Challenge #2: Wrap Up and Reflection

I don't know how I feel about this challenge.

Last month I had a sense of accomplishment when it was all over. I knew I had a achieved  my goal. This month... I'm not sure what success looks like. I don't know how to measure my success. Do I feel better about myself? Maybe a little bit. Do I feel like I achieved something? No. It wasn't a well thought out challenge and I regret that a little.

Do I regret choosing this challenge, though?

No.

I really needed this challenge. These first two months of 2015 have been hectic, stressful, and pretty depressing. Work is busy, my friends and colleagues have been going through a rough time, I had to skip a family vacation, and the record low temperatures have been confining me inside most days. It's really easy to only notice the bad stuff when life looks like this.

I feel better now, though, than I did on February 1st. And I chalk that up at least partly to my challenge.

I refused to let myself wallow. This has always been a weakness for me, so starting to break out of this habit has been a big improvement. Most of the time it's as simple as telling myself "no" and finding a new focus for my attention.

I sought out positive social interactions. Jesse and I went to the range at Fort Dix with some friends for Valentines day. I met up with my friends Kim and Sam for some Galentine's beer sampling and Chipotle. I spent a day building a snowtube run in my parents' front yard with my mom, dad, and brother. Yvonne and I are working to get out of our post-college social slump together. These small, novel social interactions are exactly what my introverted self needs.

I started taking better care of myself. I was getting lazy and eating copious amounts of sugar as the days got colder. This month I took steps to reverse that. I've been snacking on carrots and just started going to the gym again. I feel significantly better already.


I am not confining these changes to this month. Much in the way that January was a reset button for my spending habit, February was a chance to reset my relationship with myself. I hope to continue these changes through the year and beyond.



Now, on to next month: Develop a morning ritual.

Traveling with a Tiny Wardrobe

Traveling is a part of my job during the colder months. I usually end up in places like Boston and DC. When we travel, it's often by Amtrak or bus. This means that I'm responsible for lugging whatever I pack on and off trains, subways, and buses.


In the past I've overpacked for trips. I'm a planner at heart, so uncertainty makes me anxious.

What if it rains?

What if it's hot?

What if a zebra attacks?

Some of these things do happen.

So when I pack for trips I tend to err on the side of "just-in-case."


Since beginning my challenge, though, I've reflected on what I actually wear on my usual trips compared to what I bring. Not surprisingly, I don't need all that much.

Now I try to plan my outfits ahead of time and bring items that are easily interchangeable. This is made even easier as my wardrobe is curated with this same focus.

On my last trip 3 day trip I brought:

• 1 pair of jean leggings
• 1 wool long sleeve
• 1 cotton long sleeve
• 1 knit top
• 1 black tank top
• 1 black short sleeve
• 1 dark gray button-down
• 1 sweatshirt
• 1 fleece
• Assorted socks and undergarments

You know what's crazy? I didn't even wear all of it!

Do you usually over or under pack? Has it changed at all recently?

Homemade Deodorant

I’ve been playing around with natural alternatives to antiperspirant for almost two years now. I’ve always been a little on the sweatier side, so your everyday deodorants don’t really do the job. Salt crystals didn’t do much for me and tea tree oil was a little too harsh and expensive.

So when a fellow counselor at the farm led a homemade deodorant workshop during our training week, I eagerly jumped at the chance. It was simple to make and we all had fun choosing essential oils to scent our final products. Since farm camp is my excuse to get my hippie on (my leg hair was glorious last summer), I was able to test my new concoction over the course of several weeks of limited showers and high activity.

It worked better than anything I’ve ever used before.

At the end of the day, my armpits didn’t smell terrible. There was a faint sweatiness to them, but that’s understandable when you haven’t showered in a few days and you were mucking a barn all morning. I felt drier, too.

Now that I’m back in the real world, I’m still using this recipe. 

Homemade Deodorant

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• Several drops of essential oil

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight jar.

Adjustments and considerations

• If you have sensitive skin, decrease the amount of baking soda and increase the amount of cornstarch or arrowroot powder. 
• I used tea tree oil to scent my batch as well provide anti-microbial properties. Cinnamon and lavender are good options, too. You can use any scent you prefer as long as it is safe to use on skin.
• Make sure you wash this off at the end of the day. The baking soda can be harsh on your skin if left on too long. As long as I shower or clean my armpits once a day, I'm fine.

Insta-Life

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 14, 2015 at 4:23pm PST

I'm graceful and coordinated like my mom

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 15, 2015 at 1:01pm PST

It's @teejaypineapple!

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 15, 2015 at 1:06pm PST

Ein!

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 15, 2015 at 2:34pm PST

This is how you sled

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 16, 2015 at 2:33pm PST

Chocolate-orange tart. I have no idea how to transport this to work.

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 17, 2015 at 6:51pm PST

Reading Deadlines

A few weeks ago I came across a fantastic list of books for women on Ev'Yan's blog. I almost immediately shared the list with a few of my close friends, including Ann. On her suggestion, I organized a small book club.

We are set to meet early in March to discuss Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. I've never been part of a book club before, let alone run one. What do I do?

