NST January 2023 Best Possible Me
grandmanerd
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NST JANUARY 2023 The Best Possible Me
Welcome to the Ninja Saving Turtles Challenge for January 2023, which runs throughout January (00.00 on 31st December 2022 - 23.59 pm on January 31st 2023).
For many of us it has been a tough few years and many of us will face tough times and tough decisions in the year to come. But we have choices, even when it means choosing the least worst option. So I'm choosing Love, Forgiveness and Peace. I am choosing to be Happy. I will be the Best Possible Me.
Love - Caring for ourselves, family and friends and those less fortunate than ourselves
Forgiveness - some things can never be forgiven (childhood abuse) but we can choose not to lug all our past mistakes (ours and other people's) around with us all the time like a rucksack full of rocks. Some mistakes were unintentional, some people were just doing their best or didn't know any better. Just let it go or lock it away, it's holding you back.
Peace - I want peace and quiet, simplicity, less drama
Happy - Don't wait to see what sort of day it is. Decide you are going to be happy as you start the day.
Best Possible Me - Don't think about what you used to do/ be. Be present. Be who you are now (acknowledge your uniqueness) and be the Best Possible You Now.
apple asked us to think about what we want from the new year and I know some people are struggling with this. Possible approaches:-
Dreams and Ideals This is the mental equivalent of 'taking your pencil for a walk'. let your ideas flow and scribble them down. Lest it turns into Idle Dreaming, you need to make a plan, work out some steps and outline one bit to do this month, this week or daily.
Practical People on one of the other threads I follow have written out a timeline for the year - birthdays and special events, annual renewals (useful for comparisons and haggling) any appliances 'on their last legs'. Seeing the shape of the whole year means you can plan ahead. It will also help you feel more 'in control'.
Audit ok it could be argued that this is also 'practical' but it can be more. Just look back over the past year and work out what went well, what things you would never want to go through again, things you would do differently. There are many lists of suggestions (I gave some in the December 2021 thread and apple kindly included them in the January 2022 thread - I believe the 'what are you like as a cat?' was very popular.
Some changes will not be easy or fun, that's why many of us choose to stay in our little rut -we don't like it but it's familiar, relatively safe and we know what comes next, but you'll be no further forward next year (the rut may be deeper or full of dirty water) and repeating the same thing for 70 years isn't a life. Make Plans not Resolutions.
Challenge Rules
JANUARY BUDGETS should be set before the start of the month (7th for final details). FOOD, TRAVEL (fuel or public transport), PERSONAL and any other categories you use. Batch cooking is encouraged, recipes requiring special ingredients are not (unless it's already in your cupboard and you need to do something with it). Check what's happening in the month - birthdays, days out, catch ups with friends and budget for them (politely decline any late invitations - I will allow exemptions for emergencies and friends in need).
ASSESS what you have and give thanks daily. Food, Toiletries, Clothes, Spare change, fuel in your car, material resources. FOOD if your fridge is groaning with Christmas goodies, use them up, turn them into lunch box bits or soup, curry and other winter warmers (make a note of any items you should buy less of next year). TOILETRIES If any came as gifts, will you use them - add them to your stock, set them aside for re-gifting, any extras you won't use pass on to someone who can make use of them. CLOTHES -you probably have enough, try new combinations and lots of layers. Spare change, fuel, material resources - these are all assets you have (maybe you didn't know you had them - when my ex slept on the couch overnight when picking up/ dropping off the boys it was always worth a rummage down the sides and back afterwards). Remember YOU are your most valuable asset - take care of you
NSDs aim for 15. No purchases from canteens, vending machines, cafes, restaurants, takeaways, coffee shops etc. Lunch to work and for hospital visits. Fuel or travel tickets bought from your budget will not incur loss of an NSD. All medical purchases including special diets and hospital parking are penalty free. Money for regular weekly purchases - children's activities, exercise classes, window cleaners - should be set aside on your first spending day of the month (so you don't lose an NSD each week).
