New Year, New Blog

Well, I haven't posted in a very long time.

To give an update, I have pretty much stayed on track with my daily tasks. I'm a little lacking on eating enough fruits and veggies but I have added yoga to my exercise routine. I obviously haven't been posting my updates. The rest I have pretty much kept on track with while adding a few more goals as well! Looking back at my previous posts, I can see the slight edge at work in my life.

The sub-title for this blog no longer applies:
This is a personal journal tracking my Goals and Daily Disciplines for 2010! Feel free to look up different topics but if you want to follow my "journey" I recommend starting at the beginning.

I will also be removing my checklist, I'm keeping track of my daily disciplines on my mobile device.  It's more readily available and it reminds me of my "TO DOs".

However, this blog will still be my thoughts on my journey of improving everyday through the slight edge principle.  Along the way there will be random thoughts and general news and information.

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

June Update

I haven’t posted in over a month. Sorry for the silence, as you will read in the following posts, it’s been a weird month. I decided to write multiple posts, sort of like chapters, so that everyone doesn’t have to read one mondo post. I’m still trying to stay on top of my daily habits and doing ok for the most part. I really would like to add or expand on them now that most have become in grained habits. For the most part I feel pretty stagnant and I would prefer to feel that I am constantly reaching and growing. I am giving it some thought as to how to expand my list. Look for an updated checklist next month. In the meantime, enjoy the following posts on reflections of this past month.

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Hello! I'm baaaaack!

Ok, so I didn't really go away. I just quit blogging. I have still been doing MOST of my check list items. All three "Heart" items are now pretty ingrained habits. There have been occasional days that I may have missed exercising. For example, I just attended a weekend Leadership Conference. Did do a LOT of walking but no formal exercise. The first two "Soul" items, Prayer Partner & talk to Jeff, have slipped back to weekdays. Weekends it doesn't seem to happen or is hit and miss depending on activities. Reaching out to one more is really turned into a habit when I'm out and about. I honestly feel almost a complusion to talk to people now. I just seem to say what comes to mind as I see people i.e. wow that's a beautiful necklace, what a cute baby how old, etc. Under "Mind" reading is a very ingrained habit, can't seems to fall asleep without it no matter how late or how tired I am. Audio is hit and miss with the exercise. I tend to get in a habit of listening to voice mail or talking to someone while I exercise and then the audio doesn't happen. And if I don't exercise then audio doesn't happen either. Blog checklist? Well, I think we know the answer to THAT one!!!!

I will be updating the checklist daily but probably only blog once a week or so. I have changed the blog to have my checklist along the side.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The last one I posted was:
February 21, 2010

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Week 6

Well, the scale didn't move at all this last week.  But that is ok.  I am still down a total of 7lbs over 5 weeks so that still puts me at more than a pound a week.

My prayer partner and I however have fallen back into the "skipping" weekends habit!  Gotta get over that one.

I have had a very busy 4 days and have much to blog about so look for additional posts this week.  Until then...

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Week 4

Since I completed the first 21 days, I'm only going to update this one blog daily.  I will add the initial for the day of the week on the check list item.  I will also write other blogs as the thoughts or events occur.

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

21 Days!

21 days today!!!  It is definitely feeling like a habit to do my daily disciplines.  I wouldn't call it an ingrained habit yet but it's getting there.  I'm almost done with my monthly book, long before the end of the month!  My attitude is much more positive thanks to the audios and lots of communication with Jeff.  My payoff plan is going well.  We had a couple of unexpected expenses pop up and were able to handle those.  Over the last two days my prayer partner and I have recieved news of at least half a dozen prayer requests that have been answered (yes prayer works).  I bounced back from my fibro flair pretty quickly AND I am down 3 pounds!
So they're small gains but for only 21 days... Let's multiple that out over 6 months... 6 months = 180 days (rounding)  180/21 = 8.6 (rounding again) 8.6 x 3 (pounds) = that's 26 pounds!!!  That would put me 3 pounds lower than my lowest adult weight EVER!  The slight edge at work.

