Over the last ten years (at least), I've used to do lists in some way, shape, or form. I've always kept myself organized (though it REALLY doesn't look like it sometimes), but my system is definitely my own.
I like crossing things off the list once I complete them. It has typically given me a sense of being productive. I've used paper, notebooks and, more recently, my iPad to organize my lists.
I've also been using to do lists to write down things when I remember I need to do something. Because if I don't write it down, I totally forget that I need to do it.
But what I have realized lately is that my to do list has been making me feel a bit cranky. Not because I have to actually do stuff, but because I have a tendency to put TOO MUCH on my list each day and when I can't cross everything off, it causes a slight feeling of failure. I just realized yesterday that this was a cause of feeling overwhelmed.
The other downfall is that I tend to put very big and broad items on my to do list, which can't possibly get done in one day. I fail to break it down into more manageable tasks (which is highly suggested) in order to feel productive.
I've been finding that my to do lists feel more like foe lately, even though I can't bring myself to stop making them. But what I really need to do is adjust the content and volume of my to do lists, breaking things down into manageable tasks.
Do you use a to do list? Do you find them to be overwhelming or helpful?
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
40x40 Part Deux
There was a request to see the nine items I've come up with so far...
1) Run a marathon
2) Get a passport (that's right, I don't have one)
3) Finish master's degree
4) Buy a house
5) See Paul McCartney in concert
6) Visit Europe
7) Payoff credit cards
8) Read "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie (been on my shelf since I was 22)
9) Have my living space in order
1) Run a marathon
2) Get a passport (that's right, I don't have one)
3) Finish master's degree
4) Buy a house
5) See Paul McCartney in concert
6) Visit Europe
7) Payoff credit cards
8) Read "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie (been on my shelf since I was 22)
9) Have my living space in order
40x40
As I sit down this morning, there are multiple topics that I could write a blog about: the Zimmerman verdict, Facebook or trusting people.
But while all of these things are swirling in my mind, I've been struggling with something that I decided to do a few weeks ago.
My friend Kari had posted about her 40x40. Basically, it's 40 things she wants to do before she turns 40. I decided that I was going to do one also, since I have about 7 years before I turn 40 (eek!) and of course, we're not getting any younger!
But as I've been working on putting a list together, I've been able to write down a total of NINE things. That's a far cry from 40.
The question is, why can't I get past nine? It makes me think I really need to sit down and put together a life plan or something. And maybe my life isn't particularly exciting if I can't figure out some things I want to do.
But on the flip side, maybe it just means that I have a lot of new things to experience and don't particularly know where to start.
So my question to you is "What is something you want to do during your lifetime?"
But while all of these things are swirling in my mind, I've been struggling with something that I decided to do a few weeks ago.
My friend Kari had posted about her 40x40. Basically, it's 40 things she wants to do before she turns 40. I decided that I was going to do one also, since I have about 7 years before I turn 40 (eek!) and of course, we're not getting any younger!
But as I've been working on putting a list together, I've been able to write down a total of NINE things. That's a far cry from 40.
The question is, why can't I get past nine? It makes me think I really need to sit down and put together a life plan or something. And maybe my life isn't particularly exciting if I can't figure out some things I want to do.
But on the flip side, maybe it just means that I have a lot of new things to experience and don't particularly know where to start.
So my question to you is "What is something you want to do during your lifetime?"
Sunday, July 7, 2013
The Book Nerd
Sometimes, you are just going about a normal day, and you have an epiphany. Mine happened yesterday.
First, I have to apologize to my friend Dave. He had to experience the unpleasant part of listening to me chat his ear off about something he probably isn't particularly interested in.
This weekend has been about a few things: purging/reorganizing my apartment; getting back on my half marathon training plan; getting some rest since I have really not felt well since I basically wanted to do nothing but sleep the last few weeks (and hoping to find out more soon); and just plain doing what I wanted.
So, yesterday, I got a bit serious. I've been awful about running in the previous weeks and decided to make the trek to Kalamazoo to run with Dave on a trail I hadn't been to in Portage. Unfortunately, the run left me feeling like I have no business "being a runner". I was not ready for 3 miles in the humidity that we ended up with around 10am and had to stop in the last mile and walk most of it. The goal ended up being to just "move forward and get to the car".
After a quick trip to drop off stuff and a stop at Sonic to get a slushie (yay!), we ended up heading to lunch at Bilbo's (yay!). I don't know why I brought it up - I think I thought I saw a bookstore across the street - but I asked Dave if there were any small bookstores in the area. I actually had to go get cheese from The Cheese Lady to bring back to Lansing, and he said there was one and it was on the way.
