Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Day 7 - Blog 12 Days of Christmas - Achievements!

Ok I skipped this mantra: Keep your heels, head and standards high.  Because I very rarely wear high heels.  And have moved on to this mantra: It doesn't get easier, you just get better at it.

And I will let this speak for itself:

Ok as this is the last day of 2014 I thought I'd give a little run down of my running achievements for the year.  For the Run Down Under I have run/walked a total of 3828.10km's in 2014.  This has included:
  • Sawtell New Years Day Fun Run 5.25k in 28min 52sec;
  • Coffs Australia Day Fun Run 10k in 53min 21sec;
  • Port Macquarie Running Festival half marathon (21.1k) in 1h 53min 19sec;
  • Ipswich QLD parkrun 5k in 25min 18sec;
  • Augustine Heights parkrun 5k in 25min 22sec;
  • Mother's Day Classic Coffs Harbour, NSW 8k in 40min 48sec;
  • Bellingen Show Fun Run 10k in 55min 56sec;
  • Macleay River Marathon Festival half marathon (21.1k) in 1h 50min 39sec;
  • Urunga Fun Run 10k in 49min 40sec;
  • Ipswich Park2Park Half marathon in 1h 55min 30sec;
  • Misty Mountain Trail Run 20k in 2h 10min 13sec;
  • Coffs Harbour Running Festival half marathon in 1h 53min 47sec;
  • Dorrigo Show Fun Run 13k in 1h 20min 57sec. 

Tomorrow it starts all over again with the Sawtell New Years Day Fun Run and some bigger running adventures planned in 2015 ---- I have registered to complete a full marathon (42.2km) at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon in July 2015!!

I know I can finish the marathon.  Well that's what I'm telling myself.  The training part scares me a bit.  I run a lot now - well 3 times a week and I average about 30-40k each week.  But I have noted that lately my longer runs which aren't that long compared to what I was doing this time last year, have been a struggle.  So the idea of running for longer than 2 hours is a bit worrying.  However, I strongly believe that if I follow a training plan, than this will not be a problem.  I can do this!!

So back to the mantra - with running yes I can say it doesn't get easier and you do get better!

But with work, I don't think I can write a list like my running achievements and this is causing me some problems. 

I am a person that likes to look back and see progress and achievement - hence why I like mowing the lawn.  There is some satisfaction in seeing what grass has been cut.  The progress that has been made.

With my work achievements in 2014, I don't feel satisfaction and I want that back.  In 2015 I want to feel some satisfaction and really note and acknowledge my achievements.

How do you note and acknowledge your work achievements?  And I don't mean through the usual performance appraisal process.  Do you use lists?  Computer programs??

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Day 6 - Blog 12 Days of Christmas - Health!

Today's mantra: You are as important to your health as it is to you.

This really is a no brainer.  You are in control of your health so you are important.  And if you are not healthy then your life will suffer, therefore health is important.

Sometimes our health can let us down and no matter how hard we try to be healthy and get our health in order, outside influence etc can have an impact outside of our control.

That said, it is important that you work on the things you can control to assist you in being in good health.  Exercise, eating healthy food and keeping your mind active are all things you can do to ensure good health.

What things do you practice to ensure good mental health?  This is probably where I struggle a bit.  I can tend to stress out easily and need to practice some mindfulness techniques.  Some people have reached mindfulness when running - I'm yet to experience that.

I have a few things stuck up on my wall at my desk at work to do with wording things differently or changing words in your mind from negatives to positives to assist with stress or dealing with difficult situations.  I also have a list of "mantras" to think about regarding mindfulness.

I could go on but it is so hot that I can't really think too hard about anything.

So I leave it to you - how do you look after your health?

Monday, December 29, 2014

Day 5 - Blog 12 Days of Christmas - Here and now!

Today's mantra: You are exactly where you need to be.

This is something I have struggled with throughout my life.  The grass is always greener some where else.  That other job in that other work place is better than where I am now.  That house in that suburb is better than where I am now.  Why can't I accept that I am where I need to be?!?

I strongly believe in fate.  There are too many people I have met in my life at different times that cement the idea that I was supposed to be there at that moment in time to meet them.  Sure, some have moved on or I have moved on from them, but for that moment in time, I needed to be there and I needed to meet them.

Right now, I live in a beautiful part of the world (admittedly I have not seen a lot of the world - you see there's that grass is always greener coming back again), I have a beautiful family and some wonderful friends and family.  I have met some beautiful people that I continually learn things from or learn things about myself from.

There may still be parts of my life where I am dissatisfied but perhaps that is what I have to work on and I'm here because I have to work on them to become a better person or to learn a lesson.  But I strongly feel that I am exactly where I need to be at this point in time!

How about you?  Are you exactly where you need to be?

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Day 4 - Blog 12 Days of Christmas - Wake up!

Today's mantra: Wake up, kick butt, be kind, repeat.

