Category Archives: Completed Nudge

Nudged: Buy a new houseplant

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Backstory: I have no recollection of why I put this on the list. It doesn’t feel dramatic or uncomfortable, other than spending money on things like new houseplants is way down at the bottom of the to do list. We have plenty of plants, and I like having fresh flowers in my office and bedroom especially. Hmmmm…. This one could be a dud.

What Happened: Early in the week, I took a tour around our home and evaluated the plants. It was interesting to me how many of them came with backstories, including several we received as housewarming and hostess gifts from dear friends. I do a pretty decent job of keeping everything alive. But there are no plants in our bathroom, and it seems a pretty obvious spot. Good indirect light, lots of steam. Or may I need to move things around, see if one of the plants would do better in a different spot. Hmmm…

I continued to mull while I ran errands, then was hit with inspiration at the grocery store. Five dollars at Trader Joe’s. I’ve spent more on a large mocha! For five measly dollars, I now have this sweet succulent, with its elegant dark-pink edging, for my bathroom counter.

That’s the space I decided needed some love. Every so often (like when we were expecting company), I’d buy some fresh flowers for that spot, but before this morning, I had a vase with dried flowers there. Now it’s fresh and happy and makes me smile.

The Ah-Hah: Let me be honest: Those dried flowers had been sitting there for at least six months and were covered with dust. Gross. Now I have something live and pretty and low-maintenance (it’s a succulent, so I should be able to keep it alive with minimal effort).

So, nothing earth-shattering learned from this week’s Nudge, other than a reminder to look around my home once in a while and think about how I might treat it like the lady she is. And think about how I spend my money. A $5 mocha is a nice treat once in a while and will make me feel peppy for a few hours. But a pretty plant that will last for months (if not years) feels like a bargain.

Nudged: Learn a sentence/phrase in Italian

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Backstory: Omg, there are no coincidences! I laughed out loud when I drew this Nudge, because in just a few days I will be in Italy!

The original idea for the Nudge, however, was wholly impractical. Like when I learned a new sentence/phrase in French (see the Nudge here), the intention was to challenge my brain and have some fun. That the timing sets me up for actually using the phrase is happy-stance. (Happenstance means coincidence, and translations to Italian include caso, coincidenza, and combinazione. I’m thinking I won’t be using any of these in my sentence for this Nudge, but good to know.)

What Happened: I already know “thank you” (grazie) and “I’m sorry/excuse me” (Mi dispiace/Scusami), terms I feel are important to know whenever visiting a foreign country. So the first term I looked up was “Cheers!” I was pretty sure I knew what it was, but not 100%. Cin cin! and Salute! (or more properly, Alla salute!) are the most common, so those got put to use right away.

Naturally I wanted something more challenging, so I brainstormed what I think might be some sentences I’ll need to use on our trip:

Vorrei un bicchiere di prosecco, per favore. (I would like a glass of processo, please.)

Bubbly image by vbosica from Pixabay. Cin cin!

Bellissimo! (Beautiful!)

Oh, è mozzafiato! (Oh, that’s breathtaking!)

Ti amo. (I love you.)

All got sprinkled into conversations this week.

Getting into the spirit, my husband mentioned this week’s Nudge to a friend who grew up in Italy, and he taught us to ask for vino locale (local wine) instead of ordering off the menu. He said each region has its own specialties, its own flavors, and by ordering this way we honor the local cuisine and we might get to taste something special that is only offered to friends and family. How cool is that?!

The Ah-Hahs: Dio mio (omg), this has been so fun. And it has me thinking again about signing up for language classes.

 

As I mentioned in the Nudging portion of this post, I’m heading out on vacation. For the next few weeks, I’ll be running some ol’ Nudges. (Thank you to readers who shared their favorites.) Do the Nudge as if it’s new, do your own, or just read along for the entertainment value. Then keep an eye on this space for news about a Fall 2019 reboot of 52Nudges. Ciao!

Nudged: Stash $s in pockets

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Backstory: Maybe 25 years ago, a friend introduced me to this idea: Get a stack of dollar bills and “stash” them away in the pockets of coats, purses, hidden spots, etc., so that months later, when I find them again, I’ll be surprised and delighted. (I think it also had something to do with attracting abundance, but that part of it is lost to my memory.)