Right now I'm struggling with focusing on this book. It's denser than I had anticipated, and very long, too. I find it interesting, but it doesn't effortlessly hold my attention. Reading it requires active concentration. I find it too easy to put the book down and pick up my phone or a fiction book. But I have a deadline to read this by, and I don't want to miss it.

Do you have any advice for how to read a book like this?

Challenge #2: Update

Each month this year I am challenging myself in a new way. Read more about this here.

I know this isn't going to happen in one month.

I'm not going to wake up on March 1st and say "That's it! I'm much better now. I feel valuable and worthy. I really think I'm great."

I'd like to think that I'll be better off on March 1st than I was on February 1st, though. I hope that I'll have developed some positive habits to help me continue to improve throughout the year.

So far, I've been focusing on three things in particular:

1. Eating better. Specifically, having veggies as snacks when I'm feeling a little hungry. I'm also trying to cut down on my candy consumption. If I want something sweet, I try to make sure it's of high quality and will be satisfying.
2. Stopping negative thoughts. I mentioned this last week, too. Simply put, when I start to get stuck on a negative thought, I actively work to redirect my thoughts. No major breakthroughs, yet, but I hope to see a little progress over the next two weeks.
3. Approaching relationships from a place of love. My hope is that by avoiding things like complaints and unnecessary criticism I will improve my relationships and my own state of mind. I want to surround myself with loving, positive people and like attracts like, right?

How is your month going?

Chocolate Espresso Cinnamon Rolls

Do you like delicious things?

I knew it!


I made these cinnamon rolls on my snow day last week. They were easy, fairly quick, and turned out so so amazing!

I made a few tweaks to my batch based on another cinnamon roll recipe Joy wrote. I omitted the chocolate chips to emphasize the cinnamon-ness. I was also out of regular milk, so I used buttermilk to make the glaze.


Check out the recipe on Joy the Baker.


Let me know in the comments if you try it!

Insta-Life

A wild @alix_elise has appeared!

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 7, 2015 at 8:00am PST

#Boston before the snow

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 9, 2015 at 4:51pm PST

#timehop then and now

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 10, 2015 at 8:02pm PST

Planning a treat for work next week...

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 11, 2015 at 6:18pm PST

Blogs I Love

I'm getting into the theme of the month and spreading the love around. I've mentioned almost all of these blogs before, but here they are gathered into a nice little list for you.

This is my friend Alix. She doesn't have a blog (yet?)

My sister-in-law Kait blogs about med school, travel, quilting, and cooking. I don't think she sleeps.

Emily shares original recipes and kitchen tutorials. Tasty stuff!

Ann started her blog to  tackle 52 weeks of challenges. Now she's expanding her scope to chronicle her life and interests, too.

I've been following Tammy's blog for over 7 years. She's one of my biggest inspirations.

When I'm looking for a recipe I usually start with Joy's website. I also love her cookbook.

One of my inspirations for downsizing my wardrobe and simplifying my life is Erin's blog.

I love what Jillian does to thrift store finds!

A Beautiful Mess is  my go-to for craft inspiration.

Susannah writes with openness and honesty, and I appreciate that. I also like her tattoos a lot.

Robyn shares knitting patterns and snapshots of her life.




What blogs do you love? Do you have a blog of your own? Share it below!

Linkspiration

The little girl who wrote a book and disappeared.

A friend of ours works for a local winery and wrote this recipe, complete with recommended wine.

One of my favorite blogs, now in book form.

Another interesting plan for reviving Detroit.

Currently reading.

People tell their stories with their favorite mugs.

My Pinterest board of things to sew is growing rapidly. So inspired!

Challenge #2: Update

Each month this year I am challenging myself in a new way. Read more about this here.

This challenge is hard to quantify. Last month, I knew when I was being successful and when I was on the verge of not meeting my challenge. This month is much more subjective.

Am I showing myself more love this month than last? I'm not really sure.

I am much more conscious of myself, though. I'm thinking about myself and my wellbeing a little more. Food has been an obvious area in need of improvement. I notice when I pig out on chocolates and cookies that I feel crummy afterward. Taking care of myself is a form a love and and I need to be mindful of what I eat. Good food makes me feel good.

I also notice when I'm starting to fall into a sneaky hate spiral. I catch myself getting caught up in negative thoughts and try to stop it as soon as possible. This has been the hardest part of the challenge. When my mind is saying "You're not good enough," it's hard to fight back. I don't yet have a great way of responding to these moments. Some of the things that usually work are playing Tetris, watching Gilmore Girls, crafting, or journaling. It's more difficult when it pops up during work and I don't have an opportunity to step away from the situation. Despite this, I do think I'm making some improvement.

Books I've read in 2015: January

I'm going to try something a little different with my reading updates. About once a month I'll post a little update about what I've read this year. I'll keep the running tally on my big list as well.

Here are the books I finished in January 2015:

 

 The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World by Bryan Lee O'Malley

 

 Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness by Bryan Lee O'Malley

 

 Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together by Bryan Lee O'Malley

 

 Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe by Bryan Lee O'Malley

 

 Watchmen* by Alan Moore

Insta-Life

Philadelphia

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Jan 30, 2015 at 11:33am PST

I can't believe I found good coffee on the east coast!