USE what you have. Use the food you have before buying more (or base your meal plan on what you have and only buy what you need to complete your recipe - or substitute). Run down your stocks if it's a while since you did so (vulnerable people who need a safety stock can keep it, but rotate your stock). Use up toiletries and cleaning materials, especially all those squidgy bits in the bottoms of tubes or pots. Some cleaning products are multi-purpose eg window or shower spray will do an excellent job on melamine furniture (wardrobes and drawers that aren't wooden). You may notice your house looks a bit 'shabby' once the decorations come down or may have noticed bits that need attention when scrabbling behind furniture to plug in twinkly lights. Note any jobs that need doing. Half used tins of paint can be used to cover grubby fingermarks or paint a 'feature' wall and especially if you're saving up for a big house job, sprucing and improving using bits you already have helps when it starts getting you down.
ADD more of the things that make you happy, support your mental, physical or spiritual health or take you nearer to the life you want. This may mean taking away (decluttering, cutting toxic people out of your life or at least limiting your exposure, leaving your job if it's making you ill or suicidal). I'll be continuing to declutter, getting rid of large heavy items of furniture (anything I can't move easily or use in multiple rooms), changing things like lighting to make changing light bulbs easier, pan drawers instead of cupboards. I'll add more laughter, more fun, more music, good for me food, movement (need to take advice on what I can and cannot do) and I want a comfy corner to sit and read books. Gardening and helping others will feature too.
REVIEW YOUR GOALS - Which do you want to continue? Any you want to drop (overloaded yourself)? Where do you need to redouble your efforts? Did you set SMART Goals?
YOU need to plan ahead and allocate your resources. Can you increase your income? If your income is fixed can you collect points, do surveys, make instead of buy, downsize? If you plan to use your skills to make gifts or extra income you need to factor in time and materials needed. Unless you're a skilled knitter you can't sit down on December 1st and produce 12 scarves in time to be wrapped and delivered. If you have a large craft stash, see what you can make. Use charity shops to purchase materials (odd balls of wool, wool jumpers that can be unravelled and remade, sweatshirts for non fraying fabric - or cut the good bits out of a damaged throw). If a child or grandchild needs a large gift this year (next size bicycle perhaps) start checking out the cs and local second-hand sites now or arrange a 'joint big present' - pooling cash from several sources.
Who is ready to join the next stage of the turtle adventure?
Welcome to the Ninja Saving Turtles Challenge for January 2023, which runs throughout January (00.00 on 31st December 2022 - 23.59 pm on January 31st 2023).
For many of us it has been a tough few years and many of us will face tough times and tough decisions in the year to come. But we have choices, even when it means choosing the least worst option. So I'm choosing Love, Forgiveness and Peace. I am choosing to be Happy. I will be the Best Possible Me.
Love - Caring for ourselves, family and friends and those less fortunate than ourselves
Forgiveness - some things can never be forgiven (childhood abuse) but we can choose not to lug all our past mistakes (ours and other people's) around with us all the time like a rucksack full of rocks. Some mistakes were unintentional, some people were just doing their best or didn't know any better. Just let it go or lock it away, it's holding you back.
Peace - I want peace and quiet, simplicity, less drama
Happy - Don't wait to see what sort of day it is. Decide you are going to be happy as you start the day.
Best Possible Me - Don't think about what you used to do/ be. Be present. Be who you are now (acknowledge your uniqueness) and be the Best Possible You Now.
apple asked us to think about what we want from the new year and I know some people are struggling with this. Possible approaches:-
Dreams and Ideals This is the mental equivalent of 'taking your pencil for a walk'. let your ideas flow and scribble them down. Lest it turns into Idle Dreaming, you need to make a plan, work out some steps and outline one bit to do this month, this week or daily.
Practical People on one of the other threads I follow have written out a timeline for the year - birthdays and special events, annual renewals (useful for comparisons and haggling) any appliances 'on their last legs'. Seeing the shape of the whole year means you can plan ahead. It will also help you feel more 'in control'.
Audit ok it could be argued that this is also 'practical' but it can be more. Just look back over the past year and work out what went well, what things you would never want to go through again, things you would do differently. There are many lists of suggestions (I gave some in the December 2021 thread and apple kindly included them in the January 2022 thread - I believe the 'what are you like as a cat?' was very popular.
