Category Archives: Completed Nudge

Nudged: Spiff up my nightstand

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Backstory: This was inspired by one of my favorite websites, FlyLady. It’s a free site that offers loving advice (FLY stands for “Finally Loving Yourself) on how to declutter every area of our lives in small steps. The basic process is simple and totally doable: Set a timer for 15 minutes and tackle a “hot spot”, one of those many areas that have become dumping grounds over time. Then stop. Repeat tomorrow, maybe on a different spot. Bit by bit, you’ll start to see progress, she promises.

My nightstand is one of those spots:

Nightstand before.

It’s nothing like the pretty photos I ooh and ahh over in magazines such as Real Simple, Victoria, and Martha Stewart Living. In fact, the photo I see above is depressing.

So this week, I’m going to take everything off, wipe down the surfaces, and consider what I want to see there when I wake up in the morning and turn off the light at night.

What might you spiff up this week?

What Happened: I had some quiet time before dinner Sunday night, so dove in. I cleared everything off. I dusted the lamp, wiped the surfaces with cleaner and a soft cloth, then looked at everything in the pile on my bed. Do I really need that unattractive pill box front and center? (No, taking those pills are part of my routine, so I won’t forget them if they’re out of sight.) Am I legitimately reading any of those books in those haphazard piles? (Just a few, really.) Is this what I want to see when I start my day? (Heck no.)

I recalled clipping a photo from a magazine or catalogue a while back of a very lovely, feminine, serene nightstand. Just a few items were on it, including candles and flowers. I wish I could find that image so I could share it here, but I think I did a pretty good job of recreating it from memory:

Nightstand after.

Ah-Hahs: Immediately upon resetting my nightstand, I felt a new tranquility. Isn’t that amazing, to get that from what was truly a small act? The first night was a tad awkward as I carefully moved the candles aside to get to the book I wanted to read, but it was no big deal. Meanwhile, I experienced no temptations to re-clutter the space.

Lovely.

What was most interesting to me was how “contagious” this was. FlyLady talks about how when you start with one small area and get it all nice and pretty, you then find yourself moving on to other areas nearby. For example, if you visit her site, you’ll see she starts with “shining” the kitchen sink. Next thing you know, you’ve cleared off the countertop next to it…then the stack of junk mail gets recycled…then a pantry gets reorganized, and so on. For me, I found it was easier to make my bed first thing every morning. Then the laundry got folded and put away, and the empty basket returned to the basement. Little things, that all added up, so that when I walk into that room today, I’m not immediately stressed by “all I have to do.”

P.S. In one of the magazines I found buried in the pile, I discovered a link to Windy Chien’s amazing story of The Year of Knots. Ms. Chien left a job in tech to live a more creative life. She challenged herself to learn how to tie one new knot every day for a year and, in the process, reinvented herself. I’m eager to learn more of her story — and I’m thinking “Learn how to tie a new knot” may be added to my Nudges box!

 

Nudged: No Facebook or online news for 1 week

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Backstory: I signed up to work with a nutritionist last year, to fine-tune what foods (vs. fads) work best for my system for losing weight and maintaining good health. I figured I’d be told to count calories, make adjustments to intake of carbs/fats/proteins, and amp up and create more variety in my exercise routines. So I was surprised to see “limit social media” on her list of recommendations. “It’s a source of stress,” she explained (Duh, I thought at the time), “and that contributes to how our bodies function,” including how we process calories and hang on to excess weight.

I’ve since talked with a number of friends who have received similar advice when seeking to develop healthier lifestyles, including one friend who was assigned “zero social media” for a three-month period while working through some challenges with a therapist.

There’s something to this, so I thought I’d try it out.

What Happened: One of the key guidelines for the nudges I give myself is each has to be, in some way, “uncomfortable”. On a scale of one to 10, this felt like a nine.

I drew this just before noon on Sunday, and my first thought was “I have a few minutes to check everything before this starts!”

How sick is that? I resisted the urge, taped the strip of paper with the nudge on top of my week’s calendar, and went about my day.

Monday 6 am I faced a rude awakening. I realized I have an almost unconscious routine when I first hit my desk in the mornings: Dear Abby, People online, local news, international news, Facebook. I resisted the urge and went to work, and all was fine till I was working on a project for a client and discovered a link about something they’re doing that I wanted to share on my FB business page. “This is work,” I told myself, “it doesn’t count.” And “I’ll just schedule it to run later, but I won’t look at anything else.” Riiight.

