"Keep Calm and Carry On" April 2020 W.I.S.H. Challenge

[Oneanne]

It just came a couple of days ago, but I like it so far!

We got it mostly for DS, as I thought he'd like to use it while doing schoolwork, but we found that he's a bit tall to have it under the dining room table where he usually works. (There's sort of a brace piece on our table that he hits his knees on. - But I'm shorter, and don't hit it at all.)

Instead, we put it by one of the sofas, and he's been using it on study breaks. - I'm sure I'll use it while watching TV sometimes as well.

The assembly instructions were very clear and just a couple of steps. He and I put it together easily. It's this one:

View attachment 490878

That’s the same one I got. Won’t arrive until next weekend tho.

 

[sjrec]

I want to feel hopeful-that soon all this will pass and we can all safely resume our lives.

I want to be creative and sit down and write my grandson a letter today. We talk on the phone but I think he would enjoy getting a letter from us. I found an article in a magazine about dinosaurs he might like and will include a couple corny jokes-which he loves.

I want to give my husband my full attention today when we sit down and go over paint colors. I just haven’t been able to work up any interest right now, but it’s important to him so I will focus!

I want to receive a feeling of accomplishment after I finally get my winter/cold weather clothes washed and put away. I have been putting it off (mostly because we’re still getting cold weather) but I need to get it done.

This was harder than I thought it would be! Loved the quote.
And now I want one of those under the desk thingys!

 

[4Mickeys]

Motivation Monday



I went with a little lighthearted motivation for today ...
Because lets face it life is tough and serious most days right now and we need a giggle - what humorous motivation can you find today?
​

 

[4Mickeys]

I need to find motivation for walking this week - when looking at my BP numbers for last week it was better on the days that I walked! So there it is in data staring me in the face - I need to walk, walk, walk!

My state is doing a slight easing of restrictions starting this Saturday - we will now be able to:
Go for a drive - within 50km of our house.
State parks will be open again - walking trails etc.
You can go for a picnic with the people you live with or if you live alone - 1 other person with social distancing of course!
Do non-essential shopping e.g. clothes, shoes, electrical appliances - hmmm not all of these shops are open yet - so will be interesting to see how they open up (viability/profit) and of course social distancing applies.

One interesting thing though - they had closed public toilets in state parks etc as a further deterent when things were tighter - so I'm not sure if they are open again yet - otherwise you might not to picnic or walk too far from where you know there are toilets - or that could be a bit of a problem if you drink too much lol.

Of course - if we see a spike it may be wound back.

 

[MickeyMom76]

I need to find motivation to eat better!!! I am up a few pounds, which I keep telling myself is ok because I know what I need to do to get rid of it. But I don’t want it to get out of hand. Plus summer is coming (I think...it’s still been pretty cold), so maybe the thought of nicer weather and shorts will motivate me. But unfortunately it usually just makes me sad about summer vacation plans possibly getting cancelled

 

[piglet1979]

I need motivation to move more. I take a walk every weekday but that is only covering what I normally would walk on a normal day in the office. I need to go for another walk in the afternoon.

This weekend was a bit rough at times. I woke up Saturday with bad sinus pain. Taking Sudafed and Motrin worked. We did go to Jeff's grandmothers house for a bit. She lives alone and we felt she needed some company. It was a nice day so we stayed outside and kept our distance. We will have her over here for dinner outside on another day the weather is nice. It might be a few more weeks before the weather gets nice enough to eat outside.

Sunday I woke up again with the sinus pain and a horrible cough. The cough was only in the morning when I first got up and it was more just clearing stuff from my throat so nothing that I am worried about. I did a little bit of cleaning and then Jeff and I started watching Community for a little bit and then I watched the rest of season 2 and started season 3 of Survivor. So it was a lazy day.

Today, has been the roughest so far and it is only 9:12 am. I woke up dizzy and sick to my stomach. The dizziness seems to be gone now but my ear hurts. I am thinking I have fluid in the ear from the congestion/sinus issues I have been having. I am hoping it just goes away. I do not want to go to the doctor right now. And they most likely will send me to an ENT. With all the issues I have had this year with my ears and sinuses I really do need to see an ENT and my guess is I will have to have a CAT scan since this is what they told me last time I was their in March. I have been on 2 rounds of antibiotics and 2 rounds of a steroid since November. Lets just hope this all just goes away right now.

 

[Summer2018]

I need motivation to move more. I take a walk every weekday but that is only covering what I normally would walk on a normal day in the office. I need to go for another walk in the afternoon.

