Me & My Quite Contrary Life

NUDGED: "Figure out new Bluetooth headset" BACKSTORY: I struggle to embrace new technology, even when it would make my life easier. My brother got me a nice Bluetooth headset (Zealot H1 Wireless Stereo Headset) for a gift awhile ago. Truthfully, the only times it has been used and out of the box are the two times he has showed me how to work it. Figuring it out on my own and actually using it has been a LONG TIME item on my to-do list (over a year), and this was the "nudge" I needed to try.    HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I had a head-start this week as recently I had my brother showing me how to get this to work again. With some kind of younger person technology magic, he got my phone to finally recognize it and it worked! I was getting tired of dealing with the cords of my earphones at the gym when lifting weights and wanted a wireless solution. This valuable piece of equipment was sitting at my house collecting dust and could be the solution to my problem of enta...

NUDGED: "Put together a puzzle" BACKSTORY: Working on puzzles was something I enjoyed doing in the past, but haven't made time for it in awhile. I keep myself busy working on other things and those things are usually not fun hobbies. One of the goals of this "nudges" challenge was to have more joy in my life, and this nudge is a perfect example of doing just that! HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:  Great timing for this nudge! I have been sensing dark clouds on my emotional horizon and have been trying to "stay light" and into hobbies I enjoy to resist the darkness. I needed a project that prioritized fun. The challenge this week was to make time for myself. I had to set aside my to do list and my need to be productive, and focus on one activity that was fun for me. I prioritized myself...and it wasn't easy! I started a puzzle on Sunday afternoon and worked on it during free moments the next few days. I was hoping to get it done within the week and...

NUDGED:  "Compliment a stranger" BACKSTORY:  I am okay with talking to strangers, but don't compliment people often that I don't know. In fact, I don't compliment people often at all. This nudge will encourage me to look for good aspects or qualities in other people to compliment them, and then say it! I am excited to see the reactions!  QUOTE:  "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: The easiest, most natural way for me to compliment someone is to notice a Jackrabbit or SDSU logo on clothing and then compliment them on having good taste for a good school. In fact, as I was pondering how to complete this nudge, I had several strangers compliment me on my new SDSU purse this week. I had to wait until a good opportunity came up, until I spotted somethi...

NUDGED: "Research a topic (be an expert!) in a specialized area" BACKSTORY: I am a curious person who knows a little bit about a lot of things. I am trained as a journalist, so I have a wide range of study but lack depth in a specialized (niche) area like other professions. I find myself doing web searches often to learn new things. I am quickly satisfied when I find an answer that seems plausible and move on, lacking depth. With this nudge, I really want to take time to research and go deep into a topic of interest. QUOTE: "If you are not learning, you are stuck. It doesn't matter whether you are 25 or 70 years old. We were not put on earth for a few years to learn in high school or college, then just float through the rest of our lives. Learning today is becoming easier and harder for many reasons, but in the end, if you don't make it a life mission to learn something valuable every day, why are you still here? Learn something new today." - Tim Conn...

NUDGED: "Wear a baseball hat" BACKSTORY: I liked wearing baseball hats when I was a teenager. I was still trying to find my unique style, and hats were a part of my fashion experimentation. I stopped wearing hats when I went off to college, ironically during the years I bought the most baseball hats - school pride!! This nudge was a challenge to go back in time to see how adult me likes a style choice of teenage me. Women wearing baseball hats have become very stylish these days. Would the look work for me still or would I find it too uncomfortable? QUOTE: "If you wear things you adore, you just look better." - Margherita Missoni HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:  Great timing for this nudge! I just received a new "Resisterhood" baseball hat in the mail last week and looked forward to wearing it proudly. The "Resisterhood" is a worldwide women's movement that fights fear and oppression, and is led by Jen Hatmaker. She posted a picture on her s...

NUDGED: "Throw something out" BACKSTORY: For the past year, I have been decluttering our house. I have gone from area to area, through every storage space, drawer and cabinet, and getting rid of items I don't need or use. My physical space feels better as a result, but it made this nudge more difficult! What else can I get rid of when I have already purged so much? I am very sentimental too and struggle to get rid of things, even things that should have been tossed a long time ago. This nudge challenged me to reconsider ALL of my things and to let go. QUOTE: "Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle." - Marie Kondo, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" (good book!!) HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I watch our dog Coco utilize her purposeful, tunnel-vision focus when she searches...

NUDGED: "Floss daily" BACKSTORY: An instruction to floss more seems to be said at every dental cleaning. I have no problem brushing my teeth twice a day, but the habit of flossing regularly has always eluded me. This is something I want to work on and this nudge will help me to do it! QUOTE: "Each tooth has five surfaces. If you don't floss, you are leaving at least two of the surfaces unclean. Floss is the only thing that can really get into that space between the teeth and remove bacteria." - Alla Wheeler, RDH, MPA HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I was laying in bed the first night when I realized I didn't floss! Although tired and ready to fall asleep, I got up and flossed. It only took a few minutes and gave me a sense of accomplishment afterward. The next morning, I put my floss container on top of my toothpaste so I wouldn't forget. I realized part of my problem with flossing is that I just forget - the container is hidden in my drawer so I don...