I'd like to get in a habit of listening to one a day. If I had bluetooth in my car I probably would be able to do that more. I suppose I could listen before work. I did that this morning.
👎 Spend time being "quiet" and "listening": Just being still, not feeling like I always have to go, go, go
No....why is this so stinkin' hard. However, I will say the weather is nicer, days are longer so I'm sitting on the porch more, going for short walks once in awhile.
I think I just need to rethink this...maybe it doesn't mean sitting in literal silence, waiting for something to pop in my head or a voice out of nowhere...lol. Maybe it's just not talking and listening to the conversations around me. Or being inspired by a photo or something I just read or heard. For example, as I write this, my IG is up on my phone and my friend who lives in California just posted a beautiful vidoe of her walk by the ocean with her dog...the waves sound amazing. peaceful...what does this speak to me? Maybe that's how I need to approach this goal.
👍Write more. Whether it's blog posts or other type of writing...journal, poem, haiku, letter...just write.
I've been doing better with blogging. I've joined a couple different challenges/threads, whatever they're called and that has been fun. They are:
1)Weekend Coffee Share hosted by natalie at Natalie the Explorer
2) Sunday Stills Photography challenge hosted by Terrie at Second Wind Leisure.
3) Writers Quote Wednesdays hosted by Marsha at Always Writes
4) And then I've enjoyed the 10 on the 10th series and these Bucket list ones that Leslie hosts. I'd love to do the Sentence a Day but just haven't gotten to that one yet. Maybe May?
I've been doing great with this. I've had fun with these challenges. I joined one more called Wednesday Hodgepodge.
These have all been a lot of fun to participate in. For several years I participated in Write 31 Days.I enjoyed it and have been thinking of trying to blog a variety of "series". Not necessarily posting everyday, but choosing a topic and posting on that topic for a month. We'll see.
Good For the Heart:
👌Update some decor items around the house. Refresh
Not really. Nope, hasn't happened.
I have done a little bit. Right now I' starting to paint a dresser that I'll hopefully use to store games in.
👎 Do Some crafting.
Another big nope.
Still a nope.
👎 Find places in our own backyard to explore
Nope. Partly because of time and partly because I wasn't feeling my best and honestly didn't want to be far from bathrooms...just keeping it real, sorry if it's TMI.
Not really. We were going to go hiking last Sunday but the weather was terrible.
👎 Organize photos and get some prints made to hang up.
A definite no. Did nothing but add more photos to my poor phone and computer..haha.
Nope, still haven't done it. Ha! I need to get busy with this.
Good for the Mind:
👌 Learn something new: Whether it's bettering my photography or something else
Not yet! Though I have played off and on with creating Haikus on a few posts, that's been fun.
I am painting a dresser, and that's something I haven't done so I would count that as learning.
👍 Continue working on my Spanish with Duolingo:
I have been working on it. Not as often as I'd like but I have been trying to do it several times a week. I've even added Italian to it because I'd love to learn.
Still doing good with this.
👎Hone some VA skills: I want to watch some videos, etc. to get better at what I do.
Unfortunately no. I can't seem to find the extra time to sit and really make it beneficial...as in, being able to commit a good amount of time and focus to it.
Not really. Ugghh...I've watched a few short TikTok videos on some things but that's about it.
Just Good:
👍 Try some new recipes: I love making new things, and healthier versions of the ones we love.
I have tried several new recipes, unfortunately I haven't taken time to photograph to share here on the blog...plus I rarely create my own recipes...lol.
I tried a new recipe for Instant Pot Crack Chicken and it was really good!!! I might try making angel food cake from scratch tomorrow.
👍 Play games with family: I love playing games, we just don't do it enough.
Yes...we have spent several weekend afternoons playing games. usually hand and foot, but also the Monopoly card game and a game called Yanif.
Yes, we've been going to my inlaws on Sunday afternoons to play cards and that's been fun.
👎 Go on a photo walk. Whether by myself or with others.
No, mostly due to time. I'd love to go to Portland, but there is a lot of unrest in the city and I'm not sure I want to venture there at the moment. I need to look online for some group photo walks.
Nope still haven't done this. The weather hasn't been great. I want to go to the wildlife refuge, but that might be a week or so before I can go.
👎 Buy a few more clothing items.
No, mostly because of the weight gain..so with that said, I did buy two pairs of shorts...they're the same size as I've been, but just fit a bit more comfortably right now.
Nope!
👍 Plan my garden....what will I plant, pull my containers out, buy my soil.
Working on it...bought my soil, and next on the list is to decide what I want to plant and buy some seeds and starts.
Yep. I'm going tomorrow morning to buy a few plants and the seeds, then hopefully plant this weekend. Yay!
I read quite a few "yeses" this time around. Good for you! I like that you are rethinking what being still means to you. I do practice the traditional sit on the cushion meditation, but I also find listening to music or walking in nature to also be meditative. As far as the number of steps you get per day...I'm right there with you. Unless I go for a walk or hike, I'm not getting anywhere near 10,000 steps a day. Good luck in the final month of your spring intentionality list!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Christie. I appreciate it and the encouragement.
DeleteI would say you have made progress on many of the items on your list. And those that you haven't are still attainable. I noticed you hit a milestone on Duolingo. Yay, you!! A few more weeks of walking a little more and you will be back to where you want to be weigh-wise. And then you can clothes shop!! There are lots of pretty things out there for summer. I am spending too much money shopping.
ReplyDeleteListening to podcasts or books when I walk helps me. And getting up for a 20 minute walk in the morning helps. We have been walking with video walks in the living room, too. Leslie Sansone does a bunch of walks. You can get 1000 or 1500 steps in about a 15 minute video walk while supper is cooking.
Would love to have that crack chicken recipe. I don't use my instapot enough and need to get it out more.
Thanks for joining me!! We will get the rest of our activities accomplished in the next month. High five!!
YEs, I like listening to podcasts while I walk. My hubby and I usually work out in the mornings, I'd like to get in a habit of walking in the evenings. I'll email or FB message you a link to the recipe. You could probably do it in a crockpot as well.
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