Choose JOY!

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Don’t Forget

Lisa Bearnes Richey

Do…

Mini Moons Ago Miniature Donkeys via Cathy Ruggiero

Day Four of Being Back on the Horse!

The Funny Beaver

I’m working on Day Four of doing what I’m supposed to do on my eating and exercise plan. I just put the fourth gold star on my calendar for the week, starting with Wednesday.

I’ve lost 3 pounds this week and have exercised every day since the magical Wednesday.

• Wednesday I did 35 minutes on my elliptical trainer in the garage, albeit slowly. (I had a hitch in my get-a-long with my right hip protesting until I had done about 10 minutes. Then it eased up.)
• Thursday I did yoga stretches for the first time in too long, and again moved very slowly and carefully. (I got an indication of how messed up I was when I laid down on my back and it took a good minute or so of trying to relax before it didn’t hurt.)
• Friday I did my “Walking with Annoying Leslie”  video. I was only able to do one mile, rather than two.
• Today – Saturday – I did the Wii Fit Plus Balance ‘games.’ (I think I’m making progress in my attitude, though, because I actually LAUGHED when they insulted me.) It started with when they weigh you, then announce, “OH! You’ve gained weight since last time! (Imagine what they would have said if I had tried it BEFORE I lost 3 lbs. this week.) Balance is one of my biggest challenges which is why I put up with the insults. I DO get better with practice, and I don’t want to fall on my head or break my bones.
• Tomorrow – Sunday – I’ll do my dance video.

One thing I did that is helping me stay on track is re-sign-up with MyFitnessPal.com. There are fancier food and exercise tracking sites, but these people have the easiest food tracking system I’ve found. I don’t have to put in EACH ingredient in a recipe, for example. I can check-mark a repeated food each day without having to enter it again. I’m trying to stay under 1200 calories per day, but I’m combining that with recipes from my Keto book and other low-carb books, so I’m not as worried about it – just trying to keep myself honest about what I’m stuffing into my face.

I’m also trying to do

• something outside each day that the weather is cooperative – such as weed-whacking or gardening.
• also something cleaning related in the house. Today it was cleaning the screened back porch of a super-thick layer of yellow pollen, dog and cat hair, dirt, and other yuck, so that we can enjoy some meals out there before it gets too hot.

Both of these things make me feel I’m accomplishing something, plus keep me moving.

So far, it’s working.

I’ve lost 40.6 pounds and 43 inches so far. My goal, at this point, is to lose another 30 lbs. I want to be in the average range for my height (and I’m getting SHORTER, rather than taller) on BMI charts, and fit into some reasonable size at a regular department store for clothes, rather than having to hit the fat section of Walmart forever. I want to be as healthy as I can for my age (72) and not be restricted so much on what I can do without my body complaining.

One day at a time – today I’ve done my exercising, cleaned the back porch, and now I’ll head out to do some weed whacking.

I hope you’re having a happy day.

Goodness

The Age of Enlightenment via Janet Melendez – LinkedIn

Notice

Terrance E Stock – LinkedIn

Just Don’t Quit

“Just don’t quit all the way. You might have to quit a little bit. Just until you can breathe and find some space to move. This is not giving up. This is strategic self-care. Realizing you can stop when you want and start when you want builds trust with yourself. Also, try long walks, good books, and maybe chocolate. Or punching pillows. Whatever you need.” ~ Nanea Hoffman – Sweatpants & Coffee

 

Magdalena Korzeniewska – via Kathleen McGreal – LinkedIn

*Thanks to Kathleen McGreal who posted this on LinkedIn

Note to Self

Nanea Hoffman – SweatpantsAndCoffee.com via Desiree Angelique Hackett

To-Do’s

psychologies

Feeling a bit overwhelmed lately with a longer and longer to-do list no matter how many things I manage to remove. It seems as if every direction I look has things saying, “Fix me next!”

I just moved heavy coats from our utility room hooks area to the front hall closet, since it had no space available and I was having to dig or move things to find what I was looking for, so I feel good that is done. But on the way to the utility room, I saw little wisps of dog/cat hair moving along with the breeze on the tiled area. And the poor fishes’ water is cloudy again, and the table by my chair in the living room is piled up….

So – I’m doing a bit here – which I truly love – and then going and doing something else on the list before I allow myself to return here.  This way I’m having some fun between chores.

How do you handle too-long to-do lists?

Brian Tracy – http://www.pinterest.com

 

A Rainy Day

Elena-(Livia) D-LinkedIn

 

Today is a glorious rainy day here in Greenwood, Arkansas. I say “glorious” because the rain was timed perfectly.

Yesterday we had to buy a new tire for our little riding lawn mower. My husband got it onto the mower and did the first mowing of the season. The grass was a bit high, but he managed. Now it looks like someone actually lives here. :0)

Our garden also appreciated a nice drink without a lot of blowing or hail, too! (I’ll post pics in a bit)

So we’re spending the day being thankful we don’t have to be outside working in the rain and chill, happy to have a warm, dry house.