We stopped at the Bookbug and I just got all excited. It reminded me a bit of Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor (where I used to spend a lot of time) and was just all kinds of fantastic. They had some of the special hardcover editions of some of the classics, including one of my childhood favorites, Anne of Green Gables. They also had a great selection of Out of Print t-shirts, which I clearly bought The Great Gatsby one (though, if they would have had the Nancy Drew one in my size, I would have gotten that too).
Anyway, the whole 40 minutes or so that we were there, plus the massive amount of reading I did on Thursday, got me talking about books. And how I used to sneak a book into the shopping cart at Meijer almost every time we went.
And it got me to the point of realizing that right now, I'm in the right place. The last few years have felt like I haven't quite been myself, as I've been so busy that I haven't had time to read as much as I used to, go to yoga on a regular basis and have just lost control of all the junk that I've accumulated in my little one bedroom apartment.
But now I'm making an effort to get back to these things AND incorporate school, work and running. I have the opportunity right now to be whatever I want to be.
It seems fitting that there was a box of pins on the counter at the Bookbug yesterday. The first one I picked up was one that said "Book Nerd" and I promptly bought it. Sometimes it just takes a little nudge to get back to the things that make you happy.
First, I have to apologize to my friend Dave. He had to experience the unpleasant part of listening to me chat his ear off about something he probably isn't particularly interested in.
This weekend has been about a few things: purging/reorganizing my apartment; getting back on my half marathon training plan; getting some rest since I have really not felt well since I basically wanted to do nothing but sleep the last few weeks (and hoping to find out more soon); and just plain doing what I wanted.
So, yesterday, I got a bit serious. I've been awful about running in the previous weeks and decided to make the trek to Kalamazoo to run with Dave on a trail I hadn't been to in Portage. Unfortunately, the run left me feeling like I have no business "being a runner". I was not ready for 3 miles in the humidity that we ended up with around 10am and had to stop in the last mile and walk most of it. The goal ended up being to just "move forward and get to the car".
After a quick trip to drop off stuff and a stop at Sonic to get a slushie (yay!), we ended up heading to lunch at Bilbo's (yay!). I don't know why I brought it up - I think I thought I saw a bookstore across the street - but I asked Dave if there were any small bookstores in the area. I actually had to go get cheese from The Cheese Lady to bring back to Lansing, and he said there was one and it was on the way.
We stopped at the Bookbug and I just got all excited. It reminded me a bit of Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor (where I used to spend a lot of time) and was just all kinds of fantastic. They had some of the special hardcover editions of some of the classics, including one of my childhood favorites, Anne of Green Gables. They also had a great selection of Out of Print t-shirts, which I clearly bought The Great Gatsby one (though, if they would have had the Nancy Drew one in my size, I would have gotten that too).
Anyway, the whole 40 minutes or so that we were there, plus the massive amount of reading I did on Thursday, got me talking about books. And how I used to sneak a book into the shopping cart at Meijer almost every time we went.
And it got me to the point of realizing that right now, I'm in the right place. The last few years have felt like I haven't quite been myself, as I've been so busy that I haven't had time to read as much as I used to, go to yoga on a regular basis and have just lost control of all the junk that I've accumulated in my little one bedroom apartment.
But now I'm making an effort to get back to these things AND incorporate school, work and running. I have the opportunity right now to be whatever I want to be.
It seems fitting that there was a box of pins on the counter at the Bookbug yesterday. The first one I picked up was one that said "Book Nerd" and I promptly bought it. Sometimes it just takes a little nudge to get back to the things that make you happy.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Table for One
"How many will there be?"
"One."
I wasn't planning on this being the topic of the blog I had on my to do list. It just sort of came to me as I finished dinner and came home.
Great thing about being single: I can eat what I want, when I want.
Downside of being single: I don't always have someone to go to dinner with me.
Wait. Maybe that's NOT a downside!
This year, I've noticed myself making the decision to just go to dinner. Mostly because when I get hungry, I put off eating and then get really hungry and want to eat NOW. However, when I first started doing it, I was a bit hesitant to do so.
I remember reading something at some point that said that every woman should know the feeling of dining alone - without a book, magazine, phone, etc. Just as an opportunity to be out. Most times, I bring something with me, because sometimes you just don't have any interesting people around you to observe.
But it always seems that wherever I go, I get a double take when I say "one". Or it takes a bit to get waited on because they think I might be waiting for someone.
In any case, I've always had a group of friends that I've hung out with, but always felt like the odd one out. But as I've been pushing my limits and getting to know myself a bit better, I'm not only comfortable going out on my own, but feel more a part of the group.
It's odd how these things happen, but I do think it makes a lot of sense to know yourself well and be able to spend quality time alone. We need to understand that people have different needs at different times - for me, that's been looking inward to be more comfortable with myself.
