Reverb10 – 11 Things

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December 11 – 11 Things What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

Once again, I'm so very tempted to take the sarcastic route. “1. Used coffee grounds 2. Holey socks…” but I won't.

Eleven things my life doesn't need in 2011?

1. Dialysis
Just because it's the most obvious one, doesn't mean I'm not going to include it! LOL

2. Clutter (aka “Stuff”)
I spent eight years living in apartments before we moved into this house; I moved annually for those eight years, so I always managed to (kinda) keep the accumulation of crap under control. We've been here for six years now, and it shows. We have too much STUFF. Overflowing bookshelves, kitchen cabinets that won't close, piles of paper shoved in drawers (out of sight, out of mind!) It's frustrating, because I'm fully aware that the state of our house impacts my stress level; I'm a happier person when I know the house is “done,” yet actually getting off the couch remains an ongoing challenge. We've started baby steps to reduce the clutter, but it's hard to remain motivated when you just don't see dramatic results right away. I think I need to watch more Hoarders. That *always* motivates me to purge.

3. Saying Yes
I'm pretty much incapable of saying no, unless I have what I consider a “good enough excuse. In my mind, if someone asks me to babysit, just not wanting to isn't a good enough reason, and I feel like I have to have a specific reason to say no. Previous plans, not feeling well, the crock pot already working on dinner… I need to work on saying more “No” and not letting myself be bullied into doing things.

4. Meat every night with dinner
We had talked about adopting Meat-Free Mondays some time ago, but never really got around to following through… I think the new year is the perfect time to implement this simple change to our daily (weekly) life.

5. Law & Order, aka Television as Background Noise
I admit it; the TV is pretty much always on. Not just when Max is up and wanting to watch something, but when he's napping and after he's gone to bed as well. I am working (playing) on my laptop, not even paying attention to the television, yet there it is, advertisers and network execs having their way with my subconsious; background noise that I'm not registering, but that I certainly don't *need* in order to check my Facebook.

6. Getting trapped inside my own head
I have ideas. I have ideas all the time. Within moments of coming up with something, I'm telling myself why it's a bad idea, why it'll never work, why it's not a good idea *for me* I need to take the leap one of these times, and just take the risk. After a lifetime of playing it safe, I don't like where it's gotten me, so I think taking the metaphorical leap is all that's left. I should be my own biggest cheerleader, not my own biggest detractor.

7. Defaulting to the negative
This mostly happens when I'm in a bad mood. Someone (Usually my mom; sorry mom!) will make a suggestion (it could be for anything; what to make for dinner, where to go on a roadtrip, what to buy as a gift for someone… doesn't matter what it is) and I'll automatically shoot it down without giving it a chance. It seems to happen more when I'm in a bad mood (duh) but I really need to put more effort into giving those suggestions a chance before rejecting them outright.

8. Inactivity
I've been half-heartedly working on Couch2FiveK for a while now, and then I got sick over the summer and then surgery and now it's winter, which doesn't help things, but I've got a goal of taking up running. I'm friends with some incredible women who run (including my sister) and even my dad just did his first “real” 5K at Thanksgiving. I've unofficially set my goal first run as the 100th running of the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco, which is a 12km (7.46 miles) race in May.

9. Target
I've gotten better, in that I can walk in and only buy what's on my list (and get out for less than $100) but it's still one of my weaknesses… I can wander the aisles for hours, putting crap that I don't need in my cart. (And yes, I was just there today, but I only got the things on my list, plus one Christmas gift.)

10. Comparing
I am my own person; I need to not compare myself and what I do *constantly,* assuming that what I'm doing works. Sure, the car next to at the stoplight is cleaner… it doesn't make that driver a better person. What works for that guy will not necessarily work for me. I just need to remember that.

11. Excuses
If I want to make things change, I need to change them or make the necessary steps. Not make excuses.

I hope that removing these things/influences/habits from my life will make me happier overall, but who knows? It could absolutely be an example of the grass being greener… only time will tell.