Week 8 RESULTS (Journaling!)

LADIES AND GENTS! 

I am so impressed that 20 of us are still responding each week and staying involved and continuing to improve our mental, spiritual and emotional health! Thanks for all those who recommitted to FINISHING STRONG!! 4 MORE  WEEKS TO GO!!

Christie	21
Karin	35
Maryjane	41
Rich	38
Really Serious	41
Hillarie	37
rhonda	17
Fawn	33
Carrie
Krystal	20
Lisa Jones	40
David	23
WenD	20
Mary Anne	41
Cam	35
Marsha	🤩
Carolyn Ricker
Dannette	34
Vicky W Manning	40
Sarah	31

GREAT JOB EVERYONE!!  5 OF YOU are in the 40's!! WOOT WOOT! Excellent work for all those who kept track and took the survey and even if you didn't keep track- thanks for participating and all your other responses. We love to hear what you have to say and we don't really care how many points you got either! LOL!! I don't really keep track in the traditional way... I just remember how many days I missed certain challenges and then take that number and subtract it from 42, then add 3 if I got the bonus- WHICH I DID THIS WEEK! WOOT WOOT! Luckily I cleaned and organized my craft room! Phew!  

Let's see what you all said...

I love the honesty in your answers! Cracks me up that we have a couple of you saying that you didn't get any writing done. It's all good! I hope those that wrote really feel good about getting those words on paper (or computer)! 

What one thing did you learn about yourself while JOURNALING last week?

I tend to judge myself, the words I choose, and second guess my thoughts. It just reminded me that I need to let that all go.

I need to journal earlier in the day. I had a couple of nights I have a lot of scribbles instead of words on the page - haha

It’s hard for me to write about myself. Easy to write about kids. I’ve gotten out of the practice and I really want to start again. It would be so good.

I am out of practice and then I should do it more.

I enjoy writing and am turning into a list maker

I wish I could get into journaling like many do but for me, I struggle with it. HOWEVER, this coincided with something my psychiatrist suggested this week with doing a brain dump right before bed and then praying each item I wrote down and asking God to take that item from me. The nights I actually did that, I slept considerably better

I totally forgot, I'm going to make this my personal goal this week.

So much to be grateful for!

I’m not in the habit of journaling, so I would need to make it a habit so I’m not doing it right before bed

I should share more about my spiritual experiences. I feel better when its out and written down.

Melodies can come to my mind, even if not often

That I need to do it more often- this was a really hard challenge for me!

I need to work harder on this. I don’t enjoy writing. 😝

I can be grateful even when life is overwhelming.

I can make time for it!

I learned that my motivation to journal is less when times are good but those are the memories I most want to keep! I need to better at that!

We are all over the board here but the majority says YES and Probably and Maybe! Well... Let's do it!! Those of you who won't... history will miss your input! But we appreciate your honesty!! Haha!

I put this question in the survey for myself most of all... I've needed to recommit and I am glad most of you are with me and I am assuming that the 15.8% are already doing great or are giving themselves grace to do what they can and feel good about! I applaud us!

Is there anything you would like to share about the challenge overall so far?

I love this challenge! I really like the variety of ideas and helps me really reflect on positive things in my life!

This has been a great experience for me. I have really enjoyed it!

I love this so much! I love working on things with other people!

Loving the positive focus on life and growth. Great quote from Brendon Bushard: "Do not be passive in your personal growth. Passivity is the lock on the cage of mediocrity. You must  break it. You must engage with full intent to grow again; you must make a plan to learn more; you must stretch to higher levels of being and service. You must be bold." 

Knowing others are doing what I am doing at the same time really helps! I really am enjoying it and value the accountability. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

This is really helping me be better in every way! I made my personal goal super challenging and I am down to the final days! For the first several weeks I was getting barely any points for it! Now I just might make it. Yay!

It has helped me be motivated, especially the nature part.

Loving it, but I have definitely lost a little steam in the last few weeks. I want to finish strong!

I love this quote that Rich shared! Thanks so much! I think I am going to put that on my wall and read it every day! Thanks for  your comments everyone! This week  was really hard with being sick but your survey responses here, and your  personal ones to me have given me so much energy and motivation to finish strong and give you (and myself) all of my best!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Enjoy family, friends, making memories and DRINKING WATER!! 

Drink Your Water!! by Carrie Phy

This just in from  challenge participant, Carrie  Phy: (THANK YOU CARRIE!)

Good  Morning everyone! 

This week's challenge is one that is already a habit of mine. Drink your water! I love water and drink between 4-6 quarts every day. Here are my top tips for getting your water in!

1. Take 10 sips every time you drink

2. Always carry a water bottle with you wherever you go

3. Flavor your water if you don't like plain water. Fresh lemons/limes make it refreshing!

4. Measure out your water. Every night I fill my water for the next day. Costco always has sales on a 2 pack of 40oz insulated water bottles. I fill up multiple bottles that equal my gallon. Once they are gone, I know I met minimum.

WEEK 9: Drink Water!

 Hi friends!