I heard something today on my audio that exactly summarized why I am doing so well at this.  I have had many people say, "Oh you're so disciplined" or "I don't have that much self control".  Well, I'm here to say NEITHER DO I!  The reason this has worked is in this quote (sorry don't have the source)
When performance is measured performance improves,
When performance is measured AND reported the rate of improvement accelerates.
First, I have my check list of daily disciplines and am checking it daily (performance measured).
Second, I am reporting it, to all who read my blog AND to my abandonment ladies on email AND my prayer partner who unwittingly got made a part of my disciplines AND my husband, Jeff, who reads AND comments on my blog daily.  In other words, I have a lot of eyes looking at me and whether I am going to do what I say.  That's not even counting my kids who are watching and commenting on me doing my checklist.  That reporting to others is what causes my rate of improvement to accelerate.

I've heard many people say that they are going to quit smoking, or quit drinking, or diet or read their Bible daily... but I don't want to tell anyone "in case I fail".  Well, they are GOING to fail, simply because they aren't telling anyone.  Another word for it is accountablity, if you are accountable to more than just yourself, it makes it easier to stick to the daily disciplines.  So whatever it is that you want to accomplish. Tell many people about it, get a philosophy about it AND report to them daily.  It sure makes it easier to stick to it.
I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Back Home

Well, it's been a long day of travel.  I did much better today.  I got up and exercised and listened to audio.  My prayer partner called as we were checking out of the hotel. Thank you Cynthia!  Everything else fell into place as we traveled.  For now I'm going to bed and I will write my thoughts about the weekend tomorrow.  Until then...

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Allowed Travel to Beat Me

Didn't do so well... tomorrow is another day... forget yesterday, it's over!

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Heart
NOT 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
NOT Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
NOT listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Back on Track!

Week Two Day One or Day Eight!  I got back on track today. 

I want to thank people that have helped.  First, my abandonment ladies, Cindy and Francine.  Thank you for the complete honesty and transparency we have.  It helps me feel like I don't have to be so perfect.  Through our combined weaknesses we are strong!  Plus, it feels so good to be back is regular communication with you two.  Second, my prayer partner, Cynthia, for being soooo faithful in calling me every day.  Third, Jeff, for calling me (on weekdays).  I need to work on calling him on weekends.  I'm counting chating on facebook for an hour this morning as our talk time today.  Did I mention we are geeks?  Last and not least, EVERYONE reading this blog!  I can't believe how much this has helped me.  Just knowing that I'm going to have to report on my blog what I did that day, is huge motivation.  I hope that I return the favor by giving my readers inspiration to stick to their own goals and daily disciplines.

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Day Seven

Well, one full week down!!!  And I blew it on the last day of the week.  Although not completely.

Saturdays start with getting up at 5:30 AM to take Jacob to speed skating practice.  Usually not too bad but my neighbor decided to have a party until 2:30 AM which wouldn't be too bad either except that the headboard of my bed is about 6 feet from his patio.  So I was exhausted today (I know an excuse).  But I had a plan.

I talked with TWO different people I had never met at my son's skating practice.  I also read my book (14 pages) during practice.  (So far so good)  My 7 year old had a birthday party to go to at 11 AM so the plan was come home from practice, do a few household chores, take Jared to the party and then catch a couple hour nap.  Then I could do the rest of my list in the afternoon.  That would have been an ok plan IF I didn't have other kids coming and going.  Another needing a ride to work and then a ride home from work and the 7 year old wanting dinner!!!

I did manage to pray in there, thank you to my prayer partner who called me.  I did snack on some carrots so got that one done too.  I actually spent most of the day on the couch watching movies trying to nap.  Finally, at 8:30 PM I kicked myself in the hiney!  I rode my bike for 30 minutes and listened to audio, and checked my balances.  So what did I miss?  I didn't talk to Jeff .  I did text at 11 PM "R u still up?"  No reply, I guess he wasn't.  Tomorrow I will be doing the calling.  These are my disciplines so I need to take the action and not wait to be called.  Never did get the nap maybe "some day..." oh wait...

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!


Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
NOT Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Day Six!

