Year of Focus - 15 Day Summary

What did I learn? 

If you look at the chart below, that is what I made at the beginning of the 15 days.  It was something visual I had to look at every day and something with which to mark my progress.  And, I can see some areas to tend to, and areas that I'm doing pretty good in.
- I am faithful in taking my medication, except on Fridays.  That was not the only Friday I missed.
- I am good at keeping my blog up to date.
- I'm pretty good at keeping my sink clean.
What this shows me is the following - my steps are usually around 5000 during the week but I plummet on the weekend; I am better at achieving goals on the weekend because I'm just so unmotivated when I come home during the week; my sleep is around 5-6 hrs a night and I seem to go to sleep after 11 PM consistently.  And, I like this idea.  It's fun to see my star progress over the week. I usually look at it and think about it while I'm doing the dishes.  I guess kind of like thinking about my goals for the next day.
 

Today's Grateful Moments

Today, I was grateful for
- the beautiful day!
- a quiet evening.
- that today is Friday!
- my brother having a great evening with his daughter!
- sitting on the brink of another 100 Days and excited to do things differently and what can come of this one!

Year of Focus - Day 15

As I complete the first 15 days of 2015, I don't know if I completely agree with the above statement, but there is something worthwhile in it.  I need to do a quick check on where I've been (will review tomorrow), and then, any regrets, I let go and focus on the new direction.  I don't completely agree with the "forget where you've been" part but rather: Learn from the past, change and keep accordingly, and step forth with renewed energy and determination.  Nothing worth having comes easy. 

Today's Grateful Moments

Today, I was grateful for
- the purse that RD gave me from her trip to Thailand! It's so beautiful!!
- going for lunch (first time since re-locating downtown!) with NB.
- the hilarious story EI today me about his mother and the "thrifty" quirks of the Germans!
- my warm electric blanket that now is my constant bedtime companion!
- the last bit of my left-over pizza from dinner with RA! Perfect!

Year of Focus - Day 14

To truly focus is not an easy thing.  It's easy to get distracted, it's easy to give up, it's easy to become bored or disinterested or disheartened.  For me, it seems, I get tired ... and I have no energy to follow through.  I could say that there are probably medical reasons behind that, but I wonder what could happen if I push past it.

The image to the left is cool, I think.  if you look straight on, it almost appears like lines are moving.  If you look at it from the side, parts stand out brighter than others.  What is neat is that there is no 'right' or 'wrong' image - both images are there.  Both images are correct.  Both images are beautiful.  ... things to think about as I prepare for the next 100 Day Challenge.

Today's Moments of Gratitude

Today, I'm grateful for
- having a good day at work.
- bringing my lunch to work (I really do like that soup!)
- the beautiful weather we had today.
- knowing that RA got home safe after her "business trip".  (I'd love to have a job where I can travel!)
- finding out that my insurance will cover my new anti-coagulant medication! well, 80% of it, and that's a great start!

Year of Focus - Day 13

I'm nearing the end of these 15 days focus and some success and some observations.  I created a chart at the beginning to chart a few things and see what I can identify when I look at the last 15 days as a whole.  I have a few more days, so I won't reflect now, but I will. The first day of my first 100 Day Challenge is coming soon!  A nice evening with RA, who was in town for business.  It was short, but with work, it's all I had to give her.

Today's Gratitude Moments

Today, I was grateful for
- staying home and resting.  I wanted to do something with the day but I rested and that always feels good.
- spending the evening with RA.  It worked out well.
- sleeping in warm beds! (why didn't I have an electric blanket before?)
- getting to bed before 10:30 PM.
- the dropping scale.

Year of Focus - Day 12

Holy man ... exhausted!  Feeling horrible! I slurred through the day, accomplished things but don't ask me what, as I had the hardest time concentrating.  KA said I coughed through the night and I just wanted the day to end. Got my car from her place, home, and essentially to bed.  Waste of an evening?  I just want to feel better!


Today's Gratitude Moments

Today, I was grateful for
- coming back and not finding a parking ticket on my car!
- the cough things KA gave me, from cough candies to cough syrup.
- hot baths and my electric blanket and pre-warming my bed!!
- making it through the day and I did manage to get things done. 
- the option of taking a sick-day without having to prepare for a substitute; that was the one thing that deterred me from taking care of myself more times than I can count when I was teaching.

Year of Focus - Day 11

I got my gas tank filled today ... under $40 to fill the tank.  That has me worried.  When our economy is based on oil and gas, and gas is tanking, that's never good for the economy.  We are notorious for boom vs bust ... so, since the last bust was 2008, could this be the next one?  7 years later?  We've been pretty successful in avoiding the economic crash the world over; does this signify the end of our bubble?  All I can do is hope I remain employed through all this.  For some reason, I feel this is going to be a deciding year, in a lot of ways.

Today's Gratitude Moments

Today, I'm grateful for:
- as bad as this is, I'm grateful that it did cost me less than $40 to fill my tank.
- spending the evening with KA and watching the Golden Globes
- having my electric blanket with me!
- the text chat with my brother .... I love him and his family so much!
- getting to spend the night so I didn't have to worry about getting home late. 

Year of Focus - Day 10

In some ways, today was a loss ... in others, not so much.  Amazing how good intentions can go sideways so easily! There has got to be a way that what one sets out to do is actually checked off at the end of the day.  Don't get me wrong - things were accomplished (and money was spent!), but I feel that there was more I could have done.  If nothing else, I am being very aware of this and definitely seeking solutions to the situation.


Today's Gratitude Moments

Today, I'm grateful for.
- getting together for lunch with NB (and getting a wonderful electric blanket for Christmas!).
- purchasing a gift for her that I have long wanted to get for her ... and knowing that it was the perfect thing!
- taking the time to get a Pandora bracelet for my niece ... my brother has made me aware of how vital this is right now.
- getting a fair number of TV shows watched and off the PVR - that is a good feeling!
- living in a country where I am allowed to personally struggle with where my own line is between what is acceptable and what isn't, my rights and responsibilities, and what do I want to contribute to accomplishing in the end ... grateful for my freedom to do that!