Nothing like a six-hour-white-knuckle drive to Cedar City in a blizzard to sharpen the senses!
I was supposed to go to Cedar this weekend for the most adorable nephew in the world's birthday party and to listen to Sam and Jamie speak in church. After all the driving I've been doing, I had decided to tell my brothers that I just couldn't stand doing another drive and gracefully bow out.
The plan was to catch a ride home with my mom, who came back to my house to pick up her luggage. I had told her I wasn't coming, and she had loaded her bag. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to go. So with a gentle nudge from Sid, I changed my mind at the last second, threw some clothes in a bag and jumped in her car.
Call it a prompting, call it logic and stubbornness, I choose to call it the results of the spiritual changes from this diet. Whatever it was, I needed to be in that car with my mom. The drive was stressful, her wipers were broken and iced over, and the thought of her having had to endure that alone make me ever grateful I was with her! And of course I'm sure she was grateful too, as I, on more than one occasion, jumped out of the car (on I-15) and deiced her windows with semis and cars all around us!
I've definitely had my adventure for the week!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Day 14
Here we are at the end of the second week of my five week diet. Holy Rusted Metal Batman! That means I'm nearing the half way point. Half way to CHANGING MY ENTIRE LIFE. . . .right. . .
I refuse to take an inventory of the passed week. It was disastrous! That is about all I can say for it. The work week I had made me realize why all of my bad habits have started: Work! Late nights and early mornings. I can do one or the other. But not both.
I can't even update this blog on a daily basis, let alone tackle the half a dozen bad habits I've accrued over the past year. Good thing I don't have a goldfish, it would probably be floating by now!
I refuse to take an inventory of the passed week. It was disastrous! That is about all I can say for it. The work week I had made me realize why all of my bad habits have started: Work! Late nights and early mornings. I can do one or the other. But not both.
I can't even update this blog on a daily basis, let alone tackle the half a dozen bad habits I've accrued over the past year. Good thing I don't have a goldfish, it would probably be floating by now!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Day 13
While it's been an emotionally exhausting week, my mom is back visiting. Something about a mom makes you pertend to have good habits? Didn't get up on time, but I did avoid any bad language and didn't watch TV after 11:00 last night (although she did - maybe that is where I get that insomnia!). And here it is 1:00 PM on a Friday and I haven't had my caffeinated beverage yet! Will I make it through the day? Probably not. But I'm determined to be on my best behavior for mommy dearest! And I think I need all the good karma points I can get for not drinking Dr. Pepper on a 'Dr. Pepper Approved Day.'
Trying to analyze if I am cranky because I haven't been following my good habits, or if I haven't been following my good habits because I'm cranky. Not sure I can scientifically prove this one way or the other. But my brother would say I'm cranky because I'm Erin!
Trying to analyze if I am cranky because I haven't been following my good habits, or if I haven't been following my good habits because I'm cranky. Not sure I can scientifically prove this one way or the other. But my brother would say I'm cranky because I'm Erin!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Day 12
Wow, I've used this blog to give myself accountability and encourage myself to stick to my goals. I didn't really think all my loved ones would hold my nose to it, and follow up with my to make sure I'm going through with things!
Yes, you may notice that Day 9 - 11 are mysteriously missing. I think you can guess what happened. I fell off the wagon. Or is it that I'm back on the wagon? Not really sure how that works. I'm either back on the wagon of Laziness, or I fell off the wagon of Good Habits. You decide.
All I know is that this routine I'm working on is so easy to grasp in theory, but so difficult in application. Especially with a schedule like mine. Not that there is any excuse. But working late nights and early mornings has really strengthened my self-justification of certain bad habits. I feel I have to eat out, for instance, because I'm on the run and traveling every day. But in actuality, I could still make better food choices regardless. Or giving in to my Dr. Pepper monster just because I'm so tired (yes, I get that if I kicked the habit I wouldn't be as tired from all the sugar crashes, so don't try to 'educate' me).
Anyway, as you can tell, this isn't a happy blog about how much of a difference I can feel from all these changes. Mostly, this week, I feel I've taken on a few too many changes at once, and my body revolted against all of them!
Happy blogging. Maybe tomorrow, I'll sacrifice my Dr. Pepper day, resist swearing altogether, go to bed early, and get up and study. Then I'll pop a Prozac and write something positive!
Yes, you may notice that Day 9 - 11 are mysteriously missing. I think you can guess what happened. I fell off the wagon. Or is it that I'm back on the wagon? Not really sure how that works. I'm either back on the wagon of Laziness, or I fell off the wagon of Good Habits. You decide.
All I know is that this routine I'm working on is so easy to grasp in theory, but so difficult in application. Especially with a schedule like mine. Not that there is any excuse. But working late nights and early mornings has really strengthened my self-justification of certain bad habits. I feel I have to eat out, for instance, because I'm on the run and traveling every day. But in actuality, I could still make better food choices regardless. Or giving in to my Dr. Pepper monster just because I'm so tired (yes, I get that if I kicked the habit I wouldn't be as tired from all the sugar crashes, so don't try to 'educate' me).