I scribbled a note in my calendar for this coming Monday to circle back to it. Would it have been easier and more time-efficient to just get it done? Probably. But that’s not what this week’s nudge is about.

Thor (the code name for my darling husband) emailed me in the afternoon: “Check out this story in the Chronicle!” Maybe if I just read that one story…. But I knew it would lead down the rabbit hole to other links, so I explained why I couldn’t and asked him to give me the highlights over dinner, which he did.

Tuesday was easier. I didn’t feel compelled to launch into my morning routine of checking all my sources.

By end of week, it was no big deal. I noticed that I did feel calmer, even more focused. Huh.

However….

Ah-Hahs: If I’m being completely honest (and I am), I must admit that I filled some of that “free” time with (cringe) online Solitaire. WTH?! This is not something I do. This is not ME. But there you have it. I am not proud of myself.

I took a hard look at “Why do I feel the need to numb myself? What am I avoiding?”

Late Thursday night I spent some time journaling about these questions. Here’s a short list of what came up for me:

  • Facing the losses that have appeared recently in my professional life, resulting in open spaces I don’t know how I’m ever going to fill.
  • Fearing that I’m “done” being a contributing member of society.
  • Feeling I am a burden to my husband.
  • Dreading the overwhelm of BIG projects that seem “impossible” to complete.

I reached out to a wise friend, shared with her some of what was going on in my life, and she told me what I already knew: I need to grieve my losses.

So Friday morning I started my day with an intention to “sit” with my grief.

Only I didn’t. When presented with a chunk of free time between projects, I opened up the Solitaire site.

I can quit any time I want.

This, I acknowledge, is a problem. Maybe not life-threatening, but I know it’s not healthy.

I’m not sure what to do with all this yet, but I consider this nudge a “win” for forcing me to acknowledge this – and do something about it.

I need figure out how to be the queen of my own heart. (Fabulous deck of cards designed by Ambidextrous Studio at http://ambistudio.com/.)

P.S. Avoidance can present in many forms of addiction. If you are reading this and thinking about how you’ve been using an unhealthy substance to numb out, please consider this your nudge to ask for help. If a licensed therapist is beyond your means, contact a clergy person or trusted friend.

Nudged: Write “thinking of you” postcards to 5 old friends

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Backstory: I’ve been meaning to sit down and write long letters to friends and family members for (gulp) months. So many other things get in the way.

I am good about calling and texting, etc., but it just isn’t the same. I don’t save emails or text messages, but I do have a handwritten postcard on my desk from my grandmother (from her trip to Kenya in 1969!), and every time I look at her distinctive handwriting, I feel that she’s here with me.

So–pretty postcards*, good pen, stamps–check! I’m going to reconnect by posting a bit of me to a few friends this week.

What Happened: I took a breather between projects this afternoon and pulled out my supplies. As I wrote a quick note to each friend, I thought of her, pictured her in my mind. As I recalled a shared memory and included my wish that she was having a wonderful day, I found it was a sweetly personal experience. Lovely.

The Ah-Hah: It took just a few minutes for me to write the five cards, not much longer than it would have taken me to type out five text messages. Yet the process felt deeper. I smiled through the whole process. When was the last time I smiled while texting? (Pretty much never.)

After I took a short walk to drop them in a nearby blue box (getting outside for some fresh air is another perk of this nudge), I picked up my own mail. Ads, junk, bills, requests for charitable donations. I imagined my friends picking up similar stacks, then smiling when they see the cards. I hope they enjoy this as much as I have.

 

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Nudged: Go through one bookshelf

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Backstory: Hello! And welcome to 52Nudges 2.0! Today is #1 of 52 nudges, and I’m excited to jump in. Thank you for joining me!

The process is simple: Each Sunday around noon, I draw at random a task/challenge from The List. (Read all the possibilities and see the bowl in this post from last week.) In the following days, I do my best to complete the task, while taking note of what the process reveals for me. My intention is to nudge myself out of my old routines, discover who I am and who I am becoming, and open myself up to new experiences and opportunities.

