Give it Up, Add it On

Today starts day 1 of 365 of what I am calling “Give it up, Add it on.” The concept being that I am going to “Give up” certain vices, things I spend too much money on, and negative behaviors in order to “Add on” to things such as positivity, a healthier lifestyle, money saved.
The seed was planted when I decided to get rid of the bedroom suite in my spare room. I had high hopes when I moved into my condo almost 2 years ago that I would keep this room available for out-of-town guests, overnighters, etc. This despite the fact that I lived an entire 11 years in my previous home without having but a handful of people EVER stay over. The room wasn’t being utilized efficiently. I decided to make this room into a relaxation area – somewhere I could go where the sole purpose was to “Let Go.” To read, meditate, color, listen to music, lift weights, or any number of activities that would benefit me in a positive physical or emotional way.
While cleaning out the room I got a little crazy and began de-cluttering the entire house. I got rid of things that I had moved from residence to residence over the years that I never even used. I donated bags full of clothes, shoes, linens. I posted on social media to either give away or sell things like picnic baskets, un-used triathlon or running gear, lamps, wall art, rugs, dog accessories – you name it! I even cleaned out my “junk drawer,” and divided it into sections (electronics/pens/misc). I threw out old medications that had expired long ago and combined the three bottles of Ibuprofen I had been keeping around into one. I was on a mission to clean, get organized, and get rid of things that no longer served any purpose.

While the decluttering of my condo took care of the physical space in my life, I began to think about other areas I could simplify or even improve in some way. Financial. Nutrition. Emotional Health. Social. Goals for this would include:

Financial: Decrease or do away with the amount of money spent on things not truly NEEDED.
Nutrition: Cut back on unhealthy choices that don’t contribute to a health(ier) me.
Health: Hold myself accountable to engage in activities that enhance my well-being.
Social: Make sure I’m getting an adequate amount of social time in my life, and decrease the pattern of “Work, isolate, sleep.”

Of course, there are specifics related to each of these. Some include “Give ups” and some include “Add ons.” All are measurable by either time or money. For instance, I’m going to “Add on” meditation three times a week, strength training three times a week, a random act of kindness once a week, and yoga four times a month. At the same time, I’m going to “Give up,” or decrease buying retail coffee drinks to two times a month and eating out at restaurants to five times a month. Some of my “Give ups” were more all-or-nothing – No buying clothes, shoes, itunes music, etc.
If you are interested in the specifics, I will create another post with all of that information. Because I am such a numbers and spreadsheet nerd I have created a document to keep track of all of these things by date.

So what’s the purpose of all of this, you ask? Well…. First and foremost, I like a challenge. And as long as I have a plan in place that is spelled out specifically, I can usually achieve those challenges. Secondly, with the money saved I plan to do three things: Pay off debt, pad my retirement fund and continue to contribute to my “what if,” fund (i.e. emergencies). Thirdly, as a 41-year-old woman I have become more conscious of my nutritional and health choices. I’ve long said that I am addicted to sugar, and I really do believe it. I crave sugar in the morning and after a meal like smokers crave nicotine. I know it’s not good for me, and as much as I work out I should be a bit healthier and leaner than I am. I know that I’m not due to my food choices and I want to change that. Fourthly, I’ve taken to making my emotional self-care a priority and I would like to keep that up and even add on to that. Yoga, meditation, massages, and float therapy are things I’ve done for myself off and on, but I’d like to do this and more. Even if the change comes from small, behavioral choices (decrease cursing and road rage are on the list, by the way).

Without further ado, I will begin this great journey starting with an awesome workout at Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) this evening. Feel free to follow this blog as I hope to post updates on a weekly basis. Since I’m still in the early stages I’m sure things will evolve over the year, but I do plan to keep track of and update on the goals that are measurable, things I struggle with, times I may have fallen off the wagon, and also ways that these things are benefiting me.