Category Archives: Completed Nudge

Nudged: Take 1 photo/day of something that makes me happy

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Backstory: I see this campaign, or something like it, on Facebook all the time: Post something that makes you smile! Share the 27th photo on your phone!

Actually, though, it was Carrie at Me & My Quite Contrary Life who inspired me to “capture my joy” for this nudge.

One week, seven photos. Starting with…a perfectly relaxed and civilized breakfast.

What Happened: I almost cheated! How easy it would have been to snap seven quick shots on Sunday and be done with this. But I’m so glad I resisted that temptation, because this nudge (as usual) turned out to be more than a simple task.

Here are my other six, one per day:

Great books.

Scharffenberger dark chocolate. No nuts!

Louie, my cuddle bug.

My beautiful old home (with circa 1928 tiles).

My Thor, my everything.

Healthy plants that feed my body…

…and my soul. These were both gifts from friends, and I think of them whenever I see these plants.

The Ah-Hahs: This nudge was super fun. It totally lifted my spirits this week, and it taught me about noticing and appreciating in the moment. I found myself searching for things that make me happy all week long, and I easily could have posted 100+ photos. I slowed down, I paid attention, I looked at the details.

The bathroom tile came late in the week and kind of blew me away. I love our old house, her character, her strength. We’ve resisted doing any serious remodeling in the bathroom because we don’t want to lose the great tiles. In fact, I love showing it off — even with some of its signs of age — when we have guests, but usually I just point out the pink tiles on the walls, the checkered floor. It wasn’t until I went in close to take the photo for this nudge that I really appreciated the designs within the design. What a gift!

Over the past couple of months I’ve struggled to find joy amidst the challenges. So often I told myself I’d get through it all by looking at the Big Picture. I’m now recognizing how looking at the small picture, appreciating the delightful “little” things in life, can really help too.

Wow. 🙂

Nudged: Do something crafty

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Backstory: Back in my single days, I was very crafty. I made wreaths with my glue gun, I created elaborate table centers, I sewed. Not just mending; I made curtains and duvet covers without patterns and created all my prom and formal dresses. Legit! In my early 30s I discovered a friend and I shared a love for needlework and…wouldn’t it be more fun to do it together? We made a date and worked on our own projects while we chatted. The following month, we invited a few other friends to join us, and our group became the Crafts Babes.

Then life got busy. Work, responsibilities, and household projects took over. Then I got married, and my “free” time was not entirely my own. That’s a good thing, of course. But as I was putting together The List for this year’s nudges, I recalled things I used to love to do and vowed to do them again.

This week, that means I’m going to get crafty.

As always, you can do this nudge along with me or come up with another task that fits the intention. What was something you once loved to do that you haven’t done in a long time?

What Happened: There’s a small cabinet and a plastic storage bin in one corner of my office where all my crafty supplies are stored, including some unfinished projects. I knew exactly what was in there, I knew all week I “had” to do this nudge, but I kept putting it off. Why? I’m not sure. Maybe because it felt big, like it was going to suck up my time, take away from other things I need to do. Maybe because I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy it again, and I’d feel sick for having kept all that stuff around for so many years.

And that’s why this nudging adventure is so good for me. This is my nudge to pull those items out, try them again, and make a decision about how I want to move forward.

So that’s what I did two nights ago. I unearthed a cross-stitch project I started about 20 years ago (maybe longer–gack!). The original plan was to complete the four seed packet designs and frame them to decorate the kitchen of whichever apartment I was living in at the time. I finished the tomato (cute, right?). I started the eggplant, then the whole thing got tucked away and neglected until now.

The first thing I discovered is that my eyesight is not what it was back in the day. Those little stitches are hard! I dove in though, while complaining to Thor about the poor (ahem) lighting, and completed a few rows. It was…frustrating. Shoot! I had high expectations for this, was hoping I’d get hooked again, but I’m not sure.

I pulled it out again last night, and it was still rough going. Maybe I need to invest in a big magnifying lens or those cheapo magnifying old lady reading glasses you get at the pharmacy? I think I might do that before I give up on this. Because even though it wasn’t as satisfying as I initially hoped it would be, I did derive some satisfaction from seeing the work progress. Maybe those seed packets will look cute in our kitchen here?

The Ah-Hahs: I’ll admit I was disappointed with the outcome of this nudge. I really was hoping I’d pick up right where I left off, would rediscover an old passion and find it still inspires me today, maybe even launch a Bay Area chapter of the Crafts Babes. Sorry to say, I’m not feeling it.

