Motivate MeThrough the barrierhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008-07-01T10:24:47ZSquarespaceMake good use of unexpected bonuseshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/7/1/make-good-use-of-unexpected-bonuses.htmlElle2008-07-01T10:20:59Z2008-07-01T10:20:59ZAs you know yesterday I had to take a day off work so I could get my alarm fixed. Because I wasn't expecting to have yesterday off, I hadn't made any kinds of plans for the day. So I managed to sort out a couple of areas that had been bothering me for some time. Namely the front room needed a new bookcase to house the dvd's and videos that had been strewn liberally across the floor. Magazines were added to a paper rack that had lain hidden under a mountain of other stuff (to be put away when I get the chance), and the room re-arranged. The difference it made - and all for $59 (IKEA bargain) and a couple of hours work.

So when you are given an unexpected bonus of free time and other bonuses, make sure you use them well, because they are a rare commodity these days.

Cheers

Elle

]]>What happens when you are motivatedhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/30/what-happens-when-you-are-motivated.htmlElle2008-06-30T05:08:06Z2008-06-30T05:08:06ZYou will move heaven and earth to get things done.

Case in point today - or rather early hours of this morning. The house alarm decided to throw a hissy fit and started to set itself, and re-set itself and set itself. Every few minutes for hours. It annoyed the hell out of me - the cold was seeping through my toes and I couldn't go back to bed, because every time i did, the alarm would start again. So I checked every drawer for the keys to the box - every random key in the house was checked - nothing. Phoned the alarm company number on the box - personal voice message - i did apologise, well it was 4.30 am by this point. Turned the computer on and searched white pages. Irony - i'd only thrown away the paper copies that weekend cos we didn't use them. Found the number a 1300 number - thank goodness the company still existed. Well I hadn't had to call them before then, so didn't need to find out. Left a message - tell me how to disconnect the darn thing. And a mobile number - it was turned off but - I left a message anyway. By 7.30 am I was at a loss. The kids had had to suffer through the nightmare, made worse by a neighbour - who rather than inquiring as to whether a single woman with 2 kids was OK, he threatened me with an axe. Needless to say I will be paying him a visit in the cold night one of these days.

7.30am I tried the mobile number again - thankfully he answered...and even better he said he'd be with me as soon as he could. By 8.00am he was at the house and the problem was sorted. $88 later - an absolute bargain.

But the exercise also highlighted another problem for me - my cupboard - looked disgusting....untidy, bags and bits n pieces all over the floor. Don't get me wrong I will periodically clean the cupboard out...just with 2 kids and 2 cats helping to make a mess on a daily basis, it can feel like I'm cleaning the forth bridge...as in - it never stops.

So after getting the kids off to school, and a bit of a snooze, I've been using my enforced day off to make some inroads into cleaning the kitchen cupboards....properly. 

]]>Doing too much againhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/28/doing-too-much-again.htmlElle2008-06-28T07:29:47Z2008-06-28T07:29:47ZToday I needed to do some bits and pieces. It's now 3.30pm and I haven't done the main jobs I had hoped to get finished today...it gets like sometimes, even with a plan / to do list.

I could stress about it, or i could just accept that sometimes I put too many things on my to do list and there is no way on this earth I would have managed to complete them all ... ah the life of the person overcoming the procrastination habit. Fill your day and then add a few more things to the mix...

About to send out today's edition of the dose...in it we will be talking about the trivial things that motivate us....it's very interesting

Cheers

Elle

]]>Carry on regardlesshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/25/carry-on-regardless.htmlElle2008-06-25T12:56:03Z2008-06-25T12:56:03ZOver the weekend - as in last weekend I suffered with a 2 day long migraine - that has lingered in the pain cycle long into this week. Today is wednesday and I can still feel the remnants behind my left ear. Last night - or rather this morning I woke at 2.30 - for no other reason than I could. Unfortunately I didn't go back to sleep, so have been working all day on what i call fumes in the tank. But rather than stop, curl up and decide enough is enough get an early night and start again tomorrow, I went for an 8km walk / run instead. OK, you can call me stupid if you like - I figure I might as well enjoy an exhausted sleep rather than run the risk of yet another sleepness night.

Now I am not saying that i don't stop - on occassion, but I know what caused the migraine, and I am doing my best to counter the problem. You see the problem starts with physiology and ends with the same. You see my "neck" is out. What I need right now is massage and manipulation - if you're interested in coming over and sorting it out for me. What causes my neck problems? I'm afraid it's as simple as too many hours sitting in front of a computer. Which is why I went for a very long walk / run tonight....stress combation.

