Lesson 1 cont: no class

Today we don't have a "class" or any videos, but wanted to make a few quick notes about my progress.

Sleep just didn't happen the way I wanted last night. Working till 10:30 then staying up with J until after 1:30am picking out suits and outfits for his big meetings today and tomorrow was not in the plan, but what do you do.  Am now tired and have my own big day at work filled with all sorts of things I really don't want to do and my own meetings to prep for for tomorrow....bah!  We'll see how it all goes.

I'm also hoping to read the remaining readings for this week tonight, but am not sure if that will happen as I expect another long evening at the office.

Lesson 1: Intro to Meditation and Sleep

Today was the first day of our course with Lesson 1 that introduces us to the main points of the program and the structure.

Assignments this week:

• Various readings on the 3 W's: Well Being, Wisdom and Wonder,  and the beginnings of meditation and the importance of sleep.
• Create a list of goals
• Become familiar with the tracking tools

This seems like an interesting program that I hope to be able to make time to stick to completing and plan to use this blog as a way of journaling and keeping track of my progress.

So far I'm not doing very well. I did get most of the reading done today, but as far as an additional 30min of sleep...we'll see.  I'm attempting to wake up at 5:30am when I will do my 5min of mediation and hopefully do a yoga video in my living room before getting ready for work. 

One of my favorite quotes that resonated from this section was from Dr. Seuss "How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?" This pretty much sums up my life. There never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done.

Through this program I hope to be able to prioritize the things that really matter and learn to let go of other stuff.

Another section that caught my attention was a piece about eulogies in relation to "success". When reading another eulogy it sums up their entire life.  Many mention their family, friends, how they were as a person, their strengths, etc. with only one sentence related to their career, work, etc. no one ever said "Bob's greatest achievement was that he always ate lunch at his desk everyday, pulled all nighters, was unhappy every morning due to lack of quality sleep, but dedicated his life to his job" I don't want this to be ALL that I am and all that I do.  I feel like I have a higher calling, but am having difficulty hearing God's voice so am hoping this will be a beginning of redirection.

Also "you are in control of the clicker" "if you don't like it, just change the channel"

Below is my initial list of goals:

1. Clean entire apartment including the 11 windows of mini blinds.

2. Mail items to my sister, sister in law and Phillipines

3. Be happier & more positive

4. Exercise! Get on a stick to a workout schedule

5. Figure out what I want to do with my life...what is my passion? my calling? Then make a plan to get there

6. Go to the doctor for physical, woman check up

7. Make a hair appointment & get a pedi (been 8 months)

8. Have a better work/life balance

9. Be a better wife

10. Make time to eat!

11. Get up earlier and not have to rush to work right away

12. Plan and make time for fun stuff-explore the bay area-been here too long to not have gone anywhere or done anything

13. Do better with finances

14. Be more spiritual-go to church on Sundays-find a good fit

15. Scan all the paperwork files into computer-get rid of the paper!

16. Get to the bank and set up joint accounts

17. Clean and organize my office

18. Be caught up with work

19. Have less stress

20. Delegate more

21. Learn to prioritize better

22. Let things go

23. Finish wedding stuff- make a photo album, write thank you cards, make a scrapbook

24. Find time to read again-maybe join a book club?

25. Train and run another marathon

26. Go back to boxing

27. Make wedding shadow box with bouet, veil, invitations, STD, etc.

28. Pick a favorite wedding photo and put in frame Sara gave us

29. Hang up wedding photo banner somewhere

30. Rehang prayer flags in living room

31. Try leg waxing stuff

32. Have a baby/start a family

33. Get a new wardrobe--use gift certificate!!

34. Put artwork into frames

35. Get another dresser and get rid of the TV stand that's falling apart

36. Turn all CD's into MP3's to make digital music collection

37. Learn more about photography and how to take good photos

38. Learn more about beauty-how to do your own hair/make up

39. Talk to my family more-set up skype calls/dates

40. Plan Tina's baby shower

41. Go back to school for something

42. Make more friends

43. Try more crafts

44. Learn more computer programs (one note, photo shop, etc- more graphic design stuff)

45. Do more self help courses find others to do it too

46. plan a honeymoon

47. start biking to work--requires getting a bike

While writing this I realized it turned into more of a "to-do" list-like I should add go to the grocery store on it. But she did mention that we would be returning to this list often and changing it so for now it is what it is.

I will be tracking meditation, sleep and stress triggers throughout the course to see if these are helping to reach goals set in the list above.