Imagine this: A couple of seasons from now, you’re heading out to run errands or meet a client or take care of some task that has you all stressed out. You hustle into your jacket, hoping it still fits after the indulges (aka stress eating) of the previous months, grab your purse, grab your keys, double-check to make sure your wallet and cell phone are with you. With a deep breath (aka heavy sigh of the overburdened), you head out the door and stuff your hands into your pockets to avoid the chill that has permeated the air since yesterday. Wait…what’s this? Oh, geez, is it an old to do list? The phone number of someone you were supposed to call ages ago? The long-lost receipt for that item you meant to return? Nope. It’s a crisp dollar bill! Huzzah! Add that to the change jingling at the bottom of your purse, and you can treat yourself to a hot and soothing cuppa tea!

Some might ask if this a true Nudge. Does it push me out of my comfort zone, help me to reveal some great Ah-Hah? Probably not. But it definitely qualifies as fun.

What Happened: Just asking for change in singles made me giggle to myself. Does the cashier think I’m heading for a strip club? Ha!

From the moment I pulled this Nudge, I felt the anticipation. It’s funny, because none of this will come to fruition for a long time. In fact, I hope it takes a long time, because that will make the reveal so much more fun for me.

$10 – or rather, ten single $1 bills.

The first went into the pocket of my fanciest coat, one that doesn’t get taken out of the closet very often. (Hmmm…idea for a future Nudge?) The second went into a random page of one of my all-time favorite books, one I know I’ll re-read in a year or two. For half a second I thought about how it would suck if I decide to donate the coat or book before I discover the hidden treasure, but since it’s only a buck, it wouldn’t be a hard loss. And I enjoyed imagining that savvy second-hand shopper as she discovers the bonus inside.

Bill #3 got tucked into the back of a picture frame. And so on. Throughout this week, I let ideas present themselves to me and hid the bills around the house. And each time I felt…giddy.

Giddy. “Dizzy; lighthearted; silly; joyfully elated,” says Merriam-Webster. Yep. All of the above. All week long I felt this in spurts, and I know I will feel giddy again at least 10 more times as I rediscover the bills.

Ah-Hahs: There are so few good surprises left in life. I remember how much fun I had doing Fairy Deeds for others (see this post), so how fun was this to set myself up for 10 future surprises!

Lately I’ve been working on finding my mojo (see this post) and getting through an especially dark Life Funk. There were times I’ve thought about rebooting with a spa day (couple hundred $) or a session with a professional counselor (couple hundred more $). Instead, I spent (but didn’t really spend) just $10 and succeeded in nudging my spirits up for the week.

 

Dear Reader, Whether you’re new to 52Nudges or have been following along for a while, I would appreciate your feedback. Specifically, I’d like to know if there was (1) a previous Nudge you found was impactful for you and (2) a previous Nudge that you’d like to give another go in the future. Send me a note in comments. Thank you!

 

Nudging & Nudged: Get 8 hrs. of sleep (x5)

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Backstory: I Nudged myself to get more sleep a while ago, and it’s something I’d like to do more regularly. So back it went into the bowl for another go ’round.

What Happened: This is the first-ever “Nudging & Nudged” incident. Up till today, I have pulled a new Nudge on Sunday and worked on it through the week. But with this one, this week, I know I will achieve it.

This isn’t because I’m being remarkably disciplined or anything that amazing. It’s simply that I’m sick. With bronchitis. And I’ve been sleeping something like 12 hours a day, so getting in 8 is no big deal.

Sure, I could have put this back in the bowl and chosen another task with which to challenge myself. But you know what, I need a break. My poor overworked body is telling me to STOP, so that’s what I’ll be doing this week.

The Ah-Hahs: I really have gotten better at listening to my body (and my heart and soul) and then acting on what it needs. This being more attuned to myself has been one of the great gifts of this whole 52Nudges experiment.

What is your body telling you it needs this week?

Are you longing for quiet time so you can hear your own thoughts? Are your feet crying out for a little pampering (just in time for Sandals Season)? Is this the week you try giving up sugar? Or is it time to book the vacation/adventure/retreat you’ve been dreaming about forever?

Do it…or don’t. Knowing that your body just needs a break is good too.

I’ll see you back here next Sunday with (I hope) a healthier body and renewed energy for the next Nudge.

Nudged: Book a Pilates class

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Backstory: This is really the result of a bigger Nudge. A while back I played with what forms of exercise might get me…well…moving. Do I want to get into an organized team sport, like softball or soccer? (No.) Do I want to give running another try? (My 53-year-old knees say no.) Yoga? (Ugh.)