I've almost made a week! 1/3 of the way to 21 days... I got up this morning and when I got to the bathroom I realized that I did it without groining, moaning, creaking, aching, huffing or puffing!!!! I wouldn’t say I JUMPED out of bed but I did get up easily without even realizing it. That is huge! I just finished exercising and thoughts of adding ab-lounger to my routine popped in my head. However, I am NOT going to let myself add to my daily disciplines until 21 days and for me it’s taking discipline to not add more.

But tomorrow is the weekend...

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!
Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Mind & Day Five!

Even less pain today! I'm kicking my Fibro to the curb!!! My back is still aching but my hips don't feel like I need hip replacement surgery. Getting all of my daily disciplines done is feeling more like daily routine than a chore. Even "reaching one more", amazingly the people just are popping up. Yesterday, as I was helping my 16 year old train on a street in our neighborhood, I met a new neighbor AND I saw (and talked to) another neighbor, that I haven't talked to in at least a couple of years. Today I traded emails with two different people that I haven't talked to in about a year, one in Wichita, KS and one in Apache Junction, AZ.

The final area "Mind - Mental - Personal Development" ... Again we have the issue of measurement. How do you know if you're a better person? I even put the word daily in this goal because the end result is so immeasurable and we're never done. I hope to be improving personally, every day of my life. So the goal is: Stay on track with my personal development DAILY!

These are the easiest disciplines for me. If I am exercising, I'm listening to an audio. Through our business I have access to many wonderful MP3s, so I will never run out! Yesterday I walked with John Maxwell as he told me what books impacted his life and today I learned about forgiveness from Paul & Billie Tsieka. Wow, what powerful mentors. I also have been an avid reader for many years. I used to read Danielle Steel novels but then I realized they didn't impact my life (for the positive that is). Around 15 years ago I changed to reading books that I could get something good out of. Now I read every night before I go to sleep, actually I can't get to sleep without reading first. I am finding it challenging to read 10 pages. Before I was only reading until I got "drowsy" eyes, (sometimes after one sentence) turned off the light and went to sleep. So I feel that I am getting much more out of the reading now.

Finally, blog checklist!!! This of course is the newest habit for me, all of the others have been in my life off and on (more off than should have been) but this is a brand spankin' new discipline. Of course, I have used various forms of checklists in the past. Electronic on my PDA (remember those?), now on my phone, outlook tasks, and scribbled on scraps of paper in my purse (still the most common in my life). I still use these for different "to do" lists but I haven't ever blogged about my daily life. I have to say it has already helped tremendously. These daily disciplines aren't just New Year’s resolutions I made to myself, I publicly declared them!

Just in these five days, there are more times than I would like to admit, I didn't want to do one discipline or another and the thought occurred, "I would have to put on my blog that I didn't do it!" I know some of you are thinking, "Just SAY you did it." That would be people who don't know me. I CAN'T lie, not just that I DON'T lie, I CAN'T lie. Even as a child, my sister used to say, "Let me talk, not saying anything is not lying." Then mom would ask, "What are you girls up to?" and I would blurt out EVERYTHING my sister didn't want me to. Never been able to lie, I don't know why but I figure that's a good flaw to have so I never tried to change it. This trait is also a bonus in declaring my affirmation...

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Soul & Day Four

Yipee!! Day four actually had a little less pain than day three!

That means I am pushing through the Fibro pain. The way I describe it to others is like the tin man, when he was all rusted up, he didn't squeek. But when they started to oil his joints and move him, he squeeked really loudly. Then once he was all oiled up he could move freely without squeeking. I'm squeeking pretty loud but it's getting better!

Today I am going to discuss "Soul". I debated about these goals because I read in another book that said your goals should be measureable. How do you measure a "deepened relationship"? I believe that all relationships ebb and flow, even our relationship to God. He's always there, it is usually (always) us that moves. How do you measure "impacting more people"? Especially when I know there are people we can impact and never even know. This blog alone, I hope, inspires someone to keep going towards their goals, or even write down some goals. All of those would be positive impacts. Again not measureable. So I am simply going to measure my daily discipline. The goal then is to do these three EVERY day.

