Go fly a Kite.

Haahaaa, the last item on the list that follows this post strikes me as funny. Someone not afraid to be the pun in their own joke. I used to post these all of the time back in the day. I think I'm going to hold off on the "goals" portion and just do this for myself. I will say that I'm going to see Bonerama in Cleveland next weekend and I want to feel better about myself and have a BLAST doing it. So, I guess I'll make it a goal to work out every day this week since I won't be doing anything but drinking and shaking my ass next weekend! I'll have to shake it extra hard since It's at least 3.5 hours in the car for the ride there and back. I'm really looking forward to it. I remember when I was in NOLA in Feburary the Bones were playing the Rock n Bowl on one of the nights. We were staying with the drummer so it was a no-brainer that we were going to the show. Pathetically, I felt like such shit that I STAYED back at Eric's instead of going to the show with him and Erica because I was just RUN DOWN! It was horrible looking back at it but that's the state of mind I was in. I didn't feel good at all. I just needed aome time alone. It was nice and I felt better the next day but looking back I'm mad at myself for not pulling out enough gusto to go. It's so stupid! I used to fly to NYC to see a show, stay up all day and night and then get on a flight back home at 6 in the morning the next day! WHY couldn't I go to the Rock n Bowl? That's just stupid! I wasn't myself at all during that trip. I just wasn't feeling my best. I did have fun at the Corporation with Gayle and Hank though! The Parades were the highlight for me this year. So, looking back, it wasn't a bad trip but I wasn't myself.

A switch has gone off though. Yesterday I FELT the way I felt a year ago when I was on a roll. My mind was in the right place. I was volunteering at the Detroit Opera House for an event called Bravo, Bravo! I have attended in the past but this year I agreed to help out. I took the stairs five flights up at least once but sat at the will call table most of the rest of the night. That was what I had volunteered for, afterall. But the thing is, inside were all the free drinks and food offerings I could handle. You know what I ate? Nothing. I walked through the building with the other girls and passed every table without a second thought. It was as if I wasn't even looking at things that could be consumed. When I went home I felt a sense of accomplishment and that's when I KNEW the switch had had been flipped. I'm on the right track again. I have a lot of people to thank for getting my head screwed on straight again! Lisa, Gayle, Diana, Erica, Sophia, Stacey, Shells, Tina, Bev, Jean, Monika all you guys are such good friends. I realize I may have come off as whiny and pathetic but those of us in the social work field KNOW that's what almost needs to happen before you take your head out of your ass and OWN it. I finally reached that point. I'm going to look forward and focus on the things that I need to do to stay on top. Thanks!

PS: I am a dork but I love you all! :)

So, like that bunny says, it's all about me. I'm going to start "journaling" my thoughts and feelings along with my actions again. Feel free to read or not. I'm doing this for ME! But I'd love if you'd read!!

This is from one of my favorite sites Sparkpeople(dot)com.

Remember to Reward Yourself
How to Pat Yourself on the Back
-- By Mike Kramer, Staff Writer
Everyone likes a pat on the back every once in a while. And there’s no better time to get one than when you’re out of your comfort zone, challenging yourself to improve, nervous about whether you can succeed.

Most people approach changing their health habits from a position of "pain". They constantly nag themselves, berate themselves and expect nothing but perfection, no matter how much progress is made. Tools of the trade are guilt, doubt, shame and self-flogging. Instead of celebrating the 24 pounds they’ve lost, they see the six they still haven’t lost. Sound familiar? To people used to beating themselves up, it may seem like the best way to get motivated. But consider this: if you attempted to motivate an employee like that, how long do you think they’d stick around? How successful would they be?

Let’s do it differently this time. Try to approach your goals from a position of "possibilities" instead. Find ways to use regular rewards to pat yourself on the back and give a word of encouragement. Instead of focusing on what you do wrong, try paying more attention to what you do right. While straight talk and brutal honesty are often good for getting your butt moving, for sustained motivation, the positive approach will keep you from burning out.

Rewards create a feeling of doing something you want to do, not just what you’re forcing yourself to do. Even the smallest of rewards can work wonders as you travel from milestone to milestone, pound to pound, and mile to mile.

Here’s how to set up a good rewards system:
Choose some benchmarks and reward levels. You can also reward yourself for levels of consistency.
Make the reward meaningful to you. As a reward, a new pair of shoes may not hold as much motivation as a simple night alone with a book. Then again, it might.
Choose two or three options from the Reward Roster below or come up with a few reward options of your own. It doesn’t take much. Sometimes, the best rewards are those you can’t buy.
A lot of small rewards, used for meeting smaller goals, are more effective than relying solely on the bigger rewards that require more work and more time.
Don’t use food as a reward. Even good food. It’s just too much of a slippery slope. Don’t even mess with it.
Plan to celebrate. Figure out now how you’re going to celebrate reaching your health, fitness or nutrition goal. Involve other people, tell them about it. Create a celebration that you can anticipate and then keep it within sight all the time.
Be honest with yourself. Fudging the numbers mentally, or "borrowing" against the next reward hurts the cause of building a lifetime habit. Remember to keep your focus on building a habit, not just figuring out how to get the reward.
REWARD ROSTER CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITES AND USE THEM LIBERALLY
Compliment yourself. Write down what you would say to anyone else who accomplished what you did.
Create an actual plaque or trophy.
Give yourself badges of honor for different levels of accomplishment.
Take a vacation or weekend getaway.
Take a day off from any goal activities.
Put $1 in a jar every time you meet a goal. When it gets to $50, treat yourself.
Create a Trophy Scrapbook, where you keep mementos from your accomplishments.
See a movie.
Make a grab bag of little prizes. When you reach a significant goal, reach in and get your reward!
Go for a spa treatment or massage.
Buy yourself a gift certificate.
Take a limo ride.
Subscribe to a magazine you always wanted.
Go canoeing or do something outdoorsy.
Watch your favorite TV show.
Buy something for your hobby.
Read a funny book.
Celebrate "100% Days". If you reach 100% of your goals that day, choose two rewards.
Find some time to be by yourself.
Pay someone to do the yardwork or house cleaning this week.
Fly a kite.