My Second Hundred Day Challenge for 2020

It’s time to start another challenge.  I’ve been thinking about things, trying to figure out what the goals should be this time around. When I first started this back in January I was thinking that each period would have different goals/categories. However I’m now thinkng that each period will just be a continuation of the same basic categories but some will have new or more specific goals. So here goes –

1. Declutter – again remove 100 items. I just heard that they may be starting to pick up items again so that could help free up some space and get some stuff I’ve already collected out of the house.
2.  Budget – Actually I did do a good job of staying on top of recording our expenditures and I’m going to continue that. This time my goal is to see if I can get $500 or more into our liquid emergency fund.
3.  Read 15 books with 5 coming from the TBR lists. I’m sticking with the same amount because I’m hoping to be spending more time on my last two goals.
4.  Exercise for 20 minutes at least 5 times a week and walk at least once a week. I really need to put a lot of focus and effort here.  It’s been almost two years since I learned that I have arthritis in both hips. Last October I started seeing a physical therapist because I was having trouble. Not pain but discomfort and I was modifying actions to avoid pain and discomfort. We worked together and made some progress but I’ve let things slide and I’m feeling more discomfort again. I need to get back to doing the exercises she prescribed. I also want to get back to walking on a regular basis.
5.  Spend at least 2 hours per week on my hobbies and that will be split with 1 hour spent in the garden and the other hour on my other hobbies. I would really like to get my granddaughter’s quilt and some garden stones done this time around.

This challenge period starts May 19th and runs till August 26. Anyone care to join me?? Leave me a comment with your goals and I’ll be glad to check on your progress and cheer you on.

Hundred Day Challenge Update 5

Hard to believe that I am almost halfway through this challenge. I’ve made progress in some areas and need to do a better job in some areas. Here’s how things look today

1. Declutter 100 items – I’ve gotten rid of 76 things so far. I want to update the list but haven’t made the time to do it so far.
2.  Stay within the budget – not doing so well here with the car, the water heater and signing up for a CSA. We are trying to make better choices with our food but that comes with a larger price tag. Need to figure out some ways to lower other costs to compensate.
3.  Read 15 books,  5 from the TBR lists – I’ve read 3 from the TBR list and a total of 13 so far
4.  Exercise for at least 10 minutes six/week – only 3 of the 6 weeks so far.  I’ve faithfully ridden the bike every Monday through Friday but the weekends are difficult. Between the bad weather and a lack of motivation to get myself and my granddaughter out of the house, I haven’t been able to check off that last day. Need to make it a priority and just do it.
5.  Spend one hour/week working on a hobby – I’m doing okay although I haven’t been focused on the quilt like I had planned. I’ve met the goal five of the six weeks so far. I made a wreath, did some work on the quilt, did some garden planning and went through a ton of scrapbooking stuff.

Overall I feel pretty good about things and am hopeful that I will be able to finish strong. Have you made progress on your goals this year? Please share – I’d love to hear from you

100 Day Challenge Update 4

Goal 4 – Read at least 15 books with at least 5 of them coming from my To Be Read lists Progress – 4 read with 2 of them coming from my to be read lists

Over the years I have collected books from library sales and trips to the Half Price Bookstore. Then they sat on my shelves until last year when I decided that it was time to get rid of stuff. I went through my shelves and got rid of a lot of them. Some because the subject was no longer relevant and others because I couldn’t figure out why I had even bought them. Now I’m down to around 50-75 on my shelves. They are part of my to be read list.

The other part – and it is the larger part- is all the book titles I’ve come across through blogs and podcasts. I would really like to cross some of them off this year. I made a start by going through the list to see what books I can get through the library. I also discovered some titles that I removed for the same reasons as above.

Do you have a to be read list? How do you find time for reading? What types of books do you read? I’d love to hear from you – please leave a comment

 

 

 

2020 Hundred Day Challenge 1

I’ve worked out a schedule for the year and there will three challenge periods, each lasting for one hundred days. There will be a few weeks in between to evaluate what I did and plan for the next period.

For the first challenge I have five goals. Hopefully it isn’t too much to add onto my plate. The first goal is to declutter one hundred items. This is a continuation from last year. I have gotten rid of a lot of things but there is still stuff I think can be removed. One of the great things about last year’s work is that my hubby decided to join in. He is continuing to work on it this year and I’m hopeful that we will get this house decluttered this year.

The second goal is to stay within my budget. I need to pay closer attention to our spending and try to rein in our expenses. No more letting receipts pile up for months before figuring out where our money is going. I’m going to choose a weekly time where I enter receipts and check to see how things are going. I’m going to do a better job of using what food we have to try and bring down the grocery bill.

The third goal is to read 15 books. My to be read list has over two hundred books on it but when I go to the library I’m always seduced by the new titles and never seem to cross off anything on my list. I’m going to start using the request a book feature from my library website and get some books from my list. I’m also going to see if there are any more that are not really relevant anymore and take them off the list. I look at some of the titles and have no idea what they are about or why I put them on my list in the first pIace.  I want to read at least five books from my list during this challenge period.