This weekend was a bit rough at times. I woke up Saturday with bad sinus pain. Taking Sudafed and Motrin worked. We did go to Jeff's grandmothers house for a bit. She lives alone and we felt she needed some company. It was a nice day so we stayed outside and kept our distance. We will have her over here for dinner outside on another day the weather is nice. It might be a few more weeks before the weather gets nice enough to eat outside.

Sunday I woke up again with the sinus pain and a horrible cough. The cough was only in the morning when I first got up and it was more just clearing stuff from my throat so nothing that I am worried about. I did a little bit of cleaning and then Jeff and I started watching Community for a little bit and then I watched the rest of season 2 and started season 3 of Survivor. So it was a lazy day.

Today, has been the roughest so far and it is only 9:12 am. I woke up dizzy and sick to my stomach. The dizziness seems to be gone now but my ear hurts. I am thinking I have fluid in the ear from the congestion/sinus issues I have been having. I am hoping it just goes away. I do not want to go to the doctor right now. And they most likely will send me to an ENT. With all the issues I have had this year with my ears and sinuses I really do need to see an ENT and my guess is I will have to have a CAT scan since this is what they told me last time I was their in March. I have been on 2 rounds of antibiotics and 2 rounds of a steroid since November. Lets just hope this all just goes away right now.

Feel better.

 

[Summer2018]

Our furnace broke on Friday, and I DO NOT WANT ANYONE IN MY HOUSE to fix it. So, an extra blanket on our beds and a space heater in the living room has been getting us through. My husband keeps pushing for calling the repairman, and I keep on telling him, "No." I don't know if they would be allowed to enter anyway even though it is in the basement, but I'm not giving anyone the chance. It is almost May. It has got to be warming up soon, right?

I haven't been walking because the weather has been 40's-50's and rain. Tomorrow looks promising.

I'm motivated enough that I started working this morning, but not motivated enough to go the extra mile.

Oh well.

 

[Oneanne]

Today I need to be motivated to... move. I feel pretty flattened this morning. I think it might possibly be allergies, so I've taken some Claritin to see if that helps. I'm late getting going, it is almost 9am and I've just gotten dressed. It was rainy overnight but looks to be clearing up, so after I've eaten I'll get out for an early walk... I think the next few days are supposed to be damp, so I need to take advantage of any clearing.

This is week four of the furlough and I've only completed two books... I had planned to read a book a week. So I'll try to power thru 'Super Actractor' today and then pick another one up off the pile. I also haven't completed any of the sorting-thru-stuff that I had planned, so I'll get a couple bags of GW stuff put together today. I really do want to look back at this time and see/know that I've done some good things. Oh, I guess I just found my motivation!

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hugs to everyone having difficulties! I hope you feel better @piglet1979 and I hope it warms up @Summer2018!

Plus summer is coming (I think...it’s still been pretty cold)

Same here. My cat desperately wants to go out on her leash and it's just nasty out there today - cold and drizzly.

This is week four of the furlough and I've only completed two books... I had planned to read a book a week.

I'm not reading as much as I planned, either. Mostly, I read when I take the above-mentioned cat out, but the weather is not cooperating, and when I go to bed - but I've been falling asleep too quickly to get very far.


As for motivation, I was kind of down last night night and early this morning, but I got the grocery shopping done, so that helps. And I've got a Zoom call with some little family members this afternoon to look forward to!

Health-wise, I need to step up the indoor exercise for a few days in order to reach my goal this month. When I set it, I had a few more long, outdoor walks in mind! I'm currently watching the One Day at Disney series on the treadmill, though, so that helps. - It's just a matter of getting to it early in the day, before my actual schedule drifts far from my planned one.

 

[sjrec]

Need to just keep doing what I know works. Reasonable portions, staying active and not mindlessly snacking.

I think this cold, overcast weather really affects my mood. A few warm, sunny days will work wonders on my outlook. I can’t believe I still have to wear a winter jacket today! Summer2018, hoping it warms up soon!

 

[4Mickeys]

Topic Tuesday ....



Good morning all - More than ever we are aware of how important self-care is! What has the pandemic and stay at home got you thinking about your health? It has created a reflective mood in many - has it caused you to get more motivated to make improvements, has it created space for you to find a new routine or way of doing things, is there something new you have been doing that you would like to take with you when we all get back to work and school? Remember we are all about overall health here so it doesn't just have to be sweaty exercise haha
​

 

[4Mickeys]

I need to find motivation to eat better!!!