Is it time, then, to Kondo all my needles and threads? Hmm…not quite yet. I don’t yet feel “finished” with this. And that, I think, is the gift of this nudge. By trying things old and new, I can figure out what feels good and authentic to me today.

Nudged: Bake cookies

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Backstory: This nudge came from some brainstorming I did as I thought about what to include on The List. I devoted some time to recall “Things I loved doing when I was a kid.” I loved baking! I loved being creative in the kitchen! In elementary school, my best pal (Hi, Krista!) and I did a lot of experimenting and even had our own sort of “signature” chocolate chip cookie recipe.

So this is my nudge to get back to doing things that feed my soul. The “uncomfortable” part? Well, I don’t really like eating most baked goods. (I know, crazy.) I’ll give them a taste, then I’ll give the rest away in care packages. Feels like a win-win!

As always, you can do this week’s nudge with me or pick something that speaks to you. What did you love doing when you were eight years old? Here’s your excuse to do it again.

What Happened: I chose a new-to-me recipe–for apple+raisin+oatmeal cookies–and tried it out. They were…meh. About as exciting as they look:

But I enjoyed the experience, and that’s what counts!

After I delivered care packages to a few neighbors (with promises to share samples of my next experiment–I hope it’s better!), I sat down and looked through the rest of that particular recipe book. I’ve had it since the mid-1990s! There were notations of hits and misses, suggestions for future improvements, and tags on recipes to try. I got kind of a tingly feeling as I flipped through. Anticipation, excitement. I marked a couple of other recipes I want to try and some I want to revisit, and I’m thinking maybe I’ll work my way through the rest of this book over the next few weeks. I’ll make copies of the recipes I want to keep, then share the book with someone else. Baking, creativity, care packages, decluttering. Fun!

The Ah-Hahs: I’ve noticed recently that baking/cooking is a theme in my life. Many of the TV shows I watch are either competitions or lessons. I love novels that include recipes. Even when I go to the movies, I like scenes about preparing and sharing meals. When I watch period movies or documentaries or take tours of historic homes, the rooms I most want to study are the kitchen and dining room. I don’t think I need to unpack this much further. Ever since I was little, baking has made me happy.

Baking + creativity + care packages + decluttering = FUN!

Nudged: Explore 3 new-to-me blogs + comment

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Backstory: I’m always looking to expand my horizons, learn something new, challenge myself. This nudge is designed to encourage me to set time aside to actually do it.

Will I discover a new hobby or a company I’d like to work for? Feed a curiosity? Be inspired by someone I admire? All possible.

The uncomfortable part is the commenting. But like with other activities, I’m sure I’ll get more out of the experience if I actually engage.

What Happened: Well….

1) An author’s blog. I’d signed up for this person’s newsletter a while back, but have never received anything beyond the welcome message. This week I explored her website in search of the promised blog (no luck) and checked out her Instagram, but it appears to be mostly personal/family photos. Bust.

2) A specialty soap company. Was hoping for some interesting info, but it was mostly notices about new products and sales promotions. Nonetheless, I am intrigued by their lovely offerings, and I got some ideas for gifts for upcoming holidays and birthdays–including a possible splurge for my own birthday. Pretty much another bust.

3) A prosecco club. I love bubbly wines and am currently on a quest to learn more about how champagne and prosecco are made and how I might pair them with food. Did a quick search to find related blogs and found one that looked promising. A post on travel packages mentioned a hotel that offers a bath in a tub filled with prosecco(!)…starting at 9,000 euros. (Not in this lifetime!) Other posts featured cocktail recipes, but I soon noticed some of the pictured ingredients were missing and instructions were inaccurate. (Meanwhile, it made me thirsty to try some new things, like pairing prosecco with fish ‘n’ chips–yum!) I gave up, however, when I noticed that the last post was over two years old and there was no place to add new comments. Semi-bust.

Another completed nudge–cheers! (Bubbly image by vbosica from Pixabay)

The Ah-Hahs: This nudge was disappointing. I’d hoped to find something that tickled and intrigued me and inspired me to learn more. Didn’t quite come together. Still, I’m glad I tried. And I haven’t given up. There’s a worldwide web of information out there, and I will explore some more another day.

I am curious: Did you find anything that intrigued or inspired you? Did you comment, and did you hear back from the host? Please share.

Nudged: Let something go

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Backstory: A thing? A relationship that has run its course? A limiting belief?

