Week 7 Battle Plan

Assessment: Week 6 is hereby declared a success. While productivity was low across the battalions, territory was regained in physical condition areas. Two 4-mile runs, two yoga classes, two massages will ease the pressure on the headache front lines. eal Life Drama has caused stress among the troops to skyrocket. Head Aches are occurring almost daily, a temper tantrum was sighted. Tears, happily, have been minimal. A retreat is called, troops are gathered behind castle walls for the coming week.

Week 7 Battle Plan: Reinstate meditation practice. Ease back into negotiations with the Job Dragon. Look closely at how the ranks spend their time, particularly regarding internets.

Create Space

My hope as I begin this practice of creating space is that I find that secret spot of calm that I know exists in my heart.  I have been ignoring the pain of my body and of my soul and tending to the 'shoulds', or gazing mesmerized into the bright and shiny internets, or wandering around poking at a bit of my life here, a bit there. I am longing for stillness, peace, sureness of the path I am on. I most need, at this moment, a retreat; silence; self care; focus.

My intention for this course is finding silence.

Body Week Assessment, Goals and Attack Plan

The Situational Assessment: I am having nearly daily headaches. I am afraid I am going to be crippled at 60 because I sit at a desk all day. I am not exercising and don't want to exercise. I am tired of constantly thinking about how my skin looks and checking it. I want the crease in the middle of my brow to go away. I am eating too much sugar. I frequently feel schlumpy at work. I am wearing heels too much, and my flat work shoes hurt my feet. On off days I look grubby more than casual. I want to feel pretty, but also to not spend any time thinking about how I look and how I should look better.

The Ideal: I have an exercise routine that I execute consistently, involving cardio, yoga and strength training. I meditate daily. I have no headaches, no shoulder pain, and feel strong and flexible. I eat as much dark chocolate as I want, replacing dessert completely. My hair is quick and easy to style, my skin is clear and my makeup quick and simple. My teeth are white and straight. My forehead is uncreased and relaxed. I am comfortable and classy at work, cute and comfortable evenings and weekends. All of the above is automatic and routine, so my body is not older than I am and I spend the bare minimum of time thinking about how I look.

 What's working:

• I have a hairstyle that looks good and grows out well, it has just been a while since the last cut
• I have a quick easy makeup routine I am satisfied with, lash curler/eyeliner/mascara/concealer/lipstick
• I have a 20-class pass to the yoga studio and at least one teacher I like
• I have quit my diet Coke addiction for nearly a year now
• I have several pairs of heels, pants and jeans that I really like, and several work outfits that really work for me
• I have a new meditation routine I've been doing for a month now
• I have a very good doctor, dentist, masseuse

The Battle Plan: Get rid of headaches. Develop a stress relief program. Come up with a cardio/strength/yoga exercise plan I can stick with, and do it (or variations on the theme). Forever. Eat recommended amount of veggies daily, stop eating dessert except special occasions. Fix up hair, teeth, skin and then stop thinking about them. Revamp wardrobe--more comfortable, cuter and less overly casual.

• Stress Relief
• Keep up the meditation habit
• Take daily 15-min lunch break
• Get a monthly massage
• Schedule monthly beach morning 
• Cardio and yoga (see below)
• Diet/Exercise
• Keep up the vitamins
• Work up an exercise plan with yoga, cardio, strength training
•  Figure out some rewards that will really work
• Go on 2-week sugar break starting after Thanksgiving
• Life rule: no donuts, ever.
• Hair/skin/teeth
• Schedule a haircut
• Schedule dentist appointment to have that sensitive tooth adjusted
• Figure out a skin regimen and stop touching face
• Start sleeping on back not stomach 
• Start brow massage/heatpack routine?
• Get a pedicure
• Start wearing retainers at night 
• Do the entire teeth whitening kit
• Wardrobe
• Shop Clarks/Ecco/Zappos for comfortable dressy flats and casual not-sneakers
• Research cute warm outfits
• Determine exactly what wardrobe pieces are needed
• Get rid of all schlumpy clothing
• Get jeans hemmed to proper length
• Fix/get stains out of items in the mending basket 

Week 6 Battle Plan

Assessment: Real Life Drama has caused stress among the troops to skyrocket. Head Aches are occurring almost daily, a temper tantrum was sighted. Tears, happily, have been minimal. A retreat is called, troops are gathered behind castle walls for the coming week.

Week 6 Battle Plan: Retreat and triage. Fortify physical defenses, attack Head Aches with everything in the arsenal. It is Thanksgiving week, so there is to be no work and no internet this week, and it is hereby declared Body Week.

• Massage 11/19
  
• Yoga 11/20
• Run 11/19
  
• Massage 11/24
  
• Yoga 11/25
• Run 11/23
  
• Pedicure 11/24
  

• Body Week Assessment 11/20
  
• Create Space Week 1
• Joynal Week 1 11/19
• Joynal Week 2
• Soul Restoration Week 2 11/21
• Soul Restoration Week 3
• Soul Restoration Week 4 
• Soul Restoration Week 5 
• Soul Restoration Week 6  
• Yale Music 1 11/20
• Call Pam 11/21

• Clean Studio
• Clean up garden

Week 5 Midweek Update

There has been a rough patch, with a wave of Real Life Drama (RLD) rolling through the newly gained territories. I have called a retreat to higher ground, and the troops, while in disarray, are in good spirits. The Job Dragon is Otherwise Occupied for a week, so attention will turn to the Stress Ogre in the coming days. But for now, 

              We breathe in,
                       We breathe out.