Ugh - this is so me. I mean I eat ok - it is my snacking getting in my way! hello packet of snickers pods that called to me today

I need motivation to move more. I take a walk every weekday but that is only covering what I normally would walk on a normal day in the office. I need to go for another walk in the afternoon.

Yes! we are missing out on so much incidental walking - although I must admit even on some office bound days on a usual work day I could have really low step count.

I woke up Saturday with bad sinus pain

Oh no - hope you are feeling better today

Our furnace broke on Friday

Yikes - bad timing - hope it warms up soon for you - and yes it is tricky with situations that may need us to let others into our homes. It is situations like these that highlight how different things are right now - that even an unusual house issue that we would normally have just called someone in - creates a huge dilemma at the moment.

I feel pretty flattened this morning. I think it might possibly be allergies

I hope it is allergies too and that you have woken up feeling better this morning

I really do want to look back at this time and see/know that I've done some good things.

Yes - this is my thought too - I still have things I would like to accomplish in relation to clean out and organisation.

when I go to bed - but I've been falling asleep too quickly to get very far.

Me too! I have been saving reading my books for bed time - and some nights I read one page then I am done!

I was kind of down last night night and early this morning

Hope you are feeling a little brighter today

 

[4Mickeys]

What has the pandemic and stay at home got you thinking about your health? It has created a reflective mood in many - has it caused you to get more motivated to make improvements, has it created space for you to find a new routine or way of doing things, is there something new you have been doing that you would like to take with you when we all get back to work and school?

For me - it has caused some alarm at times over the chronic health conditions I have allowed to develop in myself high blood pressure, pre-diabetes etc. especially when they debate if it is the high blood pressure or the medication for the high blood pressure that creates a way for the virus to latch on. So it is helping to see that there are so many facets to the down size of these chronic conditions and I want to see if I can make strides towards making improvements there. It has however reinforced the fact that some things are just bigger than us and we can only control what we can control and that have to give it up to god, the universe, fate - but that my optimal health (apart from some genetic disposition) is something I can have control over and applying as many safety precautions as I can. I know there are other areas where I need to apply this same thought process to control and sometimes accepting things as they are or are beyond anything I can do anything about. I am enjoying the relaxed nature of my day with work from home - but am missing seeing the range of people I usually do when I am in schools - but would love to find a way to blend these things together moving forward. We have been cooking at home more - and this week I got back to a cooking roster - the boys cooked the last 2 nights, I am tomorrow night then it will be DD - I worked it so that in a 7 day period I only have to cook dinner once lol! We have been doing more beach walking most afternoons - I have really seen in the data that my blood pressure improves with walking - so I really need to carry walking forward as we move forward to working outside of the home again - I will need to find the space for that as it will be key in my desire to see if I can improve BP to the point that I may be able to come off the medication - which is a big goal! The new thing I want to keep is the meditations and sleep visualizations and maybe throw in some affirmations to help with relaxation and mind set

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hope you are feeling a little brighter today

Thanks, I am.

What has the pandemic and stay at home got you thinking about your health?...has it caused you to get more motivated to make improvements...

I've definitely been motivated to "use the time wisely." I've been keeping a little tighter to my exercise schedule, and cooking more interesting meals at home. I've actually lost about 6 pounds since it all started.

I've also been determined to get over some technology hurdles. I've always been a "slow adopter" - but during this time, I've learned how to use Zoom and even made a YouTube channel!

...has it created space for you to find a new routine or way of doing things...

Definitely. With the schools closed, I'm on my usual "summer schedule" early (well, except for tutoring my college kid a bit!) The extra time has really facilitated the goals above, as I have the option of exercising in the middle of the day, more time to cook and research recipes, and I can direct energies that were going to other things into projects that no longer look so big and time-consuming.

...is there something new you have been doing that you would like to take with you when we all get back to work and school?

More about emotional than physical health:
I've been making a much better effort to connect with far-away relatives than I was before, directing social energy that was previously used up by face-to-face interactions into that instead. I've really enjoyed the connection, and going forward, I'd like to balance that aspect of my life a little better.

And not really health-related at all, but fun:
In the first days of all this, when I was really trying to distract myself and fill the time that we would have been on vacation, I was brave enough to get out a jigsaw puzzle. (I say brave because the last time I tried that, my cats were younger...and lets just say...it wasn't successful. ) But I am happy to report that they are now mature enough to leave my puzzles alone, and I am really enjoying doing them again!

 

[Oneanne]

Without work-work going on, all I have to do is to take care of myself. I've done well with some aspects of self-care and am behind in what I thought I would accomplish in other areas.