Maybe there is something I loved doing as a child that I’d like to revisit. Jumping rope is on the list, as is bocce ball. I will continue with long walks, on my own and as excuses for catching up with friends, but the exercise that my body seemed to most respond to has always been Pilates.

I can come up with any number of excuses for why I haven’t been to a class in over a year. None of those excuses are good. So this week, I’m going to pull out my calendar, make a commitment, and just do it.

What good-for-you activity have you been putting off? If you can’t fit it in this week, at least get it inked on the calendar for soon.

What Happened: Wasted no time on this one. Got online, re-upped my account, and booked a class for next week.

Then I skipped ahead to the next week and booked two more.

Gulp. 🙂

The Ah-Hahs: I won’t be able to report back this week on how the class went , but I can confirm that this Nudge has been completed and I’m nervous…no, I’m excited…about getting back on track with regular exercise that I’ve loved doing in the past.

Meanwhile, this week I’m going to practice getting up at 5:15 am so it won’t be quite so painful next week to make it out the door for a 6:00 am class. Step by step, bit by bit, squat by squat. 🙂

Nudged: See the top of my desk

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Backstory: I feel like I’ve done this Nudge before. Or maybe that’s because this task seems to have a permanent spot on my To Do List.

Before.

Work projects, personal projects, receipts to be entered, reminders scribbled on scraps of paper, multiple versions of To Do Lists, articles to be read, notes for articles to be written…. No wonder my poor brain feels scrambled!

This week I want to clear space both physically and mentally. I hope I can post a lovely “After” photo soon.

What Happened: OMG, I did it. Seriously, I’m impressed with myself because Monday morning, as I got my work week started, as I looked at the To Do List, I thought, Screw this. I’ll just put everything on the floor or move it to the dining room table and cheat.

Instead, every day I devoted at least 20 minutes to tackling the top of any stack and getting things handled. At the risk of sounding like our mothers, I’ll also confess that I practiced putting items (file folders, calculator, pens, sticky notepads) away in their places as soon as I was done using them.  Step by step, piece by piece.

The Ah-Hahs: This morning when I came into the office, this is what greeted me:

After.

For the first time in ages, I started a day not stressed, not in total overwhelm, but calm.

This feels sooooooo good. 🙂

Nudged: Try a new recipe

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Aaack! I was doing some admin this afternoon and discovered this post–originally scheduled to appear on April 13–never went live due to some technical glitch. I did indeed complete the Nudge in the one week, it’s just making it’s appearance now. Better late than never! 🙂

 

Backstory: Good timing!

I pulled this Nudge several months ago, when I didn’t have the time and wasn’t in the mood. But I love cooking and baking! I love experimenting in the kitchen! And my file of recipes (clipped from magazines and printed from online sources) is overflowing, so this is the perfect time to get back into an activity that feeds (pun fully intended) my soul.

Maybe this is the week you try a healthy version of one of your favorite dishes. Or challenge yourself with a meal from a different culture. Or, if cooking is not your thing, spread your wings and try a new technique in a hobby that makes you happy. The key words here are “try” and “new”.

What Happened: I had big plans for this week. BIG PLANS! I pulled two recipes for new-to-me entrees, two for spring veggies, and three for desserts. By Friday, I got a little more (ahem) realistic and decided to make one of the desserts, a “simple” raspberry tart, for a dinner party tonight.

Friday night I made the crust. We knew something was up when, in the middle of a relaxed dinner, all of the smoke alarms went off. We opened all the windows, I opened the oven, and, once the smoke cleared, I found this:

WTF?!?

A quick review of the recipe revealed I had used 3/4 of a cup of flour, not the called-for 1+3/4 cups. Disaster! “We can buy dessert on the way over,” my darling husband said. Well, phooey.

Two hours later I was back in the kitchen with laser focus and renewed determination. “I love when you get feisty,” my darling husband said.

This beauty came out of the oven:

Just now I added the fresh berries, and we will soon be on our way to share this with friends. Fingers crossed it tastes as delish as it looks.

Ah-Hahs: I am out of practice. I haven’t used these muscles in a while, and it shows. This week was a wake-up call for me, a reminder to use my gifts, to practice, and to enjoy my skills. To that end, I am going to make another tart—with a couple of twists—for a dinner party next weekend. Bon appetit!

Nudged: Take a long walk

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Backstory: This Nudge is about more than just amping up my exercise routine. It’s about getting OUT. It’s about resting my brain. It’s about taking deeper breaths and taking in breathtaking scenery. It’s about moving forward, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

I’m not sure yet whether I’ll use this Nudge to meet up with a friend for a catching-up session, or go on a quiet, meditational walk by myself.

Maybe I’ll do both.

What Happened: I did get out early this morning for a long walk with a dear friend. We caught up for over an hour, with plenty of topics left over for our next walk, which I hope we’ll schedule soon.

But the long walk I want to share in detail from this Nudge was something I did on my own.

I’ve shared recently that I’ve been struggling. I’m having a hard time getting going in the mornings, in part because I am searching for my lost mojo. This week I decided to try to Just Do It by setting a timer and forcing (yes) myself to get out of bed and just get moving.

Wednesday night I set out gear for walking: sturdy shoes, cozy sweatshirt and scarf, water bottle, sunglasses, phone with earbugs. I pretty much rolled out of bed and straight into the clothes and was out the door just after 6:00. Wahoo! My “treat” for doing this was a chunk of time to listen to a great story, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn read by Kate Burton, on audiobook.

I headed up our hill, explored a couple of unfamiliar streets, took in the views, listened to the story. All would have been fabulous if this was it.

But there was more.

I turned a corner and came face-to-face, we’re talking maybe 10 feet apart, with this beautiful creature.

I stopped. It stopped. The best way I can think to describe the encounter was we regarded each other. For several seconds.

Under normal circumstances, this could have been an awful experience. We have a coyote problem in our neighborhood, along the lines of family cats gone missing, dogs snatched right in front of their humans, warnings sent to parents to keep their small children indoors. If Louie (our dog) had been with me, this likely would have been terrifying.

But it was calm. It was…respectful.

I reached into my pocket to get my phone, to take a photo, which the coyote took as a signal to move. Phooey! But then it stood just beside a house and continued to look at me. I took a couple of steps, and it slipped into the garden. Double phooey! I took a couple more steps to peek into the garden and snapped the shot you see above.

The Ah-Hahs: A friend called shortly thereafter and I told her what had happened. “It’s a sign!” she said. “You’re going to have a year of adventures!” Okay then.

Back at home, I continued to think about it, and on a whim I googled “spiritual meaning of a coyote sighting”.

Well!

A coyote is a messenger, I learned, an “important messenger.” A coyote sighting is a reminder to “take a look within, to not take life too seriously, to lighten up, and to learn to laugh at ourselves and even our mistakes”. The coyote comes to encourage us to not just focus on a single problem/burden/concern, but to take in the whole of life.

“Do you feel stuck in a rut?” one site asked me. Uh, yep. Then the coyote came to tell me to stop taking things too seriously, to acknowledge the lighter side of things, and to enjoy life.

All this came to me because I nudged myself to take a long walk.

Wow.

Nudged: Do my “do” (hair) 4x

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Backstory: Back in the day (high school), I would allow as much as two hours to wash, blow dry, set in hot rollers, and style my hair.

Sure, right.

That doesn’t happen very often these days, and “forcing” myself to do this will definitely be outside my comfort zone. However. Through some previous Nudges, I’ve realized that when I pull myself together, I feel better, and I carry myself better. I even included this practice as one of the things that might help me get my mojo back.

Let’s “do” this. 😉

What Happened:

Monday: Never so much as brushed my hair.

Tuesday: Threw myself together with kind of a fun and slightly messy bun. I’m no Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but it worked.

Wednesday: I don’t have time for this sh*t! Geez! I work, I support friends and family, I keep the house standing. And somehow I’m supposed to make time to be runway ready?! I got myself to the gym and showered in the morning, then went straight to work. I had to run a couple of errands, and went out without makeup and hair that looked like it had been styled by Thor (the god who controls lightning, not my husband). I was That Woman in line at the market praying Please don’t let me run into anybody I know. Please. I’m begging. Happy to report my prayers were answered on this one. But geez. I felt like a hot mess, and I wanted to be invisible. That evening my husband had a work event, so at 4:45 I plugged in the trusty flat iron and rallied.