 

Anthony J. D’Angelo

A Good Life

GrowingBolder.com via Cathy Ruggiero

Reaching

Louise Smith via Lisa Bearnes Richey

Epic?

Cindy Basnett Thurman

Make Time

Heather A. Stillufsen – via Christine Malone – LinkedIn

Good Morning!

HappySmiles via Terrance E. Stock – LinkedIn

Happy Pat on the Head

I’m a sucker for all kinds of ‘feel-able’ pats on the head: gold stars on my desk calendar when I’ve done whatever exercise is scheduled for the day; and these cute little bears that NutriSystem sends out for each 10 pounds one loses.

As you can see from the picture above, I’ve gotten my 4th bear – the one for 40 lbs off. (Actually, right now I’m at 43 pounds off  :0) )  There is also 44.2 inches less of me than there used to be.

I have a good start now. I will try to get another 30 pounds off, and whatever number of inches that goes with that any my exercises.

The really big thing is that I FEEL BETTER.  I’m 72 as of yesterday, and I can honestly say I feel better than I did a year ago. On March 9th of 2020, I hope to be able to say the same thing, whether or not I’ve reached my weight loss goal.

Smaller, but again – a VISIBLE thing  – is that I’m able to fit in favorite clothes I’ve kept in closets for years, hoping that ‘one day’ I would be able to wear them again. There are still several things in the ‘hope’ area of my guest room closet. :0)  I’m between sizes on jeans right now, for example. The size I’m wearing is a bit baggy, but I’m still too lardy for the next size down. I’m also able to order some smaller sizes online, too.

I’m sleeping better with the loss of the lard and my efforts to move more. I get up from the computer after I post something here, do some chore inside or outside before posting again, for example. I’m also trying to do my exercises like a good old girl daily. I’m more successful some weeks than others. I’m doing something different each day – yoga and abdominal exercises one day, a dance video another, the Wii Fit Plus ‘games’ for balance and reaction time (I’m still awful and the program is still insulting me), the walking with Annoying Leslie one day, and the elliptical trainer in the garage one day. Now that spring is near (thank GOODNESS!) I’m working in the yard when the weather permits.

Though I’m getting old-in-the-tooth, I can usually gather enough energy to continue going through the house, concentrating on purging, then cleaning and reorganizing one area at a time. Today it’s the supplies shelves in our office after we go grocery shopping.

Motivation is high though results are slow. I think the older you get the harder it is to get any lard off or make appreciable difference in fitness or stamina, but I’m game as long as I’m breathing!

Fun in My Art Room

I’ve had a really fun afternoon experimenting with making a mixed-media painting. I’m like a kid with finger paints, having FUN without worrying about expertise or whether it’s ‘good’ or not. It’s great therapy for whatever ails me.

“Thistles”

 

Chris Chalk – Art

Celebration

makeameme.org via SayingImages.com

I am having quite a celebration of my birthday tomorrow.

The celebration started today, with a present from one of my good, long-time friends at Lunch Bunch. There will be another next Friday, according to my other dear friend. My husband is taking me for a lobster tail meal next week! I received a beautiful card today from a good friend in Tulsa, too. :0)

So I am I’m officially quite spoiled – 72 tomorrow – and ‘older-than-dirt.’

I feel of two minds about having another birthday. Part of me resents almost everyone being younger than I am. If I didn’t before, I treasure anyone who can remember the same stuff I do, and not say, “Oh, wow!” or something similar when I reminisce.  I’m not sure I enjoy feeling ‘maternal’ about my primary doctor.

On the other hand, I’m healthier than I was last year at this time.  I’m 43 pounds lighter and several inches smaller, a bit more flexible, with less pain due to trying to exercise daily. I’m busier than I have ever been – even when I was working for most of my life – doing things I love.

Right now I’m busily trying to get seeds to grow in my greenhouse so I’ll have healthy plants to put in our garden when the weather tames down. I’ve planted onion sets and am trying to get the rest of the squares of our square foot garden weeded and ready for planting.  I’m retired, so I can try to get up to my art room and play. I have more books than time to read.

So – Happy Birthday to me – a nice long celebration with family and friends – and another glorious year to start!

curpyrfc.org

Imagine

Zen to Zany via Cathy Ruggiero

Patting Myself on the Head – Just a Bit

“Cardinal Taking a Bow” – by Norma Wilson

I’ve told you I absolutely HATE tax time – the whole trying to make sense of my records, feeling overwhelmed, etc.

When I finished these and dumped them on our wonderful CPA around the 15th of January, I promised myself I would start a different way of keeping records so that I didn’t hate this time of year so much.

