December 30th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

So yesterday’s “day of sloth” didn’t go exactly as planned, but considering the title I gave it, my goal was still accomplished. I did absolutely NOTHING all day. Instead of reading, I took a nap. Instead of straightening up, I watched an endless succession of Cinderella based movies with my youngest. Heck, I was so lazy yesterday, I didn’t even put forth the effort to eat dinner, but I figured a missed meal wouldn’t kill me. Actually, I could live off the fat of the land for several weeks without issue.

For obvious reasons, I cannot make a habit of this, but I think every once in a while, a completely (and intentionally) unproductive day is good for the soul. Today I feel energized and ready to tackle a rather lengthy list of chores. 

 

Several of the chores I have planned coincide with a few of my New Year’s resolutions. So how did you do with yesterday’s challenge? Were you able to come up with some goals for 2014 which you think you’ll be able to see through? Did you have a funny story about a previous year’s resolution? Do you think making New Year’s resolutions is all a bunch of hooey because no one follows through?  

 

For the most part, I agree with the last question, but I think it is because we make our goals too broad, thereby making them easy to give up on. Example – “In 2014 I will lose weight.” You and probably everyone else, including me, have said this one. How many of you have actually succeeded? You start off strong for the first week, and then life gets in the way. It’s very disheartening when you fail, but honestly, with such a broad goal, you have set yourself up to fail. How about rephrasing your goal (yeah, you’ll see this one below – sue me). “I will lose ten pounds by _____. (insert date here).” Your goal is very specific – 10lbs – and you have a deadline to achieve said goal. Think you can do it? I know you can!

I hope you have a great day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

‘Tis the time of year for New Year’s Resolutions. You can either write your 2014 Resolutions, write about a time trying to keep a resolution, or anything else, but it has to do with either making or keeping a New Year’s Resolution.

I decided to take this challenge literally and write my New Year’s Resolutions as opposed to telling a story. I figure by putting my goals out there, I am kind of being held accountable for maintaining my goals.

1) I will redo my visual goal chart by January 31^st. Remove the items I accomplished (my deadline on the last one was 12/31/2014) and add at least 4 new items.

2) I will lose ten pounds by my birthday.

3) No junk mail will enter the house. It will be sorted in the garage and only items which need to be addressed will enter our home.

4) The kitchen will be cleaned every night before I go to bed as opposed to first thing in the morning – I think waking up to a clean kitchen will set a better mood for my day.

5) While my coffee machine is warming up, I will throw in a load of laundry.

6) I will stretch or do some form of physical activity for fifteen minutes every day (when you are home writing, it is very easy to become inert).

7) I will spend 2 days a month preparing food for the entire month, so it can just go from freezer to either crock pot or oven.

Over the next few weeks, this list will undoubtedly grow, but I think this is a pretty good start. #3 is going to be hard to control because I’m not the only one who brings in the mail, but I am just so fed up with the clutter, I may combine #3 with #6 and make the trip to the mailbox part of my fifteen minutes of movement.

Did you notice I have resolutions as well as goals? You probably think they are the same or at least interchangeable terms, but for me, they are slightly different. Numbers 1 & 2 are technically goals – extremely specific which need to be accomplished by a set date and then they are done, complete, probably never to be revisited again; whereas 3 – 7 will be ongoing lifestyle changes – I have “resolved” to change my life in this way. I probably should have made the challenge what are your goals for 2014, because chances are, that’s what you probably thought of anyway.

Oh well, goals or resolutions, either has you moving forward, so they are both a good thing.

Your Next Challenge is:

Another New Year’s Eve without Dick Clark…

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.