Mission: Maggie

I wrote this post in October 2011. Did you read it? Did you see that foreshadowing? IT'S LIKE I KNOW MYSELF.

So in October 2011 I was apparently under the impression I was starting over for the last time.

What I find tough to swallow is how much progress I actually had made. I was touching my toes which, for me, was almost as exciting as doing the splits.

What I didn't document, and don't remember, is giving up. At some point I quit stretching. In January 2013, the tension in my entire body was unbearable; even my usually comfy mattress hurt me.

I decided to start my Positivity Proposal, and number two on my list was stretching. I never did get around to writing about number two, although I was doing back, neck and shoulder stretches daily.  I still do them a couple times a week, in fact. My original intent was to add leg and hip stretches until I became a Limber Linda but instead, when life got hectic, I let all exercise be forgotten.

Now look! I can't touch my toes! It's almost my 32nd birthday and I CAN'T TOUCH MY TOES.

So effective immediately I'm reinstating the Positivity Proposal but I'm rebranding. It will now be known as Mission: Maggie. (I may have a thing for alliteration.) I feel the new name better represents my evolving goals, and I'm excited for the reboot!

Below, my husband and I try to take a picture with our puppy.

Hello.

I've returned.  And like all New Year's Resolutions, the Positivity Proposal has fallen by the wayside.  Although I no longer check Facebook 469268 times a day. I actually haven't checked it in about 18 hours. 

I don't miss it. I don't miss Twitter,  either, as I also decided to limit my involvement there. I only access my account a handful of times a week now. Mainly while watching RuPaul's Drag Race.

Keepin' it real.

I don't feel like a changed woman yet. I'll be honest here, I'm a little disappointed. I wanted to FEEL the change beginning to roll in, even if I couldn't see it yet.

I'm well aware I'm being unreasonable! We live in an instant gratification world! That's why credit cards exist!

I can feel the changes beginning from numbers two and three, which I haven't discussed yet, but number one is a bust so far. I'm going to keep on keepin' on, though. Hopefully it's too soon to tell.

Number One: WTH?

I don't like who I become on Facebook. We've covered this. So why, when I was stopped in traffic for two hours and 15 minutes on my way to work this morning, did I live blog the event? I felt dirty as the comments began to roll in.

I should have spent the time reflecting, maybe. Thinking how lucky I was that wasn't me. Appreciating my warm car when it was 8° outside. Hoping those in the many (MANY!) accidents were and are OK.

Instead, I Facebook'd. And then, even worse, I grew annoyed when people commented.

So I've made a few adjustments:

1. I only have one "Close Friend" now: my husband. In the past, I had many. If this is going to work, those updates need to stop. (Because I certainly can't ignore them!)

2. I've filtered who can see what I post by default. Since I don't plan to completely disappear from Facebook, I've simply cut down on the chance of getting a frustrating comment.

3. I've completely unsubscribed from Those People. You know them. The people you enjoy in real life but on Facebook they repost things in 30 seconds because OMG THEY LUV THEIR DAUGHTER! You can't unfriend them.

Onward.

Number One.

1. Check Facebook Less.

I should clarify that this is not a FOMO issue; this is an issue I have with Facebook. I actually find that I'm affected by reading my feed. I become unhappy, and I tend to post articles I know will upset political extremists.

I buy into trolling and comparing. I've had to block people from showing up in my feed - family members even! - because I was taking their status updates too personally. I feel badly about myself, I think bad thoughts about them. It's not good for my mental health or my relationship with these "friends" offline.

This is not their fault, it's mine. Number One on my list, it became (also, I'm Yoda).

Positivity Proposal: Suggesting a successful outcome

Inspired by The Happiness Project, Positivity Proposal is my take on improving my quality of life.

I have three items I plan to work on for 30 days. After those 30 days are up, I'll evaluate and add three more. They may or may not be related to the last three.

I plan to baby step my way to wellness. And that's OK.