This morning I drew: Go through one bookshelf. I’m going to pick one (probably one in my office), pull everything out, dust and polish the actual shelf, then consider what I want to replace. Maybe I’ll discover a lost “treasure” hidden behind the clutter, or maybe I’ll decide to toss/share/recycle what’s there and fill the space with something new that feels more authentically me.

Bookshelves all in order? Then you might rearrange the stuff on top of your desk or go through the old packets of seeds in the gardening shed or face the very scary “junk drawer”. Let me know what you find!

What Happened: As I considered which shelf to clear, I was repeatedly drawn to one that has housed–for years–several binders of research, brainstorms, and notes for one client. A client that I have sensed for some time is no longer a fit for me. I have needed to cut the ties, but have hesitated. I know the work, so it’s easy to do. I want to be a helpful, especially when my primary contact at the company calls for a favor.

As I looked at the full shelf, I realized I was looking at the past. And right now, I want to be looking forward to my future, whatever that might be. So…. I pulled everything out and started shredding.

After I dusted and polished, I left the shelf open for a couple of days while I thought about what I might want to go there. Finally I filled it with workbooks, flashcards, and reference books from when I took lessons in French. I should mention that these materials have sat neglected in a tote bag, in a corner of my office, for like 10 years. Now they are front and center again. Now, when I look at that shelf, I hope to be inspired and motivated to do something with them.

The Ah-Hahs: In preparation for this round of nudges, I took a look at things I loved to do as a kid and younger adult, as well as things I would love to try or do more often. Get back to learning French has long held a place on my personal to do list. Classes are not in my budget at this moment, but some day. Meanwhile, I can dip my toe in with the flashcards or by doing an exercise in my old workbooks once in a while. I’m excited about this.

The other ah-hah came while shredding. While the tendency was to dwell in the “loss” of the old client, I chose to shift my attitude and give thanks. I thought about the incredible work I was fortunate to do. I recalled how it felt to be part of a thriving, truly creative collaboration. I felt tremendous gratitude for the enduring friendships I gained over the years. I felt good and light as a result, feeling I had decluttered not only stuff, but negative emotions.

And now I have space into which something new can come.

 

Nudged: Finalize The List 2.0

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Backstory: We’re almost there! For the past few weeks I’ve been doing exercises to come up with nudges. (Scroll back through those posts if you want to do them too.) I have a long list of challenges that encompasses Passion & Play, Creativity, Spiritual Growth, Work, Self-Care, Home Care, and miscellaneous fun stuff.

Now it’s time to cut it down.

This week I’m going to read through my list and consider if each proposed nudge fits the following criteria:

  • Is this something I can do in one week’s time?
  • Is it inexpensive?
  • Does it make me uncomfortable? (It should.)
  • Is it fun? (Most should have some element of fun.)

What Happened: Here it is! The List for 52Nudges 2.0.

  • Assemble a gift basket for myself
  • Bake cookies
  • Book 4 hikes/walks with 4 different friends
  • Browse a clothing consignment shop
  • Buy a nice new dishtowel
  • Buy two bunches of flowers – one for me, one for a friend
  • Claim my “Bread”
  • Clean out my makeup box
  • Compliment a stranger
  • Create a chalk message on the front sidewalk
  • Curate my own film series
  • Do a Fairy Deed
  • Do a favor for a friend
  • Do something backwards
  • Do something crafty
  • Do something I hate
  • Do something patriotic
  • Do something that scares me
  • Donate
  • Enjoy a fire in the fireplace
  • Exhale
  • Explore a used bookstore, spend just $10
  • Explore/read 3 new-to-me blogs + comment
  • Find my new signature scent
  • Get to know one great female artist
  • Give a book to a Free Library Box
  • Give in to an impulse that gives me joy
  • Go on a date night at new-to-us bar
  • Go through one bookshelf
  • Go to a park, do nothing for 30 minutes
  • Go to coffee house with an educational book and learn something new
  • Go to the beach
  • Have lunch outside
  • Ignore the laundry
  • Immerse myself in one big project
  • Investigate free programs and put one on the calendar
  • Invite someone “new” to coffee
  • Iron. Seriously, iron.
  • Jump rope
  • Keep a gratitude journal for 7 days x10
  • Learn how to sign a fun phrase in American Sign Language
  • Learn something about my city’s history
  • Learn something from a YouTube video
  • Let something go
  • Limit my mobile phone time
  • Make a list of cities I want to visit; pick one to explore
  • Make a pie or tart
  • Make a plan to visit Krista
  • Make and decorate a cake
  • Memorize a poem
  • No complaining, no whining x7
  • Notice something
  • Phone a friend
  • Pick something from Big To Do List, break it down
  • Plate our dinners
  • Play dress-up
  • Practice scientific prayer
  • Purge the underwear drawer
  • Re-memorize the 50 state capitols
  • Read through an old journal
  • Room by room, tidy the house
  • Say “yes” to something new
  • Schedule a game night
  • Schedule a long phone chat with a friend
  • Send a handwritten thank you note to a client, boss, or coworker
  • Set a small goal and blow it away
  • Sit (and sweat) in a sauna
  • Spiff up my nightstand
  • Splurge on something for me
  • Take 1 photo/day of something that makes me happy
  • Take a hard look at my calendar and carve out time for me
  • Take a weeklong break from Facebook or online news
  • Take journal to coffee house for 1 hour
  • Thank a writer, artist, or musician
  • Throw a spontaneous party
  • Treat my feet
  • Try a new cocktail recipe
  • Use the good body lotion every night
  • Use the good china
  • Use the good silver x2
  • Wander Joann’s fabric/craft store
  • Wear different shoes every day
  • Wipe down the kitchen cabinets
  • Work 2 hours in a remote space
  • Wrap gifts
  • Write “thinking of you” postcards to 5 old friends

I printed it out, cut it into strips, scrunched each strip into a little ball, and loaded them into my special bowl. Each Sunday, starting in three days, I’ll pick one nudge and tackle it during the week.

This list is yours to use, too, if you wish. Feel free to print it out and cut it into strips. Or create your own list, or create a mix of mine+yours. (For inspiration, check recent posts for exercises that will help you develop your own nudges.)

The other options are to simply follow along and do Nudges with me, or read along and take in inspiration whenever it hits. It’s never too late to join in and there’s no “right” way to do it.

Ah-Hahs: It was challenging at times to decide what stays and what goes. You’ll notice that there are more than 52 nudges on The List, and that’s intentional. I want to always have options, I want to always feel surprised.

As I went through this last step, my overall feeling was excitement. I’m looking forward to being delighted and challenged by each nudge. I’m ready to do this, and I hope you’ll join me.

52Nudges 2.0 starts Sunday, September 8!

See you back here Sunday morning!

 

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Nudged: Look to books for inspiration

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Backstory: I’m getting ready to launch 52Nudges 2.0, and my last task before I finalize The List is to look to some books for inspiration. To find some new nudges, I might pick up books on:

  • Travel
  • Health & Fitness
  • Spiritual Growth
  • Self-Improvement
  • Creativity
  • Financial Planning

Take some time this week to look over your shelf–or wander your public library–and see what comes. If you need ideas, check out the list of resources under “For Inspiration” in the right column of this page.

Then mark your calendar…

52Nudges 2.0 starts Sunday, September 8!

What Happened: I looked over my rough list of Nudges and noted a healthy dose of tasks under Self-Care, De-cluttering, Creativity, and Passion & Play. But Spirit seemed to be lacking. So I pulled a few books that have long sat on my shelves and dove in for inspiration. First up, The Sermon on the Mount: The Key to Success in Life and The Lord’s Prayer: An Interpretation by Emmet Fox.

My intention was to skim, but I was quickly reminded how it’s often those “little” books that get you into “trouble”. A quick skim? Riiight. I ended up reading just a couple of pages every day, taking notes, mulling over the lessons. There’s so much more I want to get from this, but at this point, here are some of the ideas that might make their way onto The List of Nudges:

  • Allow one channel to close; look—with excitement and anticipation—for its replacement to open
  • Claim my Bread (i.e., stop being so stubbornly self-sufficient and allow someone to help me)
  • Pick an affirmation and work it to fruition
  • Pick a random passage from the Bible and really study it
  • Let something go (100% turn it over to God*)
  • Practice scientific prayer
  • Buy a new candle and light it every day with prayer requests for others

The Ah-Hah: As the lessons and ideas sank in, I was struck by something rather profound. Let me give a little backstory: After I moved cities 10 years ago, I made a real effort to keep in touch with the long-time friends I’d left behind. With most, the effort was reciprocal, and I continue to be grateful for the gifts of those deep relationships.