When I created spreadsheets to summarize our receipts in each category, I copied each of them, labeling them “Whatever Category – 2019”. I promised myself that I would take time at the end of each month, enter the relevant numbers into the spreadsheets, and then file the receipts under the appropriate tax category, rather than the month as I have always done.

I just finished entering the information for February – hence the pat on the head and bowing cardinal! :0)

If I can keep this up, at the end of the year I SHOULD be able to just total the categories on the spreadsheets, print them, and bag them up for the CPA.

I’m a bit embarrassed that I have moaned/griped/whined for years about this – never coming up with a better way to attack it until this year.

Someone should say something memorable, such as, “Better late than never….” don’t you think?

clipart library

Attitude

Alina Sibera via Elena (Livia) D. – LinkedIn

Honesty

Cindy Basnett Thurman

It Feels Like Christmas!

I found a super-good deal on a set of acrylic paints a few days ago. They arrived today, and I feel like a kid at Christmas! There are 14 tubes of paint in the set and I have paid more for 4 tubes – plus shipping – than I had to pay for this set with FREE shipping. Woo HOOO!

For some reason I haven’t been up to my art room in quite a while. I felt I needed to accomplish more on my purging project to go through 30+ years of STUFF we’ve accumulated and really don’t need.

I’m beginning to figure out now that the more I go through things, donating a bunch of things to others, throwing away a bunch of things, and then reorganizing and cleaning before putting what is good to keep again, I’m in a never-ending job. The more I DO, the more I SEE to do!

I’m going to give myself permission to take a bit of a break from all the work and play in my art room this week.

 

I don’t know if I’ll come up with anything, but I’ll have a wonderful time dreaming, experimenting, and playing!

keetonsonline.com – via Sherry Dellaria McGrath

FUN

Zen to Zany via Cathy Ruggiero

Goal

Free Spirited via Irma Nadal – LinkedIn

Learn

Ayn Rand – SayingImages.com

I Like Cake

SayingImages.com

Still Slogging

Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

I love this photo. Somehow it shows acceptance with spirit still in there somewhere – the way I’m feeling right now.

I’m about halfway finished with our tax prep for the year now. I made a spreadsheet with all pertinent charges listed and categorized. It took me three days. An epiphany occurred yesterday where I figured out that if I record this stuff on a spreadsheet on a monthly basis, it won’t be so much work! (Yeah, I learn slowly on some things.) I sorted it by three columns so the records are in good categories and can be referred to easily.

Today I’ll make an office deductions spreadsheet and business spreadsheet. Then I’m almost home free.

I hope you’re having a good day, too,  in your part of the world.

 

Positive or Negative?

SayingImages.com

I truly believe that happiness comes from inside you.

Of course, it never hurts to win the lottery, but your attitude about what is happening colors everything you feel, say, and do.

When I find that I have my nose out of joint, I look around, looking to blame something or someone for my bad mood. A lot of times I feel justified for a bit, stewing and fueling my anger, frustration, hurt feelings, and more.

If I think ‘something‘ is at the root of my problem, I try to quit griping internally and do everything I can to change the situation. (I have more luck with this at some times, than others.)  When my attitude is due to ‘someone,’ I try to explain my feelings when I’m calmer in an effort to get them to understand and talk about things we can do differently.

I have more trouble with things involving ‘someone‘ than ‘something,’ because, after I examine the situation, I find I need to change MYSELF, rather than trying to get the someONE to change. I look at the larger picture and have to admit that at least 50% of the ‘problem’ is me.

SO – I can choose to keep my nose out of joint or decide to adapt, looking at things from a more positive point of view.

Developing and nurturing a positive attitude is a much healthier, happier way to live.

Character-Building Exercise

Mindfulness Training

I have probably indicated that I HATE preparing our stuff for taxes each year. I have probably also admitted that I excel at procrastination – championship level, I might add – modestly, of course. :0)

Today is the day –

I have run out of even the most feeble excuses for not at least making the first pass at our stuff.

Our office is beginning to look as if a bomb exploded in here.

STEP 1 – I have gone through the ‘helpful packet’ our CPA provides. So I feel a BIT better about myself at the moment.

STEP 2 – I’m now slogging through our monthly receipts, grouping them according to categories. I’ve made it through 3 months so far.

__________________

STEP 3 – is going through our credit card and bank statements for pertinent information.

STEP 4 – is totalling the various categories.

STEP 5 – is putting the receipts where they belong in the ‘helpful packet’

STEP 6 – is waiting until we get our official Schwab statement – the thing that is the most important and always takes the longest to receive.

STEP 7 – is bagging it all up and driving to Fort Smith to dump it on our wonderful CPA.

 

My goal is to be finished with Steps 1-5 by the end of this month or before. I’m going to take a break now, but will return to do another session this afternoon after we eat some lunch.

Did I happen to mention I HATE tax prep?  UGH!

Miracles

Power of Positivity via CathyRuggiero