simplify

Lately I have been in the process of simplifying my life.  By "lately" I mean I started this morning. By "started" I mean I went on Pinterest and saw a lot of cool $*#@ that inspired me.  So here goes "Simplification: Andria-Style".  I feel like this project will come in stages.

Andria's stages for a more simple life:
Stage 1 - declutter tangible items
         Stage 1a - ask the Hubs to help with Stage 1
Stage 2 - declutter my mind
Stage 3 - refocus my energy on daily tasks instead of monthly, even yearly goals
         Stage 3a- make a list of daily tasks
Stage 4 - realize that Stage 2 is an enormous undertaking
Stage 5 - get on Pinterest in order to avoid above-mentioned stages

In all seriousness, though, I feeling like simplifying is going to be an important thing to do in order to make it through nursing school and frankly - life!  My sister is a known pack-rat but I have never been much of a hoarder. (I admit it! I throw away birthday cards after they spend the obligatory 60 days on my fridge.  My sister?  She probably still has cards from her 4th birthday).  It's not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, because I do.  But that's just it! The sentiment means more to me than the actual card. Sentiments and thoughts and fears and judgements take up 95% of the real estate in my head! And therein lies my real struggle - simplifying my emotional clutter and quieting my mind.

If you're wondering about the other 5%? A solid 3% of that is dedicated to not making a decision about dinner and the last 2% is spent wondering why the Hubs glares at me when I tell him I don't know what I want for dinner.

This still hasn't happened for the Hubs. #sorry #sorrynotsorry

So, in the spirit of Stage 3 I am going to start with the daily task of simplifying my tangible clutter.  And in the spirit of Stage 3a I am going to make a daily task list. Obviously I want to add tasks that do not change from day to day (like showering) but I really want to add tasks that challenge me.  I like being comfortable. (Hello! Why do you think I'm picking a profession where the required uniform is basically pajamas?!).  I want to start liking being a little UNcomfortable; I want to push myself a little harder.  It is the only way I'll grow.

These are the couple things I know I need to add to my day that, currently, are unacceptably left out:
1 - bible study with Hubs
2 - exercise and/or yoga
3 - washing the dishes/no dishes in the sink before bed

Please stop making fun of me.  I hate dirty sink water.  I wipe people's butts for a living but dirty sink water is too much...

Here's to making myself a little more uncomfortable everyday!

SIDE NOTE: I actually did start simplifying my life before this morning because a few weeks ago I deleted facebook from my phone. It was very uncomfortable but honestly one of the best things I've ever done.  Now I only check it on my computer and even that happens rarely.  So please PLEASE do not think that I don't care about what's happening in your life - I do! I just couldn't stand the noise that is created by facebook. (My marketing executive/social media strategist/internet guru/basically-runs-google bestie taught me that word - "noise".  It is so appropriate.)

Listen Jerk - I have a lot more time for Pinterest now.  How do you think I found your picture?! #showedhim

Funny Picture of the Day (FPotD):

yolo

I have found myself confused and stuck lately between living a healthy lifestyle and subscribing to the YOLO way of life.

If you've been living under a rock, YOLO stands for You Only Live Once

Jack Black said that YOLO is "Carpe Diem" for idiots.  But really, you DO only live once so you SHOULD carpe your diems!  But when my goal is to stay away from processed food and hit the gym 4 times a week and that bad "little voice" inside my head keeps encouraging me to eat sugar and not exercise, I find that an equally bad but perhaps louder "little voice" uses YOLO as the excuse to justify my actions.

Good Lord - I just admitted to hearing AND heeding the advice of voices in my head.  There is a psychiatrist out there who will make a lot of money on me someday...

Anywayyyy - my struggle is this: if I work out and eat well how bad is it to have a cookie (or three)?  Where exactly is the line between YOLO and excess?  Every shift I work at the hospital confronts me with obesity and I'm always wondering when that person reached that point of "I just don't care anymore because I'm already obese".  If you know me well you know that is one of my greatest fears in life!  And yet, I justify my bad eating and laziness to myself ALL. THE. TIME.  I have no answer here nor any life changing advice - I am actually wondering where the line is...

In other news, I am just over 6 weeks away from starting nursing school.  Yay!  I have no idea what to expect but based on what my nurse friends tell me it's going to be the hardest, most stressful, and completely all-consuming two years of my life.  To which I say bring it on.  After all, YOLO!!

Here is the IaFPotD for August 14, 2014: