NST: May the odds be ever in your favour!

liltdiddylilt

Hope you are ok fmess? Sending you thoughts and love... xx

stewby

Thanks for the challenge Apple Muncher.

I promise I will be well on board for the next one you do. As with Welshkitty, life just got in the way this month.
First Rome, then sickness and then stress.

Will "man up" for June's challenge and see if I can work harder and do more.


We do have a festival in June but I have saved for it so we should hopefully be all sorted and will have no issues like we did in Rome (in fairness though, it is in England so missing flights won't be an issue).
:j

edit: Just realised we cross-posted. Huge hugs for you fmess. I hope everything is okay and feel free to PM me or chat if you want.

traveller

Hi everyone, sorry for the complete absence. I just have been a bit all over the place this month and not really up to posting. I have still stuck with the challenge, but I'm another one who's had life get in the way I will sign up for next month and hope to do better. Apple, thank you for doing this month :T

mothernerd

Hugs Fmess.

Have a lovely holiday Welsh Kitty.

Excellent weight loss Lilt, unfortunately mine is going the wrong way. Do you think I can blame the armour for the extra weight?

I've had a very strange month. Financial low point was filling in a Stepchange form which told me my outgoings were nearly double my income (mostly because they told me to put things in) but I already knew it wasn't working. At the same time I was struggling with the lack of progress in health and feeling tired all the time (regular daily hayfever tablet may be contributing but it's essential so will just plod on). This is extra worrying because of the money situation not many chances to improve earnings until I can do more. Looking on the bright side I still can't clean the skirting boards (can wipe a mark off or rub a little bit, maybe a couple of feet, but would then have to straighten up again).

I have managed to move about £5000 of debt onto a 0% rate for a year (card which increased my limit earlier in the year but wouldn't let me use it for balance transfers) so money I pay should start making a dent in the debt again rather than paying interest and DS3 now qualifies for WTC so He's going to give me that and any game sales and commission earnings will go to his student overdraft. This means I just about cover expenditure including debt repayment but absolutely no frills.

Returned to noticing any small improvements in my physical health (walking without crutches, more flexibility - still can't kneel or get on the floor but thinking about what I can do). I am having to pace myself if I do heavier jobs but want to keep trying.

This has been particularly noticeable this week as DS2 has moved again and wanted his washer and my old fridge freezer back (+ some smaller items). Spent Thursday emptying freezer goods into the tall freezer (stopped for a lie down), went back to clean the ff (much heavy breathing and innovative use of tools to get in the bottom bit) followed by further resting then back to clean the washer. Then he phoned to say it was going to be Saturday collection as he had run out of time.

Took things easy on Friday (legs and shoulder were aching) just tried shuffling things out of the way. Yesterday was him moving things and finding some way of plugging the end of a pipe (used a spare water butt tap). I also put all the quilts and most of the pillows out on the line to air so had another lazy day today. Following the mindfulness book which advocates slowing down and tackling tasks with attention and thoughtfulness (loving the chocolate meditation a bit too much).

Today I am grateful for the wind in the trees, for watching an excellent film and for fish from the freezer (I have lots of fish and vegetables, some slices of bread a bag of chicken breasts and a pack of bacon and baking supplies - must make healthy cake and biscuits).

wishus

This is how I think I did this month:

wishus wrote: »

May I be a May Turtle please!

Today, I resisted the urge to buy crisps at the shop.

I am going to aim for 15 SFDs I managed a total of 12.

Motivation – what is your personal motivation for joining in with the turtles? I am £23K in debt, trying to rescue my OH from a horrible place, and find a new creative life for myself outside of the day job. Down to £22,813, and that will be even less tomorrow. Managed to make an overpayment for the start of June. OH is a little better. I am writing again. I feel incredibly low, but I have so many good things in my life to help me keep going.

Money – Last month I let things slide a bit. This month has a family wedding, an anniversary, and the sad beautiful memory of my mother, whose 73rd birthday would have been today, but who never got to be an old lady. There are things I need to do, and for the rest there's love. Big overspend month, and new obligations keep creeping themselves in for June, too. Having to say no to things more often, which only makes me feel more depressed.

Me time – I go to WW, and Parkrun, and am charting how often I get to exercise and go to bed on time. As my OH has depression, I see more than ever how I need to be kind to myself in order to be the best help to him. This has really helped. Also, doing the cardio-tennis. I've signed up for more freebee goodness for June.

Move. Over the past 2 weeks, I have tried free taster sessions in Yoga (awesome!) and Freestyle Groove (excruciating :eek:), and have signed up for my first triathlon in August. Got my fastest Parkrun time this year Saturday before last. Couldn't run this weekend and will miss next week too. So I need to fit this in somewhere!


Activation: what spurs you on to keep on the path? Reading and writing - I am determined to do a little of each every day. And yes, I track that too. All good. Wish I had ore time for my own writing though.

Arm yourself – you have chosen to follow a path that many mock and despise, that of ridding yourself of debt and financial constrictions in order to be free – and it means I can only do local small birthday parties, and can't travel so much, and most of my socializing has to have a work aspect... but hey, I'm not lonely in the slightest! Actually, I do feel really lonely now. I hope this changes as things improve for me.


You. Are you happy in yourself? Right now I am. I get to do amazing, cool things and that's down to putting in the effort, being a bit of a yes-woman. I don't think you can live a passive life and be happy, only comfortable and unchallenged. Sometimes things are hard, and I say I'm not happy. But then life reminds me of all the lovely things and people I have in my life. Not in a great place, and I don't really know why. I am usually very positive. I am hoping this changes soon. If I thought I could make this change myself, I would give it a jolly good go. I think it's just a blue funk and it will pass soon.

apple_muncher

Love the summary wishus. I love that each month is a new set of things to focus on, which help keep the momentum going on the repayment side of things. You have had a great month - weel done - and do keep looking after yourself xx