notanotherbl**dydebtdiary by notanothergreyhair

GettingThingsDone

Hi - I found 'Getting Things Done' by David Allen really worked for me (hence the name!). It is an excellent way of organising your life so that your mind is freed of the clutter of your various thoughts (open loops) so that you can focus on getting things done.

I'm usually against having a 'system', as they have never worked in the past for me (I can never stick with them), but this one just works. It's also flexible enough to accomodate 'real life'. The only warning I would give is that it's highly addictive! (a bit like this place!)

gtd

notanothergreyhair

cat4772 wrote: »

NAGH,


I think your debt diary has the hallmark of being great!

I would stop holding onto bad memories... why are they bad? What good memories do you have (just one will do to start with)
One good memory...hmm, I guess this ought to be easier than it first appears to be! I'll get back to you asap.
I would not owe another individual or institution money... Ooh, can I use this one, please? I would like not to owe anyone any money too
Just to clarify that I do intend/hope to have a mortgage one day; what I really mean is that I don't want to owe my mum or grandmother money.
I would not need my parents for anything:eek: I will always need my parents to love me and be loved by me! I can't (don't want to) imagine my life without them because then I'd be poor (in the life sense) as well as in debt!
Sorry, but my dad(sic) is a tw4t and always will be.

I would have motivation I think you have motivation, which is demonstrated in this diary
I am very good with initial ideas, I am hoping that by writing in this diary I will work at them.

I would play cricket again if I wanted because I was fit enough Do you want to play cricket again?
I enjoy cricket, but it is probably fair to say that I want to have the fitness to be able to be on a cricket pitch more than actually wanting to play.

I would have a career and not a bunch of excuses for not yet having one You're studying to gain a qualification, which I assume will help you towards a glittering career!
I am trying to study. I will write about my education in a post below, just because of length.

I would not be 'starting diet/work/etc tomorrow', I would be doing it now you are doing it now, you're working for AQA. You've made a plan (that's the hard bit, next hard bit is sticking to it - says me the queen of procrastination)
Haha...I don't mind being a queen:)

I might have a partner they're not the be-all and end-all, but I agree, they are nice to have around;)
I have never placed having a partner at the top of my list, or anywhere near it. Again, like the cricket, I think it is more about being in a place where it is easier to have a partner; I don't mean geographically, just me being a more settled individual.

I would visit new places in the world on holiday where would you most like to visit? I have my wish list and was shocked to realised that I've visited over 50% of the places I most wanted to visit when I was 21. I'll be doing a new list of places to see / things to do before I'm [strike]40[/strike], no make that 50!
Hmm...spiders scare the sugar out of me so Oz is out; I'd really like to find a nice little place in France where I could head off to now and then so I can write.

I would not make empty promises empty promises are one thing, but sometimes we need the magic ingredient of time before we can honour and keep our promises.
Very wise words, thankyou.

I would not let the smallest thing let me get so damn furious If we don't get mad at the small things, we *might* have to get mad at the big things!
I would confront something rather than shy away from it ok, those are big things!!

I'm looking forward to your next installment. Good luck, but I don't think you'll need it, because you'll achieve it all anyway. Meanwhile, we'll sit here and cheer you along all the way.

Thankyou so much.

weegie-dfw

Hello, I've just read through your posts and I think you've made a great start. A list of what will make you happy is a great beginning - I'm going to do one of these. I have been really bad this last year for procrastinating and it's now affecting my financial position - which is getting me down - which is in turn making me procrastinate even more. However this evening I have taken the first steps to break the cycle by starting to write action plans for projects/ things I need to get done. So far I have done two that I have stuck to and managed to finish two reports for work that I have had for three weeks now.

Why don't you try to write out an action plan for a day of study or particular project to start with. e.g.

1. Read notes
2. Read chapter blah blah
3. mind map information in chapter blah blah
4. write study notes for blah blah using mind map
5. read study notes.
6. make additions to study notes.
7. file study notes.

I get a kick out of crossing off each task on my list and by writing them in the order you need to do them helps you focus more on the task at hand.

Good luck with it all and keep posting - I find it helps clear my head and evaluate where I'm at with things.

silkglade

Hi, welcome, love your debt diary and I admire your honesty, gosh that took alot of guts, I could never have been so open at the begining of a debt diary.