But one in particular has been the source of some pain. Even though I’ve reached out to my old friend with calls and cards and text messages, the only times I’ve heard from her is when she’s needed favors. And not just small things. I’ve been asked to do big jobs for her for free “because we’re friends.” Earlier this year I allowed myself some clarity that this was no longer a friendship, and I let it go.

I recalled this history as I read Sermon on the Mount this week and it dawned on me: I am such a hypocrite! It’s not that I’ve been unequal with a friend, it’s that I’ve been a taker with God. How often do I get in touch just to say “Thinking of you!” or “Wassup?” or “Have a great day!”? Um, never. Once in a blue moon, like when I am inspired to write in a gratitude journal, I remember to say “Thank you” for life, for love, for clean water and the roof over my head, but most days, our one-sided conversations are all about “This is what I need…want…please help…I’m begging you….”

So I’m going to include some weekly nudges that will help me build a better—more personal and appreciative—relationship with God.

As you consider possible nudges for yourself, you might think about which relationships in your life need nurturing. Perhaps you can take a first step toward healing a rift with a family member, reconnecting with an old friend, or getting to know one of your co-workers. Or perhaps the relationship you most need to attend to is the one you have with yourself.

*For simplicity, I am using “God” here. Please substitute whatever term or name works for you.

Nudged: Review the original List

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Backstory: For the past couple of weeks I’ve been journaling and brainstorming and exploring tasks that might make it on to The List for 52Nudges 2.0.

This week I’m going to review old posts, to see if there are any old Nudges I’d like to do again. Take a look, and let me know if there were any you thought were particularly effective–or worth revisiting.

Before I started the whole project, I reached out to a my sister and a couple of close friends to ask “What do you remember about me as a kid? What did I love to do? What was I passionate about? What have I let go that you think I should try again?” Their answers led to some of my original Nudges, so I’m not interviewing anyone this week. But you might. What have you forgotten about yourself? What have you let go of that you’d like to try again?

What Happened: I took a break after delivering a big job early Wednesday morning and spent an hour reviewing all the post topics (dating back to March 2018) from the first round of 52Nudges. Some seemed so small, but had big impacts (Wear red lipstick, Visit a new-to-me bookstore). Some didn’t work out so well (creating a vision board was a bust), but others were fun, challenging, motivating. I got to “Create a chalk message on the front sidewalk” and immediately got up from my desk, grabbed the basket of chalks, and headed outside to do this:

Have a FUN day!

It’s going back on The List because it scratches my creativity itch, it’s uncomfortable (I’m sure the neighbors think I’m nuts), and it feeds my soul (those uplifting messages are really directed at me, you know).

The point of this week’s Nudge was to see if there were any I wanted to do over, either because they were really fun or because I feel there might be more for me to learn from them. Some that may make it onto the final 2.0 List:

  • Compliment a stranger
  • Work offsite
  • Go through one bookshelf
  • Be early to everything
  • Use the good silver
  • Fix something

Ah-Hah: One is definitely not going the list: Listen to 2 old CDs. Why am I dropping this? Because that one tiny Nudge has been a huge success. I drew that Nudge in September 2018, and after I went through our personal collection, I branched out. Now, every couple of weeks or so, I go to my public library and request CDs of music I’ve never listened to before. I’ve heard opera, hip-hop, jazz, pop. I’ve sung and groaned aloud, depending on how much I liked/disliked what I’ve heard, whether it be country or classical or contemporary. I’ve developed new appreciation and respect for great artists of past and current generations, and I’ve let go of any need to like someone’s music because someone else said it’s “great”.

All because I nudged myself to try something different.

Cool. 🙂

 

 

 

Nudged: Explore things I’m curious about

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Backstory: Last week I worked with some prompts to come up with tasks that might become Nudges on The List for the re-launch (coming up in September). I was shocked when “3 Things I’m Curious About” yielded only two. What the heck?

So this week I’m going to dig a little deeper and try to find things I’m curious about. I might google random topics online. Maybe I’ll look at maps or pick up a book about reinventing myself. I’ll definitely review class offerings at City College.

