Goals

Week two and I feel empowered. All my life I've never been great at committing and now by simply joining this challenge group, I've told myself that I can choose and can stay committed. A lifestyle change does not only focus on eating healthy or exercising more, it goes beyond that to mental wellness and positive thinking. Many laugh, and on most occasions so do I, but there really is a thing to the whole "Positive Power" belief. There are months where I have to wake up and consciously tell myself that I am happy and that "today" was going to be a great day. I believe Happiness is a choice. One you have to make till it becomes like muscle memory. "Fake it till you Make it" right?

This week at work I have been spending most of the time trimming large trees. At a glance doesn't seem so very hard, but in reality, it is a workout for the arms. I'm literally holding these pruning shears either above my head or at very odd angles, while trying to cut branches. Some of the branches might as well be small tree trunks! Anyway, point is - by the time I get home I feel as if I've already worked out. Don't confuse this with complaining, I love my job because of this reason. I love being physically active and enjoy the labor. It's the days I have off I dread. As nice as it is to have a whole day free - that's when I tend to waste most of the day and then there is the whole kitchen by my side issue.

However, this week I've really tried to start implementing weekly goals into my schedule. In the past I used to write my goals down on random pieces of paper. At the end of the week it was anyone's good guess where those papers went. So, I've been keeping a record of my day-to-day activities and goals along the way. That is what initially started this blog. In fact, writing in my blog has been a constant goal every day. So, beginning of a new week and here are some of the goals I've written down.

• Contact Parks and Recreation - research
• Family History - become more involved
• Taxes - get all my paperwork in order
• Work on blog

Not a whole lot of goals, but it is only the beginning of the week. Monday night I went on a Family History tour in Provo and learned how to use the various machines and computer programs they have in relation to Family History work. It is pretty amazing and I really want to set aside specific time assigned to work more on my family history.

Tuesday was a mentally uplifting day. While at work I decided to listen to The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen. Amazing. Okay, I have only listened to about 1/3 of the abridged audio version, but I have already learned a lot so far. My Fitness Challenge group coach, Brigitte, sent us a link highly recommending us to listen to it. She sent it to us last week but I never looked at it till now....
I usually turn on Pandora while working, but today I decided to listen to The Slight Edge instead and I got to say I am glad. I am not going to hash out everything I heard/learned because I think you should all go out and listen to it yourselves. Plus, I have never been good at retelling things...ask any of my friends. However, I will share the most important things that stood out to me during those few hours.

First off - Control. When we blame others we automatically give up any control we had. If we are to succeed in life we have to start taking responsibility for everything in our lives, even if it seems unfair. Wow - did I need to hear this! There are some things from my past that are difficult to "move on" from and "let go." I have been trying to truly forgive and forget, but it is so difficult at times. The word "unfair" often plays a key role in unhappy memories or old grudges. Crying "unfair" does not change our situation, it only makes us lose our control. I really like this. I decided then and there, standing on a ladder in the tree tops, that I was going to try to take full responsibility for my life. Does this mean I will say I broke the dish when my sister breaks one - No. It means I will take responsibility of the situation. I will try to turn the negative into a positive. Easier said then done, but making the mental choice is the first step.

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Second - "Tomorrow." How often do I wait for the tomorrow that never comes. Remember how I have all those unfinished projects, well they are incomplete because I added them to the "tomorrow" list. Jeff Olsen shares a story of two brothers faced with the decision of setting up an IRA (retirement fund). One chooses to wait for "tomorrow" while the other takes an active role in his life and sets one up. A couple years later they meet up and the first is surprised to hear that his brother has already set up a comfortable retirement fund. He himself had not, he had nothing. By starting later then his brother he would have to work a whole lot more before retirement was an option. I immediately felt guilty. My father had sent an email a month ago suggesting that I looked into setting up an IRA. I had read the email and told myself "tomorrow." No joke. After work I called my father up and got the information I needed to start the process of setting up an IRA. I no longer want to keep pushing things off. Why wait?

Third - Compound. Every decision counts in the larger picture. If I go running today it does not mean I am healthy. If I choose not to go running today that does not make me unhealthy. The choices alone do not label be as one or the other. It is a compound process. The choice to run today increases my chances of choosing to run the next day. Not running increases the chance of saying no to a run the following day. Simple, right? The small choices in life start heading us down particular pathways.

Okay, there you have it. A lot of mind changing thoughts this week and it is only Tuesday. I realized that there was a lot of changing I had wanted to do, and not just physically. The workouts have been great and I am really starting to enjoy Yoga, but I feel like I have taken a further step. A step towards true lifestyle change. One that improves my mind and outlook on life. Goals are no longer to be wasted on a stray piece of paper, but written down with purpose and the power of knowing that I can and will accomplish them.

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