This is a deep nudge. It involves my deciding to fully release something*. Completely. No negotiating. No hanging on.

And trusting. For I believe that when I create space in my life by removing something that isn’t serving me, I open myself up to something better.

*You might add “over to God/Spirit/the Universe” here, if that is part of your faith practice.

What Happened: The inspiration for this nudge came from a note I discovered tucked in an old journal:

“It is Spirit’s responsibility, not mine, to lead me to my highest good. All I have to do is listen and believe.”

“All.” Like it’s that simple!

But…maybe it can be. For what this nudge is asking me to do is let go of my worries, my expectations, and live in the moment, and trust that what is coming is good.

I’ve had a lot to worry about lately. Haven’t we all? And dwelling on the possibly bad outcomes has not helped me one bit.

I thought about what I’ve learned about the Law of Attraction and made the choice this week to actively turn off my “stinkin’ thinkin'”. Instead, I focused on all that is good in my life right now. (It helped that we just did the gratitude journal nudge.)

I won’t claim to be completely worry-free, but this practice lifted my spirits.

And this afternoon I noticed that our lilac tree is again in full bloom. Despite my almost completely ignoring it the rest of the year, this fierce and sweet little tree comes back every spring and delights me with her abundance of beauty.

The view from my office window: Lilacs in bloom.

The Ah-Hahs: Evidence of faith, joy, and resilience is all around us. Sometimes I just need to ignore the noise and notice what I’ve been overlooking: like a beautiful tree that reminds me Abundance is Natural Order.

Nudged: Do something I hate

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Backstory: “Hate”? Really? Such a strong term. I can think of things I dislike doing, but this seems a bit much.

I looked back at my notes from when I was putting together my list and confirmed this nudge was designed to push me way out of my comfort zone. In part, it’s designed to get me to do something that has been on my to do list forever, and for whatever reason has been put off. Like catching up on the mending (ugh) or weeding the backyard (which looks like a jungle after all the great rain we had earlier this month). Or–and this is a biggie–have new headshots taken. These days, I do not like having my photo taken. At all. Because I am pretty much not happy with how I look. At all.

Maybe there’s something in that last statement I can work with.

How will you nudge yourself this week?

What Happened: I couldn’t come up with anything at the beginning of the week, then was presented with an “opportunity”. Actually, that’s literal. I was offered a great work opportunity, one that checked so many boxes of things I can do well and things I want to do, and it was really really tempting to say “Yes!” But I held off. Something wasn’t…right. Something didn’t feel…authentic for me. I wrestled with my choices, knowing at a very deep level that accepting the offer would be the easy way through. After a few days of agonizing, I listened to my gut, swallowed my pride (because my ego had definitely been stroked), and said, “No. Thank you.”

Immediately I felt a weight lifted. I have a strong sense that I was being “tested”, and by making the right-for-me choice, something else–something better–will come in to fill the open space.

While the process was difficult, it wasn’t something I “hated”.

Okay, so what could I do to complete this nudge? What are things people typically hate doing? Taxes (already done). Deep cleaning the kitchen (ours is in pretty good shape). Ironing. Ironing…huh.

The Ah-Hahs: And that’s when it hit me: I would turn this nudge on its ear. I love ironing! Seriously! It’s a total zen thing for me, in which I work slowly and am rewarded with beautiful results. I love how my nice cotton PJs feel against my skin after they’ve been ironed, and I love how pretty my dish towels look with crisp folds.

So I pulled out the board, iron, and spray bottle, put a chick flick on the TV, and found my calm and happy place.

I loved every moment.

 

Nudged: Keep a gratitude journal for 7 days x10

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Backstory: “Keep a gratitude journal” is on like every list of things to do when you’re feeling down. Most of the time I’ve seen instructions to note three things every day, so I decided to up the challenge to 10. I can find that many things to be grateful for, right?

Since this is for seven days I’m starting now:

  1. our convertible
  2. Thor (my darling husband)
  3. money in the bank
  4. letters from friends
  5. scarves
  6. living near the beach/Pacific Ocean
  7. ’80s tunes
  8. Louie (my darling dog)
  9. avocados
  10. tator tots

What can you celebrate today?

What Happened: I tried this different ways, sometimes starting my day with my list, sometimes wrapping up the day in reflection. A couple of days I couldn’t come up with all 10 at once, so I added as things came to me. Did that yesterday, then realized this morning I had forgotten to finish, so I had to come up with a few extras. I’m pleased to report, it wasn’t hard.