Anyway, as you can tell, this isn't a happy blog about how much of a difference I can feel from all these changes. Mostly, this week, I feel I've taken on a few too many changes at once, and my body revolted against all of them!
Happy blogging. Maybe tomorrow, I'll sacrifice my Dr. Pepper day, resist swearing altogether, go to bed early, and get up and study. Then I'll pop a Prozac and write something positive!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Day 8
It's my second Sunday. It seems appropriate to focus on how my spiritual goals are going.
I learned something really amazing about God this week. Amazing, and humbling. I realized that I needed to make some spiritual improvements in my life. That is perhaps the biggest reason why I started this experiment. But in doing so, I also realized turning my spiritual life into an 'experiment' would be a little hypocritical to the Lord.
And indeed, when I knelt down to pray on Day 1, I felt nothing but hypocrisy on my lips. It was almost like I was saying, "Okay God, I'm giving you 35 days. 35 days that I'm going to pay closer attention to our relationship. 35 days to be a fair weather friend." And true to that feeling, it was a hollow experience.
But lovingly, despite my reasons for returning to a more intimate form of communication with Him, He has instilled me with a few glimpses this week of his Tender Mercies. Mostly this is personal, so I won't discuss it here, but I do feel to be true to this experiment, I need to document it here. This week has left me feeling more inspired. And humbled to know that even though my effort has been embarrassingly small, the Lord has doubled that effort in return, and that leaves me with an incredible sense of HOPE!
I learned something really amazing about God this week. Amazing, and humbling. I realized that I needed to make some spiritual improvements in my life. That is perhaps the biggest reason why I started this experiment. But in doing so, I also realized turning my spiritual life into an 'experiment' would be a little hypocritical to the Lord.
And indeed, when I knelt down to pray on Day 1, I felt nothing but hypocrisy on my lips. It was almost like I was saying, "Okay God, I'm giving you 35 days. 35 days that I'm going to pay closer attention to our relationship. 35 days to be a fair weather friend." And true to that feeling, it was a hollow experience.
But lovingly, despite my reasons for returning to a more intimate form of communication with Him, He has instilled me with a few glimpses this week of his Tender Mercies. Mostly this is personal, so I won't discuss it here, but I do feel to be true to this experiment, I need to document it here. This week has left me feeling more inspired. And humbled to know that even though my effort has been embarrassingly small, the Lord has doubled that effort in return, and that leaves me with an incredible sense of HOPE!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Day 7
One week down. It seems appropriate to get out my checklist and see what I've managed to accomplish this week.
- Financial: Bring my lunch 4 times a week. I actually surprised myself here. I made my lunch three times. That is more than I expected. And what is more, I'm sort of loving it. I love not having to leave a tip, or spend more than I actually eat. I even managed to enjoy a few of the left overs from my dinners. I felt very savvy in this goal! I'm giving myself a B+ in this category because I'm the teacher, so there!
- Spiritual: Twice daily communication with the Lord. Study the Good Book each morning. This is one of the more challenging habits to recreate. I used to be so great at it. I hate to admit, but I noticed a direct correlation between this goal and the goal on going to bed on time! When I organized my night and went to sleep on time in my own bed, getting up was easier and I felt less rushed in the morning and had more time to study and pray.
- Social: Home by 11:00 on school nights. No TV after that time. Proud to say I aced the home by 11 PM section! And 4/5 on the no TV after that time. I did have a relapse the night I got my blackberry as I stayed up late playing with it in front of my TV.
- Physical: Get out of bed on time. A+ Didn't always enjoy this, but made it happen! No caffeine Tuesday - Thursday. I made it T-W. 66%. What is that a D+? This is definitely not a grade I'm used to seeing! But I knew this would be one of my more difficult changes. Mostly it's a social challenge. I can see now why it would be hard to go to a bar and not order alcohol if you used to drink. Honestly, when it comes time to make a beverage selection, nothing else has any appeal. So this is obviously going to take more time or more willpower! I think I will stick to the plan to eliminate caffeine three days a week, but change the days to Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Give myself a mid-week reward.
- Mental: One swear word a day. Since I'm grading this test, I'm giving myself a solid A-. My number of swear words averaged one a day. Does that count. Of course Sam told me if I got to the end of the day and hadn't sworn I better hurry and say one so as not to have wasted the day!
- Emotional: Don't participate in criticism of others. . . . I followed the adage, if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all. But I'm not sure this is really working for me. Here is where I give myself my first F, and hang my head in shame.
As you can see. Lots of work ahead. Lots of terrible habits still in need of change. But at the end of the day, I think I was a better human being this week. And that counts for something.
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