tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47798195425811669692024-02-08T03:29:34.039-08:00Self-Discipline and Self-ControlWhen you can't seem to meet your goals....Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-83843474503848237942010-03-02T13:12:00.000-08:002010-03-02T13:31:09.053-08:00Update & ThanksI was looking through my old posts and shocked to see such nice comments many of you have dropped by and left for me. What a nice surprise to know my words and research and thoughts may have helped someone out there. I am quite a novice at this so you can imagine this was truly a pat on the back for me. It has inspired me to write some more and keep everyone up to date with my new thoughts inside my head- I never stop trying to help myself improve, whether this is a blessing or a curse, I haven't figured out yet.<br /><br />Lately I have been seeing a counselor again, and also a psychiatrist. For those of you who don't know, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychiatrist">psychiatrist</a> is the one able to prescribe medication for depression, anxiety, all sorts of mental health conditions. A therapist is not usually the same thing as a psychiatrist, and in most U.S. states cannot prescribe medication. What they can do though, is work on the problems while you are taking medication, so that one day you can have the mental tools to come off the medication slowly and live a life medication free but changed. I also have my counselor talk to my psychiatrist over the phone periodically. Let me tell you about what happened a few weeks ago. I felt awful one night and was very teary. When I talked this over with my boyfriend, I realized I was not being completely, 100% truthful to my therapist about how awful I can feel at the worst of times. I mean at times I can wish I was dead. Not that I would kill myself or have a plan or anything of the sort. Wishing you were dead is entirely different from wanting to kill yourself. (If you want to kill yourself, PLEASE call a hot-line or visit an emergency room). But I realized this was not normal and I did not have to live like that, feeling so bad that I could wish I was dead. SO anyway, I realized that I had been embarrassed to tell my therapist how bad I can feel sometimes. I didn't want her to think I was "crazy". Well what's the point of that? <br /><br />So, my boyfriend convinced me that the only way I would ever truly get any genuinely needed help for myself would be to stop being afraid the therapist would think I was crazy. (<a href="http://depression.about.com/b/2009/08/07/forum-too-scared-to-talk-to-a-therapist.htm">Here is a funny similar question someone asked</a>)Or not good enough. Or not capable of ever amount to anything. These were all the fears running through my head, that a medical professional would find me inferior or inadequate or defective. If I were truly in need of help, I didn't think I could also amount to anything in life. But really, this all creates a vicious circle. So I decided at our next appointment (we are in couples counseling where I talk about all these issues) he would help me be completely honest. I recommend this style of counseling because it has really worked for us. In this case my boyfriend helped me get straight with my counselor so she could really know what was going on when she wasn't around. If you aren't in couples counseling, I recommend once in a while bringing a close friend into the session so they can tell your counselor what is really going on.<br /><br />So, since then, I have since been a lot more honest in therapy and, as a consequence, decided to go on some medication to help me finally get some of these same old problems under control. I want some new problems to contend with! I have been sick of struggling over the same old situations year after year. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com"><br /><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" width="91" height="17" alt="Digg!" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-50932600898543074722010-01-13T11:39:00.000-08:002010-01-13T11:54:51.740-08:00Constructive LivingLast week I was doing a lot of research on self-help books. I knew I wanted a new one, but at the same time, I felt pretty discouraged because I have bought plenty of them where I stopped reading halfway through or did not put the book into action into my life. So I researched for quite a while, looking for one that I felt would inspire me. I focused mostly on Amazon, reading the books in the previews they give, scrutinizing the reviews readers have left for which ones seemed authentic and not just the authors friends. I was originally looking for a workbook I could progress through incrementally (although I already have some workbooks at home). There were some really good ones I found that I will mention later in this post, but I settled on one because it seemed really original. I am a big fan of Japanese etiquette rules, for example I often will hear about an aspect of Japanese etiquette that I never knew about but I already practice the principle anyway, just naturally. For example they are big on not saying "No" directly and I find myself naturally shying away from being very blunt with people, I would prefer they can read the implications of other things I am saying. But I degress- I was interested in this one book based on the beliefs about psychotherapy in Japan- it is called "Constructive Living".
<br />From what I gather about this form of therapy, it focuses on the here-and-now, not on family history or personal background. Therapists in Japan encourage people to learn how to do certain behaviors no matter their current mood or how they are feeling. I feel learning about this would be extremely beneficial to me as I am constantly changing my plans or losing my motivation because of being in a "bad mood" or having a bad day, not feeling well, being tired, etc. The book stresses the importance of doing things towards your goal anyway, no matter how you feel. Now I certainly hope and expect they will tell me some tricks on HOW to do that, because my mind is sometimes my very worst enemy and I can convince myself to pursue pleasure/relaxation just about all the time.
<br />
<br />Here is a link to the book: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0824808711/ref=ox_ya_oh_product">Constructive Living</a>
<br />
<br />Maybe I will even review it when I am done reading it or along the way.
<br />
<br />Here are some other books I was interested in and may purchase soon (oh how I wish my local library had a better collection!!)
<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Practicing-Mind-Bringing-Discipline-Focus/dp/0977657205/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2K1NA3Y9EKK5D&colid=3UJJ6BKMDWYDS">The Practicing Mind</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Procrastination-Task-Avoidance-Treatment-Psychology/dp/0306448424/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2G2MVJFVNXO67&colid=3UJJ6BKMDWYDS">Procrastination and Task Avoidance: Theory, Research, and Treatment</a> This seems to be a textbook but hey- I guess its one good reason I am in social work school!