]]>Don't rest for too long between projectshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/14/dont-rest-for-too-long-between-projects.htmlElle2008-06-14T06:40:40Z2008-06-14T06:40:40ZIf you wait for too long between starting one thing and finishing it....well you are going to always be playing catch up. For a long time I've been promising myself that I will mulch my garden to help keep the weeds down.

I didn't and now the weeds are taking over the beds again. I am left to pull weeds when I should be enjoying the plants. At the moment I can't see the plants because they are being choked. Any project is like that. Wait too long between each installment and you will need to go back over the same ground to get back to where you started....before you can move onwards to a new section.

Don't let the weeds take over your garden, otherwise you will be wasting time, energy and money.

]]>Training in the rainhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/9/training-in-the-rain.htmlElle2008-06-09T11:57:57Z2008-06-09T11:57:57ZIt rained heavily today..but that didn't stop me from changing into my work out gear and walking out of the door into the evening rain. 8 kilometres later soaked, cold and laughing at the looks on the faces of the drivers safe and sound in their metal boxes it was time to stretch it out before hitting the shower.

Just because it's raining doesn't mean you can't exercise. Make a commitment to yourself and your health and have fun whilst you are doing it.

]]>Sometimes I wish I were normalhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/6/2/sometimes-i-wish-i-were-normal.htmlElle2008-06-02T01:37:05Z2008-06-02T01:37:05ZI wish I could be satisfied with living a normal, mundane life. Getting up, going to work, coming home, making dinner, watching some TV and heading to bed...with copious amounts of cleaning done on a weekend...maybe catch up with friends and go to a movie. You know, "normal".

But I'm not "normal". I have a constant restless energy that makes me strive for things. I set myself some ridiculously hard personal goals / targets and then rush like crazy to fulfil them. Sometimes I wear myself out trying to get there, and sometimes I throw my hands up in despair and tell myself that I am not good enough. Then i have this massive guilt trip happening. I wonder what is in my psyche that doesn't allow me to rest, to switch off, I wonder why I need to be constantly stiving, burning the candle at both ends.

And then there is acceptance of who and what I am. Few people understand me, as in truly and honestly understand me, and even fewer would give a damn if I leave this place and head to the celestial realm. They might be interested, as in - oh well what did she .... off? Shame! Or maybe I am just sensitive today.... My restless energy that says, it's a bank holiday - what are you doing sitting at a computer when there is x, y and z to do, places to go, people to meet, things to talk about. But I need to be here, I have a couple of hours of solid work ahead of me. I need to get this training program finished, so it can be put into the next phase of the rollout of MotivateMe! So I suppose I had better compartmentalise my mind and soul, file away the restless part of me, and get stuck into the work that needs to be done.

I'll catch you later, on the other side of my "normal" working day. 

]]>Healing slowlyhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/5/31/healing-slowly.htmlElle2008-05-31T07:56:12Z2008-05-31T07:56:12ZThe wrist and forearm that is...but trying to do to much of anything makes it ache. A lesson there I think. Do enough but not enough so you put back your infjury, but not so much that you hurt for days afterwards.

thxbai

xo

]]>Ouchhttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/5/22/ouch.htmlElle2008-05-22T05:12:45Z2008-05-22T05:12:45ZThis week has been full on

Monday - gym

Tuesday - Boxing for fitness class.

Wednesday - Pole dancing

Today - sore as. My right arm has given up it seems, after tearing something in the forearm at class last night. And as much as I hate to say this - may have to stop pole dancing for a while to recover. But I will see what happens over the next couple of days.

]]>Shrinking inccentiveshttp://www.motivateme.info/through-the-barrier/2008/5/18/shrinking-inccentives.htmlElle2008-05-18T14:36:35Z2008-05-18T14:36:35ZWith all the extra exercise I'm doing at the moment - it was to be expected, I just didn't realise by how much. 4 weeks ago I took some basic measurements. Today I took them again....and I've dropped 2cm from the chest/back, waist and hips....which explains why my clothes feel roomy....then I remembered 5cm = an entire dress size......I'm going to crank up the exercise some more, and see just how fast I can reduce the next 3cm's....

You start with little things...gain success, gain momentum, move onwards and forwards faster.... exciting. 

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