Good evening everyone!
Looks like a lot of my fellow bloggers have many noble goals for the month of June and I thought I’d contribute with my own monthly challenge!
In May, I had challenged myself to track my spending using Quicken. This has been a super-fabulous-success and I think it was reporting back to you, readers, every week that made this work! So thanks for stopping by, I’m starting to think these wouldn’t have been the same successes without you!
This month, I think I’m just going to keep my goals modest. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, this month is going to be incredibly stressful with some of the personal stuff happening in my life. Largely, my aim is to survive the month and keep things as regular as possible.
A couple things I do when I’m stress is impulse spend on stuff that I don’t really need. The crafty thing about my impulse spending is that it is often disguised as smart purchases. Buying a book on money management? Sure, totally reasonable purchase. But the reason behind the purchase is because I’m feeling worried and/or overwhelmed about what’s happening in my life.
1. Goal: Keep my impulse spending down to a minimum.
I will plan out my spending for the week to keep things as purposeful as possible, keeping in mind life balance (friends, family, work etc.).
Another things I really struggle with is impulse eating. I love to stop by a drive thru or a coffee house and pick up something to get me through a moment of boredom or restlessness. This is unhealthy and kind of an expensive habit.
2. Goal: Since I’m not a fan of feeling bored, or restless, or anything negative really – I will have a list of things I can do instead.
For example, If I feel like going to McDonald’s, I will eat a healthy snack at home and go for a quick run around the block to get rid of the extra energy.
3. Goal: I will schedule at least a couple of hours a day when I have to focus on said crappy task.
I have taken some time off work over the next few weeks so I can focus on what I need to do. However, I like to avoid crappy things so I find all manner of useless stuff to fill my time with anything but the crappy thing I have to do.
I will work for a couple hours downstairs in our basement -free of distraction – to finish up the project I have to complete.
4. Goals: I will start hiking again at this local park at least three times a week.
It’s not a long hike (about 3 kilometers or 1.8 miles) but there’s hills and it takes me awhile. I’m in fairly terrible shape so this will be a good work out for me. It’s a beautiful park and it reminds me of British Columbia – which is where I grew up.
I always feel better in the woods – there’s less people which means I don’t have to make eye contact or meaningful conversation. As a general rule, I don’t like a lot of hobbies that involve either eye contact or meaningful conversation. I’m such a people person. 😉
So I think that’s all for my goals for this month. I’m just going to try and stay on track and not get too worked up if it doesn’t work out perfectly.
So readers, what do you do when you get stressed out?
Link Love
Budget and the Beach Job Anxiety Sets In
Debt Round Up What would you do? – Buying A Home
Making Sense of Cents Finding Time for it All: Summer Edition
Thank you for the mention. Good luck with your goals. I think hiking is a great idea. I use it to reflect about current events in my life.
No problem! You posed a really important question about how to deal with the unknowns of selling your house. I know there were so many things I had never considered when buying our house. Thanks for the great article!
Thanks for the link love! I like to go for a run when I’m stressed out. I also got in the habit of meditating, but probably not in the traditional sense like most people meditate, but it works for me. I think you just have to find the technique that works best for you. I’ve never had the fast food habit but I think that one is probably really tough. It’s horribly addicting I’ve been told.
I like the combination of difficult goals with more fun goals, like hiking. Always nice to have a balance. I also think your idea of having alternative activities at the ready is a really good one. It makes it much easier to fight those urges than if the alternative isn’t readily available. Good luck!
Hi Tonya & Matt!
I’ve meditated before and liked it – although being that still always makes me sleepy!
Honestly, I’m not sure how successful I’ll be with everything this month but I wanted to have a plan in place. At least that way, I know I’ll be making a deliberate choice. Helps me feel more in charge – even with my bad habits!
Thanks guys
Lindsey
PS I love hiking!
Good luck on your June goals! Everyone thinks I’m bonkers when I suggest this, but when I catch myself wanting comfort foods for emotional reasons, I eat iceberg lettuce (from the bag) because the crunch kind of reminds me of chips. It sounds crazy, but it’s taken the edge off the emotion more often than not. Hiking is awesome, great reflection time!
Iceberg lettuce, hey? Maybe I’ll give it a shot – I do love that crunch! I just read your “about me” section of your blog and liked what you said about running. I really enjoyed running when I did it in university.
Thanks for visiting and cheers!
Lindsey
Oh, I used to be ALL about eating my feelings. These days I try to go for a run instead. Good luck this month!
Thanks lady! Eating my feelings seems to be my “go to” when I’m stressed out. Or impulse spending on stuff I didn’t intend to buy….
Working hard at changing that though!
OH how I like the running around the block when you think of going out for fast food. I really need that one. Time for sad crappy task is a good one as well.
Hey Thomas!
Yes, this week has been pretty good for no fast food – probably more because I’m broke than because I’m truly dedicate but I’ll take what success I can get!
Cheers
Lindsey
Sounds like a good plan. Setting goals can really help you a lot. I wish you well, and yes, you will survive!
Hi KC!
All plans are laid with the best of intentions but so far, I’ve been doing okay with everything. I’ve slipped with spending money this week but the fast food stuff I’ve been better at.
I’ll keep at it and thanks for stopping by!