                                 Also, we eat a lot of icecream.

Week 3 Midweek Update

Oops, the first cracks in the buttress. Missed lunch break Wed and Thurs, and missed kitchen time Thursday. However! Made it to yoga Wednesday, and bought a 20-pack which expires in 6 months--must go weekly now! Feeling a little more energetic in the evenings, and have sketched a bit. One for the win book, saved ATL's butt at work this week! Need to catch up on Soul Restoration work...if I can get that damn printer working. Do I really need a new printer because this one is too old to have a working driver exist for it?

Week 3 Battle Plan

Journal Page celebrating progress in the new Meditation Practice

Assessment: Week 2 continued well. The morning drills and 6 minutes of meditating were successfully executed without fail. The Job Dragon was somewhat cowed, and a tiny bit of art was done. A Meditation Practice Journal Page was painted!  The Ireland photo album was completed, and the printer resurrected for some test prints.

Week 3 Battle Plan: Continue with drills. Begin Art Every Day Month.

• Drills: continue with morning drills as established Week 1 and 2, adding 1 minute of meditation. Continue drill session of shoulder mobility exercises and 5 minutes kitchen cleanup. Begin taking 15-minute lunch breaks, and start working on back sleeping position.
• Rations: continue with daily vitamins.

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Notes: The idea of a meditation practice page comes from Jamie Ridler. Every new habit deserves a celebration of progress, and every day completed adds another jewel to the journal page!

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Week 2 Midweek Update

The slow addition of routines goes well, with no loss of days. There have been headaches and no exercise since Friday, but I have retired to my chambers, evading the Job Dragon, for some restorative napping. I am nearly recovered from last week's draining bout with the Job Dragon. And for the newly established Win Book, an addition: commendation on Tuesday's test completion from 2 VPs.

Week 2 Battle Plan

Assessment: Week 1 proved the wisdom of starting very small. The morning drills of vitamins, vacuuming, and 5 minutes of meditating were successfully executed without fail. The Job Dragon, in particular, was menacing and aggressive, but the small drills allowed for no loss of ground.

Week 2 Battle Plan: Continue with drills. Establish a Win Book and Meditation Practice page.

• Drills: continue with morning drills as established Week 1, adding 1 minute of meditation. Add an afternoon drill session of shoulder mobility exercises and 5 minutes kitchen cleanup.
• Rations: continue with daily vitamins.

Week 1 Midweek Update

It's just as well I planned to start small so I don't have to feel guilty about this week. The Job Dragon has been claiming a lot of time and energy, and nothing productive has occurred this week including exercise. I have not been a particularly Considerate Wife and have left my tupperware in the sink every night for the Prince to wash. I have so far, however, managed to meditate for 5 minutes, take vitamins, and vacuum the bathroom floor with the handheld vac every morning this week.

This evening I caught one of the Palace Cats chewing holes in 3 pairs of yoga pants (the cheap ones, happily) and one of my new Smartwool socks. That prompted a clean-up of the laundry on the closet floor, and I exacted my revenge by clipping the claws and fleaing both Palace Cats, thereby killing two trolls (trolls being the chores, not the cats).
 
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The Enemy To-Do Brigades

The To-Do Brigades are arranged as follows:

1. Errand Trolls
2. Paperwork Trolls
3. Housework Trolls
4. The RAT goblin and minions
5. Chore Trolls
6. Garden Goblins
7. DIY Trolls 

The complete list of the To-Do Corp may be found here.

Week 1 Battle Plan

Assessment:  The troops are scattered and tired, ailed by headaches, exhaustion, stiffness and muscle spasms. They are overwhelmed and prone to wandering off to catch fireflies.
 

Week 1 Battle Plan:
Inspect current battle lines, survey territory losses, assess weaknesses, increase situational awareness. Track mood, energy, productivity. Draw up campaign goals and timeline.

• Drills: Begin slow and easy--5 minutes daily meditation, wield the magic hand vac daily against the bathroom floor
• Rations: Daily vitamins

Days 1 and 2--Triage

1. Go for a run 4 miles on the Strand, Oct13
2. Get a massage 1.5 hours Thai massage, Oct14
3. Go to yoga Finally made it! Oct31
4. Call funniest friend or your sister...Oct13
5. Collect some light reading Terry Pratchett, Lord Peter Whimsey on duty, Oct13
6. Technology- and chore-free day Sunday Break, Oct14

Letter to Myself, an Intervention.

Okay Princess. It's time. You cannot continue this way, spinning your wheels, grinding your gears, stuck in a cranky, mucky rut of exhaustion and boredom. This is An Intervention. You know what makes you feel better, you know what you enjoy, so why are you insisting on scrubbing the floors with a toothbrush and your waterpik before you do the fun stuff? You know that if you wait to get everything spic and span, lined up in rows like little soldiers, indexed and cross-referenced, that you will die clinging desperately to your special brand of crazy, right? You know if you wait to exercise and stretch until you feel like it, you will be dead and buried, a late princess, before that happens, right? I am not kidding, can't you hear the clanging warning bells of the muscle spasms in your quads and the feeling of walking like a slightly crooked man living in a slightly crooked house? You're 34, for god's sake.

You've read all the books, you know all the theories and tactics, you know all about the birth and care and feeding of habits. So draw up a battle plan, start a little war, and RECLAIM YOUR BLISS ALREADY, DAMMIT!

Love, Your Wiser Self


“‎Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen Hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regrets. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” ~Mary Anne Radmacher