The fourth goal is to exercise for at least ten minutes six times a week. I am very consistent with my am and pm stretching routine. In the morning I do a few yoga poses, hold a plank for one minute and do the neck and hip stretches. In the evening I do a few yoga poses and my neck and hip stretches. Monday through Friday I have been riding the stationary bike for ten minutes but on the weekends when I have my granddaughter I haven’t managed to fit it in. I’m going to try to take a walk on the weekends.

My fifth goal is to spend at least one hour a week working on a hobby. There are a lot of things I have the materials to do but haven’t taken the time to do them. I’m still working on what I’m going to do since there are so many possibilities. I know that the first one will be my granddaughter’s quilt. It was supposed to be done before she was born and she turned two last November. Definitely want to get it done.

Well I guess that is enough for now. I’ll be starting on Monday and I’ll be back some time next week to let you know how things are going.

I am…

I am trying to get back on track after a major disruption to my life(more about that in a future post)

I am listening to the wind chimes and enjoying the sound

I am seeing bright sunshine after morning thunderstorms

I am looking forward to our church’s Ash Wednesday dinner and service

I am planning to focus on the discipline of prayer throughout this Lenten season

I am enjoying the smell of the lemon tree blossoms as Marco, our cat, brushes up against the tree

I am savoring a Hershey Kiss – trying to make it last as long as I can to enjoy that chocolatey sensation

I am working on a plan to make some progress with my one word 2017 challenge

I am reading  The Power of When by Michael Breus, PhD and trying to decide if I am a Lion or a Bear although with recent events I have been a Dolphin

 

MUMday

Measure Up Monday – time to see how I am doing on my goals

I have been doing a lot of reading lately and am happy to say that I have read  112 books so far this year.  It breaks down to 22 from my library wish list, 41 from shelves and 49 picked up at the library while waiting for my kids to get their stuff.

Now the next big task is to get them entered into the 1500 Book Challenge list. Hopefully I can work on that in the next week or so.

What have you read lately? Leave me a comment and let me know.

MUMday

Measure Up Monday – time to look and see how I’m doing on my goals

The first quarter of 2014 is over and let’s see where I am with my reading goal.  The goal is to read 150 books – 50 from my stash of books, 50 from my library wishlist and 50 from other sources.  So far I have read 49 books with 10 coming from my stash, 4 from my library wishlist and 35 coming off the shelves of the library as I browse while waiting for my children to get their books.

I do currently have 5 books from my wishlist  that I will be reading this month and I need to add a few from my stash as well. I should stop browsing the shelves and just take a book to read while I wait at the library. We’ll see if I can manage that.

Have you read anything good lately?

Books read

Motiv8n’ U  by Staci Boyer – another self-help book – what can I say – I love them but I need to start working on doing what I’m reading. Several great quotes that went up on my vision board.

Stash Envy and Other Quilting Adventures by Lisa Boyer – humorous look at quilters and quilting

How To Master Your Muck by Kathi Burns – Best take away – “Umbrella Days” – blocking out time periods that are used for specific tasks. Heard it before but it really resonated with me this time around.

The Buzz by Thelma Wells – interesting combination of  bee related facts and scripture to help you solve problems you are experiencing

402 Down and 1098 To Go

Measure Up Monday – a semi-regular feature where I update the progress of  one or more of my goals.

I located yet another tiny piece of paper with some books I’ve  read and  just spent half an hour updating my  list and hopefully it is now up to date. When I started this blog one of my 6 goals was to read 1500 books, so far I have read 402.

So far this year I have read 42 books – not a pace I am likely to keep up but a good dent in my goal for the year. I  have read a lot of fiction lately. I tend to read those books in one sitting because I hate be kept hanging – I want to know how it ends and I want to know now! This is good for my reading goal but not so good for my fitness goals, the cleanliness of my house or the nutrition of my family.

I will try to get a review post up later this week although it will just include my non-fiction reads because there are just too many fiction books and it is harder for me to review them.

What have you been reading lately? How do you fit reading into your life? I’d love to hear from you and perhaps get some new ideas.

books read

I have been reading book reviews in the Twitterature link up on The Modern Mrs Darcy’s blog for the past several months and decided that I would like to try to join in.  Here is my first attempt – nothing fancy but it’s a start. Head over to her blog to take a look at one everyone else is reading this month.

Activate Your Goodness by Shari Arison – good discussion of how each and everyone of us can make a difference even if our action is small. My best take away – My suffering comes from within – I can choose to see things that happen as a way for me to learn and grow.

Goodnight Mind by Colleen E. Carney PhD and Rachel Manber PhD – Variety of tips and practices to aid in the development of quality sleep routines. My best take away – quality trumps quantity – don’t try to make up lost sleep in terms of hours in bed.

The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler  – nice mix of research and practical application. My best takeaways – read The Five Love Languages, keep eating dinner as a family and talk about our ancestors.