I was a competitive person once, loving sports and trivia nights and TV quiz shows and writing contests, but I seem to have lost this personality trait as I mellow into *euphemism alert* "late middle-age". At least that's what I thought until I examined this more closely.
I also found that walking while I worked reduced my desire to snack, unhealthily, while writing. That had become a nasty habit. Which led to further examination of my eating habits, my mindless eating, my laziness in meal preparation, and my addiction to sugar...or sugar-loaded treats.
Are you a competitor? How do you challenge yourself with your writing, your reading, your everyday life?
Lately I've been challenging myself rather than others, which is another form of competition, right?
This started with my acquisition of a treadmill desk, which encouraged me to record my mileage walked and to build on this week by week. Not always successfully but I am walking, in technical terms, a helluvalot further than previously. My Fitbit tells me so.
I also found that walking while I worked reduced my desire to snack, unhealthily, while writing. That had become a nasty habit. Which led to further examination of my eating habits, my mindless eating, my laziness in meal preparation, and my addiction to sugar...or sugar-loaded treats.
My 2017 challenge has been, if not to quit sugar, to be mindful of my intake. To eat healthily day to day, week to week, and to keep the treats for special occasions. Again, I'm not always successful, but I'm proud of my efforts thus far and my pursuit of the goal: to work more on "how I feel" and less on "what the scales say."
A couple of months back I added another challenge: I started a gym program based on strength and resistance training. I am no gym junkie, that's for sure, and most weeks I only make 3 visits but it does make me feel good. And by the time our 2018 ski trip comes around, I hope to notice the difference in my strength and endurance.
At the moment I'm halfway through a two-week challenge with these amazing girls, making healthy meals and eating and living more mindfully and joyously. The meal/eating part = success. I'm loving these recipes, which are largely gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free. The other parts = not as successful, as I'm flat out organising the household ahead of a two week trip to London.
This involves a lengthy To-Do List, arranged within my go-to organisation tool, Todoist. I adore this app, probably because it appeals to my latent competitive spirit, granting various karma levels as one completes tasks and crosses them from the list. As evidenced below, I am a Master.
Ack Bron - we leave in 6 days and I have soo much to do because my procrastination bone got in the way and now its a mad dscramble.
ReplyDeleteOnly myself to blame.
Maybe I need that app!
I'm the same. Months and months and months of adding things-to-do-before-we-leave, then a last week scramble to get them all done. My Karma level will be through the roof before we hop on that plane!
DeleteThat app sounds interesting, Bron -- might need to investigate that further. I'm a great lover of the To-Do list. As for being competitive...I think I'm more of a plodder (but that's due to laziness rather than anything else). I signed up for the Goodreads challenge, but I'm a book behind...and it just makes me feel tired to think that I'm going to fall further and further behind and not meet my target. Sigh. And then I simply go for a walk on the beach and all's right with the world again. ;-)
ReplyDelete(I've decided that's the secret to life -- walks on the beach.)
I forgot to mention the Goodreads challenge in my post. How could I? That's been an ongoing quest this year and I'm 2 books ahead. Love that sense of accomplishment (and no guilt from the time spent reading!)
DeleteWalks on the beach = the perfect antidote to everything. Healthy for mind and body and soul.
Oh to do list twin, I am off to google your favourite app right now! And while I don't get the chance to 'compete' as often as I used to, give me a trivia night, or a bingo night, or the like and my competitive claws come out!
ReplyDeleteJust between you and me, Ally, I'm the same. There may even be friends/family members who won't play with/against me because I take it all too seriously. "We're not playing for sheep stations," is heard rather often. :-)
DeleteBron, good on you challenging yourself to be healthier! No wonder you're feeling good.
ReplyDeleteI have multiple 'to do' lists. My problem is finishing them! I get so far and there are always some things that drop to the bottom of the list and don't get done.
You know what, Annie, a large part of the "feeling better" part is psychological. Success. Sense of accomplishment. Being in control. Meeting goals, without stressing myself. It's a good place to be.
DeleteOne of the things I love about using Todoist, is you can easily swap things around, move an item back a week or month if plans change. And you can separate projects and break them down so each item isn't too large.
Loved reading this post, Bron. I'm so impressed with all the amazing challenges you have introduced into your life. I will explore that app and have been toying with a walking desk too.
ReplyDeleteI'm very competitive with myself - always giving myself a new challenge. Today I have to finish my final assignment for a Grad Dip I'm doing at QUT - which I did simply to challenge myself and learn new leadership skills.
Did I know about your latest studies, Jen? I feel like I do -- or should -- but it's been so long (too long!) since we've talked I may be just assuming I knew. Because you are always challenging yourself, and bettering yourself, in so many ways.
DeleteHi Bronwyn
ReplyDeleteI am not competitive at all LOL I just amble along but I do often leave things to the last minute like the fact that we are going on another cruise in 8 days and have done nothing LOL but as for eating I go to WW and am doing pretty good with that and that is a challenge. Good on you
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, we leave on an o/s trip in 6 days and despite all my organisation and to-do-listing, I still have SO much to get done. Leaving a farm for a few weeks is an adventure in planning! But I reckon you're a master at cruise-packing. You'll tackle what has to be done like a boss!
DeleteWW *is* a challenge. Good for you taking that on and I bet you are doing better than "pretty good."
Good on you Bron! Sounds like they're all great improvements. I think any way we can make a game of the habits we want to improve is a good thing - it can be very motivating!
ReplyDeleteI'm very competitive with myself but the husband and I are currently wearing out fitbits and tracking steps to try and be less sedentary. Especially me - sitting on my butt writing all day is not the greatest thing for my health!
Nothing like gaming ourselves into believing something is more fun than it otherwise might be! Go you on the Fitbits. That step count is the greatest of motivators; I love wearing mine on holidays when it's so easy to walk and walk and walk without realising how many miles you're covering.
Delete