Early in the week I noted things close to home (my favorite green pen, where I get to live). On Thursday I noted the blessings of having courage, humor, empathy, and creativity. Croissants, a sunny day, and just being able to get out of bed (not everyone is lucky) all made my lists.

The Ah-Hahs: As I reviewed my lists this morning, what struck me is the abundance of extraordinary relationships. Both individuals and groups of friends are included. These are the people who support, challenge, encourage, uplift, and pray with and for me. They share sorrows (theirs and mine) and make me laugh just when I need it most.

I suppose I take this for granted sometimes, and this nudge has me rethinking how I will spend my time and energy moving forward. Because upon taking this survey, I am reminded that I am a truly fortunate woman, a wealthy woman in terms of friends. And I am so grateful.

Nudged: Get to know one great female artist

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Backstory: I don’t recall what originally inspired this nudge. Maybe it had to do with wanting to look outside my comfort zone for creative inspiration. Now that I think about it, I recently encouraged a client, who was experiencing some burnout, to take a break from writing writing writing! He had fallen into a rut of forcing himself to churn out pages or a set word count, so I suggested he go to a museum and take in some visual art for a change. Or just get outside and take in some natural beauty. He reported back that he returned to his desk with renewed energy and ideas for his work. Huzzah!

So maybe this week I’ll wander a local museum and stop whenever I’m attracted to something. Or maybe I’ll check out some books about an artist or school of artists from the library.

I do need to acknowledge this nudge is not about revisiting my favorites (Monet, pretty much all the Impressionists) and focusing on female artists. As I think on this, I’m leaning toward getting to know a new-to-me visual artist, but for you it could be a musician, actor, or other entertainer. Or a poet, essayist, or novelist.

Have fun with this!

What Happened: I started by jotting a list of great female artists off the top of my head–Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keefe, Frida Kahlo, Annie Leibovitz, Berthe Morisot, Judy Chicago–the usual suspects. I added one I know personally, Anna Mita, whose gorgeous paintings blow my mind, then added Mother Nature because, well, why not? But I am already familiar with their works, so it was time to expand my horizons.

An online search led me to “10 great female artists you need to know”, and that’s how I found Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653). I thought the name sounded familiar, and as I read her story, I realized we’ve heard a lot about her in the past few years in connection with #MeToo. As a teenager, Artemisia was raped by her teacher, then she was tortured during his sensational trial with thumbscrews, a method employed to verify her testimony. Good heavens! He was found guilty, though he didn’t suffer much in consequence. She was called a “noble survivor”.

Then, exhibiting remarkable resilience, she channeled her energy and experiences into her work. Many of her paintings are described as “bold” and “dramatic” and feature heroines. She was once described as having “the spirit of Caesar in the soul of a woman”, and she is the model for some of her paintings, including this:

“Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting” by Artemisia Gentileschi. Now in the British Royal Collection.

Artemisia was successful during her lifetime. In fact, she was the first female member of the Academia di Arte del Disegno in Florence. You can learn more about her work in this video.

The Ah-Hahs: I suppose I could say I’m inspired by Artemisia’s resilience. She could have given up on her ambitions after her early trauma, lived a quiet life as a wife and mother; certainly that would have been the norm in her time. But honestly, this nudge was just a pleasant diversion. Sometimes I don’t need to learn more or embolden myself or gain some life-altering insight. Sometimes all I need to nudge myself to do is notice and appreciate the abundance of beauty in my world.

Nudged: Memorize a poem

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Backstory: I almost used one of my passes on this one. Just not feelin’ it. Then I reminded myself that one of the goals of this 52Nudges program is to push myself a bit when I feel uncomfortable.

When I did this nudge in round one, I memorized my favorite Shakespearean sonnet, #29:

“When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes….”

It was actually pretty fun to re-stretch my memorization and presentation muscles. So here we go again.

Meanwhile, this is a good opportunity to remind everyone that you don’t have to do exactly what I do. Make your own list of nudges and draw one at random each week to do in tandem with me. Or just read along, be impressed when I slay a big nudge (or laugh with me when I “fail”),  and take in inspiration whenever it strikes.

What Happened: My first instinct was to memorize a poem in French. HA! An online review of the most famous French poems quickly put that idea to bed. Waaaaaay too ambitious and beyond my linguistic skills (for now)!