Let me give you a little history. The first two I have been doing for quite a while. My prayer partner and I have been praying every morning for just over three years. Well, sort of every morning, we're really bad on the weekends and if either one of us is traveling. So my challenge for this discipline is to not miss weekends. The same is true for talking to Jeff. We're really good on weekdays, but weekends slip through the cracks.

The third discipline, "reach out to one more", I am measuring as making contact with someone outside of my usual circle daily. This may be, having a little conversation with the checkout clerk at the store (answering, "did you find everything ok?" with "fine" doesn't count) or trading emails with a contact or making a phone call. I am allowing people that I already know but not counting those I regularly interact with. The key is they need to be someone I have to "reach out" to.

For me, this is BY FAR the most difficult of all nine daily disciplines. I don't work outside my home and it would be very easy for me to "hibernate" in my house and my comfortable environment. So this will take effort to either go somewhere or pick up the phone. Plus there's the issue of how I was wired. Most people who know me are always surprised that this is a challenage for me. I would be described as out-going, friendly, and talkative (sometimes too much). All that is true, but only if I am with someone I know. I was in drama in high school and I am very comfortable on stage or at the podium. I have spoken to audiences of several hundred without a single bit of nerves, I love it actually. But talking to a stranger, one on one, by myself, terrifies me!!! The thought of a job interview (back when I was a working girl) scared me, even if I was the interviewer! I have worked very hard on this over the past several years and I have to say I have gotten way better. I now feel "compelled" to strike up a conversation with the checkout clerk. I went to a copy shop yesterday and was actually glad there was no one else in there so I could have an extended conversation with the clerk. She was a very nice lady!

Besides being the most difficult discipline, I also believe that it is the most important. I heard someone say that the only thing you can take to heaven with you are other people. When I graduated from high school someone gave me a card with a poem titled "Success". The card credited it to Ralph Waldo Emerson which is not true. It has also been attributed to Robert Louis Steveson, also not true. A similar poem was written by Bessie Anderson Stanley, in 1904. Here is the version that was on my card:

Success

To live well, laugh often, and love much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty,
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child,
A garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

I have since believed that the only true definition of success is to touch other people's lives. That is impacting people!

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Day Three - OW!!!

Day two was fairly easy – got everything done early, felt good, went to bed and slept good etc. etc.

Day three, here’s where the rubber meets the road! First hurdle is doing it on day one, getting started, taking the first step...  Second hurdle keep doing it when you’re sore and don't want to. OMG am I sore!!! Sunday caught up with me today! The Fibromyalgia really kicked back.  I'm so glad I have the two ladies in my abandonment group or I think I would give it up about now. That’s why we write goals down, set a time, speak it, affirm it, be accountable…

As I was doing my 30 minutes exercise, I listened to an audio.  It was about writing affirmations.  JUST what I needed to hear.  Do you think that God provides the lessons we need WHEN we need them or do our brains FINALLY hear the lessons when we're ready?  I think I prefer to believe that God makes our brain ready to hear the lesson when we need it!

Here are the nine guidelines to writing effective affirmations:
1. Start with the words "I am", your subconscious interprets it as a command.
2. It should be in the present tense, as if it's already done.
3. State it in the positive, your subsconscious doesn't hear negative words i.e. no or not.
4. Keep it brief!  We can easily remember advertisement jingles.
5. Make it specific and visual.
6. Include an action word ending with "ing".
7. Include an emotion or feeling word.
8. Make it for yourself and not others.
9. Add "or something better" if your affirmation includes a specific physical item, because you never know what God has in store for you.

