Make 2008 my best year yet

February was just tough on every level. Instead of growing and finding balance, I’ve been busy dealing with curveballs. Still, I did get a few things done and also have learned a lot from this past month, so in the end, it was still progress, such as:

• Realizing that I should not feel responsible or hurt by drama/gossip, which is spread by miserable people anyway. It is not worthy of my energy or attention.
• How to handle my mother more efficiently and establish boundaries.
• Never drive a car out of warranty! I was grateful for my warranty when my car fell apart.
• Yes, I can handle every situation that life throws at me (see previous post!). I just have to learn to be a bit more graceful. :)
• Setbacks are just temporary. However, dwelling on them makes them look out of proportion. No more dwelling! Let’s move on to March.

March Goals

G1: Well-being

When I am stressed or down, the first thing that goes out the window is my diet and exercise plan. I have to break the cycle:

• On payday this week I will fill my fridge with nutritious, delicious food that follows my healthy eating plan.
• Keep taking my fish oil.
• Have a fruit and a salad everyday.

G2: Body

• Start the PBD exercise plan.
• Create and keep a fitness log.
• Keep taking care of my skin and reevaluate my RAM treatment.
• Keep taking care of my hair.

G3: Therapeutical

• Work on core beliefs with therapist.
• Make a conscious effort to stop yelling.
• I will not go out of my way to check news stories that make me upset or sad! Stop with the masochism.

G4: Career

Hm. I seem to be stuck. The economy is really down right now and a promotion is coming my way, so I will just deal with it for now. The next two months are probably going to be tough at work:

• No complaining, just keep on being positive and deal with projects efficiently.
• Leave on time everyday.
• Send my new resume to that one recruiter and return some calls. It’s a small step but still.

G5: Finances

I have great self discipline in this area thankfully! I’ve raised my credit score by 20 points this month, got a great credit card (for major emergencies only) and did not deplete my savings with the unexpected expenses we’ve had. My one minor card should be paid off this month!

• For the time being I’ll just keep on padding my savings and paying down my debt, so no specific goals this month.

G6: Planning/Organization/Home

• Backup all of my music library
• Have some checklists on hand (cleaning checklist, bills, healthy foods/grocery list, and job search checklist)
• Clean up my email accounts
• Get renter’s insurance
• Get a water fountain for the kitties

G7: Relationships

• Answer all the wonderful people who sent me mail through 43things :)
  No other goals. Just try to have more fun.

G8: Fun and Play

No idea on this one. I think I have forgotten to have fun for the time being :( Suggestions are welcome! I think I should start a 43things group in my city and meet some people! If you need a friend in Arizona, I am taking applications. :P

G9: Learning and Personal Growth

• Go through my bass learning DVD

G10: Other Projects

None at the time

Most of the issues that stalled me this month are resolved, or about to be resolved, but one thing I need to learn this year is confidence.

Note to self: You have no problem travelling all over the world, and moving to another country. You’ve battled through some incredible odds and came out victorious. So why do you freak out at mundane life events, such as jumping a battery or renting a car?

I swear I am part genius, part idiot.

Somewhere along the way, I have gotten lost. This month has been difficult so far in every way. It’s been hard to keep my head above water, much less do any progress on my stuff.

Here’s a set of issues I need to tackle immediately:

Mother: need to establish some boundaries re: her summer visit Done.

Job: Try not to freak out.

Money: some unexpected expenses. Just keep being conservative.

Relationship: SO working on his issues. MUCH better.

Car: Figure out electrical issue Car at the shop.

Kitties: they need a vet visit, get all their booster shots, and just make sure that everything is OK with them.

Stray cat: needs to be taken to the Humane Society. Kitty saved!

Nereid: needs a few beers and a Xanax!

February Goals

G1: Well-being

• Cook some yummy stuff at home. Look into some healthy cookbooks
• Take my fish oil every day
• Take steps to improve my good cholesterol

G2: Body

• Lose 5 pounds
• Start a fitness/diet binder, with a food list, recipes, and fitness program
• Get a shower filter and do some hair treatments
• Get lots of moisturizer

G3: Therapeutical

• Keep monitoring my back pain and go to my physical therapist if needed
• Keep going to therapy
• Stop yelling
• Go on a media diet. Example:
  Acceptable: http://www.cuteoverload.com
  http://icanhascheezburger.com
  Not acceptable: news stories that make me sad or upset

G4: Career

• No complaining whatsoever! Stay positive
• Take my lunches and breaks
• Save my new resume into text format and start uploading it to job sites and send it to recruiters
• Return all the calls from recruiters I got so far

G5: Finances

• Pay off one minor card completely
• Get savings up to $3250

G6: Planning/Organization/Home

• Backup all of my music library

G7: Relationships

• Keep being supportive
• Have two fun dates this month
• Celebrate our birthdays

G8: Fun and Play

• Play with my pets and groom them every weekend
• Find a videogame I want to play
• Go to one place on my list of stuff to see in my town. Japanese garden?

G9: Learning and Personal Growth

• Take a bass playing class
• Finish reading all the books on my nightstand

G10: Other Projects

None at the time

How did I fare this month?

G1: Well-being

Did great with:

• Breakfast. I started making tea every morning at the office, which is nice and soothing.

Could have improved with:

• Diet. My diet was not great this month.
• Fish oil. I have to make this into a habit.

G2: Body

Did great with:

• I got a complete checkup, full blood panel included. Results were good. I am healthy. I need to raise my good cholesterol though.
• Skin looks good. No more pimples.
• I got a prescription for contacts. Eyes are healthy. I need to look into getting glasses.

