Weekly Goals #26

Hey loves! I hope you had a fantastic, utterly stellar weekend! I had a pretty great one myself. Saturday, I woke up early, on my own (which is the greatest feeling ever) and got right to work. I've really grown into my Saturday morning routine (which I described in a recent productivity post) + I'm actually getting stuff done on the weekend! It's so lovely.

Saturday night, I went out with H on our quasi-Valentine's Day date. We made yummy pancakes, and he indulged me by making mine super underdone, just the way I like them. Then we headed off to a concert for some local bands. We had a great night!

Last week, in my weekly goals post, I really enjoyed sharing some of the things that made me laugh that week + a lot of you did too! Let's be honest, Monday's just need more laughter. Here's some more silly things to get you through today!

 

How did I do last week?

Last week was just crazy. Classes were pretty much insane and my computer just decided to be a douche on me, basically all week. Not cool. Point is, my wishes didn't go all that great + I'm just trying to make excuses. I made a goal to go running and ended up just going once. But ya know, I didn't specify how much sooo I was sort of successful? 

My goals for this week:

But I finally found a plan that I think should be good for me. I'm past a couch to 5K plan, but a 10K is a wee bit ambitious these days. In my previous/better running days, I was using Hal Higdon's 1/2 marathon plan. Obviously, that's not a good choice for me either, but I did find a couch to 8K plan that I'll use. Because I'm not training for any specific race, I'm definitely not exercising six days a week, because that's just unrealistic and I'll get frustrated with myself if I set the bar that high. My goal is to run two miles on Monday and two miles on Wednesday. I definitely hope to step that up in the coming weeks but, this week is pretty busy, plus from Thursday on, I'll be in Michigan and there's no way I'm running outside there. 

My second goal is to actually finish that nonprofit website, you know, the one I meant to finish like three weeks ago? To be fair, I don't actually have a deadline until the end of February, but I want to finish it as soon as possible. 

That's about it! What are your goals for the week?

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Weekly Goals #25

Heyyyy nuggets! Happy Monday. Yeah right. Actually, I had a pretty good weekend so I'm not too stressed going into Monday. On Thursday, my computer just decided to peace out on me + wouldn't turn on or cooperate with me. Let me tell you, I spend a whole lot of time on the computer and that was super stressful. I was panic-emailing all my clients telling them I'd be back as soon as possible + I'd try to make sure I didn't lose their designs and in general, trying to stay sane. Thankfully, all my clients are lovely + rational people + no one got mad at me :) On Saturday I got my computer up-and-running so I worked through the weekend to catch up on lost time. 

Despite all that, my weekend was really nice. I had a lovely date with H that involved watching SVU (fact: I'm actually addicted to watching SVU) + eating a whole lot of Qdoba. So duh, that was good. And that put together with the fact that I got some nice sleep + eno (hammock) time, I'm one happy girl! 

In my effort to keep things that way for the rest of today, I've decided to share some sort of funny things along with my weekly goals on Mondays. Guys, I'm telling you straight: the humor section on Pinterest = GOLD. I'll tell you a thousand more times; it's just beyond great. Please tell me someone else thinks this is as hilarious as I do: 

This is how I felt every. single. moment of the Superbowl.

Guys, I'm just sitting at home alone, laughing out loud. I feel like a weirdo.

Okay, let's be serious. Back to the actual point of this post now. Since it's Monday, it's time to set my goals for the week and recap how I did on my goals from last week. 

How did I do last week?

Last week, I made three goals: to continue writing posts ahead of time/stick to my editorial calendar, be at least 80% done with my drunk driving awareness campaign site for a local law firm + to continue practicing journaling. 

Number one? Booyah. I'm not as far ahead as I would like to be, but I'm currently about five posts ahead of schedule, which I have to say, feels AWESOME. I never really understood the point of writing ahead of time before I tried it, but I'll admit that I'm officially a believer. Now, whenever I'm in the mood to write, I'll sit down for a few hours and crank out 2-3 posts, just like that!

Goal number two (making progress on my charity site) was pas bon this week. I only finished two pages out of ten for the entire site. But I'm okay with that. My "due date" that I've made for myself is still more than a week away + with all my computer issues, my design time had to be focused on my more immediate clients. 

Goal number three was also a success! I'm really not a big fan of journaling, but I'm learning to like it. I journaled three times this week + I'm really proud of myself!

