Minimum Progress on Minimizing; Looking for List Making App

Sometimes I just have to psyche myself out.  Actually, I have to do it quite often.  It is amazing how much of life is a mind game first before anything else comes into play.  This week has taken a bit of self-analysis.

I have made minimal progress in all of the areas of my life I am currently targeting.  I saw the most progress in my diet as I have been home more and cooking so it is much more clean than the previous 8 weeks.  I've focused on cutting out fat from my plant-based diet and am now back in One-derland.  Still a handful more to get down to my June weight before continuing on to goal.

I have started each day with a list of three things, yes, just three, I wanted to get done each day.  I have surpassed that each day.  Finally, painted the shelves in a bathroom that I left after painting the rest of the room earlier this year.  I still need to take the hardware off of the cabinets and paint those.

I have made minimal progress on decluttering but it is my focus for today.  I do have two large black trash bags ready to take to Salvation Army but last time I went by they were not accepting donations.  Rural America does not have an abundance fo donation centers for thrift stores and such.  I can get more together and call DAV from the city to come pick it up.

I worked in my craft room for about two hours on two evenings this week.  I actually made a birthday card for a family member.  It's been since May that I have created anything.  I do need to put creative time as a priority as it is very good for my mental health.

Today, my goal is to purge 30 items.  That will equal two a day for each day this month including tomorrow.  I think that is an attainable goal and will get the ball rolling in the right direction.  Sometimes little steps toward a goal are very motivating especially when I feel behind.

In Bible study, we are studying women in the Bible.  It is interesting to see how I can still relate to women from thousands of years ago.  It has also been revealing to see how the Bible honors women in so many capacities and it quite destroys the argument that some have about limiting the role of women in the church.  I study with a wonderful group of women of all ages and learn so much from each every week.  Some of the youngest cause me to challenge myself the most.  I am humbled by their insight.

I have been short changing myself on sleep due to a game called Township.  This is quiet an embarassing admission for a grown woman but  here it is.  The game is simple yet challenging.  I like the logistics of it and it appeals to my left brain.  I happened on to the game after I purchased a new Fire tablet.  I like to have it for quick look ups, reading on the go, and logging my food on Cronometer.com.  It came with many free app downloads and I tried a few many of which did not appeal to me or function correctly.  Township has turned out to be pretty good in a bad sort of way.  It, like so many online thngs, is a time stealer.  I am going to have to come up with a strategy to limit it or just delete it.

I really would like an app that allows me to make list, has some choices to populate a lists so I don't have to enter each item, and that will keep items completed so I can just add them again if needed.  Right now, everything I've tried takes more time to enter items than it takes with pencil and paper.  Any suggestions.  If you have a great list making app or way to do it on the computer through googledocs so I can access it anytime, please leave a comment so I can try it.

P.S.  10:21p.m. and I have given away, thrown away, or recyled 35 things.

I Think I Can, I Think I Can: WFPB and Minimalism

Getting off of the processed food has been harder than I thought it would be.  When you've spent the last eight weeks eating salty chips, fries, and other 'quick' vegan foods, crawling out of that self-dug hole is pretty hard.  I'm still trying though.  Like the Little Engine That Could, I will make it up and over this mountain.

I've been enjoying the idea that my evenings over the next few months will not be spent traveling and attending high school sporting events.  I do enjoy it when we are in the season, but I also enjoy when it ends.  Seven hours a day at least three times per week doing that is nearly a full time job with no pay.

The insanity in our world continues.  Both natural and man-made tragedies seem to be rampant.  I have to shield myself from some of that negativity or it paralyzes me.  I watch the 'news' long enough to get the headlines and some details and then I simply must turn it off.  I pray over all of it and then I have to focus on something else or I become overwhelmed.  It seems like the 'news' can report on one topic all day long as they seem to build their reporting around people's opinions.  I have to just say "No".  Enough is enough.

How can we expect from others what we do not have ourselves.  If we are discontent, self-serving, and ungrateful, how can we expect others to be the opposite.  At some point we have to stop the hypocrisy.

If I am grateful for my health, then I should show that by doing the best I can to maintain that health.  For me that is a whole food, plant based diet.  If I am grateful for my home, then I should spend time everyday taking care of it.  If I am grateful for my family, then I should invest my time in them.

I have quite a few elderly, 65-85, people in my life.  I see them age daily.  Through them I have been forced to confront my own aging.  Part of that confrontation has been looking around my house at all of the stuff I own.  That is leading me down the path of minimalism.

I probably will never own just 10 pieces of clothing or two pairs of shoes.  My shelves will never be sparse or void of books and knick-knacks.  Lately, however, I do feel the need to decrease the amount of stuff I own.  I surely don't want to leave my mess to someone else.

I also need to quit putting off the things I say I want to do and actually invest time doing them.  It seems I am often waiting for the perfect time to do things.  I have to adjust my thinking on that.  I have to capture minutes instead of hours.  I found this quote recently: "Don't wait for things to get easier, simpler, or better.  Life will always be complicated. Learn to be happy right now.  Otherwise, you'll run out of time."  So I need to do those crafts, make those recipes, read those books, or pass them on to someone who will.  So I say to simplified eating and living, I think I can, I think I can....and I will.