simplify my life

I purchased a pocket pc last month and have spent the entire month setting it up.

So far I have:

• Added a PDF, lit, chm, text and html reader for ebooks.

• Added a great pocket music player that rocks. I added all my favorite songs and some audio books.

• I created a portable photo book so that I can carry my best photography work.

*Figured out how to view videos and movies on my Pocket PC.

The only thing I need to do now is get a portable keyboard and wifi card.

I will be able to write books and articles on my pocket pc very soon.

I had a ton of user manuals at home. They are the bulky area in my file cabinet. Yesterday I read that a way to make things simpler and less messy was to get the electronic versions of these books for easier storage.

I am going to see what hard copies my husband has to have and which ones we can download and save.

This is so simple that I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.

I am giving away 85% of my jewelry. After careful thought, I haven’t worn any of it in over three years. I have allergic reactions to a lot of metals so I don’t wear them anymore.

A lot of it doesn’t fit into my style anymore or just need to go. The will go to a better home to someone who will use them.

Last night I thought about how I could make my cell phone more useful to meet my needs. I re-organized my speed dial to put the 10 top people on speed dial in the event of an emergency.

I added my doctor’s information on my phone.

I used the Voice Memo to create to messages. The first one is to let a person know if I am sick, injured or unconscious who to call ( speed dial the first 10 numbers), what major surgeries I have had, my allergies and any existing medical conditions. I stated my name, the date I did the recording and how the message was for.

The second message was a verbal medical consent to I wanted to make medical decision on my behalf in case I am unable to. It also lists a second and third person(s) in the event my husband is can not be reach. If no one can be reached and time is important I give the doctor full authorization to sustain my life until someone can be found. I list my surgeon as the doctor to call for medical information.

The third message is to my family in the event of my death to let them know I love them.

On the back of my cell phone I taped a message “Emergency Instructions in Voice Memo”

I heard most EMT and police go to the telephone as a way to contract people in your life. I am hoping this makes it easier.

I carry a sheet of paper in my wallet that includes all the same information including contact numbers.

I have been seeing a therapist to help me with my emotions after my surgery. One of the things we discussed was stripping down my life to the bare bones. What are the things I have to do, want to do and could do.

It was an interesting discussion and at the end of it I found out stuff about myself that I didn’t know before.

I learned that I have done a lot this year to simplify my life. My week consists of work, house keeping, family time, excerise, and my time.

Moving to this apartment is the #1 best move I made all year. Consolidating the old baggage was the 2nd best move.

This apartment has lifted my spirits up and helps me unwind. I love each area of my space and this the first time I ever felt this way in my life. It finally feels like my apartment. My home. My sanctuary.

My therapist commended me on holding out for the type of job I wanted. I have a job where I work 35 hours a week with a damn good team. I love my guys. They are great to work with and talented. I am in a less stressful environment.

We both agreed that I should continue to work at this job while pursue my other multiple streams of income. The two don’t interfere with the other so why mess up a good thing?

Since moving to the studio it will cut down my housekeeping to 30-45 minutes a day, twice a week. I cook about twice a week. Exercise three days a week. Call my family on Fridays and am going to try and visit them at least once a month.

My personal time is for my writing, side hustles and my photography. Other times are devote to my husband and just relaxing. That’s as bare bones as I can get right now.

I walked out of my appointment feeling better.

The next steps for simplifing my life include streamlining my eating habits. I’ve been good but can do way better. We have decided that six smaller meals ( three meals and two snacks) are going to help me way better mentally than four meals a day. The key is for me to have an arsenal of good food choices that satisfy.

For me a coffee can be a treat if I try a different flavor and limit it to one cup. That will satisfy my sweet and naughty tooth.

I need to make simple breakfast choices that I can eat that will fill me and fuel me up for the day. An omelet or boiled eggs may be the best option. There are so many ways to make them how can a person get bored?

I have to give up rice and cut back potatoes. I realize that I like a simple egg or tuna salad as a side dish. I like grilled tomatoes and vegatables.

A dessert could be an all fruit and soy milk smooth mixed with protein.

She gave me some good ideas about keeping it simple and trusting myself.

On the financial aspect automating my savings and bill payment is almost complete. We have decided to go fully automated after the holidays. We are dropping premium cable and using the library for videos. We are hoping to spend a little more time with each other, our family and friends.

If all goes right we will know how much we have to spend each month. This is giving me a peace of mind. I know after a couple of months of doing this we won’t miss the money at all.

I have simplified my relationships as well. This is the one of the hardest things to do. There are people in my life who are stressing me out so I have limited my time with them. I have been at home a lot this year and haven’t spent a lot of time visiting my family.

I didn’t visit anyone yesterday and could hear in their voices as well as was told they were kind of disappointed. So I am going to try and see my family at least once a month. I have only four members of my family in the area anyway so I figure I visit them once a month and check in at least once a week. Bridge the gap a bit. I can visit my in-laws when my husband goes.

The only people I have to worry about outside of that is my father and other sibilings in Florida, grandpa in Virginia and my uncle who lives down south. Those are once or two times a year trips that I can take over a weekend.

Things have improved a good amount since I have started this task a year ago.

Sometimes it takes another person to help you see the strides you made. Every step counts.

Things have been easier since the beginning of the year when I started this goals list.

I like how my husband and I have worked out our budget and bill paying. I get paid every two weeks and we pay all our houshold bills with during the first cyle and the rent in the last. This way we have money throughout the entire month.

I am working with my bank to have it so that my bills can be deducted from my account automatically.

I have started to try and substitue bad things for good things in my life.

• I am expressing my feelings vs holding them in.
• Writing something daily vs thinking about writing and doing nothing.
• Take compliments vs disagreeing with them automatically.
• Tried new things that I am afraid of failing at vs. watching from the sidelines while others have all the fun.
• Meet new people vs allowing my shyness to overtake me.

I have several email addresses and I can’t understand why. I am going to work to consolidate my email addresses and make sure that they all have a purpose that is productive in the life I want to live.

I am going to work and have my name and phone number removed from mailing lists. I looked up my name and found out my name, address and birthdate is online. That’s not good.

I also get tons of junk mail from Capital One and I have to do something about that. I am going to call or write to them and request to be removed from the list.