One New Habit A Month

Thanks for joining me for Living Well Wednesday hosted by Natalie from http://onebusywahm.com/. Each week we get together to talk about our highs and lows of the week. Come link up with us and join the fun!

About my week…

Thursday, I didn’t get a lot done. It was mostly a relaxing day.

The weekend went well. It seemed to pass by too fast though.

Monday, my mom and I went out to eat and then went shopping. We got some good deals on things.

Tuesday, I spent a good majority of the day with my  boyfriend. We mostly just hung out around the house for the day.

Today was a nice day. Very warm compared to what it has been. Unfortunately it had to rain. My mom and I went out this evening to get a couple of things from the store.

Although the weekend flew by, it seems as if the week is dragging on.

Progress on my goals…

This coming Sunday will be three weeks since I quit smoking. It has really gotten to me lately. I’ve had quite a few breakdowns. I just don’t know if I can continue with it.

I’ve been a little lax with my exercising and eating better this week. I haven’t tracked like I should. Heck, I really haven’t ate like I should. My theory is that it takes one month to form a new habit so I’m going to take it a habit at a time. My January habit is to quit smoking. My February habit is going to be to eat better.

As for my business goals, I’ve done better this week. I’ve delivered brochures, sent out my newsletter and networked like crazy. I’ve done well in the customer area but I just can’t seem to get any recruits. *Sigh* All in good time I suppose.

Another Week Down

Thanks for joining me for Living Well Wednesday hosted by Natalie from http://onebusywahm.com/. Each week we get together to talk about our highs and lows of the week. Come link up with us and join the fun!

About my week…

I feel like this week has went by so slow. I keep thinking it should be Friday. Two more days! Really?

The weekend was decent. I mostly relaxed and planned for the upcoming week.

Monday was an okay day.  I hung around the house with mom and we caught up with one another.

Yesterday I did the weekly home blessing while the bf took down the rest of the Christmas decorations. (Yes, I know it’s the middle of January.) This was supposed to be done Monday but we had company that messed up my whole routine. Later, I came home and finished up blessing my own home with my mom.

Today I got up pretty early. I watched Joyce Meyer and then I read in my book for a while. Later I did some Pilates and tracked my progress with SparkPeople.

All in all it’s been a pretty decent week.

Progress on my goals…

I’ve been smoke-free for a week and a half now. It gets easier with each passing day but it’s still hard. The weird part is that I really, really crave a cigarette but I really don’t have the desire to smoke one. I know that sounds strange but it’s hard to explain.

I figured when I quit smoking I would eat everything in sight and gain a bazillion pounds. Thankfully I’ve been able to control that. I update my nutrition tracker throughout the day. I don’t always stay within my ranges but right now I want to focus on not smoking. I’m just tracking to get in the habit of it and to see the data on what I’m eating. My next little goal will be to drink at least 8 oz. of water every day.

I’ve also been tracking my fitness. I haven’t done a whole lot but I try to do something everyday. I’ve lost 2 pounds since last week so I’m pretty excited about that. Every little bit helps. My next little goal is to do cardio at least 3 times per week.

I haven’t done a whole lot with my business goals this week. (I know I’m awful!) I just can’t seem to get with it. I feel like I’m in a rut. Hopefully I can get out of this mess soon.

Well that was my week. How has yours been?

Where Art Thou Motivation?

Thanks for joining me for Living Well Wednesday hosted by Natalie from http://onebusywahm.com/. Each week we get together to talk about our highs and lows of the week. Come link up with us and join the fun!

About my week…

It’s the second full week of January and my mind is still on vacation. I just can’t seem to get back to the groove of things. I don’t know whether it’s the winter weather, depression or if I’m just still stuck in holiday mode. If somebody finds my motivation, please return it ASAP.

The week started off pretty well. I was going to go to church on Sunday but I’m not sure where I want to go. I haven’t been in such a long time and I don’t feel as if my home church fits me anymore. As a kid, I loved it. Now that I’m grown and understand better, I just feel like I’m not being spiritually fed there. If anyone could recommend one in my area with a good women’s group or young adult group, I would be most appreciative.

Monday and Tuesday seem like they flew by. I started off with my cardio on Monday. I took Tuesday off though because I didn’t want to overdo it like I did the last week. I did my weekly home blessing courtesy of The FlyLady. This week we’re in the kitchen so it got a nice scrubdown.

Wednesday was AVON Delivery Day. The UPS man was even nice enough to put it in on the porch this time. I didn’t have a big order this time due to the After-Christmas-Slump. I look for things to pick up a little in the next couple of campaigns though due to Valentine’s Day.

Thursday I had to go back to the foot doctor. He said I seemed to be doing better. He told me to wear my ankle braces for a month. If they’re not any better, he’s going to put my in physical therapy to try to strengthen them.

Today has been a dreary day. I woke up to two inches of snow. It was so cold. I don’t think it got above 25 degrees. I had to go get my nails filled-in. We had a nice little chat and caught up with one another.

Progress on my goals…

Quit smoking-I quit smoking on Sunday. It hasn’t been easy. I feel like I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster.

Lose weight-I lost 4 pounds from last week to this week.

Eat better-My small goal is to drink at least one bottle of water each day. I’m also eating three meals a day.

Exercise-I did 30 minutes of cardio on Monday. I got off track the rest of the week but I’m starting again tomorrow.

Find new customers-I’ve had two leads this past week. (Thanks Natalie!) I’ve also advertised via social media and I’m working on flyers to mail to prospective customers. I also was contacted about doing an Open House in February and I spoke to someone else about doing one the last of January.

Make Unit Leader with AVON-I have two to three leads to follow-up on. I have been unable to reach them.

Offer better customer service-I’ve been working on different ways that I can improve in this area.

Follow-up-I’ve made some calls, wrote some emails, etc. I’ve talked to potential clients through my fan page and answered their questions to the best of my ability.

Make President’s Club with AVON-I’m so far from it this year. I’m going to try to make it but I’m putting a lot of my focus into making next year.

Tackling New Year’s Resolutions

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This week we’re talking about how to tackle those pesky resolutions. Every year we vow to lose weight, be more organized, quit smoking, etc. Then by the time January is over, we’ve forgotten about them.

So how do we keep them? What can we do to be more successful at them?

One of the main reasons is because we don’t have an action plan. We need to develop a plan for each goal. For example, if you’re wanting to lose weight, you might want to do cardio 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Or you might want to learn how to make healthy recipes. In addition, you will want to develop a Plan B. Kids, work, life, etc. will get in the way at times. You need to have an alternative when something does come up.

Another reason is because they’re not achievable to start with. Losing weight is fine but you can’t lose 50 pounds in a couple of months. Being more organized is great but you can’t conquer the world in a week. Make a realistic timeline to help you stay on track. Make sure to give yourself adequate time to complete each step and choose a deadline of when you want to achieve the main goal.

Sometimes it’s because they’re not specific enough. You want to lose weight but how much. You want to drink more water but what does more mean? Writing your goals in specific terms means you’re more likely to achieve them.

You will make mistakes, forget, mess up, etc. along the way. Slipups are normal and they don’t mean failure. Instead of beating yourself up, focus on what you have accomplished. Get back on track right away and move forward.

Don’t forget to reward yourself! While  your long-term goal might be to lose 25 pounds, each pound lost is a step in the right direction and deserves some recognition. Celebrate these milestones. Plan something fun like a massage, a vacation, new clothes, concert tickets, etc.

Behavior experts say it takes about a month to develop a new habit. By focusing on your goals (big and small) and keeping a positive attitude you can stick to your resolutions and achieve longstanding success.

I’m Kicking Butts

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That’s right. You heard me. I’m kicking butts. And not just any butts but big butts. As in those little paper sticks with tobacco (and God knows whatever else) rolled inside. Yes, I’m finally quitting smoking.

I have thought about this a lot over the course of the last year. I’ve talked to family and friends. I’ve talked to my doctor. I’ve prayed, cried and everything in between. I finally decided NOW IS THE TIME. If you keep waiting for someday, someday will never come. I want to take care of this problem while I’m still young and can enjoy life.

I came across Dr. Oz’s Kicking the Habit Challenge last summer. I read over it with my family and friends and they seem to think it was a good idea. I made an appointment with my doctor to discuss it with her. She said it sounded great and that it was similar to the plan that they recommended.

