Me & My Quite Contrary Life

NUDGED: "Let something go" BACKSTORY: Let it go, let it go..... Okay, now that song is in your head like it was in mine all week, we can begin. You are welcome. :) I pick a word/theme as a resolution for each year and "let it go" was my phrase a few years ago. That was a big year for me in letting go of toxic relationships, extra pounds, unrealistic expectations, extra clutter I didn't need, and getting out of commitments I didn't enjoy. This nudge was a chance for me to revisit that year. It was uncomfortable at times but I am amazed at the growth and freedom that resulted. What should I let go of this week? QUOTE: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: I let go this week, even when it wasn't easy or comfortable I let go of many inches of hair at a much-needed haircut. It ended up being shorter than I was planning and feels like a big change to me. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I am getting used to it every day I let go of 12 masks this we...

NUDGED: "Learn and use Spanish this week" BACKSTORY: I took four semesters of Spanish in college and really enjoyed it. It was difficult to learn at first but got easier the more I studied it. Unfortunately, I haven't many opportunities to use Spanish after I graduated so some of it was forgotten. Becoming and staying fluent is one of my goals so I have been working on it little-by-little each day. My goal has been to spend 10 minutes a day of Spanish lessons with the free Duolingo app. Some days I rush through the lesson and complete it in a shorter time. My nudge this week is to commit to learning the language (including trying out new features in the app) and speaking it as much as I could. QUOTE: "Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things." - Flora Lewis HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: To commit to 10 minutes a day, I actually set a timer and made sure I worked on Spa...

First of all, Happy Easter to you! He is risen! I hope you are having a blessed and safe day, wherever you are. NUDGED: "Do a daily writing prompt each day this week" BACKSTORY: I own several books that offer space to write a few lines each day or respond to a writing prompt. I love buying these books and love writing, but haven't made writing in them a habit yet. Time to start this week! QUOTE: "Writing helps you reflect on your life and changes you're making. This is incredibly valuable, as often we do things without realizing why, or what effects these things are having on us." - Leo Babauta HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: In hindsight, this wasn't the ideal week to attempt this nudge. Due to our current pandemic, I spent every evening this week sewing face masks. It took a lot of my time and focus. But I didn't set a time goal or a minimum word count for this nudge; I just had to write every day. And I did! I tried writing at different times ...

NUDGED: "Re-write my prayer targets and pray specifically" BACKSTORY: I started a list of prayer targets after I saw the movie War Room, which encouraged me to pray boldly and specifically for my most important requests. I hung this list on the wall in my prayer closet. The original list was created on 11-15-15. I haven't created a new list since then...until I got nudged this week to do it!  QUOTE: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6 (NIV) HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Maybe it was lingering effects from my last nudge of gratitude, but I started this nudge with gratefulness. I reviewed my prayer list from 2015 of all things that seemed impossible to me at the time, and seven items had been answered decisively. Praise God!  Then I started brainstorming my new prayer list. I made one big, long list that included my new prayer requests and some pr...

NUDGED: "Keep a gratitude journal for 7 days, 10 things each day" BACKSTORY: I"m excited for this nudge as it is something I can do while social distancing and being quarantined. It will be good to focus on the good things in this season of uncertainty. I pulled out my old gratitude notebook, dusted it off (ha!), and made plans to write at least 10 things each day that I am grateful for. QUOTE: "Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world." - Sarah Ban Breathnach HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: The hardest part of this nudge was remembering to do it each day! I have so many things to be grateful for, that it didn't take long to list 10 things each day once I got started. My list included a range of things from my family to my comfy bed to watching a sunrise one morning. It definitely made me pay more attention to what was happening arou...

Note: In light of the current global crisis with COVID-19, I thought about suspending this personal Nudges Challenge project. It seems so unimportant when there are matters of a deadly disease being passed around the world. But, I think it is important to maintain some aspects of my normal life and is one thing I can continue to do for my own mental health. I will be continuing on with the nudges then, but making adjustments per safety guidelines (social distancing, etc.). Stay safe everyone!  NUDGED: "Try doing yoga at home one time" BACKSTORY: Good timing on this nudge as I can't go to the gym right now! I have gone to yoga classes in the studio before, but haven't tried it at home even though I have all the equipment. I am curious to see if it will be the same with an online instructor. Will I continue the practice? Will I prefer the class with other people? QUOTE:   HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Per recommendations from an online fitness group, I checked ou...

NUDGED: "Notice something" BACKSTORY: How much am I missing out on when I am busy and don't stop to notice? In my busyness, I get really focused on completing tasks that I forget to see. I don't notice changes around me. It will be good his week to look a little longer and see what I have been missing. QUOTE: "An unobserved life often leads to an ungrateful life." - Tom Berlin in "Reckless Love" HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: This nudge was a challenge as there was so much for me to notice! I felt extra-aware of my surroundings this week and noticed things for the first time: Neighbors painted their house from blue to gray, which we noticed while on a walk with the dog.  I noticed how I looked and felt as I tried on a pile of new-to-me clothes.  I saw how much stuff I have, from items for hobbies to toilet paper (ha!), and realized I have enough. I do not need to go purchase additional items in the event of a quarantine.   I noticed grammar m...