NST August - AB's Amazingly Aware August Challenge

academiablues

Good morning turtles! Well, it is the first of August, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how much progress we all make this month. Bob, your friend sounds inspiring, and I'd love to hear more about your lavender cake. Misstara, your targets sound really good for this month - good luck
For those who want to know a bit more about mindfulness, this will be my post explaining a little bit. I'll do a few more as the challenge progresses.
Mindfulness is, in its simplest form, paying attention to the present moment without judgment. This sounds quite easy, but it's something that can take a long time to master. We can all be more "aware" of what we are doing, and notice what we're thinking and how we feel, but it can be difficult to stop ourselves judging those thoughts, e.g. "I shouldn't feel that way, I'm so stupid" or "why can't I just stop thinking about that!". Mindfulness teaches acceptance of the thoughts and feelings we have, without trying to change them or alter our experience in any way. Bad sensations will pass. Good sensations will come again, and will also pass. We don't need to try to hold onto them.
To start today, if you're new to this, try making a cup of tea or coffee (or preferred hot beverage) with awareness. Listen to the hiss of the water as it goes into the kettle. Feel the weight of the kettle in your hand. Smell the water - what does water smell like? Spend the time the kettle boils being fully aware of your surroundings, listening to the changes in tone of the kettle. Watch the water bubble into the cup, and take a few moments to fully taste each sip of the drink.
You'll have thoughts about what you're doing, and you'll probably want to rush onto the next task on your list whilst the kettle is boiling. It's okay to have those thoughts - you don't need to change them, but you don't have to engage them either. Try to spend a few minutes being mindful today

dolly84

Morning guys.

Academia - thanks for your explanation of mindfulness, to say this will be hard for me is an understatement, I have an insanely active mind, it just cannot rest, the only thing which helps is reading, I find it soothing to get lost in a good book and give my brain a rest.

Today is a spendy day, I need to buy dog food and some bread. I did a Lidl shop yesterday and got lots of lovely things but the bread on offer is not what I want so will call at Tesco for that. I've a big bag of coat hangers to recycle too so a bit of decluttering going on.

I will be cycling later today so that will be an exercise session in the bag, my aim for August is to exercise 4 times a week at least and 2 of those are to be really tough hills on my bike.

Bobarella

Good morning Turtles!

Well. After a bit of a funny night (was awake at least 3 times, once with a hideous leg cramp, good old pregnancy) I woke with a jolt at 8.20 which made me feel a bit in a panic of 'I must do ' thoughts so reading more about mindfulness has helped me already AB

My OH and DS catch their train home at 11.30 so won't appear till 3 ish. I have my whole morning ahead to go shopping for my items mentioned already:j and then come home and do a few other things on my list.
I have to say I don't know if it's an age thing but I used to find being alone quite unnerving. But these 3 days and nights apart have been lovely. And lonely has not featured. Just appreciation of the space to relax and do things in my own time!

Turtle things for today.
1. My neighbour had gifted us a large bag of potatoes from his garden and left them in our porch when I got home last night. I'm going to make shepards pie tommorow using them and some YS mince from the freezer.
2. Have eaten up leftovers for 3 days and now our fridge is looking bare and ready for a few fresh items (salad mainly) so I have made a weekend menu plan to hoover up the last few bits and keep the ££s under control.
3. Will be spending time outside today weeding the front garden. I planted 6 rosemary plants earlier in the year which I grew from my own cuttings and they are bedding in nicely. The aim is for a pretty hedge between ours and next doors gardens. Needs wedding now.
4. Sent a message to the friend I named as my inspiration to see how she is as she has just flown home with her 2 small children, one of whom was vomiting the day before they were due to go!

All for now

Bob

Fmess

Afternoon all,

Wow mindfulness sounds really difficult! I usually just bounce from one task to another and think about all kinds of things at the same time. I think this will require practise and being calmer and slower, I'll try but it doesn't sound like me.

Today I have started decorating the lounge. I did most of the tidying/room emptying yesterday so I now have two sofas occupying 90% of the kitchen and a spare bedroom full of the rest of the lounge's contents. I need to get this completed by next Friday as have guests coming to stay but it's taken me 3 hours to do the edging on the ceiling so think it's going to be a labour of love. I'm also planning on doing some extra hours at the temping job. This should be my week off but they said I can go in and leave whenever I like and charge them for the hours so need to make the most of the ability to make extra money. bob think it was you who mentioned being addicted to making money, think I am too!

Off to eat some Ys indian snacks for lunch with a free sauce leftover from a recent visit to nandos.

dolly84

Have finished spending today. Dog food was on offer and came in £5 under budget - result.

Then due to the rain we went to the shopping centre to get some items for school/school trips/camping trips for the kids. I had a 10% off voucher for Debenhams which I used plus £3 off a £30 spend and £16 in vouchers so I got £34.50 worth of things for £12.05, we got DS some joggers and a hoody, DD some black leggings and 5 pairs of black school socks.