<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Broke-Lonely-More-Overspending/dp/0061154237/ref=pd_ybh_9?pf_rd_p=280800601&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=ybh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PQJWFMJAWPQ2D3ZFAH7">Fat, Broke & Lonely No More: Your Personal Solution to Overeating, Overspending, and Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Binge-Eating-Compulsive-Overeating-Workbook/dp/1572245913/ref=pd_ybh_11?pf_rd_p=280800601&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=ybh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PQJWFMJAWPQ2D3ZFAH7">The Binge Eating & Compulsive Overeating Workbook: An Integrated Approach to Overcoming Disordered Eating</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Procrastination-Workbook-Personalized-Breaking-Patterns/dp/1572242957/ref=pd_ybh_12?pf_rd_p=280800601&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=ybh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PQJWFMJAWPQ2D3ZFAH7">The Procrastination Workbook: Your Personalized Program for Breaking Free from the Patterns That Hold You Back</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Now-Habit-Overcoming-Procrastination-Guilt-Free/dp/1585425524/ref=pd_ybh_13?pf_rd_p=280800601&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_i=ybh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1PQJWFMJAWPQ2D3ZFAH7">The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play</a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-38406839899361738882009-10-20T10:46:00.000-07:002009-10-20T10:55:45.538-07:00Progress reportI have been doing really well yesterday and today. Yesterday I ate pretty well, only slipped up by eating a bunch of pasta after work. Today I had a protein shake for breakfast and half a can of yucky lentil soup for lunch (I like lentil soup but evidently not this particular brand). I am thinking of getting a veggie delite sub from subway. Not sure if I will be able to withstand the craving. I am pondering it (I should probably try to take my mind off food all together). I exercised for an hour and fifteen minutes yesterday when I didn't really want to go to the gym in the first place. I had a healthy dinner (fake chicken patty with barbecue dipping sauce, frozen butternut squash, broccoli) and lots of water. <br /><br />I was reading a lot of articles on diet and physical activity for a school project and for fun. One thing I learned about deciding among healthy and unhealthy changes: if you think you are making an isolated choice and that you will make better choices in the future, you will probably continue to pick crappy choices. If you view your current choice as a series of choices that you will continue to make into the future, you are more likely to go with the healthier option. This is very relevant to my interests. I always say well I will eat this crap now because I know I am almost ready to start making healthy choices, or I will start tomorrow with the consistently healthy choices, or, I feel it in my heart that I will live healthy 'one day'. I will keep this new concept I learned in mind going forward when I am tempted to make the same old destructive choices.<br /><br />I also learned that scholars really don't think 'diets' work, that is, attempting to significantly restrict calories. They say that it doesn't work because sooner or later the mental anguish you are putting yourself through is too much and you will typically eat even more than you would have if you ate moderately all along. Also even if you do lose, people tend to regain and whats worse is, their metabolism has changed such that new weight is typically fat rather than muscle or whatnot. The article I read stressed working on overeating, rather than trying to undereat. So focus on times when you know you over do it, instead of trying to eat way under. Also, the article talked about working on emotional eating, eating when you are bored or tired or stressed. for instance, I know I am doing that right now. I am not even really that hungry, since I had my shake and soup, but I am craving that happiness I know I would feel by biting into a delicious mayonaisse-ey sandwich with crunchy veggies and soft bread (I don't even know why I am indulging myself by describing the deliciousness of it!).<br /><br />So anyway, that is what i learned today. I hope this helps someone out there.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" width="91" height="17" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-48776830221792986002009-10-20T10:37:00.000-07:002009-10-20T10:38:25.290-07:00What I learned todayI was researching dieting and exercise on some scholarly journals, which I tend to trust a lot more than most sources, and came across this great information on how to develop self-control:<br /><br />"Self-control is fostered by being in a long-term positive relationship with a dependable person who communicates the value of this goal; working at self-control challenges carefully chosen to be at the correct level of difficulty for present skill; getting many positive models of the successful <span class="bibrecord-highlight-user">exercise</span> of self-control; logging in many hours of practice where valued rewards are contingent upon greater and greater <span class="bibrecord-highlight-user">exercise</span> of effort; learning that valued rewards can be obtained by effort, and thereby learning to enjoy effort; using fantasy rehearsal; learning compliance skills; learning verbal concepts (including a term for self-control itself) that affect the world view in ways conducive to this skill; learning the art of self -instruction; learning to remove oneself from tempting stimuli, physically and mentally; and learning self -monitoring."<br /><div class="article-authors">Strayhorn, Joseph M Jr.. </div><div class="article-source"><span class="titles-source">Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Vol.41(1), Jan 2002, pp. 17-27. </span> </div><div class="article-pubtype"><span class="titles-pt">[Journal; Peer Reviewed Journal]<br /><br />I was really impressed, I will break this down further into how I can apply these strategies to my daily life.<br /></span> </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" width="91" height="17" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-8912195823970741322009-10-19T11:35:00.000-07:002009-10-19T12:18:56.358-07:00Its been a while...Wow it has been so long since I have written anything in any of my blogs. If I had any followers, sorry for that. I had all but given up on maintaining my blogs. But looking back on what I had written more than 2 years, I am amazed to see I am practically having the same conversations with myself. Waking up too late, eating wrong, not cleaning my house enough. Holy crap. <br /><br />These problems have never gotten fixed, and also, I am still trying the same old techniques and thinking the same old things about myself and how I will fix them. What does this all mean? Will they ever be fixed then? I really don't know, but looking at my old entries has been such an eye opener.<br /><br />I feel rather distraught and so confused. Am I not looking at my problems with the right perspective? Am I missing some piece of the puzzle? And if so, what is it? <br /><br />Am I missing the motivation to turn what I think about problems into action? I tried baby steps. I try total transformation. I try not even thinking about it and just accepting the problem about myself. This is so strange. I mean, I knew I have continued to struggle with my problems. In fact, they have gotten worse. I weigh more than I did 2 years ago, and I am in more debt. I am really at a loss here.