This week we will drink the recommended daily amount of water! According to the following article

MEN need about 15.5 cups and 

WOMEN need about 11.5 cups of FLUID INTAKE per day. 

Get a point for every day that you drink AT LEAST 8 Cups of water per day! GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF HYDRATION!!...... So get out your water bottles, hydroflasks, cups and glasses and let's DRINK UP!

THIS IS A GREAT ARTICLE from the MAYO CLINIC!! I've recorded this article and the rest of this post and you can find it on my  Sound Cloud  HERE

Water: How much should you drink every day?

Water is essential to good health. Are you getting enough? These guidelines can help you find out.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

How much water should you drink each day? It's a simple question with no easy answer.

Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years. But your individual water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

No single formula fits everyone. But knowing more about your body's need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day.

What are the health benefits of water?

Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 50% to 70% of your body weight. Your body depends on water to survive.

Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to work properly. For example, water:

• Gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements
• Keeps your temperature normal
• Lubricates and cushions joints
• Protects sensitive tissues

Lack of water can lead to dehydration — a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is:

• About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men
• About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women

These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages and food. About 20% of daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from drinks.

What about the advice to drink 8 glasses a day?

You've probably heard the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day. That's easy to remember, and it's a reasonable goal.

Most healthy people can stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids whenever they feel thirsty. For some people, fewer than eight glasses a day might be enough. But other people might need more.

You might need to modify your total fluid intake based on several factors:

• Exercise. If you do any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to cover the fluid loss. It's important to drink water before, during and after a workout.
• Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional fluid. Dehydration also can occur at high altitudes.
• Overall health. Your body loses fluids when you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Drink more water or follow a doctor's recommendation to drink oral rehydration solutions. Other conditions that might require increased fluid intake include bladder infections and urinary tract stones.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, you may need additional fluids to stay hydrated.

Is water the only option for staying hydrated?

No. You don't need to rely only on water to meet your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion. For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and spinach, are almost 100% water by weight.

In addition, beverages such as milk, juice and herbal teas are composed mostly of water. Even caffeinated drinks — such as coffee and soda — can contribute to your daily water intake. But go easy on sugar-sweetened drinks. Regular soda, energy or sports drinks, and other sweet drinks usually contain a lot of added sugar, which may provide more calories than needed.

How do I know if I'm drinking enough?

Your fluid intake is probably adequate if:

• You rarely feel thirsty
• Your urine is colorless or light yellow

Your doctor or dietitian can help you determine the amount of water that's right for you every day.

To prevent dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. It's a good idea to drink a glass of water:

• With each meal and between meals
• Before, during and after exercise
• If you feel thirsty

Should I worry about drinking too much water

Drinking too much water is rarely a problem for healthy, well-nourished adults. Athletes occasionally may drink too much water in an attempt to prevent dehydration during long or intense exercise. When you drink too much water, your kidneys can't get rid of the excess water. The sodium content of your blood becomes diluted. This is called hyponatremia and it can be life-threatening.

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Journal Journeys!

Come with me on some Journaling Journeys

I finally got a video to work! I've had technical difficulties around here ALL WEEK but tonight, in my jammies.... I was able to make a video for you (and get it uploaded) about my FAVORITE journaling experiences. Learn where old journal entries had a MAJOR positive impact on my life later on! I hope you will go on an 15 min. journey with me that will inspire and motivate you to keep writing and keep healing! 

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN!

I posted just the audio of this video on SOUND CLOUD Here! 

Ok- I love you and trust you enough to share some of these actual entries with you and a few more for FUN! 

Here is where I saw BILL NORTON'S name IN MY JOURNAL from 10 years before!!!!! I was on a zoom call with him when I found this. We were shocked and awed to say the least! (beginning and ending included here). Look at my super pumped up attitude at the end! Bill has always had that effect on me! Now we are doing what I said I wanted to do in that entry! And we are doing it together! :)

Incredibly, it got even better!! Here is a portion of the journal entry I talked about that was labeled "Real Vanilla Cake Recipe"

Jan. 13, 2019

 

Recipe for REAL VANILLA CAKE:

 

What will it be like to have a real husband?

I thought one day about the some day

The someday that one day will be

When I’m with my REAL husband, the one in my dreams

The one that will REALLY love me.

 

He won’t just say it or write it in a card

He will show me and tell me and it won’t even be hard

Because he will really feel it  in his heart that feels feelings

I won’t even know what to do, my head will be reeling.

 

This husband of mine who has been waiting for years

To hug me and hold me and let me cry tears

Tears for the times I thought I would die

When I wanted to, wanted to, even just for a night.

 

When I thought I was trapped in a nightmarish hell

In a trap that was supposed to be better than well.

In a marriage with someone I loved and adored

Who acted annoyed when I talked and quite bored

 

He was supposed to love me and protect me from pain

Yet he was the one who brought it like a storm with some rain.

It always kept raining and I couldn’t make it stop. 

I tried to be perfect and perfect till I dropped.

 

This poem is annoying because I don’t like the pattern.