What have you always wanted to learn? Was there an academic or career path you let go because it wasn’t “practical”? Is there a skill you’ve always wanted to acquire? Let’s explore those and figure out how to get some of those small steps on our lists for the next round of 52Nudges.

What Happened: I was really nervous about this. Do I feel too old to try new things? Have I given up? Has this whole 52Nudges business been a joke?

Yikes.

I don’t want to put things on The List just to have things on The List. I want each Nudge to be something I’m genuinely curious about, something that makes my heart flutter. But…what?

Time to do some research.

I pulled up the Fall 2019 course schedule for our nearby City College (where, by the way, I have yet to take a class–and it’s free!) and just browsed. Everything that even slightly caught my attention, I wrote it down:

  • American Sign Language (Huh. Maybe this year instead of learning to speak a useful or fun phrase, I’ll teach myself how to sign it.)
  • Art History (There’s a course titled “Women Through Art History”. Now, it could be a semester full of viewing artistic nudes, which, whatever, or it could be a survey that introduces me to the work of great women artists. Instead of signing up for the class, maybe I google “great women artists” and start borrowing illustrated books from the library to learn more about them and their work.)
  • Lost Wax Casting Family (I have absolutely no idea what this is. So I wrote it down to learn more.)
  • Films of Alfred Hitchcock (How cool is this? Of course, I would need to do this during daylight hours so as not to set myself up for waking up screaming in the middle of the night. But–fun! And I could simply decide to make a list of all Hitchcock films–or Scorsese, or great female directors, or Academy Award-winning actresses–and watch them on my own through Netflix or the library.)
  • History of San Francisco (This! This topic keeps coming up for me, so I am going to figure out some way to learn more about my home city. Walking tours, archives, historic sites, books.)
  • Intro to Museum Studies (Not sure if this is an intro course for people who want to become museum directors or–what’s the word?–curators! I had to look that up. But it inspires me to make a list of local museums and go visit them.)

Ah-Hahs: Okay. I feel better about all this. I’m starting to feel excited about what’s coming. There ARE things I want to learn and experience and explore and try and….

Nudged: Build “The List” with prompts

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Backstory: I’m gearing up for 52Nudges 2.0, which I plan to launch in September. To do this, I’m reviewing old to do lists and generating new ideas to update The List. When I’ve got a bunch, I’ll type it all up, cut it into strips, roll those strips into balls, and put them into a bowl. Then, each Sunday, I’ll pull one to tackle that week.

Last week I reviewed my Big To Do List and reviewed the musts, the shoulds, the need to dos. This week is all about what I want to do.

I might set a timer for 5 minutes and:

  • take look at course offerings at City College (What do I want to learn?)
  • go online and read up about faraway cities I want to visit some day (Can I get a book about its history? Is there a local cultural center that has programs? Can I get a CD of folk music or a cookbook of cuisine from the library to experience it without the big expense of travel?)
  • list small things I can do for myself (We’re talking self-care: take a hot bath, walk a labyrinth, warm my PJs in the dryer before bed)
  • remember specific activities I loved doing as a kid (Dancing? Reading? Playing games with my friends? What do I want to do again?)

The goal is to find some FUN things to add to the list. And for this week, it’s about brainstorming. I want to let my imagination run wild, then in a couple of weeks I can edit the list for things that really speak to me and for things that fit the 52Nudges parameters (must be able to be completed in a week, not expensive, nudge me out of my comfort zone).

Hope you’ll share some of the items that come up for you.

What Happened: I started by setting my timer for just 3 minutes and jotting down anything I could think of that I loved doing as a kid: baking, playing dress-up, reading Nancy Drew books (and imaging I was Nancy), blowing bubbles, going to the beach, learning new things to earn badges in Girl Scouts, riding horses, talking on the phone with friends and planning what we were going to wear to school the next day. Ha! That last one came out of nowhere and cracked me up. When was the last time I had a phone conversation like that? Shoot, when was the last time I simply enjoyed a looooong phone conversation about everything (or nothing) with a good friend? That’s so going on The List.

I reset the timer and thought about things I could do for myself that fall into the Self Care category: get some really nice body lotion and actually use it, get a real scrub-off-all-the-calluses pedicure, have one-on-one time with each of my siblings, wear the “nice” PJs, create a plan for spiffing up the living room, set aside a night to enjoy a fire in the fireplace. Lots of opportunity here.