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" width="91" height="17" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-49054784854661419552007-03-05T12:49:00.000-08:002007-03-05T12:55:42.990-08:00Update on MeHello, sorry it has been so long since I have written last. I was not sure if I should keep updating these blogs cause they don't seem like the healthiest thing. I do not want to put too much time into something on the computer that might not help me in the long run. I already spend too much time on the internet, know what I mean? <br /><br />I started taking the Paxil, and although it has only been about 8 days, I feel like it is starting to help ever so slightly. I feel enthusiastic about things. I dyed my hair over the weekend and plucked my eyebrows and it made a big difference in my appearance. I started taking Hoodia and even though its only been 12 hours I feel skinnier already! I think it has more to do with how I feel than how I look. I also did all my Flylady stuff yesterday AND all my laundry and THEN I just relaxed and watched tv and was asleep by 11:30! Can you believe it? I also woke up at 8:30. Go me AHHH!<br /><br />In other news, this is whats fluttering through my mind:<br />- so busy at work today and time is flying by!<br />- my mom and I have been civil and no fights all weekend!<br />- I went out and bought a pair of earrings and 2 headbands!<br />- next week I am going to get a manicure and hair trimmed even if it is at Supercuts<br />- I feel like watching a foreign language channel on tv until I learn a few new words in another language.<br />- I spoke to this sweet woman from England today and I loved her english accent and I want to travel more when I start making money!<br />- I love all of our bloggers that I work with.<br /><br />Am I manic or what??<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-42521868203677508352007-02-28T13:41:00.000-08:002007-02-28T13:46:21.539-08:00Treadmill Routine ChangeWell I decided to change my morning treadmill routine. I had felt really bad about it for a while, as I think I have mentioned here before. I started out strong and went about 3 weeks going 1.5 miles a morning. Then something happened, I think I started waking up a lot later, and I couldn't get it all done in time. I never seem to be able to get it done anymore. Maybe it doesn't seem as great to wake up for anymore, I don't know. So finally a couple of days ago I decided to change my routine so I only walk 1.0 miles instead of 1.5. I figured there was a reason I could not make that goal, and maybe I was reaching too high and could not sustain that much. So now at least I have been able to walk 1.0 miles for the last 3 days instead of not at all. I have some accomplishments I can achieve now. It will be a while before I increase how far I walk, and I think when I do increase the distance it will be a much shorter increment like .05 mile or something.<br /><br />I also have been managing to wake up at about 9, give or take a few minutes. I usually set the alarm for 9:15 then fill with anxiety over that I won't be able to get everything done and be in to work by 10 am now that my boss has put his foot down. So what time should I strive to wake up for? I think for the next 2 weeks I will just try to wake up at 9 consistently. What stinks is for 3 weeks I will have to be at my new class by 8 am so that will help me in the short-term but not help my long-range goals, unless I handle the change correctly. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-35009716348962439342007-02-27T14:06:00.000-08:002007-02-27T14:12:57.050-08:00Personal UpdateI haven't been updating much cause I have been busy but don't worry, I *never* forget what I am doing wrong! <br /><br />I started to take the Paxil a couple days ago, I think it is already helping ever so slightly but due to it usually taking 2 weeks to notice the effects of an SSRI maybe this is a placebo effect. <br /><br />I am waking up slightly earlier, around 8:30-9. I have been setting my alarm clock for even earlier than that and have resumed my snooze button pushing, however it all takes place much earlier. This will have to do for now as I realized I have bigger [money] problems to solve. I may attempt to wake up earlier by 5 minutes a week or even one minute a week if this is what it takes to do baby steps!<br /><br />I have not walked on the treadmill for 2 days in a row. I have decided to walk 1 mile in the morning instead of 1.5, until I can do that well enough and am waking up earlier and have more time in the morning. I can walk extra at night if I want to.<br /><br />I shine my sink every day still.<br /><br />I am concentrating more on my diet.<br /><br />I have been thinking about switching to group classes at the gym instead of weight machines. They are too boring for me. I figure if I take up a hobby like Yoga or even tennis maybe, I might do the exercise more. Maybe I will join a basketball league or something.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-25808421817430439112007-02-23T13:31:00.000-08:002007-02-23T13:53:45.873-08:00Can too much sleep cause depression?the other day I was Googling some things and came across some articles that hypothesize that getting too much sleep can actually lead to depression, rather than being a symptom of it. Or maybe it is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">circuitous</span>. While there may still be a lot of controversy about whether or not this is true, here are some very interesting articles for your consideration:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040323070858.htm">Too Much Sleep Can lead to Restless Nights</a>- this article says that people who get too little sleep and people who get too much sleep report the same types of sleep problems! Scarily, it says there have been reports about people who get too much sleep being more at risk for death! Ahhhh! As if I don't have enough to be phobic about! Well if this doesn't get me to quit it with the snooze button nothing will!<br /><br />List of articles about the <a href="http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.sleepdep.html">link between sleep and depression</a>: interestignly enough, total sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce depression symptoms in 40-60% of treatments. Of course this is not wise nor practical, nor a long lasting solution, but very interesting nonetheless.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com/blog/sleepdisorders/sleep-and-depression-faqs/">Circadian Rhythms and Depression</a>: interesting because I have long suspected my own body clock is out of whack!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.webmd.com/news/19991116/benefits-sleep-deprivation-depression">More info on sleep deprivation treatments for depression</a>.<br /><br />Incidentally, depression can cause <a href="http://www.stayinginshape.com/3chsbuffalo/libv/m01.shtml">carb craving</a>.<br /><br />Based on my research, I have decided to practice waking up early this weekend instead of attempting a '<a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-rest-cure.htm">rest cure</a>'. I think I would be better off in the long run by learning to get less sleep and wake up earlier in the morning.<br /><br />Also, sometime next week I plan on practicing a new goal of mine- to stop watching tv. I am going to start by giving it up one day a week, cause I am into baby steps, you know! Whats exciting and different is that I am not going to use the television for anything, even for just a light in the room while falling asleep. I will have to ::gasp!:: read a book or something!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="<span class=" error="" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-10530171398745158412007-02-22T11:43:00.000-08:002007-02-22T12:04:12.582-08:00Sleep Cures and SabbaticalsA long time ago I read an article or blurb about something called a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rest_cure">sleep cure</a>". I believe it was a phenomenon primarily in some of the Asian cultures, whereby when someone presented themselves to their doctor, the doctor would often suggest they sleep for a while as a way of curing themselves of whatever malady. Most often it was used for psychological problems such as depression. I can see the allure and promise in the sleep cure myself. Oh to sleep for a few days and finally wake up rested and rejuvenated. A symbolic starting over. It is enticing. I have even thought of taking one this very weekend coming up! I have just felt so. tired. lately and I am not sure why. I am finding it hard to reach any goals. I am feeling beaten by the filth in my house. My messy room mate will never leave. I will never stop putting these 'starting points' on my goals. Next tuesday I will start living a new life where I keep my house clean. On Sunday I will start my new healthy eating lifestyle. This weekend I will start waking up earlier.<br /><br />I am tempted to take a mini-retreat this weekend. Stay in all weekend. Write in my journal. Catch up on my chores. Take baths. The idea of a sabbatical is SO enticing to me because I feel like I need to summon up all my energy and reserves for getting ready to try and enforce this habit of waking up earlier.<br /><br />Today I almost got into an argument with my work supervisor about arriving later and later every day. He is right, but why isn't that still enough to get me out of bed? Perhaps my berating and criticizing myself is not enough of a punishment. Somewhere inside my head, do I think that the <a href="http://www.pe2000.com/anger_selfcritic.htm">self-criticism</a> lets me off the hook? Maybe it is not bad enough of a punishment, I am too used to it now. <br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/2006/12/sleep-facts.html">Some really cool sleep facts.</a><br /><br /><br />Who knew that significantly <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2097666.stm">less sleep can cure sleepiness</a>?<br /><br />Now I am starting to think the opposite - maybe this weekend I should deprive myself of sleep! Probably I should practice getting by on 7 hours, which I am pretty sure is the best amount of sleep for me given long years of introspection.<br /><br />I will have to let you know what I decide to do with my weekend!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-51041698922737303882007-02-20T08:35:00.000-08:002007-02-20T08:40:40.726-08:00Getting up earlierWell as you may have heard from my previous entries, I have been getting up reeeally late for the past 2 weeks or so and I have been very disappointed in myself, as the first few weeks of January I was able to get up nice and early and had very pleasant, productive mornings. Well slowly I woke up later and later, to the point I was waking up even later than I have been for the past 3 months. I don't know why but I think I figured it out- I have been trying to set my alarm for the latest time I want to get up instead of way earlier than I want to get up (remember I am a chronic snooze-button pusher). My body is just NOT used to that. I have been setting my alarm for 6, 6:30, 7, for as far back as I can remember, even in high school. So that is why now when I set the alarm for 8:30 the night before, I am sleeping for another hour or more. I am just used to doing that after my first alarm goes off.<br /><br />This needs to be resolved, of course, although I am not sure how. I wish I could find an alarm clock with NO snooze button, that won't even let you reset the alarm for say, 10 minutes after it originally goes off. That way I would have to wake up for at least 10 minutes to reset my alarm. I think this would really work. I am actually gonna be trying to find this alarm clock today on Google. If it exists, it will be on the internet I am sure.<br /><br />In other respects, I have been focusing way too much on my personal struggles lately so to not focus on my inner thoughts so much from now on I will be only posting article reviews for a little while. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-48786115672379074332007-02-19T13:14:00.000-08:002007-02-19T13:26:38.786-08:00Paxil and MedicationsWell again like I have mentioned previously, things have not been going well lately. I feel a sense of slipping back to my old ways of not doing much to achieve my goals. I have not been to the gym in 2 weeks. First I was sick and then I just could not get up the motivation to go, I gave in again and again to my lazy-bones attitude and told myself I would go the next day. I am gonna try so hard to go today but I have to work late and it seems hard to go to the gym really late. Again, not doing good at one goal leaves me struggling to get another accomplished. It all seems to depend on the start I have to my day. If I find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, it is all I can do to try to walk on the treadmill a little and I have really been trying to make showering a neccessity, so in the end I am really "late" to work (I set my own hours but the work must get done by the end of the day, so I wind up working late). Then I berate myself all morning. The berating and anxiety over the overwhelming problems I have are starting to take their toll. My stomach is upset a lot and I drink a lot and my shoulder muscles feel so achey. <br /><br />I am going to my psychiatrist tommorrow and I think I will try a medicine for a while again. I figure what do I have to lose? I would really rather not go on medication but I think enough is enough. I have read about some <a href="http://www.quitpaxil.info/">problems Paxil users have from going off of it</a> but I have taken it before and I did not have bad effects. It is really a risk I am willing to take at this time, for the promise of help getting my life in order. I will see what my psychiatrist says. Even if I get the prescription I may think about it some more before taking it. But I definetly need <a href="http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/297_bump.html">help with my anxiety problems and my emetophobia</a>. Enough is enough! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-71454171875914196752007-02-16T11:03:00.000-08:002007-02-16T14:35:21.674-08:00Personal LowsWell I seem to have hit a new personal low. Oddly enough you may not guess it because I took the time to blow dry my hair nice this morning and wear jeans to work instead of sweats. However I just cannot get out of bed in the mornings! I finally woke up at 10 am when I am supposed to be at work at 9 am (that is the time I decided on for myself). I just do not know what to do. I already see a counselor. I have an appointment to maybe try an anti-depressant. I am doing even worse at my goals than I was a few weeks ago and even then I wasn't doing enough.<br /><br />I did manage to join FlyLadies.net but I have to still clean the sink this evening after work.<br /><br />I did do half my time on the treadmill, walking .75 miles.<br /><br />I showered.<br /><br />I blew my hair dry.<br /><br />I took my vitamins (especially the B vitamins) two days in a row.<br /><br />So all is not lost, I am in just such a funk because I feel like I am always walking around confused about life. What to do with my work life feels really confusing right now, and it is affecting my other parts of my life. I don't make enough money right now, but I like my job. I don't like it enough to do forever, so I need to go back to school for some education. I can't afford it on my current salary.<br /><br />What do you do when you feel confused and unsure of what the best course of action is? I need your help out there!<br /><br />Since I am of no use to anyone right now, the least I could do is give you a good link to a <a href="http://home.ubalt.edu/ntsbarsh/opre640/partXIII.htm">resource on overcoming indecisiveness</a>. Here's a good quote from this article:<br /><br />"<span style="font-style: italic;">Somewhere along the line of development we discover what we really are, and then we make our real decision for which we are responsible. Make that decision primarily for yourself because you can never really live anyone else's life.</span>" <cite>-- Eleanor Roosevelt "</cite><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-26232586840332531352007-02-15T14:05:00.000-08:002007-02-15T14:13:22.772-08:00Become a FlyladyWell, I mentioned this in another one of my blogs but it is worth mentioning here as well. I have decided to become a <a href="http://www.flylady.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Flylady</span></a> again in hopes that it will help me start cleaning my house and getting my life together. I will be periodically be posting about my <a href="http://www.flylady.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Flylady</span></a> experiences here and in my <a href="http://cleaning-and-organizing.blogspot.com/">Cleaning and Organizing Blog</a>, since both blogs are a bit similar in nature. My Cleaning and Organizing Blog focuses on the physical aspects of cleaning and this blog focuses on the psychological. Anyway, <a href="http://www.flylady.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Flylady</span></a> is designed to help you get your life together one small baby step at a time. I have joined it once before and cancelled the service because I received too many emails and it was overwhelming to try and keep up with them, because I didn't listen when they said don't try to keep up! So I am gonna try it again and give it my all. Maybe they will help me start to get a good idea of what achievable baby steps actually look like.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="<span class=" error="" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-41173658914515212202007-02-14T12:06:00.000-08:002007-02-14T10:06:11.414-08:00The Tough Approach to LazinessWell you may have noticed recently I haven't been so kind about my inability to have self-control and I have started calling it pure laziness. This is the kind of attitude you will start having with yourself if you frequently disappoint yourself with your efforts and successes. I have continued to look up information on the relationship between laziness, medication, and if there are any other ways of beating laziness. I happened upon a rather tough approach to conquering laziness. Although it is tough, I really buy what this person, Chuck Gallozi, has to say on the subject in his article entitled, "<a href="http://personal-development.com/chuck/cure-for-laziness.htm"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cure For Laziness</span></a><span style="font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://personal-development.com/chuck/cure-for-laziness.htm"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">: </span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://personal-development.com/chuck/cure-for-laziness.htm"><span style="font-style: italic;">If you don't make things happen, things will happen to you</span>.</a>" </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><br />Here are some of the things he said that really stood out to me, I encourage you to read the entire article:<br /><ul><li><span style="font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who said that anxiety, discomfort, or fear has to prevent you from starting? I don't remember being told that I have to stop whatever I'm doing if it makes me feel uncomfortable.</span></li><li><span style="font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once you accept that sometimes the weather will be too hot or too cold, or that we will be hungry sometimes, you can begin to think with reason and not act based on your emotions.</span></li></ul><span style="font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When you decide to do something despite the discomfort, you will discover that it wasn't as bad as you thought it was going to be. You will feel relief. Nothing will be weighing on your mind. You will be rewarded by whatever the act was (for instance, losing weight). You will be starting a <a href="http://personal-development.com/chuck/cure-for-laziness.htm">new habit of doing things you know you should do</a>.<br /><br />Some other great points of Gallozi:<br /></span><ul><li>do not use the idea of seeing a counselor or buying/reading a self-book or writing a plan as a way of putting off <span style="font-weight: bold;">Action.<br /></span></li><li>Do not assume motivation needs to come before action. Act first, and then the rewards will motivate you to do more.<br /></li></ul><br />This author recommends the following books, which I intend to check out at the library"<br />- <span style="font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"SELF-DEFEATING BEHAVIORS, Free Yourself from the Habits, Compulsions, Feelings, and Attitudes that Hold You Back" by Milton R. Cudney, Ph.D. and Robert E. Hardy, Ed.D., HarperSanFrancisco, 1991.<br /><br /><br />Hope you enjoyed and found use in this blog entry. I know I did!<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-40038897161998286612007-02-13T11:45:00.000-08:002007-02-13T11:45:00.182-08:00Laziness, Depression and MedicationMy previous post on my personal grapples with not meeting my goals has led me to devote an entire blog entry on the idea of taking medication for laziness or lack of self-discipline. For the purposes of my goals, self-discipline means I have been so self-indulgent that I have had a hard time meeting my goals or doing what I know I am supposed to be doing. The decision to act against my long-term interests happens so quickly and automatically that I rarely catch myself in the act. I decide to not go to the gym cause I am sick, or so I tell myself. Then I go out with friends cause I am not that sick. Which is it? If I am honest with myself I know I am almost certain I am well enough to at least walk on the treadmill and lift weights. But the excuse telling to myself happens so quickly I cannot recognize it always, or I don't want to. I feel like, if I have an excuse that seems legitimate then it is okay if I don't go. I literally lie to myself! <br /><br />Anyway, I went off-track for a moment there. What is self-indulgence? In one online resource, self-indulgence is termed :<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td width="15"><br /></td> <td width="500"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;"><b>Self-indulgence</b> (Self`-in*dul"gence) <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt><br /><br />Indulgence of one's appetites, desires, or inclinations; -- the opposite of <i>self-restraint</i>, and <i>self-denial</i>.<br /> Source: <a href="http://www.selfknowledge.com/86346.htm">http://www.selfknowledge.com/86346.htm</a><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />But what causes an excess of self-indulgence? What I am trying to get here is that perhaps an excess of self-indulgent behavior- eating, sleeping late, vegging out in front of the tv- is caused by depression or mild depression known as <a href="http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/depression/dysthymia_2.asp">dysthymic disorder</a> . <br /><br />Can medicine cure self-indulgence, laziness, apathy, etc? Can medicine help us meet our goals? It is very tempting to want to believe this, when we feel like we cannot find the strength to change. We may keep spinning our wheels and not know why we just can't seem to get anything right. <br /><br />Here is a really interesting explanation I found of depression. I am going to be ruminating on this idea for a long time, because although I studied depression in depth during my college studies, I have never heard it put quite this way:<br /><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Depression manifests as a result of doing things every day that aren't good for you. This may be spending long hours in a job you hate, or being trapped in a marriage with a partner you've given up on (or who has given up on you), or just being completely divorced from any sense of one's own being, being disconnected from what's real and true.<br /> Depression is the inability to function (or be aware of) the present moment. Depression arises by being constantly burdened by the burdens of the past, or the perceived pressures of the future. It's in the reality of the Now (and also the only reality) that the key lies to salvation. It's in the Now that we need to be in order to not be depressed. Now is all we have, and all we will ever have. But being in the Now also requires us to face those things we've being trying to escape from (and escapism takes many forms, from listening to music, watching TV and movies, to reading, to sex, to shopping, to sleeping).<br /></span>Source: <a href="http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=331458&rel_no=1">http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=331458&rel_no=1</a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><br />And perhaps this person's most poignant idea: <span style="font-style: italic;">Constantly chewing on thoughts that have no final answer (especially playing back unsolved mental dramas from the past) and depriving ourselves of meaningful answers and things to do (solutions in the present) is a highway to hell.</span><br /><br /><br />I want to write more on this later. For now, please read the entirety of that article above. I really approve of this article 100%. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-14391647366825523732007-02-13T11:33:00.000-08:002007-02-11T13:11:48.712-08:00My Personal Update for this WeekWell this week has been lousy in terms of personal achievement. Unfortunately, I came down with a cold and it has been hard for me to stay active and keep up with anything. Ho hum. What is wrong with me? Actually both Monday and today, Tuesday, I have woken up at 10 am when that is the usual time I have been getting to work for the last couple months (and I am actually aiming to be at work at 9 am like normal). I have not been going on my treadmill for 1.5 miles. I have either been going for .75 miles (half of my usual) or not at all. I always have an excuse, and sometimes rightfully so cause I wake up so late I won't be able to get to work on time if I were to go on the treadmill. This is not cool as I was able to go on the treadmill for 3 weeks straight before I started slacking! Almost 4 weeks as a matter of fact, but it wasn't until 3 weeks that I skipped any day at all.<br /><br />I haven't been to church in 2 weeks. I don't eat breakfast as regularly anymore. I don't do Weight Watchers at all anymore. I don't take a bath at night before I go to bed. I haven't been to the gym in 8 days, when I am supposed to go 3 times a week.<br /><br />The only things I have been keeping to are washing my face, brushing my teeth, and giving my pets their medicine twice a day. <br /><br />What has happened to me to get me so far off track? I sincerely don't know, but I started getting a strong sense that I was slipping out of control and everything started to feel overwhelming. I attended some funerals last week and also my pets were sick, and I am sick, so maybe it was all enough to make me lose track of my important everyday things I need to do in order to reach a better life.<br /><br />Also, waiting for my room mate to leave in order to clean my house has severely tripped me up.<br /><br />I am thinking of going on <a href="http://www.paxil.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Paxil</span></a>. Does anyone have any experience with it? I am afraid it will make me gain more weight but so will my recent bad attitude. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Hmm</span>. What to do. Since I have grappled with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">my lack of productivety</span> for so long it has occurred to me there may be more going on than I can change by willpower, resolve, self-loathing, etc.<br /><br />This has been a rather unusually personal post for this blog but you know what? Feeling like this, the way I do know, is my entire reason for creating this blog. I hope my experiences reach out to others who sometimes feel the same way. I am on a quest to get better, not wallow in my current behavior and feelings.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="<span class=" error="" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-83797371748938758122007-02-11T12:51:00.000-08:002007-02-11T02:41:51.981-08:00How to stop being lazy.Well this weekend has basically been a miss in terms of living the life I want to live. I woke up late on both Saturday and Sunday. I did not get to the gym. I ate like crap. I did not clean my closet even though I had plans to clean the closet under the stairs this weekend. In part, this is due to me feeling under the weather and my body feels broken down. I think I am coming down with the cold or flu that is going around. However, I get dissapointed in myself cause I see plenty of other people go out and do the stuff they need to do even when they have a cold. For me, I view some sniffles as an excuse to lay around and veg out for a couple days. I think most days are veg-out days after work and this is not going to get me anywhere!<br /><br />Because of this crappy weekend, I have decided to have today's blog entry focus on how to stop being lazy. I did a little research and found <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Being-Lazy-and-Work-Hard">this Wiki article on laziness</a>. Here are the steps they said to take in order to stop being lazy:<br />1. Set goals that are high but you can reach them. Make a to-do list (these really work if you can not get overwhelmed by them!)<br />2. Wake up earlier (I cannot emphasize how much I agree with this tip). Shower and get fully dressed every morning at a decent hour. Do not leave your room until you get this done (but don't be like me and use this as an excuse not to go out anywhere!)<br /> - what else can you use as a motivator to get done? How about not having breakfast until you are fully dressed?<br />3. Eat healthy<br />4. Exercise<br /><br />Number's 3 and 4 are a bit patronizing, aren't they? In fact all of these tips are pretty obvious. Lets see if I can come up with something a little more helpful. I found a good article on <a href="http://www.askmen.com/money/successful_60/68_success.html">how to stop being lazy at work</a>, but this isn't exactly what I mean by laziness. <br /><br />Suprisingly, I found a lot of really amazing answers on Yahoo! Answers for the question, "<a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060908135110AANZ26i">How do you stop being lazy?</a>".<br /><br />Here are some of the answers from that site that I really found useful:<br /><br />- "<span style="font-style: italic;">Try getting up early, get your metalbolism going by doing work outs. I do Denise Austin every morningcalled slow and fit. After about four days you will begin to really feel the difference and have energy all day. Get enough sleep also.</span>"<br /> I like this tip because it really would kill two birds with one stone- you would be exercising and curing your laziness at the same time! Plus you follow along with a video so this helps those of you who need someone following along and pushing them to do the right thing. <br /><br />- "<span style="font-style: italic;">First step is to do one thing a day where you go outside and two days a week where you go somewhere. Does not have to be for a long time just has to be done. Like go sit on back poarch where no one can see you and read and then walk accross yard. Then next day go to store and get something small for reward. Watch it is not candy as sugar makes depression worse and makes you fat on your medication. As you do a little, add just a few minutes and little things here and there. Even if you are still depressed, you will get moving.</span>"<br /> I like this tip best of all. This makes getting out and doing stuff seem attainable. I could sit outside for a little while, even in this cold weather, if it will help me attain more of a 'busy' living-life spirit!<br /><br />- This are some really funny tips, who knows I may resort to these if my willpower stays down in the dumps!<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >1.Put needles, points up, on all the seats in your home so that when you sit down,well, you know.<br />2.Sleep on the kitchen floor so you don't over sleep.<br />3.Run laps around your neighborhood screaming "I WILL NOT BE LAZY!!" over and over again.<br />4.Hire someone (or two or three someones) to slap you in the face with a fly swatter every time you don't do a chore. (Make sure to pay them well, and make them Promise to slap you.)<br />5.Duck tape all the screens in your house (computer, TV, etc.).<br />6.When you eat, put the food on the floor, and do push-ups. Down, bite,chop,one. Down, bite, chomp, two! And so on.