So I think I did pretty well with my "sign-off" affirmation.  "I'm living on the eighth day, right now!"  Although at the time I wrote it, I didn't think of it as an affirmation but as the days have gone by it's what I've hung onto and been playing in my head to keep going.  "living on the eighth day, living on the eighth day, living on the eighth day..."  Sort of like the Little Engine that could, "I think I can, I think I can".  I felt like I needed a powerful way to close my blogs and I really liked Dr. Chet's sign off of "What are you willing to do today?"  It came to me as I blogged the excerpt of the "eighth day".  (See Ball-Peen Hammer Moment)  It gave me the visual of doing it now, not waiting another day!  It also gave me a sense of living on borrowed time since there isn't REALLY an eighth day.  Let's break it down as an effective affirmation, numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 8 DONE!  I am missing a feeling word, number 7, but it does have an exclamation and it is getting to be a very emotional mantra for me.  Finally, it isn't a physical item so it doesn't have number 9.  What would be "better than" an eighth day?  A ninth day?

Tomorrow I will discuss how I came up with my "soul" daily disciplines.  Until then...

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!

Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Heart Part II & Day Two

Today went better than yesterday...  I read 10 pages (last night after blog), prayed, exercised, listened to audio, ate a big bowl of fruit for breakfast, talked to Jeff, reached out to one more (traded emails with a client) all before 10am!!!

That left me with "followed payoff plan".  I would have to have a complete plan to follow it.  Yesterday I did run a Quicken Debt Reduction Report however today I needed to complete that planning, check scheduled payments, both in Quicken AND in every on-line account. 

Remember my goal: Get debt free in 2 years!

The plan that I put together today has everything (except the house) paid off in December 2010!  Now this is a goal we have been working on for a while.  All of our cars are ebay purchases... for cash.  Somethimes I really wonder if this daily discipline should actually be under spiritual since I pray that nothing major happens to my 2002 Dodge Durango this year, "Please, Lord, let it last another year."

So if the "plan" has payoff done by December 2010 then why is my goal 2 years?  Well, without going into too many details, we have some "joint" expenses (including the house) that will take the second year to chunk off.  But I see the light at the of the tunnel!

I'm living on the eighth day, right now!
Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist

Day One Down - 364 To Go

Well, here is my checklist for today! I am proud to say it is all done! Sort of, I still have to read 10 pages but I always read before going to sleep so that one is no problem. I did read 10 pages last night so I'm going to check it. I have to say the rest weren't as easy but as the proverbs say, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."

I did my official weigh in: 160 pounds YUK!!! How did that happen? I know The Slight Edge at work, one unhealthy bite at a time is how it happened. I joined the 30 pound club at http://www.drchet.com/. So far so good... I was on a roll.

Ok here comes the excuse part...

Today is not only Sunday it is also the last day that Jeff was home. For those who don't know, my husband, Jeff, works as a contractor in Long Beach, CA. We live in Phoenix, AZ. It's a long commute. Anyway, he was home from December 24th until today. That in saying the morning was not my typical schedule. I would usually pray with my prayer partner first thing, followed by exercise while listening to audio, followed by a phone call to Jeff. Well, that's what I always "plan" to do. For the last five months I have only gotten in the two phone calls on a consistent basis (and still not daily at that). Possibly another reason for the 160, no exercise? Could be. Anyway, by the time I took Jeff to the airport, I only had two checklist items done. Talk to Jeff and reach one more. The reach one more was kind of stretching it though, I met my son's friend, Brooke as I drove them to the mall. I haven't "met" her before and we "did" have a conversation. Ok that one will have to be a little better tomorrow.

So back to the story...

I'm back at home, by myself and feeling tired. Cue self talk...

"Maybe I should just take a nap, it had already gotten dark, and I couldn't use my gazelle (which is outside). I'll just start fresh tomorrow. NO!!! TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY!!! Where is this going if I don't even start on my first day? Get your butt up Paula and do it."

I rode my bike on its trainer in the garage. I'm proud to say I even maintained an 80% heart rate. My legs now feel like rubber but I DID IT. I also listened to an audio. (A very appropriate one about pounding away at a goal like a battering ram on a castle wall) Then I ate a bunch of veggies and bowl of chili for dinner. I'm proud to say it was ONE SMALL bowl of chili. This was a challenge in itself because my husband made some KILLER chili. The kind you just want to gorge yourself on, but I didn't. Then I sat down, ran a new Quicken payoff plan report and did my checklist. Done, done and done!!! Yeah me!
I'm living on the eighth day, right now!
Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist