Tag Archives: to do list

Nudged: Spiff up something

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Backstory: I had to look back at my notes to remind myself why I included this nudge, and I’m sorry to report they aren’t particularly inspiring: “Clear it off or clean it up.” Geez.

But if I’ve learned anything during these past several years of nudging, sometimes the “simplest” challenge reveals a deeper significance. And as I sit here considering what I might do, I think perhaps “I” might be the recipient of some spiffing up this week. Spiritually, emotionally, physically…lots of possibilities there.

As always, make this your own.

What Happened: Moments after I posted this week’s nudge, I grabbed the tube of adhesive caulk that has been sitting on our dining room table (for over a year) and re-grouted the floor of our shower (that has been leaking for well over a year). Nudge done!

Well…maybe not. It seemed too easy. Sure, this task has been on my to-do list for far too long, but I felt there was more I could do. What else has languished on my list? What else is in need of a spiffing up? What else is on my overloaded dining room table?

My eyes landed on the wooden W that fell off the wall and broke (over a year ago). Thinking I could whip through this repair job too, I grabbed the glue and went to work.

Before.

Two days and three types of glue later (oy), it was back in its rightful place.

After.

The Ah-Hahs: Notice anything different in the before and after photos? (Besides the obvious split, of course.) Just below the V on the left, there’s now a blue spot. When I applied the third type of glue, the super-strong one that finally held, I didn’t realize it had seeped through to the paper I’d placed beneath it. In the process of drying overnight, this area soaked up the color of the paper.

And you know what? I love it. It reminds me of the Japanese art of Kintsugi, when gold is used to seal cracks or breaks in pottery. The end result leaves the piece more interesting, more beautiful, than before.

As I look at the repaired W, I’m reminded of all the times we have been broken–have failed, been disappointed, taken detours–and how all of those experiences have come together to make us who we are today. I love that every time I pass this, I am reminded that we are resilient and truly beautiful just as we are.

I’d love to hear what you spiffed up this week. Will you share in the Comments?

Nudged: Paint sample squares on the office wall

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Backstory: My office is in our home, and it’s an incredible space. Big bay window that looks out over our backyard. Mementos of past projects on the walls. A huge pine desk. And now a puppy pen in the corner. For years I’ve wanted to give it a makeover. I want color, I want pizzazz, I want something that represents my best self. I want it to look not just like a spare room that serves as an office, but as a truly beautiful creative space.

To that end, a couple of years ago I picked up sample bottles of paint to try out. This is the week I find them (they’re somewhere in the basement) and paint those squares on the wall so I can live with them and figure out what color I want my walls to be.

Thor and I have done this before. We completely changed the look and feel of our dining and living rooms with color. I also know that this is the gateway to more TLC for our home. Painting the walls is the first step that will eventually lead to nice curtains, a rug without holes, and lighting fixtures that don’t date back to the 1970s.

I’m excited to finally get this project started.

Lots of options for making this Nudge your own. Maybe you pick up some of those paper color swatches and start with that. Or browse online and create a Pinterest gallery for a new couch/reading chair/bathtub. Or fix one small thing in your home that has been on the to-do list for a while. If you need inspiration, check out Apartment Therapy, a site I’ve been following recently for motivation on decluttering.

Pick one small step in the larger project and get it done. Let’s show our homes some TLC this week.

What Happened: OMG, I actually did this! I had every excuse ready to flake on this Nudge. I even spent part of my lunch break on Tuesday snooping around Sherwin-Williams‘s website and playing with their “visualizer,” telling myself this would count as completing the Nudge.

But dangit, I’ve put this off long enough. I did, in fact, find those two sample bottles in the basement and was embarrassed to discover I didn’t buy them “a couple of years ago” but in February…2015. How long has “spiff up my office” been on my Wish and To-Do lists? Too long.

So this afternoon I took advantage of the puppy’s nap time and got to work.

Pretty, right? That’s Butter Up on the left, Jonquil on the right. They’re on the wall that I face when I’m at my desk, and I plan to live with them for a while, to see how they look in different lighting during the day, to see which one feels right. Or maybe I’ll decide to branch out and try something totally different. I have to say, there is a light, almost gray, lavender that caught my eye when I was browsing the website.

The Ah-Hahs: Painting these squares + clean-up took less than 10 minutes. I’m kinda beating myself up for putting this off for seven years! But it’s done, and I’m excited to move forward to next steps: choosing my palette, finding a coordinating rug + curtains + lamps. I’m also reminding myself that this is my Process for achieving things, a skill set I haven’t used in a while: Break a big goal/dream into small steps and do one by one till it’s complete. It feels good to be moving forward.

The other ah-hah is I noticed how calming the physical painting was. My breathing naturally aligned with my brush strokes. The colors lifted my spirit. I’m smiling right now as I look at these two colors.

Isn’t it fun when a Nudge turns out to be packed with unexpected gifts?

P.S. What do you think: Butter Up or Jonquil or…?

Nudging: Paint sample squares on the office wall

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Backstory: My office is in our home, and it’s an incredible space. Big bay window that looks out over our backyard. Mementos of past projects on the walls. A huge pine desk. And now a puppy pen in the corner. For years I’ve wanted to give it a makeover. I want color, I want pizzazz, I want something that represents my best self. I want it to look not just like a spare room that serves as an office, but as a truly beautiful creative space.

To that end, a couple of years ago I picked up sample bottles of paint to try out. This is the week I find them (they’re somewhere in the basement) and paint those squares on the wall so I can live with them and figure out what color I want my walls to be.

Thor and I have done this before. We completely changed the look and feel of our dining and living rooms with color. I also know that this is the gateway to more TLC for our home. Painting the walls is the first step that will eventually lead to nice curtains, a rug without holes, and lighting fixtures that don’t date back to the 1970s.

I’m excited to finally get this project started.

Lots of options for making this Nudge your own. Maybe you pick up some of those paper color swatches and start with that. Or browse online and create a Pinterest gallery for a new couch/reading chair/bathtub. Or fix one small thing in your home that has been on the to-do list for a while. If you need inspiration, check out Apartment Therapy, a site I’ve been following recently for motivation on decluttering.

Pick one small step in the larger project and get it done. Let’s show our homes some TLC this week.

Nudging: Clean out the pantry

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Backstory: Gack. I kinda don’t want to know what’s hiding in the dark corners of my pantry. But it’s time to pull everything out, wipe down the shelves, and toss out anything that has expired.

This might be lacking the “fun” element I want most Nudges to have, but this task has been on my decluttering to-do list for years.

If your pantry is ship-shape, accept this Nudge to attack your linen closet, china cabinet, CD collection, or anything else that needs attention.

Here’s my before photo, to keep me honest:

Let’s do this.

Nudging: Eliminate (or delegate) a big responsibility

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Backstory: I groaned when I read this Nudge, and I almost put it back for my first Pass. This nudge presents at the start of one of the busiest work weeks for me—oh, plus Christmas. Everything on my massive to-do list is a “MUST-DO”, and at a quick glance, everything in there can only be done by me.

Or…?

My intention to practice more Radical Self-Care is behind this Nudge. When I added it to the List, I set the intention that I would be on the lookout for tasks that suck my time and energy, things I overdo or overthink that ultimately aren’t healthy. I’m not going to drop the ball on taking care of my family, meeting all the tight client deadlines, making sure bills get paid on time, and carve out time for exercise and sleep. At this moment, I honestly don’t know what could be eliminated or delegated, but I am accepting this Nudge and trusting something will come to mind.

Nudged: Pick something from the Big To Do List

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Backstory: The intention behind this nudge is to pick one of those BIG PROJECTS that have reappeared on various editions of my Big To Do List–and this is the important part (that doesn’t quite fit in the headline space): break it down into smaller steps and finally start getting it done.

I checked my notes from when I first created my nudges List, and this is the what I thought I might do:

Plan a Picnic: pick a date, invite family and friends, pull the picnic basket (an item that I love) up from the basement and give it a good cleaning, go through cookbooks and plan a fun menu, select games (bocce ball!), pick a park….

I’m more than a little sad that I can’t do all of this right now (darn COVID), and I’m tempted to do part of it because I really do miss picnics. It’s been several years since I’ve been on a proper picnic, which is why having one has been on the to do list for so long.

However, doing “part” is not the point of this nudge. So I’m going to take a look at the really BIG PROJECTS on my list and pick one. Maybe I’ll make a plan for starting a Victory (against COVID) Garden and growing my own salads. Maybe this is the week I do some research on what I’ll need to take a trip to Portugal (someday) and set up a special savings account with a plan for regular small deposits. I might sand and paint an old desk that desperately needs a facelift. Or I could go for one of the projects on my list that gets me closer to achieving a professional goal.

What are you inspired to tackle this week?

What Happened: I landed on something that speaks to a couple of ongoing projects: decluttering and trying new recipes. Over the past several months, I’ve been trying to sort through old recipe cards, clippings, and books; organizing those recipes I want to make again; and either tossing or sharing those I don’t. I feel like I’ve made very little progress. So, this week I pulled everything together and created what I’m calling “Cookery Central.”

Cookery Central

Everything I want to go through is in this one space, and it’s in a part of my office so I will see it every day. My plan is to devote 20-30 minutes per day, working until I have an organized system. In the process, I look forward to the fun of trying new things and recreating old favorites.

The Ah-Hahs: One reason I decided to focus on this particular project right now is because this is a huge undertaking and needs to get done. The other is that cooking and baking are creative activities that give me a lot of pleasure. And these days, I need to create my own entertainment while we continue to social-distance. This feels like a good fit. I’m excited to make some real progress with this.

Just looking at the photo above makes me happy. I see Ina Garten, David Lebovitz, Julia Child, and Jacques Pépin represented. I feel like I’m reconnecting with old friends.

And who knows…maybe my next blog adventure idea will come from this. 🙂

Nudging: Pick something from the Big To Do List

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Backstory: The intention behind this nudge is to pick one of those BIG PROJECTS that have reappeared on various editions of my Big To Do List–and this is the important part (that doesn’t quite fit in the headline space): break it down into smaller steps and finally start getting it done.

I checked my notes from when I first created my nudges List, and this is the what I thought I might do:

Plan a Picnic: pick a date, invite family and friends, pull the picnic basket (an item that I love) up from the basement and give it a good cleaning, go through cookbooks and plan a fun menu, select games (bocce ball!), pick a park….

I’m more than a little sad that I can’t do all of this right now (darn COVID), and I’m tempted to do part of it because I really do miss picnics. It’s been several years since I’ve been on a proper picnic, which is why having one has been on the to do list for so long.

However, doing “part” is not the point of this nudge. So I’m going to take a look at the really BIG PROJECTS on my list and pick one. Maybe I’ll make a plan for starting a Victory (against COVID) Garden and growing my own salads. Maybe this is the week I do some research on what I’ll need to take a trip to Portugal (someday) and set up a special savings account with a plan for regular small deposits. I might sand and paint an old desk that desperately needs a facelift. Or I could go for one of the projects on my list that gets me closer to achieving a professional goal.

What are you inspired to tackle this week?

Nudging: 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?

 

 

Nudging: Room by room, tidy the house

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Backstory: At my core, I am that woman who starts her day by making her bed. That one simple act clears space in my head and somehow helps me feel that I’ve accomplished at least one small thing.

Meanwhile, I am also that woman who still has Christmas decorations up in her house. In February. Not a lot, but they’re there, mocking me, nagging me to add de-decorating to my massive to do list and “Pull yourself together, woman!”

The idea for this nudge came from FlyLady, whom you’ve heard me talk about before. FLY stands for “Finally Loving Yourself”, and the message is about taking small steps to reclaim our lives, starting with tidying up our homes.

This isn’t crisis cleaning before guests come to stay. This isn’t deep spring cleaning, when you move the furniture and shake out all the rugs and dust and polish every corner and crevice. (I’ve never actually done that, btw. Does anyone?) The plan is to set a timer for a short period–maybe 10 to 20 minutes–and hustle at small tidying tasks. I might take out all the trash and put new bags in the cans. Or I might fold a basket of laundry, put everything away, and move the basket from the side of my bed to the laundry room. Or I might peel the paper snowflakes off the front windows, take down the Christmas wreath, take the Bing Crosby and Nancy Wilson holiday CDs out of the player in my car (for Pete’s sake!), and put everything back in storage.

For more info about how to do this, check out the “Getting Started Tips” at the FLYLady website. And if you’re inspired to do more decluttering in your life, pick up one of her books, Sink Reflections and The CHAOS Cure.

Got your timer? Ready…set…go!

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. 🙂