<br />7.Think positively. "I can do this, I can do this!"<br />8.Only eat health foods, throw out all the potato chips and soda. Time for trail mix and water!<br />9.Make sure to breath. Inhale through the nose, "heee", exhale through the mouth,"hooo".<br />10.Just do it! Do it!<br />11. Oh, and drink lots of water."</span><br /></span><br />Here are some other great tips from a similar question asked on <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060930123643AARssRW">Yahoo! Answers</a>:<br />- "<span style="font-style: italic;">get motivated, make a list of things you would like to do and need to do, cut them out and fold them up, put them in a cup and each day take one out and do it. If it is the weekend do 2 or 3 of them, you just need to be motivated.</span>"<br /><br /><br />I hope these tips have helped you, maybe you can use one of these tips and report back on how they worked!<br /><br /><br /><div class="updiv"><div style="visibility: hidden;" class="rollover-profile-info" id="profile-info-078761c459c5c17609e4ccd65ca65351aa"><div class="rollover-profile-content"><div class="rollover-profile-general-info"><div class="rollover-profile-total-points">Total points: <span class="rollover-profile-total-points-value" id="member-total-points-val_078761c459c5c17609e4ccd65ca65351aa">3,375 (Level 4)</span></div> <div class="rollover-profile-points-this-week">Points earned this week: <span class="rollover-profile-points-this-week-value" id="member-points-this-week-val_078761c459c5c17609e4ccd65ca65351aa">26</span></div> </div> <div class="rollover-profile-answer-info"> <div style="text-align: left; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class="rollover-profile-member-answers" id="member-answers-best_078761c459c5c17609e4ccd65ca65351aa"><span class="rollover-profile-member-answers-value" id="member-answers-best-val_078761c459c5c17609e4ccd65ca65351aa"> 5%</span>Best answer</div> <div class="rollover-profile-member-total-answers"><span class="rollover-profile-member-total-answers-value" id="member-total-answers-val_078761c459c5c17609e4ccd65ca65351aa">1110 answers</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <br /> <p class="ks-question-answer-container"><br /></p><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-8621911516929961882007-02-09T13:44:00.000-08:002007-02-09T13:42:17.505-08:00That Out of Control FeelingIf you are like me, you may sometimes get the sensation that you are walking around and living your life, but you feel really out of control. You may have been better at working on your goals last week or last month, but somehow, and you are not really sure how or why, you have fallen off track. You may have slipped up on your diet or have not been following your exercise routine as enthusiastically or at all. Maybe your laundry is piling up, or your dishes, when you had been doing so good at keeping everything neat for a while. You want to get back to that feeling that you were starting to live your life right. <br /><br />I believe one of the reasons you get that feeling that everything is spinning out of control is because, you are starting to lose the self-discipline you had gained. You <span style="font-style: italic;">are </span>out of control! You are starting to let your whims and emotions dictate your behavior again. For example, you are letting the fact that you feel like you might be coming down with a cold convince you to forsake the gym routine. You are letting your immediate desires control your actions. <br /><br />You may not be sure when you are going to be able to get back on 'the wagon' again. Well this feeling of spiraling out of control comes from too many impulsive decisions in a row. One day you had an appointment after work and you couldn't make it to the gym. Another day you ate lunch too late and thought you might get sick to your stomach if you did stomach crunches after work. You let yourself think if you don't accomplish your goal at the set time you shouldn't bother doing it at all. Soon it will be a week since you have been at the gym. Your unwillingness to be flexible prevents you from achieving your goals. If you were thinking like a winner, you might go home for an hour and let your late lunch digest and <span style="font-weight: bold;">then </span>go to the gym. So what if you are at the gym late? Don't let your schedule and unexpected events prevent you from meeting your goals! <br /><br />Getting that sense of control back starts with one right decision. Then make another right decision, and soon you will be back to taking all those little baby steps and meeting your standards you set for yourself. Remember, don't let a bad mood or an unexpected stress or crisis keep you from meeting your obligations to yourself (eating healthy, going to the gym, cutting back on smoking). Those habits you are trying to acquire will give you more stability in your life, not less. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.digg.com/"><img src="http://digg.com/img/badges/91x17-digg-button.gif" alt="Digg!" height="17" width="91" /><br /></a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-64087837205803236992007-02-08T09:22:00.000-08:002007-02-08T09:22:36.698-08:00That Damn Snooze ButtonAfter mentioning the snooze button in my last entry, I decided to do a full spread on the topic. Many of you may know what I am talking about. There are people who hit the snooze button and there are people who don't. I have been hitting the snooze button since I was in high school and had to wake up myself instead of my mom coming in the room and yelling at me to wake up. <br /><br />Since one of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to wake up earlier, I have been trying to set my alarm for earlier but I get sucked into this pattern of hitting the snooze button or resetting the alarm in my sleep, and I wind up having no time to get everything done in the morning! For instance, this morning I woke up too late to get my treadmill time done or eat breakfast! Now I will be starving for lunch and might choose the wrong things! So now my inability to wake up early enough has also caused me to have trouble meeting my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">weight loss</span> goals. This is a bad cycle to get into. But I digress.<br /><br />I have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">definitely</span> come to the full realization that hitting the snooze button is an evil thing. You would not believe it but there are a lot of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">internet</span> resources on why people hit the snooze button and its evils. This author explains that even if you do hit the snooze button, you are not getting an <a href="http://www.fanfic.net/%7Ejeffwong/rant63-snooze-button.html">extra dose of the kind of sleep </a>you would really need to feel more rested. He suggests setting your alarm clock to the exact time you usually wind up getting out of bed so you can at least get more of the deep sleep rather than light sleep. <br /><br />Another reason many hit the snooze button is because they want to <a href="http://www.fanfic.net/%7Ejeffwong/rant63-snooze-button.html">gradually awaken</a>. This is a reason I tell myself for hitting that dreaded thing. Again, this author, Jeff Wong, makes a good point. Wake up a little bit earlier so you can lay in bed for a few seconds or look out the window. jump in the shower that much quicker. Have a glass of water by your bed to help wake you up. You can even buy one of those alarm clocks that mimics the sun rising. <br /><br />If all else fails, you may need <a href="http://www.media.mit.edu/press/clocky/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Clocky</span></a> to get you out of bed and going in the morning. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Clocky</span> is an adorable little <a href="http://www.media.mit.edu/press/clocky/">alarm clock that has the ability to jump off your night stand</a> and run around your room when it goes off in the morning! That way you are too busy trying to find him to hit the snooze button!