My goals for this week:

A few days ago, I shared my goals for all of February. The hardest of those goals for me will be to continue building a habit of running, so I'm going to focus on that this week. I really have a love-hate relationship with running. I hate the actual act of running, but I love the pride that comes with running further than I have before, the strength I feel in my body + the endorphins. This week, I'm going to run three times, even if it's a short, mini, 15 minute jog. Whatever gets me outside + moving.

I'm just gonna stick with that for the week! That'll be tough enough.

What are your goals for the week? Do you run (help!)?

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Monthly Goals: February

(source)

This month, I have so. much. going on. Over Valentine's Day weekend (I know, I know, I'm missing my date night with H, but we've got a concert planned for the 8th), I'll be in Michigan, probably eating snow. I know they tell you not too, but it's just so much fun. And if you get it from the very top of an untouched part, it's clean, right? Maybe? 

And then the next week, I'll be in Breckenridge with friends, pretending I know how to ski. Being from Minnesota, one of my friends is convinced I'm a master skier. But you skied to school, she says. Stop being humble! she says. But really, I haven't skied since I was maybe eleven...so that could be interesting.

So even though January is by far my favorite month of the year (snow! New Year's Resolutions! Leftover Christmas food that no one else wants!), I'm ready to have a great month in February. 

In February, I have two things I want to focus on, but they're rather substantial. I want to focus on both my physical  and emotional health. And really, those things go hand in hand. Like just about every human, I ate a couple holiday cookies and somehow (somehow!) there's just a little too much of me to love right now. I've been running for the last two weeks or so but it's hard to get back in the habit. This month, I'm going to continue running. 

I've also heard about a place called 9Rounds that's like a kickboxing/martial arts studio. For some reason, kickboxing has always really appealed to me. In soccer, which I've played forever, I've always been a tad aggressive + maybe a year ago, someone recommended kickboxing to me and I've been wanting to try ever since! However, since I'm not a gym member and I'm totally broke, I just haven't gotten around to finding a good place to try. BUT, I'm determined to try 9Rounds--I just have to find a friend to rope into it with me.

As for emotional health, I just want to make one goal for that--journaling. Now let's be straight, I hate journaling. God, I really really hate journaling. It frustrates me and makes me impatient and I just get all weird reading back over what I wrote. But as I'm in a huge period of transition of my life as I mentally get ready to move away from everyone I know, by myself, I think journaling is a powerful tool that I can use to sort through my emotions and control my anxiety. 

What are your goals for February? How do you like to exercise? If you journal, do you have any journal prompts for me?

Six Weeks of Wellbeing: Week Three Recap

Well well well. What a week. I don't even know how to define this week; it hasn't been good or bad, just kind of 'eh'. Like you know in Despicable Me (which if you haven't seen...go see it. And the second.) when young Gru is trying to impress his mom and he's like a five year old building a rocket ship and his mom's just like 'eh'? That's how I feel about this week.

But still. It's been better than last week so I'll take what I can get. I didn't have a panic attack, fail any tests, or kill anyone so I'd say I'm doing alright. This week, doing good for myself was more of a mindset than actual actions. I tried to listen to myself and do what I felt like I needed, not what someone else would say I needed to do. 

For example, Monday I just finished taking exams and was just exhausted, even though I had just had the weekend. And I really felt like I should study for the exams I had the next day, but I listened to myself and decided not to. I gave myself an hour to lay in bed, watch SVU and pretend I was cuddling with H (he's sick; I'm lonely) before I got up to study. And you know what? That wasn't being lazy. Or maybe it was, but at the very least, I think it was strategic laziness. You know, laziness is important to a degree. And I think that because I let myself take that guilt-free rest, I was able to calmly prepare for my exams the rest of the night. 

This week, I'm setting a couple concrete ideas for my fourth week of wellbeing. I'm halfway done with the project and while I feel like I'm doing good for myself, I don't feel like I'm challenging myself. I'm only doing the things that feel good for myself now. But the sort of unfortunate thing is that the things that feel best for me (or you!) in the long run are most often the exact things that aren't very fun in the moment. So in the spirit of real wellbeing, I'm going to do things this week that have delayed payoffs. Here are some examples:

+Go for a run. I really hate running until I'm about ten minutes into and I realize I'm still breathing and I look super cute in my little fleece and leggings and headband. And plus, I find that those good feelings (endorphins?) really stick with me and make me feel great for a whole day!

+Clean up my living space. This can be as simple as picking up the dirty clothes on my floor (yes I am that girl) because having a clean floor can do wonders to help me be more productive and overall happier. But I may also spend sometime cleaning off my desk so you know, I can actually use it. 