Some changes will not be easy or fun, that's why many of us choose to stay in our little rut -we don't like it but it's familiar, relatively safe and we know what comes next, but you'll be no further forward next year (the rut may be deeper or full of dirty water) and repeating the same thing for 70 years isn't a life. Make Plans not Resolutions.
Challenge Rules
JANUARY BUDGETS should be set before the start of the month (7th for final details). FOOD, TRAVEL (fuel or public transport), PERSONAL and any other categories you use. Batch cooking is encouraged, recipes requiring special ingredients are not (unless it's already in your cupboard and you need to do something with it). Check what's happening in the month - birthdays, days out, catch ups with friends and budget for them (politely decline any late invitations - I will allow exemptions for emergencies and friends in need).
ASSESS what you have and give thanks daily. Food, Toiletries, Clothes, Spare change, fuel in your car, material resources. FOOD if your fridge is groaning with Christmas goodies, use them up, turn them into lunch box bits or soup, curry and other winter warmers (make a note of any items you should buy less of next year). TOILETRIES If any came as gifts, will you use them - add them to your stock, set them aside for re-gifting, any extras you won't use pass on to someone who can make use of them. CLOTHES -you probably have enough, try new combinations and lots of layers. Spare change, fuel, material resources - these are all assets you have (maybe you didn't know you had them - when my ex slept on the couch overnight when picking up/ dropping off the boys it was always worth a rummage down the sides and back afterwards). Remember YOU are your most valuable asset - take care of you
NSDs aim for 15. No purchases from canteens, vending machines, cafes, restaurants, takeaways, coffee shops etc. Lunch to work and for hospital visits. Fuel or travel tickets bought from your budget will not incur loss of an NSD. All medical purchases including special diets and hospital parking are penalty free. Money for regular weekly purchases - children's activities, exercise classes, window cleaners - should be set aside on your first spending day of the month (so you don't lose an NSD each week).
USE what you have. Use the food you have before buying more (or base your meal plan on what you have and only buy what you need to complete your recipe - or substitute). Run down your stocks if it's a while since you did so (vulnerable people who need a safety stock can keep it, but rotate your stock). Use up toiletries and cleaning materials, especially all those squidgy bits in the bottoms of tubes or pots. Some cleaning products are multi-purpose eg window or shower spray will do an excellent job on melamine furniture (wardrobes and drawers that aren't wooden). You may notice your house looks a bit 'shabby' once the decorations come down or may have noticed bits that need attention when scrabbling behind furniture to plug in twinkly lights. Note any jobs that need doing. Half used tins of paint can be used to cover grubby fingermarks or paint a 'feature' wall and especially if you're saving up for a big house job, sprucing and improving using bits you already have helps when it starts getting you down.
ADD more of the things that make you happy, support your mental, physical or spiritual health or take you nearer to the life you want. This may mean taking away (decluttering, cutting toxic people out of your life or at least limiting your exposure, leaving your job if it's making you ill or suicidal). I'll be continuing to declutter, getting rid of large heavy items of furniture (anything I can't move easily or use in multiple rooms), changing things like lighting to make changing light bulbs easier, pan drawers instead of cupboards. I'll add more laughter, more fun, more music, good for me food, movement (need to take advice on what I can and cannot do) and I want a comfy corner to sit and read books. Gardening and helping others will feature too.
REVIEW YOUR GOALS - Which do you want to continue? Any you want to drop (overloaded yourself)? Where do you need to redouble your efforts? Did you set SMART Goals?
YOU need to plan ahead and allocate your resources. Can you increase your income? If your income is fixed can you collect points, do surveys, make instead of buy, downsize? If you plan to use your skills to make gifts or extra income you need to factor in time and materials needed. Unless you're a skilled knitter you can't sit down on December 1st and produce 12 scarves in time to be wrapped and delivered. If you have a large craft stash, see what you can make. Use charity shops to purchase materials (odd balls of wool, wool jumpers that can be unravelled and remade, sweatshirts for non fraying fabric - or cut the good bits out of a damaged throw). If a child or grandchild needs a large gift this year (next size bicycle perhaps) start checking out the cs and local second-hand sites now or arrange a 'joint big present' - pooling cash from several sources.
Who is ready to join the next stage of the turtle adventure?
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