Goals

I went to this seminar thing a few years back with my company.

Joe Montana was there ... so was Laura Bush ... even Bill Cosby.

Oh Bill - Crazy Old Man.  We Love You.

There was also a guy there who talked about goal setting.  I feel terrible that I don't remember his name, but his speech stuck with me.  While this was a business setting (and yes, they pitched stock management and property like it was going out of style ... sigh ...) the message behind what he was saying could be applied to ALL aspects of life.

It was simple: Any goal is obtainable.  A dream can become reality, you just have to make it happen.

Ultimately, he had us all write down our goals.  Then take those goals, and break it down even further.  Like anything, you need to work at it to be better at it.  So say, your goal was to learn a new language.  You can break it down to say that in 6 months you hope to hold a 1 minute conversation with someone.  Break it down even further - daily, commit to do something to help you get towards your goal.  Perhaps this is learn a new word in that language.  Then, once a week form a sentence with the words you've learned.  And so forth.

By breaking it down, and doing something daily/weekly to help you achieve your goals, it feels obtainable!

Back in my freshman blog, I wrote a goal post (you can see it here).  It is so interesting to me, that my goals are not too different now than they were then.  While I'm not going to go back over what I had then (feel free to read the old post), I wanted to write down my new goals.  With life about to get a heck of a lot crazier again, I felt it would help me focus.  Later on I may elaborate more on my goals.  For now, this is just an overview ...

1 - Weight

Seems to always be #1 on my goal list.  Probably because it's always been my #1 problem.  I feel like if I can get the weight off, I can get a lot more done ... things would come together better ...
I recognize this isn't entirely true.  There are emotional things I will need to work out before I can truly shed all the "weight" off.
HOWEVER, I do wish to get down to a weight that I am comfortable with!  This is so I can keep up with my two beautiful children (they are constantly on the go!), fit better in clothes and just *feel* better.

2 - Education

This is something that I have been working on, and am proud to say that I have completed 2 full quarters (plus a light summer quarter) so far!  I will revisit everything with a counselor in a few months - but my goal is to be done with my 2 year degree by Spring or Summer 2014.  The ULTIMATE goal ... is to apply and go to Washington State University.  They have a Business Management Bachelor's program out of the University Center in Everett, WA.  I feel it in my BONES that the prophecy will be fulfilled ... and I can officially be a Cougar Graduate.

GO COUGS!!!!!!

3 - Family

This is my foundation.

My ridiculously gorgeous daughter ... my handsome little man ... and my supportive husband.

Without my foundation in place, I am lost.

My goal is to maintain healthy relationships with my husband, daughter and son.  Whether we do family dates all together ... one on one time with the kids (i.e. Rachel & I go grocery shopping just the two of us) ... and date nights.

4 - Finances

It's true.  I am kind of a freak of nature.

I enjoy budgeting.
I enjoy tracking expenses ... making financial goals ... and typing out pretty excel spreadsheets.

We have had our financial boat ROCKED HARD this last year.  The extra kiddo plus me working part time/school definitely put a strain on our pocketbook.  It also didn't help, that my husband got laid off.  Luckily, we saw that one coming.  So I went back to work full time a few months ago.

It is my goal to regroup and restructure our budget.  Josh and I both want to be out of this house, and in our "forever home" in the next few years.  We also have some other major plans we want to accomplish.

5 - Relay For Life

To say that I have a passion for The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life now ... is a big understatement.

Last year was my first Relay For Life.  I was inspired to start a team thanks to Dawn, centered in the center in orange.  And Briana, also in the center, in grey.  These ladies are some of my closest and dearest friends.  They are both also cancer survivors.  Cancer is a terrible and devastating thing and I wish it upon no one - not even my worse enemy.
In my family alone, my Grandma ... Grandpa ... and Aunt are survivors.  On top of my close friends, pictured here, I have many more friends and their loved ones whose lives have been affected by cancer.

What drew me into the ACS RFL, was because of what it gave back to our local community.  Along with top research, the ACS doesn't focus on just one cancer.  I liked this, and wanted to be apart of Relay.  This was Dawn's second year, and she was asked to be Team Development.  Dawn asked me to come out to an early meeting to meet everyone, and I was hooked.  I took the position of Entertainment and Publicity, and ran with it.  So much, that I was asked to be Co-Event chair for this upcoming year.  I am so honored and blessed that I can help organize and throw such an amazing event ... Celebrating Our Survivors ~ Remembering Those We've Lost ~ And Fighting Back So No One Will Have To Go Through Cancer.

6 - Running

I signed up to do the Warrior Dash this last summer for my friend's dirty 30 (who in turned inspired another dirty 30 ... and so on!)

While it wasn't a complete success (my close friends, Briana *the survivor I mention above in the RFL paragraph* broke her foot/ankle in 4 places.  It was a devastating break, to say the least).
My victory crossing the finish line was bitter sweet.

After the guilt and sadness passed, though, a rush came over me.  I did it.  I f-ing did it.  Me, somewhat out of shape (work in progress, folks) overweight young thing here made it through a 5K that had walls to climb ... mud to crawl through ... and fire to jump over.
I.  Did.  It.
And I loved it.  The rush of running, the way my body had grown.  It inspired me that day.  I walked away from the Warrior going "I want to keep running."
And I've been trying to.  I have signed up for a few fun 5Ks in the area, and I cannot wait to compete (spoiler alert: I'm going to be posting about those quite a bit, ha ha).

There are other goals in mind ... I feel as if I can focus/work on these though, the others will fall into place.

