Finally, progress!

A few posts back I mentioned a little list of things I wanted to accomplish. And it went a little something like this:

1) Getting back to my healthy lifestyle
2) Volunteering/doing more in my community
3) Re-organizing my house
4) Blogging consistently
5) Being crafty

At the time I posted that list, I had yet to begin working toward a single goal. Finally, around the end of last week, I got very frustrated with myself for not having put forth any effort toward the things I want to improve about my life. Even worse is the fact that the goals are small & simple, and therefore shouldn't be difficult to accomplish. Yet I was making it out to be this HUGE, UPHILL CLIMB. I was so busy making excuses that it left little time for actual progress. Then came the epiphany: I absolutely hate when people say they're going to do something then never follow through. I also hate people who complain about things they're not willing to change. But that's exactly what I was doing! Let's be real, people. I don't need any more reasons not to like myself. I'm already not my biggest fan. Time to suck it up & make shit happen!

So I got off my butt & worked out. One day turned into two, then three, and I feel better already. In 2010, I worked really hard & lost 30 pounds, which was over halfway to my ideal weight. Then came the excuses, followed by a 15 pound weight gain. I set a goal, I was accomplishing it, and then I backslid. NOT OKAY. So it's back on track for me. I've set a new goal & I'm determined to reach it. And when I do, I'm going to find some way to reward myself. (I don't know how yet, but it will come to me.)

Prior to finally forcing my fat booty back on the elliptical, I started working on goal #5: being crafty. I completed my 5 homemade gifts promise from fb over a single weekend. That got my wheels turning for more things I want to make. I don't have an artistic bone in my body, but I love being crafty anyway. It's something that makes me feel good & it's not food-related, so it's really a win-win situation if you ask me.

This past Sunday I started the ball rolling for goal #2: volunteering/being more active in the community. I attended a meeting at the Rogue Book Exchange b/c they are hoping to turn over the organization to a new Executive Director. I don't have the experience to participate in a higher capacity, but I did tell them that I'm interested in being a volunteer. Once the transition is finished & the new ED & board are in place, I'm looking forward to getting more involved in something that means a lot to me. I also signed up to be a book-giver for World Book Night & received my acceptance email, so on April 23rd I'll be delivering 20 free books to an organization I love called The Maslow Project. (Have I abused my link privileges yet?!)

As for #4 on my list: this post is proof that I'm working on it. :) I noticed a steady decline in posts after NaBloPoMo was over. I think my hang-up was that I didn't think anyone wanted to read what I had to say b/c I'm a pretty boring person. Again, that was just an excuse. I mean, since when did I start writing for someone else's benefit?! It's always been my selfish indulgence; something I did for me, myself, and I. Of course, I love when my friends say they read my blog and I get a little thrill when my views go up, but that's never what this was all about. I started a blog b/c I love to write. So when my friend, Elizabeth, posted on her blog that she joined a group that offers weekly prompts, I decided to be a copycat & join, too. I also signed up for the A to Z Blogging Challenge in April, just to keep me on my toes.

And finally, #3. This one I'm doing in baby steps, mostly b/c there are certain things I want to do that involve buying materials I can't afford at the moment. But I've been working on small projects here & there that don't require cashola. The biggest of which was rearranging & organizing my kiddo's bedroom. I worked off & on for an entire day to get that one done. I threw away toys, donated clothes & extra sheet sets, and somehow managed to fit all her books NEATLY onto her bookshelf. (That part was real tricky b/c the kid would not give away a single book!) What I really have my heart set on is painting & organizing the shelf in our kitchen/dining area. That is the project I want to complete the most, but I want to use magnetic primer & chalkboard paint, which is pretty dang pricey! If I have to compromise, I'll skip the magnetic primer & just do chalkboard paint, but I'm holding out hope that I can stick to my original plan.

I don't know what flipped the switch, but somehow I gained perspective on my situation and realized the only thing stopping me was me. Nothing boosts a person's confidence more than setting a goal & accomplishing it. And nothing feels worse than not trying. I guess I finally got tired of feeling bad. Now it's on like Donkey Kong!