Could have improved with:

• Weight loss, this is tied to my unbalanced diet. I did not gain any weight though.
• Grocery list. Did not get around to do it.

G3: Therapeutical

Did great with:

• Therapy! I have been making some major progress with my therapist. Sorted out most of my family stuff. I don’t have any kind of personality disorder and my prognosis is very good regarding the anxiety/PTSD stuff. I got some anti-anxiety meds in the event I get another panic attack.
• Did my back exercises almost every day. My back feels better.

G4: Career

Could have improved with:

• All my january goals. I complained a lot, was tied to my desk from morning to night and forgot half my lunches.

G5: Finances

Did great with:

• Got savings up to 3k
• Sorted all the tax mess and we’re getting a refund, which will pay our debt off. A great month, finances wise.
• Did not spend any extra. Except for a pair of rain boots, but they had tiny bunnies on them, so that does not count. :P
• Started a retirement account! And there’s even money in it.

G6: Planning/Organization/Home

Did great with:

• All of my january goals. I rewrote my resume and got great feedback from professional resume writers on it. All my paperwork is filed and organized into pretty boxes, and my shoe collection is all neat and organized.

G7: Relationships

It’s all good. We can make it even better though. January was very busy. I look forward to lots of fun dates in february.

G8: Fun and Play

Did not do good on that because I was so busy with everything else (Note: don’t overload myself in February!)

G9: Learning and Personal Growth

Did not get started on my bass playing, and I’ve started reading about 10 books but finished none.

G10: Other Projects

Since we were financially responsible this month, no shiny things were bought.

Starting the day on a great note. I’m having a lazy, breezy day, I’m well rested and in a positive state of mind, my house is clean and organized, I feel ready! My January goals can be found here

10 target areas for 2008:

Guidelines
Become the person I want to be!

New Paradigm
I can do anything I set my mind to.

Major Focus
Well-being, health, serenity, organization and happiness

G1: Well-being

Be more happy, carefree, confident and daring! Achieve peace of mind by identifying and eliminating major stressors in my life.

G2: Body

• Lose weight (through monthly goals) and be healthy about food while enjoying the finer things in life.
• Have meals at regular times and no skipping breakfast!
• Take care of my hair, skin and teeth.
• Get stronger (gain muscle and flexibility, lose extra fat). I want to be in shape so I can learn Krav Maga for strength and confidence.
• Get into the habit of exercising (and get expert help on this).

G3: Therapeutical

• Get the depression/anxiety under control through therapy, find my way towards happiness and balance.
• Heal my back.
• Get a checkup and identify/work any health problems out.

G4: Career

• Find a GOOD job, where I am respected, make decent money and do challenging and interesting things and keep on growing/learning.
• Do my best but stop expecting perfection from myself at all times.
• Take a week off this year.
• I shouldn’t be afraid to move on if I am unhappy.
• Keep on having a positive attitude!

G5: Finances

• Pay off credit cards with low balances (4 cards)
• Work out a lower interest plan for higher balance credit cards (2 cards)
• Have 5k in savings
• See a tax Advisor and sort out the tax stuff

G6: Planning/Organization/Home

I’ve been doing good with this. We’ve been keeping the house clean and welcoming.

• I want to get better furniture (couch and dinner table)
• Backup all of my music library
• Buy a decent desktop computer
• Make a vision board
• Get a GPS
• Get our second bedroom cleaned up, organized and converted into a home office/lounge room
• Get all my paperwork under control

G7: Relationships

• Be more supportive, don’t let things get to me.
• Have fun date nights (at least one monthly).
• Make some friends!

G8: Fun and Play

• Do something daring this year! (skydiving, flying a plane…). * Go to more concerts.
• Take a roadtrip to San Diego.
• Interact and play more with my pets and get them check-ups.
• Take a wine tasting class.
• Keep exploring my town

G9: Learning and Personal Growth

• Play the bass
• Learn some japanese
• Learn to use a Taser gun
• Keep on expanding my horizons through films, music and books
• Take some accent reduction classes.
• NaNoWriMo?
• I want to become a good photographer.
• Decide on my name change
• Vote in 2008 (and celebrate a Democrat becoming president)
• Campaign/volunteer for the democrats
• Visit a Buddhist temple

G10: Other Projects

• Sponsor a big cat living in a sanctuary.
• Give microloans through kiva.org

Happy New Year!

Guidelines
Become the person I want to be!

New Paradigm
I can do anything I set my mind to.

Major Focus
Well-being, health, serenity, organization and happiness

January goals

G1: Well-being

• Cook 5 nights a week
• Have breakfast every day
• Take my fish oil
• Get some anti-anxiety medication as recommended by my therapist

G2: Body

• Start the weight loss process
• Make a food shopping list
• Skincare routine
• Focus on grooming
• Get contacts/glasses

G3: Therapeutical

• Do my McKenzie exercises at least 3x/week
• Start on my journal (for therapy)

G4: Career

• Cultivate a positive attitude/no complaining whatsoever
• Take a walk around the building whenever I get annoyed/anxious
• Take my lunches

G5: Finances

• BE CONSERVATIVE. No extra spending this month.
• Pay half the balance on 1 minor card
• Get savings up to 3k

G6: Planning/Organization/Home

• Rewrite my resume with a different job focus
• File all my papers
• Organize my shoes collection

G7: Relationships

• Be supportive
• Go play golf together at least twice this month
• Make time for sex

G8: Fun and Play

• Play with my pets and groom them every weekend
• Find a videogame I want to play
• Go to one place on my list of stuff to see in my town

G9: Learning and Personal Growth

• Start studying bass playing
• Finish reading all the books on my nightstand

G10: Other Projects

• Shiny stuff: look into getting a sidekick.