Tracking my 2017 goals — week 2

Two weeks in, let’s see where things stand.

This is a weekly post as part of The Writing Cooperative 52 Week Writing Challenge. I am tracking the success/failure of the three goals I set for myself for 2017. These include Meditation, Morning Pages and no sugar.

Here is how week 2 transpired:

Meditation (Week 2)

I was able to find time to meditate (using Headspace) 5 out of 7 days at 10 minutes a pop. Ideally I would like to hit on 7 out of 7 day and I’m confident I will get there.

I’ve mentioned previously that I’m not using meditation as a means to control stress as I have always had a good handle on that. For me, it is more about anxiety but I’m not sure if that is even the appropriate term. I have ideas, plans, thoughts in constant swirl in my head and I have a hard time organizing them into manageable and actionable parts.

I’m hoping for clarity.

I’m hoping to get better at being present.

During 3 out of 5 sessions I was able to stay relatively focused without the mind wandering off. I felt present and followed the instructor to a tee. Once done, I felt relaxed and content. More so than the previous week. I also wanted the session to last longer. I feel ready for more than 10 minutes but I refuse to stray from whatever the nice British man asks me to do.

I fell asleep during 2 sessions complete with snoring and drooling. Is that OK? Is that the ultimate relaxed state or is it poor focus on my part? Maybe I need less meditation and more fire under my ass.

Morning Pages (week 2)

Uh oh.

Not once this week.

I think I justified not doing it by the fact that I write for at least an hour on a daily basis. But that is not the purpose of the Morning Pages. They are to remove the clutter (sensing a theme here?) I need to get that through my thick skull.

I realize that 3 longhand pages isn’t going to be realistic for me but I’d like to do at least 1. If I could do that for a few weeks on a daily basis I’d be thrilled. I really anticipate this providing a long term benefit so I will not judge the results along the way.

I am going to do it properly for the first time right after hitting “publish” on this post.

Pinky swear.

No sugar (week 2)

I continue to kill with this one.

2 weeks in and not one dessert or sugary item. The only sugar I am getting is via fruit and yogurt and that is OK. I have no intention of going cold turkey, at least not yet.

The biggest test was last night when my mom put together brownie sundaes in celebration of my dad’s 70th birthday. I stared that delicious homemade chocolate gooey morsel straight in the face and said “not today pal” and just stuck with my black coffee. You have no idea how painful that was.

While my family appreciated my self control, they seemed confused as to my ultimate purpose. I’m not looking to lose weight and I have no issues with blood pressure or sugar levels (yet). I didn’t really have an answer for them other than “sugar bad” and I want to cut down on my intake.

I don’t think I realized until now why I have been doing it. While meditation and morning pages are new additions to the morning routine, “no sugar” is my need to test my ability to not do something. I enjoy the test of self control. I enjoy trying to ignore a craving.

I’m getting pleasure ignoring a pleasure.