I know I can say that I'll be back out next week for my Friday night dinner.
"One."
I wasn't planning on this being the topic of the blog I had on my to do list. It just sort of came to me as I finished dinner and came home.
Great thing about being single: I can eat what I want, when I want.
Downside of being single: I don't always have someone to go to dinner with me.
Wait. Maybe that's NOT a downside!
This year, I've noticed myself making the decision to just go to dinner. Mostly because when I get hungry, I put off eating and then get really hungry and want to eat NOW. However, when I first started doing it, I was a bit hesitant to do so.
I remember reading something at some point that said that every woman should know the feeling of dining alone - without a book, magazine, phone, etc. Just as an opportunity to be out. Most times, I bring something with me, because sometimes you just don't have any interesting people around you to observe.
But it always seems that wherever I go, I get a double take when I say "one". Or it takes a bit to get waited on because they think I might be waiting for someone.
In any case, I've always had a group of friends that I've hung out with, but always felt like the odd one out. But as I've been pushing my limits and getting to know myself a bit better, I'm not only comfortable going out on my own, but feel more a part of the group.
It's odd how these things happen, but I do think it makes a lot of sense to know yourself well and be able to spend quality time alone. We need to understand that people have different needs at different times - for me, that's been looking inward to be more comfortable with myself.
I know I can say that I'll be back out next week for my Friday night dinner.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
2013 - The Halfway Point
I realized earlier today that it's the end of June, meaning we're halfway through 2013. This year began as a new start for me - focusing on me. What exactly does that mean?
Well, so far this year, the big thing is that I completed my first ever half marathon, while traveling to Washington, D.C. for the first time ever. A year ago, I wouldn't have thought I would ever run 13.1 miles at one time.
This week, I also hit the one year anniversary of being at Tobacco-Free Michigan. I've learned a ton over the last year, and I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to learn on the job and move things forward just a tiny bit.
I am continuing to purge my apartment and it seems there's no end in sight for this task. I have no doubt the thrift stores are benefiting from this project.
A year ago, I was just learning that I was accepted to the Western Michigan University School of Public Administration to work on my Master's degree. This past Thursday, I started my fifth class in the program and by the end of the year, I'll have 18 credits of the 36 I need to start my project paper.
So what does that mean for the rest of the year?
Something my friend Kari wrote about her first week of marathon training hit me today. "Sometimes we hold so tightly to things that just are no longer serving us, that we end up cramped and in a life-stifling death grip on the way things used to be."
I'm taking this with me for the remainder of the year (and beyond). At the very least, it'll help in this purging process and getting rid of things I do not need in order to simplify my life (holy crafting supplies!).
I also need to let go of the feeling that I'm not a runner. After the half marathon, I've fallen off the running wagon. I've literally been out to run a handful of times since the half. With that, I've gotten into the thought process of doubting that I can run another half. The problem? I have already signed up for the GR Half in October, which means I need to be training.
So, in the next 6 months, I need to get back to running (sooner, preferably), keep purging and "let go". I'm looking forward to the upcoming four day weekend I have planned to keep going on that path, and with any luck, my car will be full of stuff to take to the thrift store.
Well, so far this year, the big thing is that I completed my first ever half marathon, while traveling to Washington, D.C. for the first time ever. A year ago, I wouldn't have thought I would ever run 13.1 miles at one time.
This week, I also hit the one year anniversary of being at Tobacco-Free Michigan. I've learned a ton over the last year, and I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to learn on the job and move things forward just a tiny bit.
I am continuing to purge my apartment and it seems there's no end in sight for this task. I have no doubt the thrift stores are benefiting from this project.
A year ago, I was just learning that I was accepted to the Western Michigan University School of Public Administration to work on my Master's degree. This past Thursday, I started my fifth class in the program and by the end of the year, I'll have 18 credits of the 36 I need to start my project paper.
So what does that mean for the rest of the year?
Something my friend Kari wrote about her first week of marathon training hit me today. "Sometimes we hold so tightly to things that just are no longer serving us, that we end up cramped and in a life-stifling death grip on the way things used to be."
I'm taking this with me for the remainder of the year (and beyond). At the very least, it'll help in this purging process and getting rid of things I do not need in order to simplify my life (holy crafting supplies!).
I also need to let go of the feeling that I'm not a runner. After the half marathon, I've fallen off the running wagon. I've literally been out to run a handful of times since the half. With that, I've gotten into the thought process of doubting that I can run another half. The problem? I have already signed up for the GR Half in October, which means I need to be training.