<br /><br />For more on the great article by Jeff Wong entitled, "My Take on the Snooze Button", check out his website: <a href="http://www.fanfic.net/%7Ejeffwong/rant63-snooze-button.html">http://www.fanfic.net/~jeffwong/rant63-snooze-button.html</a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-14005874867465315422007-02-08T09:03:00.000-08:002007-02-08T09:18:15.714-08:005 Simple Ways of Improving Your Self-ControlI would like to bring you a short article that gives some <a href="http://www.paulstips.com/brainbox/pt/home.nsf/link/21082006-Five-simple-exercises-for-improving-your-willpower">tips on improving your self-control</a> . Below is a short synopsis of the full article.<br /><br />1. "Drop a small bad habit"<br />This may something like never remembering to put the cap back on the toothpaste. Just try to develop this one act of self-control and you will be better off.<br /><br />However, the author of this article seems to think "Other examples include giving up a regular afternoon snack, pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock, or having one too many coffees a day" which in my opinion none of these are small habits! I spend a lot of time and grief trying not to press that <a href="http://www.43things.com/things/view/47302">damn snooze button</a> in the morning! At this blog we are working on all habits, because what is small to you may be a mountain to climb for me!<br /><br />2. "Learn something boring but useful."<br /><br />Now this is an exercise I can really get behind. If we all resolved to go home today and read ONE chapter in a manual we have (for the DVR recorder, for the digital camera, for the exercise bike, etc.) I bet we could all learn something really helpful in making our lives easier or more efficient! In fact, if you decide to do this, please leave a comment on what you wound up reading and learning so that you can be an inspiration to others!<br /><br />3. "Do something you know you should every day for a week"<br /><br />This is a toughie! If I could do something every day for a week, I feel like I would already have a new habit! The author says if we miss a day you have to add one 2 more days of doing it at the end of the week. Now what could I do to follow this task? And also, after a week should you let yourself stop doing it, even though you know it is something you should be doing every day?<br /><br />4. "Set yourself an achievable, but difficult goal with a date for reaching it"<br /><br />I don't know how this is a simple exercise for building self-control. Everyone should be doing this as they try to make it to a goal, but this is not what I had in mind when I said a simple exercise. Maybe, to make it simpler, it could be, to lose 2 pounds by March. Thats not too bad.<br /><br />5. "Have a month where you ban yourself from putting anything off"<br /><br />????? This is bizarre to me! If the readers of his article could accomplish this, are they really the people who are going to be reading this article? Although I am grateful for this writer in publishing these 5 Tips, I think this last tip may go a little too far for his audience. Maybe they are meant to be progressive tips, after you accomplish one you are ready for the next. However, I think they give someone struggling too much too soon. If you read this and think, that would be impossible for me to do, don't get discouraged! <a href="http://control-your-self.blogspot.com/2007/02/self-disciple-article-by-steve-pavlina.html">Everyone is at a different place</a>. Like the author of the article I wrote about last time said, everyone's muscles are in a different place and someone is able to lift 10 pounds and another person is able to lift 100 lbs. Thats okay as long as you are working towards something.<br /><br />To read this article in full, please go here: <a href="http://www.paulstips.com/brainbox/pt/home.nsf/link/21082006-Five-simple-exercises-for-improving-your-willpower">http://www.paulstips.com/brainbox/pt/home.nsf/link/21082006-Five-simple-exercises-for-improving-your-willpower</a><br /><br />And although I had some negative comments to say, remember to thank him because it is very nice of him to go through the trouble of writing up his opinion on how to improve your self-control. He had some great points although some were a little harder to do than others.Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-56222606529000228432007-02-07T12:56:00.000-08:002007-02-08T09:17:08.815-08:00Self-Discipline article by Steve PavlinaFor my first article presentation, I bring to you an excellent, thorough article I found by a personal growth expert named Steve Pavlina. He has a ton of good information on his website that I have actually used before, for example an article on Becoming an Early-Riser. This was extremely informative and there really isn't a lot of information out there on self-discipline and changing smaller habits like getting out of bed in the morning. There is a real need for help with this sort of thing for people like me who have trouble telling themselves to do something and following-through.<br /><br />Anyway he is presenting a week-long series on the nature of <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline/">self-discipline</a> and <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline/">how to develop self-discipline</a>. Here are a few quotes he had on achieving your goals that I felt were especially useful:<br /><br />"Self-discipline is the ability to get yourself to take action regardless of your emotional state."<br /><br />"Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you become. The less you train it, the weaker you become."<br /><br />"...The basic method to build self-discipline is to tackle challenges that you can successfully accomplish but which are near your limit."<br /><br /><br />He also described what tools we have at our disposal to help with achieving goals: passion, goal-setting, and planning, and self-discipline. I think it would be a good idea if we discussed these tools further in upcoming entries.<br /><br />I really enjoy his analogy of starting where you are. If you say you are going to do something, and then you fail to do it, you have set out to do a goal that was too high for you right now. Thats a much better way of thinking about it, then just thinking you are a plain-old failure, isn't it?<br /><br />In the spirit of this article I am going to resolve to try to eat one serving of vegetables every day for the next week, instead of resolving to do my usual "eat healthier from now on". I will let you know how I do and I will follow up with this goal and also present Part 2 of his series a week from today. <br /><br />Hope this helped you, and a special thanks to the author of the above article and information!<br /><br />To read the article in full, check out: <a href="http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline/">http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline/</a>Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4779819542581166969.post-46251884622086179692007-02-05T13:02:00.000-08:002007-02-05T18:34:37.809-08:00AboutDo you have trouble achieving your goals like I do? I had such a hard time quitting smoking and since then, I have trouble losing weight and keeping my life clean and orderly. I have tried out lots of different ways of achieving my goals and I always seem to get stuck or disappointed in myself. I never have the life I want, and I know this is pretty much due to my own shortcomings. I would like to use this place to post interesting thoughts and reflections on building the self-discipline to achieve the goals you set in life. I also plan on posting a lot of outside resources about achieving goals and building self-control. I know there are a lot of people out there just like me, you say you are going to behave differently and then you don't seem to be able to make the right decisions or stay strong. Hopefully by helping myself I can help someone else out there, too. Good luck and please leave a comment if you have a tip!Anon For Everythinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810964114811575137noreply@blogger.com1