Things I've changed that I will carry forward:
... less and more mindful shopping
... cooking for myself more and eating properly
... spiritual rituals
... getting dressed and out of my PJs on home days

The last week I was working I finally hit my stride with working at home, and would like to carry that forward in some way, possibly a couple days in the office and a couple days working from home each week.

There are somethings about the current times that perplex me tho, like the more I rest the tired-er I become... I assumed that at some point my bucket would be full and I'd feel restored. I was talking to my neighbor about this yesterday and she's noticed the same, then later in the day a post came thru my IG feed saying the exact same thing.

 

[Summer2018]

For me - it has caused some alarm at times over the chronic health conditions I have allowed to develop in myself high blood pressure, pre-diabetes etc. especially when they debate if it is the high blood pressure or the medication for the high blood pressure that creates a way for the virus to latch on. So it is helping to see that there are so many facets to the down size of these chronic conditions and I want to see if I can make strides towards making improvements there. It has however reinforced the fact that some things are just bigger than us and we can only control what we can control and that have to give it up to god, the universe, fate - but that my optimal health (apart from some genetic disposition) is something I can have control over and applying as many safety precautions as I can. I know there are other areas where I need to apply this same thought process to control and sometimes accepting things as they are or are beyond anything I can do anything about. I am enjoying the relaxed nature of my day with work from home - but am missing seeing the range of people I usually do when I am in schools - but would love to find a way to blend these things together moving forward. We have been cooking at home more - and this week I got back to a cooking roster - the boys cooked the last 2 nights, I am tomorrow night then it will be DD - I worked it so that in a 7 day period I only have to cook dinner once lol! We have been doing more beach walking most afternoons - I have really seen in the data that my blood pressure improves with walking - so I really need to carry walking forward as we move forward to working outside of the home again - I will need to find the space for that as it will be key in my desire to see if I can improve BP to the point that I may be able to come off the medication - which is a big goal! The new thing I want to keep is the meditations and sleep visualizations and maybe throw in some affirmations to help with relaxation and mind set

We are in a very similar place. For me it is asthma and blood pressure.

 

[Summer2018]

Situations that I cannot always control continue to be thrust upon me which cause me to be very afraid. Being a classic control freak, this is really hard for me. Knowing that if I God forbid get this virus it could very well lead to death, I become very upset at the drop of a hat.

I am a woman of faith, and I am feeling very challenged right now. The mantra, "One day at a time," is something I continue to reinforce in myself and others. Our daily dinner blessing now has the added line, "Keep us safe and healthy" with the emphasis on "healthy." I'm trying so hard to be brave for my daughter. I find myself bursting into tears which helps me feel better afterward, but me not being strong and in control all of the time is taking a toll on her. I will say to her, "Mommy can't always be strong. But Mommy has faith and you should too."

I watch very little news...only if DH has it on. Sometimes I read a little online, but my focus is on good news. My cousin posts a "Reasons for Optimism" every day on Facebook. Today he posted, "Researchers at Oxford University in England are preparing a coronavirus vaccine test involving more than 6,000 people by the end of May. If the vaccine proves effective scientists said the first doses could be available by September." Who knows if that will happen, but it is something to hold onto. We all need to hold onto hope. His "Reasons for Optimism" posts are helping me out a lot. Also, there's a "Funny Memes" thread on Disboards. It has me laughing out loud on a daily basis.

So, I am working on my mental health by trying to have faith, hope, and humor. My physical health needs some work. I'm going to venture out for a walk soon even though the promised temperature of 60 degrees is actually only 52 degrees, and at the beach it will be even colder. So, I will be wearing my winter coat yet again, but I must get outside. It's been a few days of rain.

 

[PollyannaMom]

faith, hope, and humor

I think I'm going to post that on my cabinet door!

 

[sjrec]

Since I am getting groceries every 10 days I have gotten much better at planning and we do not waste anything! This is compared to going a couple times a week and buying items more impulsively. And I like shopping online-again, easier sticking to better choices. I will take advantage of this especially during the winter.

Again, since I’m retired, my schedule hasn’t changed a lot. I have kept to my same routine except for shopping trips, getting together with friends, going to the library (I miss my library!).
I have zoomed with friends once a week since this all started and when we can get together again I hope we do it once a week in person.

I love my walks-and before I lost weight and started walking my cholesterol levels were borderline high. Even at my goal weight, when I had been consistently active, my numbers are always much better. So I make it a priority.

And Faith, Hope and Humor is a perfect mantra for right now!