Sunday, August 14, 2011

Day One-Hundred and Sixteen ... Progress Report

To recap my goals after completing "Focus on the Good Stuff" I chose to put into practice the following:

  • The Sunshine Folder for positive accomplishments, achievements, thanks you's, etc...
  • Writing in my gratitude journal daily
  • Practice changing my state when that state is less than I want it to be
  • Sharing gratitude openly
  • Making ME time
  • Choosing something about me to appreciate daily
  • Writing at least one heartfelt thank you every single week

It has been ten days after posting those goals and I think this is a good time to share a progress report. This is mostly for myself, to keep the goals fresh in my mind. All too often we set goals and they are forgotten within the week. New Year's Day Resolutions for example ... 

I have written in my gratitude journal almost without fail every day.

My sunshine folder is a large shoe box ... I am ever optimistic that a folder just won't be big enough ... And I already have several things in it.

I have been taking a lot of walks to change my state ... I find that appreciating nature is an excellent way to improve my state of mind and my mood. Even a good mood can become a great one with a nice walk and appreciation of all that nature has to offer.

I have given myself me time. A yoga class. Lots of reading.

Writing thanks you's has been so rewarding I actually think it should be considered me time as well.

I have practiced being more vocal with my appreciation of those I interact with. 

One more thing I am doing for "me time" is meditating 15 minutes a day. There is an application on my phone called Insight Timer. It has an assortment of bells to start and stop the sessions, a journal to write down your thoughts about it, and last but not least there is a community aspect to it. Everyone that meditates and uses this application is listed online as meditating or having completed meditating. You can have a profile and a phrase. I am practicing on increasing my mindfulness and have set my own phrase and mantra as "right here, right now, in this present moment". This application is available worldwide and I find it so interesting to see how many people are meditating around the world after I have finished ... and their own chosen phrases.

The one thing I have not had much success with is finding one thing to appreciate about myself every day and focusing on it throughout the day. I simply forget. It is possible there is nothing deeper to it than that. I just don't remember to start and if I do pick something I forget about it as my day progresses.

This does not mean I gave up on it. I have chosen a different route to accomplish the same thing. When I write in my gratitude journal I write down at least 5 things I am grateful for. Then I write down 5 things about a person I'd like to show more appreciation towards and catch myself thinking negatively about. Lastly I write down 5 things I either accomplished in the day or appreciate / like about myself. I believe that embodies the spirit of the activity even if it isn't the exact same step.

All in all I feel good about what I am accomplishing.

Calling it a night,
-Nicola Byrne

I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.
-Michelangelo


2 comments:

  1. Dear Nicola,

    I do not know you well but I can tell you about the impression you create:

    1. Your "vibe" is positive, energetic and happy. This makes you nice to be around.

    2. You appear centered and "inner-directed".

    3. You are "proactive", i.e., you actively seek solutions.

    4. Self-disciplined.

    5. You sincerely enjoy teaching, coaching and sharing.


    Of course, you have many other good qualities but these are some of your most important "public" character traits that are obvious to people who don't know you.

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  2. Thank you Gayla, I am very touched by that. I count meeting you as an experience to be grateful for and I hope that your trip to Peru is an amazing one.

    ReplyDelete