Me & My Quite Contrary Life

NUDGED: "Connect with someone I haven't talked to in over 6 months" BACKSTORY: Last year, I reached out to a childhood friend that I hadn't seen in over a decade, and we went out for breakfast and caught up. It was a little uncomfortable at first going through the "what happened to you after high school?" questions but the more we talked, the more we found familiar ground. We reminisced on the "good old days" (ha!) and how life was turning out, and encouraged each other on our journeys. It was so awesome to see the girl I played dolls with as a child turned out to be an incredible, confident woman who is changing the world. I am so proud of her! I added this nudge to my list as a way to connect to other people who have impacted my life, who I lost touch with for whatever reason. Throughout my life, my path has been crossed with special people and they have shaped who I am today, although some people were in my life for just a short time. I am ...

NUDGED: "Rearrange clothing drawers" BACKSTORY: This nudge suggestion came from a family member (thanks!) and was an opportunity to switch items around between drawers. I am accustomed to reaching for things absentmindedly when getting ready in the mornings, not really considering what I have. It also gave me a chance to purge unneeded clutter. Win! QUOTE: "Try to see things differently. It's the only way to get a clearer perspective on the world and on your life." - Neal Shusterman HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:  My hubs and I completed home renovation improvements this past spring, which included painting kitchen cabinets blue, new wood flooring and wood stairs instead of carpet, new paint on most of the walls, and updating some items. These were big changes that really improved how our home felt and we love how it all turned out, even though it was an adjustment. After those big changes, it's hard to compare rearranging dresser drawers to that level of c...

NUDGED: "Wear fun nail color for one week" BACKSTORY: I found myself painting again this week, on my fingernails this time instead of canvas. The idea for this nudge came from the project founder's past nudge of " wear red lipstick every day ". I challenged myself to wear a bright, fun color on my fingernails for a week, something I haven't done for a very long time. It would be visible to others and be a great reminder to me to get out of my comfort zone. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I admit that my first instinct was to paint a subtle, soft color like a light (barely visible!) pink. Not bold enough! My other options included a bright blue, Vikings purple, or bright red. I chose red in honor of the red lipstick challenge referenced above, and painted them on Sunday to display the color for a full week. RED! I had to be careful at work all week after I discovered that they could leave light red marks on white paper. I also had to get used to them ...

NUDGED: "Paint a picture" BACKSTORY: The excuses not to complete this nudge started soon after I saw the task for the week. That really surprised me as I always enjoyed being creative and crafty when I was younger, expressing myself through painting, coloring, drawing and writing. I currently have all the supplies to paint, but never get around to actually creating something. Why? My reasons for why I can't paint a picture right now: I'm not a good artist (perfectionist!). I don't want to waste good supplies that I may use later. I don't want to make a mess. I don't know what to make. There isn't a purpose for the artwork right now - what am I going to do with it when I'm done? QUOTE: "Art offers sanctuary to everyone willing to open their hearts as well as their eyes," said Nikki Giovanni. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I gave myself permission to create something, even if it looks awful, to see how I felt while doing it. It is okay t...