Saturday, March 26, 2011

Please do not leave advice.  Thank you.  Prayers welcome. 

I got really sick, and why?  Because I didn't walk on Thursday; I sat in a chair for six hours.   I got up every now and then but it wasn't enough.  If I don't walk or run each day, I get migraines.  If I sit for longer than three hours at a time, I definitely get migraines.  I don't know why.  I just need to walk, and that's why I have it on mylist, otherwise it's migraine-city for me.  And I'm allergic to aspirin and ibuprofen, so taking those is not an option, unless I want to have an even bigger headache for the next three days.  So yeah, I am doing everything in my power to try to help myself out of this, cuz I know if I stay physically active, I will wake up either tomorrow or the next day without aheadache.  Also, I tried contacting my chiropractor, I can contact another chiropractor.

A direct and clearly stated "no," is better than a passive "yes."  Saying "no" is like saying, "I may not be perfect."  No can be used assertively and nondefensively.  Examples from The Now Habit book:

• No, I would rather have a contract I can embrace.
• No, I will not be paying my income tax now, I'm gonna have to defer until august.
• Yes, I wish I could, unfortunately I cannot at this time.
• Yes, thank you.  However, I have other plans.

Five negative self statements that determine procrastinators (from The Now Habit):

• "I have to"- gives sense of ambivalence or victimhood.  Justifies the procrastination.  Replace, "I have to," with, "I choose to."
•  "I must finish" - keeps you focused on completed project in the future, without telling you or your body how to start.  FInishing isin the vague distance, interms of perspective.  It makes the project more overwhelming.  Needs to be replaced by a solid commitment.  Replace with "I'm choosing to start tomorrow at 9am" or "When can I start?"  Starting is the catchphrase of the producer; replaces agitated energy with what can be started/worked on now.  When impossible to start now, ask, "When is the next time I can start?"
• "This project is so big and important" - the feeling of being overwhelmed is made worse by thinking of a projmnect as large and important.  What you're saying is, "I don't se how I can tackle such a huge task.  This is my one big chance in life."  The bigger and overwhelming it seems, the greater your procrastination.  Replace with, "I can take one small step," or "I can start for fifteen minutes."  Remind yourself that you can take one small step, one imperfect sketch.  That's all I need to do for now.    All you can do is hammer the concrete for the foundation, one small step at a time.  You can only write a few pages of a book at a time.  A single small step is something you know you can accomplish at the time.  It gives you time to recuperate and relax between stages.
• "I must be perfect" - greatly increases chances you'll procrastinate in order to buffer self against pain of failure and criticism.  Self-talkcentered around condeming any small steps.  Not appreciating progress, but comparing it to what you think it should be.  If you demand of yourself a project beyond criticism, you are setting yourself up for defeat and self-criticism.  The more self-critical you are, the harder it is to start on a project you already know will never be quite good enough.  It will keep you from preparing for failure with a plan that helps you bounce back.  Perfectionism makes failure more likely.  Replace with, "I can be perfectly human."  Acceptance of human limits.  Accept socalled mistakes; really they're just feedback.  Need self-compassion not self-criticism in order to proceed.Be especially gentle with self.  You must go through awkward first steps.
  • Try to be imperfect.  Intentionally do the first part of the project sloppily.  Do it fast and inadequate, see how much you can do in fifteen minutes or thirty minutes.  If you work on a computer, try a yellow pad.  Do it with human imperfection.  Then watch the process of excellence take place.  STarting> intuition and creativity > polishing and editting.  Don't try to do all steps at the same time.
• "I don't have time to play."  "I've got to work all weekend."  "I'm working under a deadline."  These will make you feel isolated, feel like you have a life of deadlines and demands.  Replace with, "I MUST have time to play.  I must have guilt-free play in my schedule."  Insisting on time for exercise or meeting with friends or vacations increases feelings of inner worth and respect for self.  These are at the heart of unlearning resentment of work.  A firm commitment to recreation lessens the dread of difficult work.  Work itself can be rewarding.  Quality increases.  Use frequent rewards to increase likelihood of motivation.
  • "I choose to start on one small step that I will do humanly with plenty of guiltfree play in my schedule."   

encouraged as always reading yall's posts.

was an interesting week for me. i had lots of setbacks NOT CAUSED BY MYSELF. unusual, i kno. i have progressed to the point that i can start to tell the difference. Since the vast majority of all my setbacks are self-induced, it has always been hard for me to tell the 1 in 10 or 1 in 100 that were caused by circumstances, other people, misfortune, or whatever. But thanks be to god that i am starting to see the difference.

yet, these setbacks caused me more lost time than most people, so i still have more recovery to do.

but, thanks be to god that i never lost heart. i kept at it, even if that was haltingly and stumbling. Lots of restarting. I worked Fri night and Sat and i got it all done. not my most productive week, but EASILY could have been a total loss in the past, with all the problems carrying over to next week.

I am so fortunate and blessed to be in this better, tho not yet ideal, place,

...So, now i just have to find the motivation to work out. That's my challenge for right now. God once again save me from myself. thanks.

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the touch of the master's hand: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1898#comment-27748

"fall down seven times, get up eight" - japanese proverb

I slept a bit late this morning, but I've done some stuff for church and had a healthy lunch and prayer time.

Now, I need to:
*Check on expts, work on data entry
*Finish probe design
*Prep for tutoring
*Work on MB project
*Grocery shopping
*Exercise

OK, probe design now!

Critical day with looming deadline this Thursday.

-pray/meditate
-track time and pay attention to potential dropouts
-6 productive work blocks

thanks for this group and thoughts and prayers

freer

I want to thank my Higher Power for this program, this website, the telephone and online meetings, and my life.

I want to thank 11th_hour for starting this trend.

Thing I have done today

Went to the 7 a.m. telephone DA meeting

Things I will do today

1. Announce the online meeting today

2. Test blood sugar

3. Prayer and meditation morning and evening

4. Eat brunch

5. Go to the 10 a.m. telephone CLA meeting 

6. Send out Al-Anon literature for today

7. Scan computer

8. Go to the 1 p.m. telephone CLA meeting

9. Go to the 1:45 telephone CLA World Service 

10. Talk to my DA Sponsor

11. Call my NA Sponsor

12. Do numbers

13. Go to the 5 p.m. face to face NA meeting

14. Go to the 7:30 p.m. face to face NA meeting

15. Go to the 10 p.m. online EA meeting

16. E-mail my Instructor

17. E-mail my supervisor

18. Take shower

19. Get dressed

20. Go to the 9:45 a.m. telephone CLA meeting

21. Pay my Insight (cable, Internet, phone) bill

22. Clear off tables near and on the computer

23. Go to the meeting at 11 a.m.

24. Write the questions for either tomorrow or next week

25. Post Al-Anon literature for the next few days

Thanks for letting me share