So I’ll change it up as if it really mattern

 

Dear husband. I love you, I miss you. I don’t know you at all.

But once I meet you, I will wonder how I didn’t know you. 

You will be so familiar I can’t remember not being with you, just like when you have a baby and they are instantly familiar.

I can’t wait to shower you with the love I’ve been growing. I am so used to loving people that are so hard to love. A person that said he loves me more than anyone else could.

What do you think of that dear husband? Do you take on the challenge? Do you think you could love me more than he could? ....

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One thing I love about both of these experiences with my poem/journal entries is that I DID KNOW MY FUTURE HUSBAND (I just didn't know it yet)! All along we had been friends, for almost 20 years and had no idea that we would one day be together. All those years working on church, political, business and freedom projects, as friends with NO CLUE that one day we would find love, safety and acceptance with each other! I just love it!! God is sooo good! The solution was being worked on before we ever began to pray for help. MY JOURNALS HELPED ME TO KNOW WHO I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WITH for the rest of FOREVER!! 

First hand written (by me) journal entry EVER!! Almost exactly 43 years ago! So surprised my spelling was spot on! That didn't always happen at that age!

My first entry about political/current events... and BOYS!

Here is my first entry writing about sharing my thoughts and feelings about God. SO CUTE!! Apparently, it was FUN! 

Look what else I wrote in 2009... right after the stuff about Bill Norton... Does this kinda sound like our daily challenges right now?! I just noticed this tonight as I made this blog post! Notice the 4 bullet points...

Notice #4 is basically about JOURNALING! We are already doing #1 and #2 and #3 is in the plan! So fun!!!

HERE ARE MOST OF MY JOURNALS! The orange book is the baby book my dear mother made me! 

Journal Therapy!

 Journal Therapy!! It's FREE!! 

 

Miranda Smith is this week’s cheerleader and this is her hot tip for journaling:

 

“I keep a thoughts and feelings journal. And whenever I’m upset or sad, I write down everything that I’m feeling to get it out of my system with as much emotion as possible (typing works too). Then I ask myself why this thing made me upset and I really reflect. I am always able to learn something about myself and about a limiting belief running around in my head based on what the answer to that question is. Then I am able to correct that thought/belief and disprove it!”

 

I love this so much! Putting our thoughts and feelings on paper really gives us the opportunity to observe them in a more scientific, less emotional way, and then we can evaluate them using reason and logic. This is a great combination of all the parts of ourselves, helping us see ourselves, our lives and our struggles more clearly. 

 

In all my studying recently I learned that a massive percentage of anxiety comes from within the mind. It’s not “all” in our heads, but much of the pain and suffering is taking place right there! So, let’s get it out of our mind, put it on paper and have a look! Even the simple act of taking a step back and realizing that WE HAVE A MIND, BUT WE ARE NOT OUR MINDS, can have profoundly healing effects. I am a person experiencing experiences, but I am not my mind. Try seeing this new perspective of your mind and just observe it for a while. Take a clinical type approach to what is happening in your heart and mind and work it out from that angle. 

 

When evaluating your brain on paper I would ask you to ask yourself this question, “Does this really mean what I think it means?” We all have situations that arise in our lives and we assign these experiences meaning. But sometimes we get it WAY WRONG! For example: Let’s say your dad lost his job when you were young. Maybe it was a hard, scary time in your life and you decided that his job loss meant “The world is a scary place. It’s a dog eat dog world out there. No one can ever be depended on.” These beliefs and stories you created around that situation will wreak havoc in your mind and have negative outcomes in your own personal life. Maybe it’s time to go back to some big turning points and events in our lives and ask ourselves, “Does this really mean what I thought it meant (about me, about my family or about the world in general)?" Children are excellent observers but terrible interpreters. Think of how often children interpret their parents’ marital struggles as evidence that they themselves are a bad person or are to blame. How many decisions do they make from that incorrect viewpoint that cause emotional damage to themselves and harm relationships in the future? Are you seeing something through a dark lens that could be cleared up with fresh evaluation? What are those turning points in your life that changed everything? What lies have you believed about them? Maybe it’s time to discover the truth? Let’s get started this week and ask your Truthteller to guide you to truth, clarity and peace. Most things that happen in our lives are neutral. It's the meaning that we assign them that cause us to see them as negative or positive.

This also reminds me of a concept that Miranda’s mom, Camille, and I taught in our classes, that it’s great to do a “brain dump” at the end of a long, emotional day. Just get all of the emotions and feelings out on paper as big and loudly (and angrily) as you need too... THEN BURN IT or TEAR IT UP! Do whatever feels most therapeutic. Your feelings want to be felt and noticed but we don’t have to hang onto them or give them too much space for too long. Hanging onto them can be toxic, so we give them their “15 seconds of fame” and send them out of our bodies and souls and on their way. Try this too! Sometimes we get hung up with trying too much fixing and evaluating and we just need to say, “Well, that’s done” and let it all go. Use your intuition to see which approach might be best on a particular day or event.

 

I love you so much! You can do this!! Let's HEAL!!