#57: Update Your Address Book:
"Too often we take the people in our lives for granted. We don't stop to think how we'll feel when the disappear from our lives. A friend is a terrible thing to waste." -101 Things to Do Before You Graduate
I recently got a new cell phone, so I made a point of going through all my contacts and erasing random phone numbers and adding people I had lost contact with. It was good to go through and find people that I hadn't talked to for a long time. I am such a lucky girl--I have so many people that care about me and I have so many people that I can love and take of too. I love my friends and family so much and I'm lucky to be alive and have such a good life!
#67: Start Your Own Library
"No need to be in a hurry. Just have fun looking for them at thrift stores, garage sales, and half-price bookstores."-101 TTDBYG
As a poor college student, I started this adventure at the Dollar Tree. They have "great" books for only a dollar!! How could I pass it up? In the future I will want to collect the classics (Austen, Hemingway, Twain, etc), but for now, my dollar store book will have to do. It is called Solitaire. . .it actually looks pretty interesting--but I am weird and like weird books. . .so we'll see. . .I'll be starting it this week.
#63: Open a Savings Account
. . . and put money into it!
I've had a savings account since I turned 16 and got a job. It was great for a while. . .I saved a little bit--and then it all went to pay for housing my freshman year. :( depressing, but alas, tis life. When I went to college, I got a checking account which was great. . .but as much as I tried--i couldn't find a job to add to it. . .long story short, now I have a job and have been getting regular paychecks! Whoo! So now I need to get back into practice of saving. I've tried to put a few hundred dollars each paycheck into my savings and then not touch it. It's hard to get back in the habit, but I know it will definitely worth it! And even though my savings will all go to rent again this year--it will be okay--I can be proud of myself! :)
#1: Make Exercise A Habit
"Don't get distracted by focusing on losing weight or toning up or breaking speed records. Instead, focus on finding a comfortable pace and making it part of your mental and physical routine. Think of it as an investment in a happy, healthy life." -101 TTDBYG
My mom is very good at this. She started about 2 or 3 years ago walking every morning. She didn't worry about how much weight she was losing or how fast she was going, she just went. She has seen huge changes in her physical health as well as her mental health.
I kept telling myself that I needed to do the same, but I love my sleep and getting up at 7am did not sound appealing especially when I had a full day of work ahead of me. Then I found out that my best friend was getting married, and she wanted me to be one of her bridesmaids. I was ecstatic, but I knew that I wanted to be feeling much better before then. I was sluggish, tired, and grouchy pretty much all the time. Just smiling at customers at work was exhausting. I wanted to be happy and loving life by her wedding, and the only thing I could think of to try was exercising.
I tried to do it after work a few days, but by the time I got home from work I was too tired to even cook dinner let alone exercise for an hour. So, I decided I would just have to get up earlier. I groaned at the thought, but I told myself I would just try it for a week and if I didn't feel better I would think of something else (and that something else would probably be quitting exercising).
The first few days were the hardest. I was exhausted at work and I was ready for bed at 9pm, but I stuck to it. By the end of the week I did an inventory and found that I did feel a little better, I wasn't craving chocolate every second of the day, and I wanted to actually cook healthy things again for dinner. So I stuck to it.
This is the best decision I have ever made in my life--ever. Now over a month later, I have energy, I feel happy, I eat healthy, I am content with my life. I have never been a lover of exercising, I'm always scared that I'll hurt myself or waste time and energy, but now that I see how much better I feel mentally and physically, I'm scared to stop. My goal now is to get up to running a steady 3 miles. Then after that, maybe I'll work up to a half marathon? Who knows? I have my whole life ahead of me and I am going to make the best of it!
