Category: Challenges

Heading into the weekend like…

Posted on by Jo Anne

Monday, I begin another nutrition journey – this time with my middle daughter.

Trang Doan at Pexels

We will be cutting out gluten, dairy, added sugar, alcohol (me, not my daughter since she doesn’t drink), coffee, soy…it is very similar to Whole30 in many respects, but a little more forgiving.

We will be increasing our vegetable intake, finding better choices for snacks and beverages, and doing an overall clean out of our system.

Upon reflection of this present week, I’ve been trying to figure out what will be the hardest part to do.  When I did Whole30, I had the least difficulty with the elimination, and my biggest challenge was adding in “good” foods.  So here’s hoping I do well.

But I’ll be heading into the weekend with a sense of enjoyment – not binging – and planning to enjoy delicious foods both before and for the following month.

New Year, New Post, Fluff and Accountability

Posted on by Jo Anne
Pixabay at Pexels

Happy New Year!

As is common this time of year, blog posts abound where wannabe bloggers such as myself write a post that indicates that said blogger will be more prolific in the new year, write more, do more, whatever goals they may have.  Every year, I try not to write a post like this because they seem so, well, cliche.

Then I was listening to an interview.  The topic was brought up, and the interviewee (I can’t remember who it was) mentioned that it was done more for accountability.  This struck me as quite eye-opening.  People use blogs as journals, or diaries of sorts.

So, for accountability’s sake, let me tell you what the new year brings for me.

My Pampered Chef business.  I am on the verge of reaching a sales milestone – and hopefully I will reach it this month.  So, as much for accountability as for sales, if you’d like to be a part of this, let me know if there is anything you are interested in learning more about, or if you’d like to host a party, or, better yet, if you’d like to join my team.  One of the goals I have for this business is to build a strong team this year.

Bich Tran at Pexels

Bullet journaling.  Have you heard of this?  I had heard of it randomly, and then over Christmas, my daughter mentioned it.  She picked up an Apple Pencil to use with her iPad, and created her own digital bullet journal.  I’d love to do that as well, but since I had all these tools on hand to have a hard copy journal, I felt that saving a little money would be to my benefit.  If I am lucky, I will be documenting my experience with bullet journaling here on my blog.

Getting healthy.  Last year, I joined a gym.  I was inconsistent in my attendance, at best.  I do hope to be more consistent this year.  The coaches at my gym are awesome!

As part of my “get healthy” plan, I am taking on a 30 day nutrition challenge with my middle daughter.  We will be eating healthier, and cleansing ourselves of all sorts of bad things.  This is more of a plan to learn to eat healthier (very similar to the Whole30 I did a few years ago) and less of a weight loss regimen.  Assuming I maintain consistency at the gym, and learn healthier eating habits, a little bit of weight loss should come with the territory.  I won’t complain about that.

Gratitude Challenge: Day 5

Posted on by Jo Anne

I’m a day late with this one.  Sunset Slufter, TexelThat’s how it begins. The Fail.  Hopefully, I can turn that around.  Here goes.

“Take five minutes to write about how grateful you are for all of the wonderful things that you currently have in
your life. Don’t long for what you don’t possess—instead, take stock of all the blessings you already enjoy.”

There are a ton of things I am grateful for, and admittedly, I don’t always consider them. I have a job. I have a wonderful family; a husband and three very smart and talented daughters. I have a roof over my head. I am able to put more than a $0.50 box of pasta on the table to feed them. I have countless friends who are always willing to lend a hand and help when needed. I have a meaningful life story. I have life.

Gratitude Challenge: Day 4

Posted on by Jo Anne

“Write a short message of thanks for some of the “negative” things in your life.”

Dear Life-that-could-have-been-different,

Every day, I see and hear reminders of “what could have been.”

  • Music to remind me of the dream I used to hold on to
  • Signs of new technology and engineering that could have been developed by me
  • Pounds that might not have been gained

And every day, I get hugs and kisses good night from all the wonderful things that “are” as a result of passing on “what could have been.”

  • My family, all of them love music almost as much as I do. One dances to it, on competes gymnastics floor routines to it, and one, along with my husband, love it for the pure enjoyment of listening to it.
  • I get to enjoy all the technology…without the headaches of bringing it to market. And boy, do I love my gadgets.
  • I won’t blame my kids for the pounds. The baby weight has long since turned into ME, but I’m ok with that.  I am not vain, nor shallow. I like, no, love who I am.

So, Life-that-could-have-been-different, I’m sorry we’ve never met, but I have my Wonderful Life, and it is just that, a Wonderful Life. (Cue music)

Sincerely,

Me100'000 thank you

Gratitude Challenge: Day 3

Posted on by Jo Anne

“Write about something you feel grateful for in your life today.”

There are so many things I could write about that I am grateful for. Yesterday, I made a list. Tomorrow will be something different.