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Jan 30, 2015 at 1:09pm PST

It's really super cold out today

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Jan 31, 2015 at 12:23pm PST

So much spicy food!

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Jan 31, 2015 at 6:12pm PST

#beard

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 4, 2015 at 2:55pm PST

The pond is frozen

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 5, 2015 at 7:44pm PST

Sunrise courtesy of @amtrak

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 6, 2015 at 6:25am PST

My List of Happiness

As part of my month of loving myself, I'm making it a habit to do things that make me happy.

Some people may feel that they spend all their energy on others, leaving little time for their own happiness. Others might be operating on autopilot, doing the same thing over and over again without ever feeling satisfied. In both situations, "good enough" is as good as it gets. We get by. We're fine.

I'm not accepting "fine" for myself this month. February is all about love and gifts, as the greeting cards chocolate companies remind us.

But instead of mindlessly indulging in cheap chocolate while grading, I'm mindfully doing things that make me happy.

So what does this mean?

For me this means identifying the things I can do that I know will leave me with a lasting sense of happiness, as opposed to quick-fix instant gratification. It's buying new underwear and burning candles (in both the literal and metaphorical sense). It's taking action and paying attention.


These things are:

1. Reading
2. Journaling/writing
3. Taking photos
4. Creating/crafting
5. Walking outside
6. Baking
7. Listening to podcasts
8. Soaking my feet
9. Drinking good coffee/wine
10. Laughing with Jesse

The trick is to do these things mindfully, with my full attention. That means putting down my phone, shutting off the computer, and devoting my attention to the task at hand. It also means thinking about my actions and being grateful for them. 

My hope is that if I do at least one of these things a day, I can develop a positive habit that will have a lasting effect.


What's on your list of happiness?

Linkspiration

TeeJay talks about doing laundry in college, among other things.

One of my favorite books was recently adapted by PBS. I almost wish we had a TV.

There are so many things to learn on Crash Course now! I'm happy to financially support them.

I made these cookies on my snow day last week. I omitted the chocolate chips and they were fantastic.

This book recommendation guide was spot-on for me. Unfortunately, that meant that I've already read several of them.

It's like Free Willy meets Mallrats.

My apartment is not conducive to a fireplace, but maybe I can achieve the same effect with this candle?

I love to learn the little, overlooked stories in history, especially when it's this eye-opening.

20 things learned in your 20's.

How to make it a great day.

5 Tips for Downsizing Your Wardrobe

Several of my friends and acquaintances have commented on this project. Their comments usually fall into one of two categories:

"I'm inspired by you!" 

or

"I could not do that!"

So for those of you who are ready to try this and aren't sure where to start, and to those who don't think that a smaller wardrobe is possible, here are a few tips and tricks to get started.

• Turn your hangers backward. This is a really common trick for figuring out what you where and what you don't. Go into your closet and reverse all the hangers so that the open side is facing out. When you use an item of clothing and return it, put the hanger back facing the right way. After a few months or even a year, take a look at what clothes are still on backwards hangers. Do you really need them if you haven't worn them in over a year?

• Alternatively, tie a ribbon onto your closet bar. Emma at A Beautiful Mess shared this idea recently, and it's very similar to the one above. The appeal is that it eliminates the inconvenience of having backwards hangers. Instead, you use the ribbon to divide your closet. One side is for everything that hasn't been worn yet and the other side is for things that you have worn. Once you wear something, move it to the "worn" side.

• Pick out ten items of clothing and create a week's worth of outfits from them. You likely have a lot of versatile items in your wardrobe right now. How many of them can be mixed and matched? After a week you'll have an appreciation for how many outfits can come out of just a few items.

• Take the laundry challenge. How long can you really go before you need to do laundry? See if you can actually wear and re-wear everything in your closet before you need to do laundry. Is there a skirt lurking in the back that you've forgotten about? Are there clothes you genuinely don't want to wear? (Note: you may need to wash you undergarments. I find them to be the limiting factor in my laundry cycle.)

• Store your out-of-season clothes. Some of you may already be doing this. Tuck away your tank tops and shorts for the next few months. Work with what you have. You'll feel lighter once you clear out some space in your dresser and create momentum for a smaller wardrobe. In the spring, only unpack the items you love and are excited about. If you really need it, you can unpack it later. Whatever doesn't make an appearance can be passed on to a new owner.

I hope this helps you get started. Let me know in the comments if you try any of these tips. How did they work out for you? Do you have any tricks I missed?

Challenge #2: Loving Myself

Each month this year I am challenging myself in a new way. Read more about this here.

This month I'm switching gears. For February I will be focusing on my word of the year as my challenge.

For one month, I will treat myself with love. This will look like:

• Stopping negative thoughts when they arise and replacing them with positive ones.
• Loving my body through yoga and walks.
• Pampering my skin with DIY spa treatments.
• Focusing on things that make me happy.
• Reading about love.

I thought this would appropriate for the Valentines/Galentines Day season.

How are you loving yourself this month?