She took all of my stats (weight, height, blood sugar, etc.). My cholesterol was very high and my weight was not where it should be but everything else turned out fine. She wrote me out a prescription for Wellbutrin SR, gave me some pamphlets and sent me on my way.

I started out with one pill a day for a week and then I increased to two pills a day. I will continue this through the rest of my plan. The plan called for exercise which I started last week. I had to postpone it until this week though as I overdid it on Tuesday. It also calls for a buddy. I actually have two. One is my boyfriend who is quitting with me. Another is a girl I met online through a quit smoking forum. I also have support from my mom and other family and friends that want to see me quit.

Even though this is my first day cigarette free, I’m actually on Day 30 of the plan. This is the day where I get rid of ALL cigarettes and anything that reminds me of smoking. This includes lighters, ashtrays, etc. This week I also need to wash all of my clothes and thoroughly clean my house to get rid of the smell.

I haven’t done too bad today. As long as I keep my mind and hands occupied, I’m fine. The biggest problem is after I’ve eaten. This is when I always want a cigarette the most.

I’ll make another doctor’s appointment in about 2-3 months to check in with her. This is where she will check my stats again and lower my dosage back to once a day for the next six months. I will check back with her every 2-3 months so she can check my stats and see how I’m doing. After the six months are up, I can discontinue the Wellbutrin SR if need be.

Have you quit smoking? I would love to hear your comments and advice.

Welcome 2012!

Thanks for joining me for Living Well Wednesday hosted by Natalie from http://onebusywahm.com/. Each week we get together to talk about our highs and lows of the week. Come link up with us and join the fun!

About my week…

It’s a new year! Time for new beginnings and a fresh start.

This year, I have made goals instead of resolutions. By calling them goals, I know it’s something I need to work for in order to score. You can view them here.

Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to get back to business. Now is the time for cleaning and organizing.

Progress on my goals…

• Quit smoking-I set my quit date for Sunday, January 8, 2012. I’ve been taking my medicine and I went to my doctor for refills yesterday. She also gave me some pamplets to read.
• Lose weight-I joined SparkPeoople. I’ve been tracking my nutrition and fitness. I exercised Monday and Tuesday.
• Eat better-I’ve been tracking my nutrition. I’ve been trying to drink water and drink less soda. I’m also eating three meals a day including breakfast. I’m watching my portion sizes as I eat.
• Exercise-I’ve been tracking my fitness. I exercised Monday and Tuesday.  I overdid it Tuesday so I’ve been letting my body heal so I’ll be ready to hit it again next week.
• Find new customers-I haven’t done a whole with that this week. I’ve networked using social media but that’s about it.
• Make Unit Leader with AVON-I haven’t done a whole lot with this either. I have a couple of leads I need to follow-up on.
• Offer better customer service-This is  a biggie for me. Sometimes I just don’t give the best customer service. I’m working on it though. I’ve sent thank-you e-cards to those that have ordered online. I’ll be following those up with a hand-written note. I’ll also be sending hand-written thank-you notes to my offline customers.
• Follow-up-This is another biggie for me. If I don’t forget, I don’t want to follow-up because I’m aftaid they will say no. I need to remember that it’s nothing personal. They’re saying no the product and not me. I also need to remember that no doesn’t always mean not ever. It just means not at this time.
• Make President’s Club with AVON-I’ve got to sell at least $10,100 from one year to the next (C-8’11-C-7’12). I’m about $3523 away right now. I don’t think I will make it this time but I’m determined to make it next time (C-8’12-C-7’13). I’m working on finding new customers and selling my butt off.

Resolutions

As the year comes to a close, we all start thinking about what we want to accomplish in the next year. We make our resolutions and toast in the new year. Then come March, if we make it that long,  they are long forgotten.

That’s why I like to make goals instead. In order to meet these goals, I know I have to make a plan and take action.

This year I am determined to accomplish my goals. I am making a plan and I will see it through.

Here are just a few of my goals for 2012:

• Quit smoking
• Lose weight (and keep it off)
• Eat better
• Exercise
• Save money
• Find new customers
• Make Unit Leader with Avon
• Offer better customer service
• Follow-up (I am very bad in this area)
• Make President’s Club with Avon

What about you? What are your goals for next year?