Anita’s Life Update #6

So, what happened in the last two months since I wrote the last life update?

1. I stopped exercising regularly, probably a week or two after I wrote in the previous life update that I became a person who is now regularly exercising, lol. And now I have more weight than I ever had in my life. I was in shock for some time, googling how that could happen. 60kg or 61kg on a scale, wtf? Anyway, my ass looks good, and I feel sexy, my man is happy, so I am not going to worry too much. But I am now making sure that I get at least 30 cardio points with walking every day.

When I read the previous life update now, I remembered the good feelings I had about exercising regularly, so maybe I will get back to it.

2. I am super happy about finally putting The Mental Fog Remover out in the world! I had the post about it written since December! While writing it, I realised that I need something on my wordpress site through what I can sell access to premium content. And then came months of figuring it out and editing everything. After all that time doing technical things, I felt a bit drained and even uninspired about personal development and coaching! I took a week or two to dive deep into trainings from other coaches, to learn new things and to do my inner work, and then I felt so excited about my work again.

When I started writing content for The Mental Fog Remover mini-course, I was in such a flow, life felts so good that I needed to remind myself that yes, it can feel so good, it doesn’t mean something bad will happen, I can expand my capacity for joy. It still took more time than I expected to finish it, but I loved every minute of it! (Btw, in The Mental Fog Remover you can find my personal example how I resolved my habit of beating myself up, if things take me more time than I expect).

3. I became a Pomodoro fan🍅 during creating content for The Mental Fog Remover. For those of you who haven’t heard about it yet, Pomodoro is time management technique. This image describes it in a nutshell.

I heard about the technique years ago, when I was still sewing eco-friendly accessories and painting on tote bags. I tried it, but somehow didn’t like it. I felt like whenever I got into creative flow, there was time for a break. So, I forgot about it.

Then I came across this video on youtube. It’s just a guy filming himself when he is writing on his laptop in a hotel bar, and he is using Pomodoro technique. The purpose of video is for you to work along.

I said okay, let’s try this. Playing video on the tablet and working on the computer. I was so focused the entire time, I was amazed! I started liking Pomodoro! I searched for a Pomodoro chrome extension (because I knew I would not feel like setting up that video every time I am planning to work on something) and I found an excellent one! It’s simple, completely free, and it tracks how many pomodoros you do each day! Here’s the link: Marinara: Pomodoro® Assistant (sharing, because I am super satisfied user).

My goal was to write for 4 pomodoros per day, but I could so easily stay in flow I sometimes did even 12 pomodoros per day! And I had the best time ever.

So, I keep on using this technique. What are the things I do in the breaks?
⇾ I go to the toilet
⇾ I have a dance break
⇾ I play with Piki or empty his bladder
⇾ make myself tea
⇾ I just searched for 5 min standing workouts so I am going to start doing these as well (after you move your body a bit, you get a focus boost)
⇾ a lot of the time I do household tasks (put clothes into washing machine or take them out, empty the trash bin, handwash something,…)
⇾ answer messages on the phone or messenger
⇾ listen to inspiring interviews for a few minutes
⇾ do some breath work

And during a long break, I make myself lunch (this usually takes way more than 30 minutes).

Why I think this technique works so well for me? In 25 minutes, I get enough done that I can see myself making progress, which makes me feel like I can’t wait to continue after the break. It seems I get the good-feeling hormones boost. In the breaks, I get done the household things or other relaxing activities, which also makes me feel good. And in the evening I feel so happy with my progress, I totally enjoy spending time with my partner, so I feel like I have a great work-life balance.

I especially love how I get household tasks done by the way and how relaxing they feel (I am sure everyone who works mostly on the computer feel like they can relax while doing physical work). I used to spend my Saturday doing the household tasks, and they sometimes took me a few hours, and I was tired afterwards. Not a case any more.

4. My new hobby is brewing kombucha for my personal use. I read somewhere, that it helps with bloating, and so I bought a glass of the kombucha in the shop, enjoyed the taste of it and decided to make it at home. In 4 weeks a scoby grew, I prepared everything for first fermentation and a few days ago I started drinking it. It’s good enough, I even enjoy it. Looking forward to seeing how the second fermentation will taste.
I will report on the changes I feel and if it will actually help me with bloating.
My next hobby will be coconut kefir 😀

5. I never watched cooking videos on YouTube, until I came across Heavenly Fan. She makes keto vegan food and everything looks so delicious. She makes everything step by step, she has a beautiful English accent, you can see she genuinely enjoys cooking and eating, and she is somehow so relatable. But the main star of her videos is food! It’s not about how gorgeous she looks in the kitchen or what she is wearing while cooking (not that there is something wrong with that). I would describe her channel as an introvert-friendly cooking show. Your mouth will be wildly wet, but the whole experience of watching her videos is calming.

6. I went to a clothing exchange a few weeks ago and came home with a new summer wardrobe. I was thinking about getting myself two or three summer dresses and came home with two fully packed tote bags of clothes. Summer dresses, shirts, blouses, one pair of shorts and one pair of summer pants that totally became my favourite. What a joy! This was my biggest shopping spree in years and I didn’t have to pay anything, haha 😀 Gotta love this!

7. I survived my 30 day Netflix fast, then binged a few shows and cancelled my Netflix subscription (will be back when the new season of Peaky Blinders airs). No wonder, I could finally finish The Mental Fog Remover. ;D

8. I didn’t even listen to much of podcasts, but from what I was listening, I enjoyed the most the interview with Susan Cain (author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking) about her new book called Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole. You can listen at Good Life Project podcast. I learned that even people that has no spiritual or religious inclinations experience this feeling of longing for Home.

9. How is Piki?
He is getting up to his feet way more (his rear legs were paralysed because of a herniated disc). He is sometimes even running for a few meters, it’s almost hard to catch him! Then he falls down and gets back up again. I have to put something on his feet, because if I don’t, he scratches them when he crawls. It’s good that he is now swinging his tail during hydrotherapy. Unfortunately, I still have to empty his bladder. Well, still better than if I had to clean his pee all the time. I still have to when his bladder is too full (sometimes happens during the night) or when he is so excited he pisses himself. I really hope he will regain control of his bladder and pee on his own.

I found homemade carpet treadmills for dogs on YouTube. My partner’s father and I made one for Piki. Well, it was mostly his work, I gave the idea and here and there held a piece of wood. At first Piki was afraid and wasn’t moving on his treadmill much, but he is now getting better at it every day. I still have to hold his bottom, but he moves his legs nicely, he is even running for a proper motivation ⇾ partner’s father feeds him sausage to get him moving.

10. I turned 32! You probably haven’t seen anyone so happy to turn 32, haha. It’s my favourite number, that’s why! I had a beautiful day. Jure took me to our favourite waterfall, we went for lunch in a restaurant with his family, we ate raw cake I made and drank Aperol Spritz and in the evening I went for a craft beer with a friend and Jure. And vegetarian kebab after that – perfect thing to eat after beer! We were planning to continue hanging out on the balcony when we came home, but my day was eventful enough. I was so sleepy, I went to bed way before midnight.

How you doin’?