I still want to have a Nikki Empire ... but that is put on the back burner, as I need a clear vision of what kind of Empire I want ...

"This is not the Empire you're looking for"

What kind of goals do you have?
Are they big and long term - or short and sweet?

I'd love to hear what you're working towards!

Thanks for checking my blog out - have a great evening (or morning, depending on how you look at it ...)

~ Be The Thermostat, Not The Thermometer ~

Nikki

Dear Food - Why Can't I Quit You?

The obvious answer is: "Duh, you'd die with me".
I get it, food.  Without you, my body would eventually die.

What I have always struggled with, is my relationship with food.

As a pre-teen, I turned to food for comfort when I was teased relentlessly in 5th grade.  I turned to food when I was happy.  When I was mad.  Sad.  And so on ...

Now, since having children, I find myself more of a stress eater than I ever was before.  This could also be a direct coralation between quitting smoking and replacing one bad habit with another.

This is another problem I face: I KNOW what I'm doing wrong.  I know what I should be eating (1500 calories a day, since I work out, made up of complex carbs ... healthy fats ... protein ... etc.).  I know I should avoid sugar, empty foods, etc.  I preach this to everyone I know.  People come to me for advice about it.  It's not to say I'm losing weight, it's just slow as frack thanks to my constant set-backs.

I had a light bulb go off the other day ...

It doesn't take a scientist to figure it out - but our bodies are like machines.
We feed it crap - it runs like crap.
With this mentality, I need to view FUELING my body versus just EATING my feelings.

Again, not rocket science here.  Yet, it felt like my "aha" moment I needed.
Have I magically turned things around since this moment.  NO.  However, before anything goes into my mouth, I ask "Food or Fuel?"

Sometimes my emotions/stress still wins ... but the battle is getting easier.

I really can't wait until after my Vegas vacation in two weeks.  I plan on jolting my body with the jump-start it needs (no serious fasting or anything crazy like that - just a restricted diet for a few days to get the crap out that I'm sure will be floating around from Vegas!)

What struggles do you have with your eating and diet?  Are you an emotional eater or a stress eater?
I have also promised not to beat myself as hard anymore when I do slip ... this helps me not become so emotional, and thus restart the cycle of bad food decision making.


I look forward to hearing from you, my lovely readers, your thoughts.

~ Be The Thermostat, Not The Thermometer ~

Nikki

Introductions: "Third times a charm!"

As I sit here on this humid Sunday evening, I find myself wondering how to begin this blog.

For most people, starting a blog usually includes an introduction post.  Bringing its readers up to speed on their past and current life situations.  The author may even indulge on what they'd like to see in the future.

Truth is - this is my 3rd stab at (personal) blogging.  I feel like I'm a broken record by doing the proper introduction.  Sure, it's not fair to my readers now that aren't my friends (or weren't following me in the past).  I just feel almost like I didn't accomplish or follow through on my previous goals by seeing out the life of my blogs.

I also have to remind myself - that each time I let a blog ride of into the sunset, a chapter of my life was beginning.

My first personal blog was well done.  I was still trying to find what direction to head in with it, but I was happy with it.  I had my baby girl ... my loving husband ... and my little life.  My last post was even about me falling off the band wagon, and losing weight.  I probably would have followed through on it, being that in January I got a fresh fire lit under my toosh.  Then, on January 17th 2012 during a huge snow storm that kept me home for a week ...

It came as a surprise.  My husband and I were wanting to have kids 2 to 2 1/2 years apart.  It took us about 6 months to conceive my daughter.  So it only made sense I go off my birth control in December.  Being the fact I was induced at 39 weeks on September 24th ... that would mean baby's due date would have been early October.  You do the math ...

Brown Chicken Brown Cowwwwwwwww

 

The next 9 months was about changing life plans and preparing for a full house.  Of course now, I wouldn't want my life any other way!  However, my little blog was push to the back burner (along with any major physical transformation) and it fizzled.  When I was ready to begin blogging again, I created my second blog.  Same idea as the first one, but I focused a lot more on articles I wanted to share regarding home spa ideas and losing weight.  The idea was great, but I think since it wasn't as personal to me as I wanted my blog to be, it feel to the wayside of priorities.  That, and these two beautiful children of mine needed extra love and attention as we all learned how to balance life with each other.

My daughter & son, March 2013

So here I am.

Same goals.  Same challenges.

New life.  New family.

 

And most importantly, new outlook.

 

I almost feel like this blog was meant to be.  That the first two were stepping stones for where I'm at now.

 

I want you to come along with me as I try to continuously figure out this thing called life!  I have a very full, but fulfilling life.  Filled with work, school, family, fitness, friends, Relay and more.

 

My goals for this blog is to let you into some of those moments I think we all have.  The moments where you want to quit and break down.  The moments where you are so flipping excited, and want to high five everyone you see.

 

Moments when you want to cry ... laugh ... or just have a drink in silence.

Or a few drinks ... then silence!

 

And if I can touch just one person in any way ... that they read a post and go "yes, YES, that is exactly how I feel.  Thank GOD I'm not alone" ... I feel that this blog has accomplished it's mission.

 

I will also be very "Nikki" and share my favorite blogs ... articles ... workouts ... and more!  My blog will resemble life - it won't always be Sunshine and Rainbows.  I do, however, promise a good read.

 

Spoiler Alert: My Daughter loves Sesame Street.  Expect a lot of S.S. references.

 

I look forward to sharing more with you - but alas, my bed calls my name.  And I will answer the call! 

 

Thanks for checking my blog out.

 

 

 

Nikki

"Be the Thermostat - Not the Thermometer"