So, in the next 6 months, I need to get back to running (sooner, preferably), keep purging and "let go". I'm looking forward to the upcoming four day weekend I have planned to keep going on that path, and with any luck, my car will be full of stuff to take to the thrift store.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Hitting the low...
Today is June 22. It's been 3 weeks since my last run. I've been plagued with some sort of illness for the last week. I've wanted to sleep most of the day for the past month or so.
I'll let you in on a little secret...I'm broken.
It didn't happen overnight. But it really came to a head last week, when I lost my voice and started feeling like crap. It had been a while since I had been sick for more than a day or so, so I think I sort of forgot what it felt like. Once I got back from my half marathon, I went directly into the first summer semester for school and the class I took was extremely overwhelming (though a great class).
I've not been myself. And I don't think that's recent, but over time I've stopped reading for fun, my attention span has deteriorated, my focus is out the window, I'm having a hard time with priorities and I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. In the process, other outside forces have really put a damper on things, and my uncertainty about how to handle them has made me "turtle up" some (Yes, you bet your sweet ass I am...).
But, there's nothing like being sick to give you time to 1) decide that things suck, 2) realize you're being lazy, 3) decide you have to get back to the purging of your apartment and 4) understand that you haven't been taking care of yourself.
I started feeling human for the first time in a week on Thursday. Now that I'm feeling a little bit better, and the better part of my weekend is going to be spent working on my final paper for the semester, I decided that I needed to do some things moving forward before getting sucked into the paper.
This may sound odd, but I went to Staples and got notepads. I really went there for ink, but there were two particular notepads that caught my eye. One is a to do list type, and the other is a project type of pad, which includes boxes for tasks. I also spent way too much money there, in an effort to try to get myself re-organized.
The second place I went was Barnes & Noble. Mostly because it's the closest bookstore to my apartment. I used to wander in the Borders in downtown Ann Arbor for hours, looking at everything. I haven't bought a book in a bookstore for months (though I have purchased things on Kindle). I know I pretty much have a library at home already, but I bought a book today ("A Discovery of Witches", for those interested) in hopes that I'll pick it up this weekend and start reading (or any book for that matter).
Basically, I need to shift my priorities (or continue to) back to the following things (in no particular order):
- Work
- Half marathon training and fundraising
- Yoga
- Eating better
- Paying off debt
- School
- Purging the apartment
- Taking more time for fun stuff (reading, movies, friends, etc.)
My hope is that by doing this, I can move back toward being myself. Or, at least a little less broken version of myself.
I'll let you in on a little secret...I'm broken.
It didn't happen overnight. But it really came to a head last week, when I lost my voice and started feeling like crap. It had been a while since I had been sick for more than a day or so, so I think I sort of forgot what it felt like. Once I got back from my half marathon, I went directly into the first summer semester for school and the class I took was extremely overwhelming (though a great class).
I've not been myself. And I don't think that's recent, but over time I've stopped reading for fun, my attention span has deteriorated, my focus is out the window, I'm having a hard time with priorities and I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. In the process, other outside forces have really put a damper on things, and my uncertainty about how to handle them has made me "turtle up" some (Yes, you bet your sweet ass I am...).
But, there's nothing like being sick to give you time to 1) decide that things suck, 2) realize you're being lazy, 3) decide you have to get back to the purging of your apartment and 4) understand that you haven't been taking care of yourself.
I started feeling human for the first time in a week on Thursday. Now that I'm feeling a little bit better, and the better part of my weekend is going to be spent working on my final paper for the semester, I decided that I needed to do some things moving forward before getting sucked into the paper.
This may sound odd, but I went to Staples and got notepads. I really went there for ink, but there were two particular notepads that caught my eye. One is a to do list type, and the other is a project type of pad, which includes boxes for tasks. I also spent way too much money there, in an effort to try to get myself re-organized.
The second place I went was Barnes & Noble. Mostly because it's the closest bookstore to my apartment. I used to wander in the Borders in downtown Ann Arbor for hours, looking at everything. I haven't bought a book in a bookstore for months (though I have purchased things on Kindle). I know I pretty much have a library at home already, but I bought a book today ("A Discovery of Witches", for those interested) in hopes that I'll pick it up this weekend and start reading (or any book for that matter).
Basically, I need to shift my priorities (or continue to) back to the following things (in no particular order):
- Work
- Half marathon training and fundraising
- Yoga
- Eating better
- Paying off debt
- School
- Purging the apartment
- Taking more time for fun stuff (reading, movies, friends, etc.)
My hope is that by doing this, I can move back toward being myself. Or, at least a little less broken version of myself.
“Risk more than others think is safe, care more than others think is wise, dream more than others think is practical, expect more than others think is possible.” - Cadet Maxim
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