Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

ajmoney

It turns out when I don't have a plan or a list I do nothing.  I don't mean do nothing and therefore read etc, I sit here doing nothing and spend my time wondering what to do or going on social media/the internet which generally annoys me.  I am going to force myself out for a walk so at least I feel like I have done something.

ajmoney

I hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday, my day was very slow paced and just as I wanted.  I watched some carols in the morning and slowly opened presents from my friends, in the afternoon I went for a short walk, chatted with a neighbour and then opened my family presents when my ex arrived before we had our Christmas meal at 4pm.

I have no idea what I am doing today but what I will do is meal plan based on what I have in my cupboards.  I didn't think I had bought too much extra last weekend but I still seem to have a lot of it, nothing has too short a date so I am going to challenge myself to not buy anything else over the next week.  I might struggle with fresh fruit and veg and will need to buy milk but that isn't too much.

ajmoney

Definitely bored with no idea what to do but I refuse to start stripping wallpaper on Boxing Day.    I get the feeling today could be a very long day.

juliejim

Today is definitely a nothing happening day. I am just sitting watching tv and on my laptop. Pleased you had a lovely chilled out Christmas day.

savingholmes

Glad you had company yesterday. I have relaxed by starting to write a new story. Do you have any hobbies you could start or dust off that would make you happier?

ajmoney

savingholmes said:

Glad you had company yesterday. I have relaxed by starting to write a new story. Do you have any hobbies you could start or dust off that would make you happier?

I do have things I would like to do (knitting, sewing projects) but I forget how to start off which ends up causing anxiety. I am also trying to make sure I sit with my thoughts each day to address them rather than just trying to push them away all the time. This will sound strange but I struggle to sit and do a hobby as I feel I am doing nothing but end up not doing anything anyway which makes it worse. I wrote all this down yesterday to try and help me change my thinking and move forward.

Suffolk_lass

I find both the channel4 player (to catch up with Kirsty Allsop's crafting programmes) and YouTube are brilliant for getting me started with "supervision" or just a bit of reassurance on my crafting things. I need to do some chores today but then plan to pin down DH to plan our replacement for the pig-shed that is not all that safe (not falling down, but not brilliant), to include a workshop for me to start my practice at upholstering things (I've got a £10 auction room chair and then a piece of furniture in the house)

ajmoney

I have been working on some self development over the last 10 days or so, inspired by some really good podcasts which have given me a lot to think about.  I had a long chat with my dad this morning who is a life coach to find out what approach he takes with some of his clients to help them on their way as I was needing some help starting off. I am trying to decipher what my values are as I have never done this and a lot of what I have read recently makes me wonder if this would be a good place to start and help me move forward from this strange time I am in.  It is actually harder than I thought it would be so while I have a couple of words down I have changed my attention slightly to what makes me happy/excited, I figure I can use this to help with the values.  With December nearly over it means I am also nearly at the end of the month I gave myself to just be.  I have a few things I would like to do/achieve but with the covid umbrella still hanging over everything I think it might be batter to have things that I am actually able to do.

savingholmes

Sounds exciting. Setting achievable goals can help you get on a roll - and then it gets easier to do more. 

ajmoney

For the first time in a little while I have a list but it looks very different and is very short term as it only takes me up until Sunday.  Not all the jobs are easy but I believe they are achievable and are things I have been putting off during the year or could do with doing.  The idea is that I will start 2021 without these hanging over me and there is only one per day that I can fit around swimming.

Tuesday - Sort clothes in my bedroom.  I don't know what is stopping me but after the chat with my dad I feel this is somewhere I need to start.

Wednesday - Take up stakes, plant markers and netting from garden

Thursday - Sort out cupboard in spare room

Friday - Go for a walk.  I don't plan to swim but start the year as I mean to go on.  So long as it isn't too icy underfoot I am going to go up one of the hills near me that I have done with other people but go by myself.  I worry about safety but I know I have done it before.

Saturday - Prune roses

Sunday - Take Christmas decorations down and put away in loft with anything sorted from the spare room.

I have changed all my standing orders for my savings account for my temporary change in savings goals while I am not saving for a holiday.

While writing down what makes me happy/excited I have enjoyed remembering these things and also confirming some of the decisions I have made over the last couple of years.  One thing I really seem to be missing at the moment is connections to people who inspire me and help consolidate my own focus.  While some goals might not be achievable with potential lockdowns I feel this is important to keep me going but I am not sure how to get this with the lockdown and distancing in place.

Right, off to wash up so I can start the wardrobe sort out at 9.  I think I might put a podcast on instead of the radio to keep me on track and give me a different focus to help with any anxiety, either that or 80s music to bop and sing along to.