Finally, without the timer, I opened a new page and titled it “3 Things I’m Curious About.” And I got only two. Two? Two! What the heck?! Other than San Francisco History and Cake/Cookie Decorating, I couldn’t think of a single class or book or podcast I want to watch. So that’s something I want to explore further.

Ah-Hahs: With all the responsibilities in life, I rarely take time to think about what gives me pleasure, feeds my soul, makes me feel most at peace with myself. And then I rarely take time to do any of these things. This is so much about what 52Nudges means for me. It’s figuring these things out and then doing them. So I’m going to continue brainstorming items for The List, and I’ll share them with you for inspiration. Hope you’ll do the same.

 

P.S. If you haven’t already, sign up to get 52Nudges posts in your email. It’s FREE! Let’s inspire and support each other on this fun adventure. 

 

Nudged: Review the Big To Do List

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Backstory: I’m getting ready to re-boot my 52Nudges project in the fall, so I’m looking for new Nudges I want to include. Activities that are fun, that nurture my creativity, that feed my spirit, and that…well…just need to get done. If you have been on this journey with me for a while, you also know these tasks need to be things that can be done within one week, that aren’t expensive, and that make me somewhat uncomfortable, thereby nudging me out of old ruts.

So this week I’m pulling up the Big To Do List, a 4-page, 2-columned, constantly growing document that lives on my desktop. Yikes. I’m going to look at all the items I’ve put down over the past year-plus and see what I want to give some extra attention to.

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be doing some other exercises to come up with tasks that will go onto my 52Nugdes 2.0 list. I hope you’ll join me in this process as you clarify what you want to put on your list. I’ll be sharing mine, and I hope you’ll share some of yours.

Let’s do this! 🙂

What Happened: Late afternoon Monday, I pulled out an old folder and discovered a to do list from 2013. You know what was on there? A lot of the same darn things that are on my 2019 list: turn my “office” into a “creative space”, lose weight, pay off all the bills, finish editing my book and get it into the hands of readers. GEEZ!

I stayed up till 1:00 am that night, having dug out similar lists from 2015 and 2017, along with scraps of paper where I’d scribbled reminders to myself to add more tasks to the to do list. I did a lot of thinking. Let’s be honest, I did a lot more self-loathing. Have I really made so little progress?

I figure I have two options: (1) Take every list and scrap of paper, run it all through the shredder, and just live my life. (2) Condense all those lists and scraps into one document, prioritize, break down those big goals into smaller steps, and get to work.

Option 1 is very appealing. But I know what I am: A list-maker. A manifestor. A finisher. I derive distinct pleasure from crossing something off the list.

A friend recently introduced me to Growing Gills, a book by Jessica Abel. I’ve been told it’s about helping creative people achieve creative goals, in part, my friend told me, by picking ONE thing to do at a time and finishing it. This makes sense to me. Clearly my current method of trying to do a little bit of everything, every day, is not working. Yes, some little things get done (like the laundry), but overall I feel scattered and frazzled. I have all these other big things (like find my purpose through my work) I want to do in life that stay on the list, that hang over me like a threatening weight, and I feel the need to make progress.

Ah-Hahs: Maybe I’ll take some of those big goals and break them down into smaller steps, steps that could become Nudges. Maybe I’ll work those Nudges into my plans for the coming year and make it possible to feel that I’m making real progress. Hmmm….

Here are some of the Nudge ideas that came from reviewing my to do lists (yes, plural) and from the thinking that happened this week:

  • Plan a picnic (I love picnics, yet this has sat on my list for two summers!)
  • Do something historical (take a historical walking tour in my own city or google a historical event and learn more about it)
  • Pick something old from the Big To Do List and break it down (and add some of those steps to the Nudges bowl)
  • Book a month of walks/hikes (4 weekends) with different friends (helps me meet fitness and social goals)
  • Spend 15 minutes/day cross-stitching
  • Explore 5 blogs and comment
  • Go to a speakeasy for date night
  • Invite the nice neighbors over for wine & cheese (we have good intentions to get better acquainted, we just need to do this)

More ideas coming! I’d love to hear what’s making its way onto your list of Nudges.