I wish this mantra was more motivating for today.  It is raining again so once more my body and mind is slipping into lazy mode.  It is also my rest day from running and intense exercise (ok so I maybe don't do intense exercise all the time but let's just say I don't go and do bootcamp or anything like that today - I will still go for a gentle walk later).

However, let's get back to the mantra.  I think on other days this is what I need to be hit in the face with every morning.  And don't think it only relates to exercise.  Wake up - get alert, turn on the brain, get the imagination flowing, get set for the day ahead.  Kick butt - achieve things that you have set out to do that day and do them with enthusiasm.  Be kind - don't beat yourself up if you don't achieve everything you had on your list - there is always tomorrow.  Repeat - let's do it all again tomorrow!!  And every day following.

I really think I'm going to stick this mantra up at work and in my study here at home.  I have struggled, particularly at work (well mostly at work - no problem with motivation for exercise) to get my mojo happening.  I have some biggish projects to get done in 2015 so I need to get the wake up, kick butt, and be kind thing happening.  I need to gather some enthusiasm and motivation.  So I'm liking this mantra!

Anyone else struggling for enthusiasm and motivation about some things they need to achieve?  What are you doing to ensure you get them done?  What tools are you using?

Friday, December 26, 2014

Day 3 - Blog 12 Days of Christmas - Lazy

There is a mantra for today but I'm too lazy to go into the other room to retrieve the magazine which has the mantras in it.  So today my mantra is: Lazy!

Ok so it's not really a mantra but a word to describe how I felt today.

This morning was not lazy.  I started with a 12km run and then did the grocery shopping.  I visited EB Games and picked up 3 second hand games for the xbox and then caught up with facebook updates while watching Miss A throw herself across the lounge room playing Kinetic Sports Season 2.  You see the Kinetic on the xbox uses a camera to pick up on your movements so you become the player in the game.  Or something along those lines.

I then went for my afternoon walk, cooked a lazy dinner of sausages, eggs and toast, and am now being lazy about this post while Miss A watches Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever.

Tomorrow, because it is supposed to be raining again, I plan on another lazy day.  I have a few books on the table here that I should be reading but have been having difficulty finding my reading mojo - much prefer magazines at the moment.  But I do have the Parkrun: much more than just a run in the park, book to read and I started it the other day while watching Miss A and her friends swim in the lagoon and it's quite interesting.  Just have to be in the mood.

So I'm now going to finish this post and continue being lazy on the couch and continue lurking on facebook and perhaps continue reading the Parkrun book - maybe if I can be bothered!!

Yours in laziness!!

Day 2 - Blog 12 Days of Christmas - Creative

Today's mantra: Creative abundance is available to you now.

Creative is not a word I would use to describe myself.  My husband, who is an artist (painter and drummer) is creative.  My daughter who loves to draw (and draw well), sing and play keyboard is creative.  Me, well I don't have much patience to sit down and focus on anything crafty.  I don't like to cook, draw, paint, play a musical instrument (well I would like to but have never learnt to), etc. 

When it comes to choosing colours to paint a wall in our house - I'm not good at visualising what it will look like - I need to see it done before I can judge if I like it.  So no, I don't think I'm creative.

I don't have a problem about not being creative. 

I suppose thinking about it, I like to write (at times) and I used to be really good at entering those competitions that you had to write in 25 words or less why you want to win the prize, and I used to dabble in bit of poetry.  But I don't really do that much anymore.

To define creative: relating to or involving the use of the imagination or original ideas to create something. 

I certainly use my imagination a lot.  I spend a lot of time imagining how I would live in a house that I might have seen for sale on the real estate site - or at the moment the one that is a prize home for Boystown.  I spend a bit of time imagining different running routes I would like to run.  I also try to spend some time using my imagination to come up with ideas for events, displays, ideas to be implemented in our libraries.  So perhaps there is some creativity at play, but I still would not use creative as a word to describe me.

So perhaps I need to be more aware of the creative abundance that is available to me - perhaps it means using other's creativity to be creative!?!

Perhaps it means being more mindful of creative thoughts that I let fly by without grasping and acting on?!?

Creativity is something I will work on in 2015.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Day 1 - Blog 12 Days of Christmas: Expect Miracles

Back again for another round of #blog12daysxmas!  And I'm hoping some of the regulars are back again too as I love catching up with what they have been up to.

I'm following the daily mantra idea I used for #blogjune to prompt some deep (sometimes) thought.  Today's mantra is quite fitting - Expect miracles!

Today being Christmas is in itself a day born from a miracle.  Perhaps you may not be religious - I'm not a Christian as such but certainly was when I was younger and the miracle of Christmas is one that will not be forgotten.

I will always think of Christmas as a day to celebrate family!  And that's what my little family did today.  Even though gifts were involved - family was at the hub!

And I think you have to look at every day you get to spend with family (and really our friends are often part of our family) is a miracle!!

I hope you enjoyed your miracle today and continue to expect miracles - they may not be big but they are there and often happen everyday!!