What really matters

If you start "getting fit" and "eating healthy", you may be motivated by a number of things:

1. Living a longer life
2. Avoiding potential health issues
3. Losing weight
4. Gaining energy
5. "Looking better"
6. Getting stronger and more fit
7. Getting a hobby

...and a multitude of other things!  I would say my motivation was mostly to be a healthier person overall.  That being said, I wanted something to measure my progress, and my primary metric was weight.  Weighing myself on a regular basis helped me see how I was doing, what patterns and habits changed the number on the scale, etc.

However, the thing you don't know when you make lifestyle changes is what developments you'll truly value once progress is made.  For example, it's amazing to be able to say, "I've lost 40 lbs."  But I've learned it's even more amazing to say, "Working out is part of my routine now", or "Working out is no longer a chore".  That's probably my biggest accomplishment: making working out part of my life.  The weight loss is great, but eventually it will level off (it kinda already has), and soon enough it'll stop because I'll have met my weight loss goal.  However, the thing that will continue is the exercise.  It's been incredible for my energy, strength, endurance, confidence, mental health, and so many more things I can't even articulate.

That's what I'm proud of!

I came up with a legit resolution...

...and it is: to re-watch and re-read as little as possible!

Something you may or may not know about me is that I watch the same stuff over and over again, and that applies to a lesser degree to reading as well.  Rather than diving into new TV shows, which I find intimidating and overwhelming, I re-watch ones I've already seen.  Obviously this isn't all I do, but I do it a lot.  It's comfortable and relaxing to just let my mind focus very little on what's in front of me.

Comfortable and relaxing, maybe, but not extremely engaging, is it?  It's easy to just allow myself to do that, but it would really stretch my mind more if I made myself - and it will take a concerted effort - engage in new things.  I intend to do more than just watching new TV shows and movies, but this is one way to cultivate new interests and hobbies.

So, I intend to watch movies I've always meant to... like "Annie Hall", "Kramer vs. Kramer", and more!  Any time I sit down to watch a movie, I'll make an effort to try something new!

Brilliant.  Bring it on!

rc-3: Concluded

I'm ashamed to say that more than having not completed rc-3 a.k.a. Reading Challenge III, I completely lost track of it. To be frank, I don't care that I didn't "complete" it. The most important thing is the fact that I'm reading and challenging myself to read more. And I read 17 books in 2011, which is not too shabby at all. However, I'm bummed that I can't say for sure which books I read in the last part of the year. For example, I believe it was 17 in total, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, it really doesn't matter. Here's what I think I read in 2011.

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan
8. Saturday by Ian McEwan
9. Bossypants by Tina Fey
10. Animal Farm by George Orwell
11. No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod
12. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
13. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
14. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
15. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
16. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
17. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding

So, not bad at all, really. I read a few classics (Animal Farm and The Old Man and the Sea), a few silly reads (Bossypants and Bridget Jones Deux), a bit of non-fiction (Live from New York, 38 Witnesses, I Met the Walrus, The Tipping Point, and Tuesdays with Morrie), and the rest my beloved fiction (65%). I'd say it was a good year.

I'm currently reading David Sedaris' When You Are Engulfed in Flames and Malcolm Gladwell's What the Dog Saw.

I thought I'd already revealed rc-4, but it appears not. Next time I will!

NO NAIL BITING CHALLENGE

What's the key to achieving goals?

Declaring them on Sugar & Gravy.

Aside from graduating from university with a BA in Honours English and getting my G2, I think one of my best achievements in the past few years was quitting biting my nails.  I had been biting them for as long as I could remember and was frankly sick of the way they looked, the pain, and the embarrassment of having such nasty nails.  I decided to stop biting them, and I did.

Unfortunately, it hasn't lasted.  I don't know if I just let myself get back into the habit or if work-related and certainly emotional stress/distress lately have driven me to bite them.  Either way, I'm sick of doing it all over again and must break the habit!!!

SO - I solemnly declare to quit biting my nails once again!!!  Please join me on this journey.

DRIVING + rc-3 UPDATE!

Ladies and gentlemen... esteemed blog readers... general public...

It is with the greatest pleasure that I announce to you that I PASSED MY ROAD TEST!!!!!

After all these years, the thought of being able to drive seemed like a mountain beyond my ability to climb, but I proved that mountain wrong today. Turns out it was a molehill.

SO...

1. Get my G1 by December 31, 2010.
2. a) Register for driving lessons by February 28, 2011.
   b) Book my road test by May 31, 2011.
   c) Get my G2 by August 31, 2011.
3. Get a car by December 31, 2011.

I finished 2 a) and b) much earlier than expected, and needless to say #3 will be completed ASAP. I'd like to buy a car by June 30th... and I think it might even be earlier than that.

Anyway, I'm just so proud and happy and feel a sense of accomplishment like never before. LIFE IS GOOD!!!!!

In other news, I'm still reading Saturday, but I paused to read another book, so I'm 7 books in and 13 to go in 7 months. I CAN DO IT!

1. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
2. The Girls by Lori Lansens
3. Live from New York by Tom Shales & James Andrew Miller
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. The Divinity Gene by Matthew J. Trafford
6. 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case by A.M. Rosenthal
7. I Met the Walrus by Jerry Levitan

Getting things done week

This is a getting things done week. Now that I've entered the working world, every week is a getting things done week, really, but this is a work-related and personal getting things done week. For example, right now I'm updating my iPhone w/ new tunes via the Hype Machine and updating my blog, which I've been meaning to do for ages... with a substantial post.

So what have I been getting done? Well... work has been incredibly busy, which is overwhelming, but also great! What I love about my job is that there's so much variety - I never expected as a fundraiser to double as a production assistant with a film crew!! That'll be fun. Work is so busy that I brought work home with me today. It's not a necessary part of my job, and it's not unusual to be replying to/sending emails after the work day is over, but today was different - I brought home a stack of work to get through and just finished getting through it. What was great was that it wasn't overwhelming, but really satisfying! I was able to organize myself outside of the work day, so that when I start my day in the office tomorrow, I won't have to waste time figuring out what I need to do, but I'll be able to do it! I also won't have to start the day sending emails - but instead will hopefully have the replies by the time I start working. Definite efficiency... I can see why my Dad has done it for all these years. Anyway - I enjoyed the experience of taking my work home. (Speaking of being efficient with emails [or not!] - check out this post on my other blog Life After WLU).

What else have I been up to?

Well here's a big advancement: remember the driving challenge? Well I took 5 lessons with my instructor, and have gone out to practice with my Dad about 3-4 times, and I'm feeling pretty confident with my driving. I need a little more practice, but I think I'm ready.

Remember my goals?

1. Get my G1 by December 31, 2010.
2. a) Register for driving lessons by February 28, 2011.
   b) Book my road test by May 31, 2011.
   c) Get my G2 by August 31, 2011.
3. Get a car by December 31, 2011.

Notice that a 3rd goal has been (added and then) struck out - 2b) book my road test! Yes that's right! I have booked the road test to get my G2. It is set for June 1, 2011. Just over a month away and I could will be a driver. I was a little hesitant to announce this, especially the exact date, but I find that "being accountable to others" makes a goal more likely to be achieved. So hold me to it, dear readers, and I won't fail!!! As always, I'll keep you posted.

Sidenote: my computer just randomly turned off. I'm hoping it doesn't do that again, but if it does - God bless Blogger for auto-saving my post. Saved me ultimate heartache.

Moving on...

I'm also continuing on in the reading challenge. Unfortunately it's slow and steady (emphasis on slow), but it's still in progress. I'm reading HP7 and totally loving it!!! Can't wait to finish it before the 2nd installment of the movie. Next on my reading list is finishing my friend Matthew Trafford's book The Divinity Gene. It's amazing, and the perfect book to take pause with as it's a collection of short stories. I'm about half-way through, so after HP7 I'm all over it!

Anyway, I think that's it for now. I'm paranoid that my comp will shut down again, so I bid you adieu!

The Drive to Drive

For some reason challenges really work for me. I did my 90-day challenge back in the day, which was a complete success, and ended up being the impetus for losing 30 lbs. I did the great flossing challenge, which got me flossing on a regular basis... and although I've started to slack on that a bit, I remember to do it often enough, and still more often than before the flossing challenge. The reading challenge has been extremely successful, as since May 2010, I've read 15 books. 15 books in 9 months isn't too shabby.

Anyway, I respond to challenges. They have a mission combined with deadlines, which I guess really works for me. SO... it's time to focus on another challenge. Back in December I admitted my shameful secret (I don't have a driver's license) and committed to the following three goals:

1. Get my G1 by December 31, 2010.
2. Get my G2 by August 31, 2011.
3. Get a car by December 31, 2011.

Now I've got lots of time to complete goal #2, but what do I need to do to achieve it? I need to take driving lessons. I've taken them before, but I need (at the very least) a refresher course. In order to take driving lessons, I need to sign up for them, and I haven't yet done that. SO...

2. a) Register for driving lessons by February 28, 2011.

BAM. GONNA DO IT. LOVE CHALLENGES.

Resolutions II

Last year was the first year that I actually wrote down and sealed in an envelope my new year's resolutions. I'm leaving my parents' house in Toronto for my small town apartment today, so it will be this afternoon that I get to open up the envelope and see how I managed this year in achieving my goals. I remember what a few of them were, but not all, so we'll see how I did!

I'd like to make some new resolutions for this year, too. Obviously there's RC-3, but what else...? I'll figure them out over the next few days and then seal them up for next year. Moving onward and upward...

Speaking of goals and resolutions -- I GOT MY G1!!! Hoorah! I told you I'd do it. Now I just have to keep up the momentum and drive (PUN!) and schedule some driving lessons. I don't need to do the full program, as I've done it before, but I need at least a few refresher courses. I'll definitely keep you posted on the progress.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!