Then I remembered one of the other inspirations I had for this nudge. Last year, on a whim, I checked out Where the Sidewalk Ends from the local library. This collection of truly whimsical poems by Shel Silverstein delighted me as a child, and I was eager to revisit it.

It did not disappoint.

Quite the opposite. It engaged, delighted, tickled, amused, and delighted me some more. I got in the habit of reading a few poems at bedtime, which allowed me to briefly forget the cares of the day and fall asleep with a smile on my face.

So for this nudge, I chose one of my favorites:

Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,

Listen to the DON’TS.

Listen to the SHOULDN’TS,

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS.

Listen to the NEVER HAVES,

Then listen close to me–

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be.

The Ah-Hahs: As I practiced the poem every day this week, I found that it was becoming my new mantra. A reminder as I do creative work that it is my job, my purpose, my responsibility to think beyond the shoulds, musts, and nevers.

That, and I noticed I smiled a lot this week. 🙂

Nudged: Make a list of cities I want to visit, pick 1 to explore

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Backstory: Back in my single gal days, for years I dreamed about going to Italy. Every time the new Backroads‘ catalogue arrived in the mail, I ripped out the pages describing the walking tour of Tuscany and pinned it to my wall. One day I decided I had wasted too much time dreaming and was ready to do something to make it happen. Almost a full year in advance, I booked the tour and put down a sizeable deposit. Then every spare dollar went into a savings account so, by the time I boarded the plane, everything was covered.

This nudge is in part inspired by the success of that planning and adventuring. Today I can’t kid myself about swinging a big deposit (if you can–go for it!), but I can start visualizing my next trip and motivating myself to make it happen.

Once I’ve made my short list of cities, I might go to the library and pick up history and cook books. I might check out cultural music online. I might add a language app to my phone and start practicing the words and phrases I’ll need to be a respectful traveler (please…excuse me…thank you). Or maybe I’ll put together a list of movies set in that city and begin “seeing” myself there.

What I know for sure is I’ve been bitten by the travel bug and I’m starting to itch. I’m looking forward to exploring where I might go.

What Happened: I started by looking up the “best cities in Portugal to visit” and discovered Lisbon, called the “postcard-picture capital”. OMG, gorgeous! A “sea power”, Portugal is known for its temperate climate, beautiful beaches, fishing industry, and port and madeira wines. Sign me up!

But first I needed to look into Buenos Aires, Argentina. Friends who have visited describe it as the “Paris of South America”, featuring spectacular architecture, delicious foods, and world-class culture. I researched online and discovered it is home to a diverse immigrant population with a multitude of languages and has the largest Jewish population in Latin America. This “sexy” city hosts more than 300 plays every weekend and all sorts of cultural and music festivals (the International Jazz Festival that includes dance classes caught my eye). It also has so many libraries and bookstores (734 bookstores, “more per person than any other city in the world”), it is called the “City of Books”. Sounds like my kind of town!

Buenos Aires is also known for it’s beautiful gardens, including its Japanese Garden, which…wait…. Oh, wow….

The Ah-Hahs: For those of you who have been following 52Nudges for a while, you may recall my trip to Portland, Oregon, a little over a year ago. While there, at the recommendations of friends and family, my husband and I explored the fabulous Japanese Gardens. We were blown away by it. Then at one point we looked at each other and asked, “Don’t we have one of these at home?” Yes. Yes we do, just 15 minutes from our house. (Read the Nudged post here.)

I still have not been there.

So I kind of kicked myself as I worked through and processed this week’s nudge. Right here, right now, I have access to great architecture, world-class museums, food from just about every culture, language schools, cafés set up for sipping while people-watching, gardens and paths for walking, and just about everything else I’m hoping to find through travels beyond my own city’s borders. Why is it that I feel the need to search for things I already have here?

Postcard by RetroMail available on Zazzle.com

And then…and here’s where things get goosebumpy…

Why is it I feel the need to search for things outside of myself when maybe, just maybe, everything I need to feel fulfilled is already within me?

Why do I feel the need to do more, do differently, try, achieve? What if…what if for a while I am just still and allow myself to be fully me?

Like with every nudge, I never know where it’s going to take me. This one really surprised me, and I’m grateful for it. Maybe this was the ultimate nudge I’ve needed all along.

I’m still processing this, and don’t know how it will play out. I’m calm and excited at the same time.

Meanwhile, if this week’s nudge led you to plan the Trip of a Lifetime, I hope you’ll send me a postcard. 🙂