+Work on my European History book and not leave it until the last minute (is that even possible for me?!). They say proscrastination sucks but that is soo a lie. Procrastination is awesome because you get to watch New Girl and eat popcorn and sit around in your PJs and pretend you don't have work to do. The aftermath, however, is terrible. So to avoid that, maybe I should not leave this huge book until two days before class. 

Just some ideas! Help me! What are some good-for-you things that aren't always fun at first?

july music recommendations.

Requested by Kelly (:



Wow this mix is super random. I've been listening to this mix everywhere, though. At the beach, laying on a towel, reading a good book. At work as we clean up at the end of the night. On my somewhat sporadic runs. Anyways, have yourself a little listen. If you ever have recommendations, I'd love to hear 'em.

What music have y'all been listening to lately?

fresh pair of eyes [playlist]

Here in Southwest Michigan, it's been a rainy couple of days. As I went for a run in the rain a few days ago, I admired the forest around the roads where I live. Even though I was listening to rock for my run, it made me feel like this:

Quelqu'un M'a Dit//Carla Bruni
Go On//Elephant Revival
Take Me Somewhere Nice//Mogwai
Love Song #1//White Buffalo
You Ain't Alone//Alabama Shakes
Bruises//Chairlift
I'll Drown//Soley
Old Friends//Simon & Garfunkel
Where is My Love//Cat Power
It's Only Fear// Alexi Murdoch
I Won't Give Up//Jason Mraz
Fresh Pair of Eyes//Brooke Waggoner
Chanson Triste//Carla Bruni
Cheers Darlin'//Damien Rice

Listen on Spotify.

Wake Up, Allie [playlist]

So unfortunately, I am not a morning person, as much as I'd like to be. I'm also not a night person. I just like my sleep. Ideally, I'd sleep from ten till ten in the morning. However, getting up that late tends to mean I don't get really going until eleven or so, and then half my day is gone. That's why I made my weekly wish this week to try setting a morning routine. I didn't do so hot this morning, as I got up at about 9:35 when I realized I had work at 10. Such is life. Anyways, I made a little playlist to motivate me to wake up and run in the morning. Listen to it in this order; it starts slow and will get you up and at 'em. Warning though--it is way eclectic. Incubus to Yo-Yo Ma to Led Zeppelin to Needtobreathe. But I think it's awesome! Listen on 8tracks.

1. Aqueous Transmission//Incubus


2. C'est Ma Terre//Christopher Mae


3. Rise to the Sun (Live on KEXP)//Alabama Shakes


4. Separate Ways (One for the Road)//The River and the Road


5. 123 Stop//The Postelles


6. Girl Named Tennessee//Needtobreathe


7. Movin' Right Along//Alkaline Trio


8. Hope the Good Things Never End//Northcote


9. This Too Shall Pass//OK Go


10. Houses of the Holy//Led Zeppelin


11. Attaboy//Yo Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile


12. The Southern Wild//Eliza & the Bear


13. Don't Upset the Rhythm (Go Baby Go)//The Noisettes


14. Dolores//The Mavericks


15. Lemon Parade//Tonic

So we'll see if a good playlist is enough to get me going in the morning! Tune in tomorrow for a new collection of things that are Catching My Eye.

Catching My Eye.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVc-Z8yFYW8]

This week: I finished school (for the year)!♥celebrated the boy's sister's birthday with dinner & cheesecake♥started my half marathon training plan♥started my summer reading for European History♥went on many Roo runs!

Now, for the best of the interwebs.

♥Do cabins make you nostalgic and warm and fuzzy inside? If so, Cabin Porn has pages and pages of beautiful cozy cabins around the world.



♥Slightly profane, this gallery shows pretty much every hilarious post on tumblr.

♥This list of 100 best American movies needs to be somehow incorporated into my summer to-do list. I have to say, I'm quite proud that I have seen 13 of these movies--even if most of them were in my Film Studies class.

♥Carrie at Dream Green DIY make these awesome gold and neon DIY bookends out of rocks. Definitely a project I'd love to do! Only problem--bookends take up room that I need for more books. Tragic. #litworldproblems



♥Fun and semi-useful, this chart for better understanding your haters is both simple and resoundingly true.

♥As a girl who doesn't plan on having kids, this article about the life of childless adults showed me two sides of the issue I thought I knew well.

♥You May Have Missed: moving out: a tribute to a childhood home♥Cover it Up//An Anthropologie Playlist♥3 Awesome Tumblrs You Should Follow♥DIY Patterned Envelopes♥

 

Love, A.