Then I got DS a school rucksack reduced to £2.99 in WH Smith and a new water bottle for £1.99.

Onto Primark next (only the third time I've ever been because I passionately hate it) but I needed cheap things for DD to do outdoor activities. We got her 2 pairs of leggings, 2 pairs of jogging pants, a vest top, a hooded top, she also needed new pj's so we got two pairs of those and DH some undies and socks. This lot came to £41.60 but they have only charged me for one pair of pj's.

My budget for all this stuff was £35 plus the Deb's vouchers, so I have gone over by £23.65 plus the new lunch box and water bottle for DD which I have just remembered making the overspend £28.61. I'm OK with this because the pj's, lunch box, bottles and DH's things were not included in this budget.

Sorry for rambling on.

Calling14

Happy August turtles.

Day 1 did a food shop £67.00 with an empty freezer and fridge had to. Let's just say Morrisons most unhelpful staff ever. Was in hideous amount of pain with my back so agreed to have help with packing, useless ended up struggling by myself to my car in tears. Won't go there again so annoyed.

Agree with Fmess I usually multi task and can't say I over think anything. may need to slow down a bit to understand this mindfulness.

Lavender cake sounds awesome.

Sun out now so going to tidy patio up and keep my back mobile.

Had grandson and daughter here most day so house needs a good clean. Got friend over tomorrow whose house is always sparkling.

Inspired by friend, whose daughter has had major surgery this year, she has managed to hold the fort, looked her daughters family despite having health problems herself.
Got so many brave friends at moment especially one with terminal cancer still keeping everyone around her upbeat.

Targets will set by Monday

Bobarella

Calling14 wrote: »

Happy August turtles.

Day 1 did a food shop £67.00 with an empty freezer and fridge had to. Let's just say Morrisons most unhelpful staff ever. Was in hideous amount of pain with my back so agreed to have help with packing, useless ended up struggling by myself to my car in tears. Won't go there again so annoyed.

Calling - that is disgusting..if someone was supposed to be helping you then they should have. Please consider emailing customer services and complaining. You may be compensated in some way..imagine if you were actually disabled. They couldn't get away with it then. So sorry.

WelshKitty85

Hi everyone and happy August!

I'm afraid I have to start this month with a confession - I got a new credit card a few months ago with the intention of using it for my monthly spends and then paying it off in full every month. However, due to a few unexpected spends (such as the fridge freezer needing replacing) the balance has crept up and I am currently not clearing it at the end of the month. Part of me feels really annoyed about this, but then I think that they were essential spends, so if I hadn't put them on the card I would have gone into my overdraft anyway. My card is currently 0% so I am setting my self the target of clearing it ASAP, and definitely before the 0% period ends.

Am hoping the budget I am setting myself for the month is realistic so I have more chance of sticking to it this time. I am setting the following budgets for myself:

Fuel - £120
Groceries - £200
Days out - £200
Business - £100

The days out fund is quite high as we have a trip to South Wales planned to watch the rugby. Accommodation and tickets were paid for months ago, but we will need spends for food and museums etc while we are there. I'm hoping we won't spend it all there and will have some left for a few treats back at home before the little ones go back to school.

I am budgeting £100 towards my business in the hope I can generate some interest, but after that will not be putting any more money into it until I get some more confirmed bookings.

I am also setting myself a target to sell at least £100 worth of items that we no longer use. If I manage it, then it will be paid straight off the credit card. I am also expecting some cash back this month which I will,pay off the cc too.

Today has been a spend day - about £30 towards the business. Will add it up properly later on.

Made fish cakes tonight and have also prepped some soup for tomorrow so that will just need heating after work.

Calling14

Welshkitty these unexpected spends happen to all of us. Sure you will be back on track soon.

Bob I will complain as I made special point of explaining that my back had just gone out again and staff were unbelievable. Got my daughter to meet me at home to unload the car.

Pigged out tonight on profiteroles -. Must be fed up. Oops diet back Monday with healthy eating x

Fmess

Evening all,


calling - that is awful customer service, I would definitely make a complaint.


welshkitty - it happens to all of us, these unexpected spends always turn up but you have a plan and its on 0%, so the effects are minimised and controlled


Today has been SFD number 1 :j I have completed the painting of the lounge ceiling and sanded the woodwork ready for glossing next week I'm hoping tomorrow I will get the majority, if not all, of the wall painting done However, I now ache from head to toe and think I'll be heading off to bed soon.


I've decided to continue with bob's idea of having a debt payment target and stretch target this month. My target is £404.63, which is the amount I need to pay each month to be DF by 1st January 2017. My stretch target is £1037.86. This is particularly high, but I am doing lots of extra work and if reach this, all my credit card debt will be 0% So far, I have paid off £440.87, from my normal pay and marking money


Hope you've all had a mindful experience today. I tried and think I managed it for about a minute whilst stroking the dog (I don't drink hot drinks)