Back to my point. Kristen posted a blog several weeks ago about the "Livin' the Dream Challenge" via fellow blogger Martha Metzler (a new favorite blog, might I add) that I instantly became interested in. My New Year’s resolutions usually end around January 16 with my cabinets full of things I wasn’t supposed to be eating and complete disappointment in myself for not losing 20 lbs in 2 weeks (my body obviously hates me, right?). Well along comes Mrs. Martha with this fantastic, almost anti-New-Year’s-resolution resolution- to challenge yourself every week in a way that is empowering and beneficial to either yourself or others (or, the best part-both!). It’s super easy to follow along with; she creates these challenges for herself, then shares on her blog for others to join. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I have challenged myself to follow her through this year-long journey of "pay-it-forwards," self-insights, do-goods, and improvements.
Week 1 List 5 Things You don't Want to Change about Yourself
Week 2 Donate Something
Week 3 Buy One, Give One Free
Week 4 Do Something for your Neighbor
Week 5 Write Someone a Note (on actual paper)
Week 6 Create Something
Week 7 Write Down Something that you're Grateful for
Week 8 Send someone a Care Package
Now since it is March 9, I'm obviously a little behind on sharing what I've done each week, but I guess there's no time like the present to get caught up (besides, we are painfully slow at work- rain is not the most conducive weather conditions for roofing houses).
Week 1: I don't want to sound like a complete brat, but there are lots of things I wouldn't change about myself, so this was a walk in the park. The hardest thing about this challenge was figuring out how I wanted to word each of the things I used. I decided to do the first ten favorite things about myself that popped into my head:
1 I have a good heart. I love my friends and family wholeheartedly, am fiercely protective of them, and am willing to do absolutely anything for them despite whether it is reciprocated or not. Added bonus: they're all freakin' hysterical.
2 I have really soft hair, and I'm never really afraid to try something new with it.
3 I am very organized and have really great handwriting, spelling, and grammar.
4 I am very responsible for my age and appreciate things a lot more because I earn them.
5 I am stronger than I ever give myself credit for, and have the ability to handle things with grace if I make the effort.
6 I have no shame when it comes to showing my emotions.
7 I am both a realist and an optimist. I am a hopeless romantic and believe in the beauty of everything that comes with love.
8 I have a great palate and appreciate food, but I never get heartburn (knock on wood).
9 I research everything- random facts, news, comparative shopping, how to train a dog, scandals, government conspiracy theories, what portion of the country is on birth control, funny videos, googling/FaceBook stalking people, everything. I just love knowing as much as I can about as much as I can!
10 I'm a very good judge of character, am very empathetic, and can pick up on intuitions pretty well. A psychic told me this is why babies, children, and animals flock to me. I haven't won the lottery yet so I'm not a professional soothsayer or anything, but sometimes I do get "feelings" that turn out right. Plus, I've told my friends the sex of their babies before they find out from the doctor, to 100% accuracy so far might I add.
Week 2: Hallelujah for this week! I had been riding around with junk in my trunk for months (and by that, I mean trash bags of consignment/Plato's/Goodwill clothes, home goods, accessories, etc.). I kept saying that I would take everything to consignment and what they didn't want would go to Plato's and what neither of them took would go to Goodwill; but honestly, who has the time (or patience) to sit at Plato's for two hours for them to offer you $12 for 40 things? Not me. So the "donate something" task for the week forced me to do what I would have ended up doing anyways, and just donate it.
Week 3: BOGO ended up making my fellow office staff very happy, since the "O" I went with was lunch. I am well aware that they are not strangers, but it was a random act of kindness nonetheless, right? Don't worry, I have every intention of buying a stranger in line their coffee or magazine, or something of that nature at some point, I just haven't found the perfect time for that completely random act yet.
Week 4: I called the police when there was some sort of disturbance for my neighbors upstairs. There was talk of a knife, a gun, spitting in someone's face...so surely being the one who would call police had to help one of my neighbors, right? [I'd like this time to let it be known that I do not live in the projects, Compton, or Mexico City- just an apartment complex comprised mainly of college students.
Week 5: I wrote a little card to my parents, thanking them for only a fraction of the many things for which I owe them gratitude. And a card that said "You're crazy but I love you anyways" to my sister.
My mom cried. Gee, I wonder where I got that "no shame in showing my emotions" thing from...
Week 6: I created homemade dog treats, they were peanut butter and bacon flavored with shredded carrot. Not really a combination I would go crazy for, but my foster dog Casper seemed to really enjoy them (along with the rest of the awesome adopt-a-bulls from the American Pit Bull Foundation who came out for the adoption event at Northlake Mall in Charlotte--which is every Saturday from 12-4, if anyone is interested).
Week 7: I'm grateful that I get to hear my alarm when I wake up every day, and that I am able to see when I open my eyes. I'm thankful I can get myself out of bed, have full functionality of my limbs, can take myself to the bathroom and shower on my own. I'm grateful that I have a roof and clothes and food and a car. I'm grateful that I'm self-made and rely on no one. I'm grateful that I have a healthy, hilarious family and group of friends. I'm glad that my parents taught me to budget, clean properly, balance a checkbook, and fix things on a whim. I'm lucky that I have a job to go to (no matter how much I whine that I don't want to get out of bed and that work is stupid at 6:34 when my alarm goes off). I'm grateful that I have memories, from people who've passed and who are still with me. I'm especially thankful that I still have 3/4 of my grandparents. I'm thankful I'm healthy. I'm grateful that I can read and write, that I'm a good listener, and that I get along with pretty much anyone. I guess I can probably stop now since that's more than one...
Week 8: Care package time! I think I might have a little trans-continental something up my sleeve...
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Be kind and I will too.