What am I grateful for? The freedom to make choices. I was just telling my friend today that every choice I have made has led me to where I am right now. I couldn’t be happier with my life if I had planned it this way. It has its ups and downs, but I wouldn’t change a thing from the way it is RIGHT NOW.no regrets

Gratitude Challenge: Day 2

Posted on by Jo Anne

Ornamental alphabet“Use the alphabet as a fun and quick format for making a list of things for which you feel grateful. Share this list
with your social network through email, a blog post or a Facebook or MySpace page.”

Autumn is my favorite time of year.  It makes me think of most of the things on this list.
I love to read books.  They are such a great escape, and I am fascinated by the imagination of others; from picturing scenery in my head, to imagining that something unheard of could be possible.
Comfort foods really are fall foods for me.  Mashed potatoes, backed mac and cheese, Clam Chowder, Corn Chowder, heavy pastas.  All the foods that are just too heavy to eat in the summer (ok, they really aren’t but they are so much more welcome in the fall!!!)
One of the activities that really kicks into gear in the fall is Dance.  Whether it’s choreography, class or rehearsal, I love to watch my daughter dance.
I am so thankful for the Education that my parents were able to so lovingly provide.  They put up with my passion, as well as my problems, and ultimately, I think I turned out ok.

Ok, I started out trying to make this a nice, well-written post, incorporating my alphabetical appreciation, but that’s not working for me.

Here’s the rest:

F-Fandoms – I love Fandoms.  I have found the Harry Potter Fandom, the Dr. Who fandom, and all the others I follow to be entertaining, and helping the “legends live on”
G-Gymnastics – My daughter is thoroughly enjoying gymnastics.  She has gained not only physical strength and resilience, but ambition, and stick-to-it-iveness that she might not have otherwise gained.
H-Hearing – I like hearing.  I think I am losing my hearing.  Which makes me like my hearing even more.
I-Iced Tea – This is my favorite drink.  It doesn’t matter how cold it is out.  I love it.
J-Jiffy-pop – Well, my microwave is dead.  And I don’t have any other means to pop corn.  So Jiffy-pop is the only way for me to get my popcorn fix when I’m not at home.
K-Knitting – love knitting. It’s one of my many creative outlets.
L-Laughter – one of my favorite things to do. A good laugh can be a true pick me up.
M-Music – my first love
N-Northeastern University – my alma mater.
O-Origami Owl – my side business.
P-Potter, Harry Potter – how can I not be grateful for this????
Q-Quilting –  another creative outlet I thoroughly enjoy.
R-Ravelry – a great community where I can find great knitting patterns.
S-Soccer – My daughter’s favorite sport. Keeps her busy and active.
T-Takei, George – he makes me laugh
U-Unicorns – I thank the unicorn for the green alligators and long necked geese, the humpy backed camels and the chimpanzees, the cats and rats and elephants…
V-Vacation –  it is rare and wondrous fun.
W-Water – it’s my liquid life
X-Xylophones – they make music, and they start with X.
Y-YouTube – it entertains me
Z-Zoos – they contain animals

Gratitude Challenge: Day 1

Posted on by Jo Anne

TL;DR: For those of you who I tagged on Facebook, I’m no longer doing the 7 day challenge. I’m doing a crazy 21 day challenge. (OK, it’s not really crazy) Those previously tagged by me, keep doing what you’re doing. I love reading it. I won’t be tagging anyone else.

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So, yesterday, should have been the next day in my gratitude challenge. But as always, Aaron Westerman had to one-up me, and foundwww.gratitudechallenge.com which is a 21-day challenge. Since the idea of this challenge is to reaffirm all the good in my life, I am starting over today.

Day 1/21. “Today you start The Gratitude Challenge. Sign the contract and make a commitment to take note and give
thanks for the next 21 days. Express why you accepted this challenge and what you hope to achieve from it.”

So, I’ve signed the contract. I’m making the commitment. I’ve accepted this image (800x600)challenge because, well, Aaron can be a pain in the ass sometimes pointing out that I said I’d do something and failed to follow through. Usually on things like this. “Did you write your Day 23 blog post yet?” So I am accepting this as an actual challenge because it’s not that I can’t find 21 things to be thankful for, nor is it that I can’t complete the activities in this challenge, it’s more of a “am I really that lazy that I just won’t do it?” I’m with Aaron the the “what I hope to achieve from it” part. I shouldn’t need 21 days to know how lucky I am with all of the positive things in my life. And even the not-so-positive, or downright negative, things in my life, aren’t really so bad when compared to the not-so-positive and downright negative things that others have to deal with in their lives.

So those of you I have challenged to do the gratitude challenge that Claudia Points tagged me in, please continue to do so. I am NOT raising the stakes for you. Only for myself. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’m supposed to tag anyone to do this. At least it doesn’t appear to be part of the directions.