Very refreshingly different and you have me hooked already :T

Now that you have found some great and very relaible friends to back you up and knock you into shape if you step off the DFW ladder the world is at you feet :j

notanothergreyhair

Just a quick note to say thankyou to those who are reading and those who are contributing.

I have had a couple of migraines over the past few days, other than that I have been getting on with some study - even if it is not quite as much as I ought to be doing. I'm not beating myself up over it though, I know that my workrate will improve.

I will write a little more later on, right now I am going to take advantage of the break in the rain and pop to the shop for some bread and milk etc.

NAGH

cat4772

NAGH

Sorry to hear about the migraines (they're a real... pain)!

I love your sig, it is unbelievable how supportive everyone is and how excited we become when we hear that cyber friends have become debt free (that's a real motivating factor as well).

notanothergreyhair

Just a little update from me, it has been a few days.

Thankfully this cluster of migraines have passed so I should be ok for a while; they used to get me down quite a lot but now I have had them for something like 15 years you just get into a pattern of how to deal with them.

Have had a topsy-turvy few days with my feelings, largely about my uni work; I am going to get through it and although I am not working as hard as I could (and should), matters are improving.

I have put in some extra time on AQA so my next pay packet ought to reduce my debt a little further and I have finally set up a 18185 account for the phone. Small steps and all that.

As you all know I am a person lacking motivation, even though I have the desire to have motivation, if you see what I mean; I had more motivation than I (and my teachers) could handle when I was a kid, but it ebbed away somehow. Anyway, I have been jotting down a few thoughts about the things I could use as catalysts for motivation; this is in contrast to my usual self-analysis which often centres on my negative past. The upshot of this is that I aim to put in place a few triggers that I can think of to make me get on with things, in time this ought to lead to me having better habits and positive motivation as the norm.

The carrot(s) may be golden but they are often too far away and the stick which beats me I have become impervious to; it is the stick I am focusing on as the carrot holds little sway.

Night night.

NAGH

silkglade

Good Morning, I am glad that your feeling better now, migraines are nasty and not nice at all (I have them too from time to time :mad: )

Keep up the good work - obviously you are very right taking little steps, each and every one is a step closer to your goal.

Sorry it is so short but I am off to bed now (working 12hr nights and all) shattered.

night

Silk

notanothergreyhair

So...it's been a while. I didn't intend on abandoning this diary, and I guess by writing these words I haven't.

It has been a good couple of months really. I have made some movement on my debt in terms of reducing it; the reduction is small, but in line with how much I intended to reduce it by so I am pleased. What is great is that I managed to establish a viable budget and stick to it. What is even better is that I have been fiddling around with excel these past two days and I now have a spreadsheet I am proud of. It isn't overly complex (for it need not be) but I added a huge cell which informs me just how much I have reduced my debt by, in percentage terms.

Emotionally, I have been settled since the exam period (I must learn to manage stress better). Some of my posts during that time were quite lucid, particularly when read in hindsight; being vulnerable to subdued feelings may be bad in general, but it doesn't half allow a person to express oneself open and clearly.

I'm not sure if any of you contribute to the Lose Weight thread, but I am happy to say that since I reported in this diary last I have lost 14lbs. What is fabulous is that I am approaching the food I eat in a different way to ever before. I'm not eating to lose weight but instead I am eating to be more nutritionally satisfied; the weight loss is an added (and quasi-intentional bonus). Also, I discovered Curry Queen's home-made curry sauce. I have yet to PM CQ to say thanks for this recipe but I will do - it is simply beautiful. I used to eat lots of takeaways but never curry as it often disagreed with my IBS Now I can make a curry which is as healthy as anything else I eat.

Anyway, I have rambled on enough tonight so I'm going to get some rest.

Love you all.

notanothergreyhair

"There was a time I was everything and nothing all in one"...damn I love Elton, he is a legend; when I am debt-free, and I have saved up, then I am going to go and see him in Las Vegas. If he is still playing there

Things are good at the moment. I am still losing weight and still keeping within my budget; although I am looking for a part-time job to supplement my AQA income...the latter I am putting a fair few extra hours into. I think I might see if I can work out a provisional DFD tonight too.

Hope you are all well.

NAGH