Thursday: Got a free pass today as Second Day Hair looked good with no special effort required. (I love my flat iron). Felt slightly better about myself when I went to the market. That afternoon, I caught up with a friend, another writer who also works from a home office. She mentioned she’s been feeling out of sorts lately, uninspired, unmotivated. So she took a cue from FlyLady (I love FlyLady) and tried dressing for work. Today, for example, instead of staying in yoga clothes all day, she put on nice slacks and an office-worthy cardigan instead of the ratty old thing we pull on when we think “Only the dog is going to see me today.” She brushed her hair, swiped on some mascara and lip gloss, and slipped into actual shoes…and had her most productive day in ages.

Friday: Got up early and gave myself a decent blowout, which made me sweaty. What a pain! Dressed for a business meeting off site—sweater, straight skirt, tights and boots—I checked myself out in the rearview mirror and thought, “Lookin’ good, Kath.” The meeting went well, and I had a productive afternoon. Toward the end of the day, I noticed I wasn’t slumping. I was sitting up straighter than usual for late on a Friday.

A Good(ish) Hair Day

 

Ah-Hah: I must confess, I’ve been in a deep, dark funk lately. There was one day last week when the only thing that got me out of bed was I needed to feed the dog. I’m not sure what this is. Maybe it’s the change in seasons. Maybe it’s the overabundance of rain (dammit) we’ve had this year. (I’m a Southern California, “69 degrees is cold”, I need my sunshine kinda gal). Maybe…I don’t know.

But I’m not throwing in the towel, and I’m returning again and again to my Mojo prompts to get through this. This doing my ’do Nudge is part of my efforts, and it was inspired in part by Elizabeth Gilbert.

In her book about living a creative life, Big Magic, she talks about how you should dress for work the way you would dress if you were going to meet your lover. Think about it. If you were dashing out, all excited and breathless, for a romantic rendezvous, you wouldn’t schlep about in yoga pants and a faded, stretched-out T-shirt. You’d dress in your very best, from the lacy underwear to your fanciest perfume. So, how are you meeting your work? Maybe it’s time to show it some respect, to demonstrate that it is your greatest passion.

I’m going to keep at this. I’m going to continue to do what I can to present myself to the world—or just to the dog—in a way that makes me feel my best. I’m going to do this for my work. Better yet, let’s do this for ourselves!

 

Nudged: Learn the name of someone new

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Backstory: There’s that old story about a test in a medical school in which a large portion of the grade is based on correctly answering one question: “What is the name of the woman who cleans up after us?”

The idea for this week’s Nudge came from that. I used to know the name of our postal carrier, the man who owned the drycleaning business down the street, the young woman who made my mochas at Peet’s, and the sweet man who greeted us so warmly at our favorite restaurant. But I’ve gotten out of practice. And there’s no excuse.

So this week I’m going to look for opportunities to step outside of my complacency zone and to talk with someone new.

What Happened: His name is Kong.

I’ve seen him regularly at the gym. He’s an elderly gentleman, not one of the iron-pumping guys who over-lifts to impress the girls, but nonetheless one of my fellow “gym rats” who likes to get in a workout  before the sun comes up. We’ve nodded to each other, said “Good morning,” but that’s about it…for years.

Two weeks ago that changed.

I’ve been out of my normal routine, haven’t been able to exercise as much as usual, and I definitely wasn’t hitting the elliptical machine at oh-six-hundred. But after I checked in that first official day back in the gym, he greeted me with “I’ve missed you! Is everything okay?”

I could have cried. It was so kind and thoughtful, and it touched my heart. I explained I’d been out for a medical reason, but was doing fine, was recovering, and was slowly making my way back to exercising again. “It’s good to see you again,” he said. “Thank you,” I managed, barely holding back tears. “You too.”

This morning was Day 2 of getting back in the groove, and there he was. “You look good! How are you feeling?” I thanked him, told him I was doing better, and that I was happy to see him. I wished him a good workout, then headed toward my first machine.

Then I stopped myself. Remembering this week’s Nudge, I turned around and went after him. “I’d like to know your name, please.”

“It’s Kong.”

I wasn’t sure I’d understood him at first, so asked him to spell it: K-O-N-G. “Kong,” I repeated. “And I’m Kathy. I’m so pleased to know you.”

The Ah-Hahs: I’m still glowing from this friendly exchange. I’m already looking forward to being back at the gym later this week. Look at that — bonus! And though I’ve already completed this Nudge, I’m looking forward to meeting more of my neighbors — and, I hope, soon-to-be-friends — this week.