How I got Stronger this week: As part of my March plan, I did Body Pump express every morning. I also took some chances at work this week. Nothing too scary but still practiced speaking my mind a bit. And so far, so good. I rested by watching Jessica Jones, does that count? I supported people I care about. I showed up. I tried and tried and tried.
Top Goals Review: had more 1-1s, trying to synthesize, body pumped daily, made no meal plan, did no do olw march, david and i are not in a rhythm but we are doing physics as often as we can and we are in a rhythm with nathaniel and math so i’m grateful for that.
I celebrate: I celebrate this week being over. my husband.
I am grateful for: the weekend. i need some rest and catch up time this week. i am grateful for it.
Karen’s Points: doing the body pump. doing nothing else.
A Change I embraced: i embraced the ups and downs of my new life, new work, and my car likely being done.
I let go of: i took a self-care day this week, I’m proud of it.
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: it looks like car research is in my present
- Magical: this week’s magical moment was watching david at the science fair.
- Lighter: working hard to let go and move on.
- True: being true to me at work, speaking my mind.
Where I chose Joy: i chose joy on Thursday when I decided to take a little time off.
I showed up for: david and his science fair.
A Mistake I made this week: i’ve been anxious and worried all week. so that’s likely my biggest lesson to learn this week. how to move past that.
What I tolerated this week: the low level of anxiety all week.
My mood this week was: subdued. angry. proud.
I forgive myself for: how much i didn’t get done this week, i will catch up.
What I love right now: I love working on growing. trying. stretching.
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
This week is about how we went climbing , I went to body pump, and some photos from our skiing trip.
I also have my friend Cole’s wedding night menu.
And Nathaniel’s pool hall math infographic.
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
   
I started with The Gone World as we were driving back from our skiing trip. It was long but super interesting. Some of it was hard to keep track of but I really enjoyed it if unusual sci-fi is your style.
The Monk of Mokha was much more interesting than I thought it might be. I enjoyed the fast and easy pace of this book and I liked the story. I generally enjoy Eggers’ writing style.
I am, I am, I am was a tough but thought-provoking read. I liked it.
Brotopia was depressing. I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. But it was fast paced and a quick read so I did. I am glad I read it. Still really depressing.
Here’s to reading more!
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
I had a car accident last week.
While I’m okay, my kids are ok, the other person’s ok and even the car is mostly okay, it still shook me of course and it comes with a lot of inconveniences around insurance, body shops, having to function without my car for a while, etc. etc. But none of these inconveniences matter as much as how hard i’ve been on myself about all of this.
I don’t do well with causing problems. I don’t do well with disappointing or letting others down. I never want to be a burden. I want to help and never hurt.
So when I am in situations like this, it’s really hard for me give myself the grace that would be really easy to give to my husband, friends, or my kids. I just have this endless loop in my head about all the things I should have done instead, all the ways this will bring harm to the people I love, all the ways in which I am such a burden.
And on and on it goes into a spiral of crazy proportions.
So this time around, I am trying really hard to give myself grace.
I have the kindest husband in the world, who is saying all the right things and trying really hard to coach me through this. My family is kind and supportive and loving and want me to remember to focus on the fact that this could have gone much more poorly and that we are all feeling well. And I am trying to remind myself that problems are part of life. Things won’t always go right. I’ve been incredibly lucky in my life that so much has gone right and I don’t want to dishonor that by exaggerating the impact of things that go wrong.
But it’s still tough. And I am having to work hard to coach myself and to give myself so much grace and not to let the negative tapes in my head own the conversation. I know that to some people this is a nothing. It’s annoying sure, but come on already, a lot of people have accidents and no one was hurt and move on already. But that’s not how I’m built. And what makes me this way is also the same thing that allows me to be empathetic and caring to others and careful when I make decisions and on and on. I firmly believe that the characteristics that serve us so much also have a shadow side that make life difficult when in different circumstances.
So I don’t think this will change. I don’t even want to change it. But what I want to do is learn to cope with it better when it happens. Learn to slow down and give myself the big, big dose of grace I need.
So I’ve been trying to do that. Here’s to hoping I can get better at it each time.
On My Mind is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
I was lucky enough to go to Sydney again for work in February. This time, I spent a weekend there due to some scheduling changes. While I am always sad to spend a weekend away from home, I tried to make the most of this one by reading a lot, walking around a lot, and enjoying the beautiful summer in Australia.
I find that water heals me and there’s almost nothing i love as much as being by the water so Sydney is such a gift to me. I have one more trip coming up in May but otherwise I am not sure when I will be there again so that makes me extra grateful for this trip.
Here are some of my photos from the week in the city.
Love this beautiful city.
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: Jake’s back and I have a long week of meetings this week. Thankfully, no evening activities. I have follow up from the accident last week and otherwise I expect to be fully focused at work and on my family. My intention for this week is to move on. To do the mourning I need to do and then allow myself to forgive myself and focus on what matters most again.
This month’s intention is: Party Strong: This month is for celebrating. You’ve worked hard, they’ve worked hard. Everyone’s working hard. Make sure to pause and celebrate. Have a party. Take a moment daily and pat yourself in the back. Pat your loved ones in the back, too. Interesting timing for this one. I’ll see what I can do here. March is usually a tough month for me and I didn’t start on the very best foot, so maybe taking a moment to celebrate is a good thing.
One way I will stretch this week: honestly with more meetings at work, trying to learn my job.
One boundary I will set this week: between me and myself this week on how much I will allow last week to impact me.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: my wonderful husband. he so deserves it.
One new thing I will learn this week: i am taking an AP Physics course with David and i am going to say this still counts.
One area where I will go deeper this week: identifying some focus areas for work.
What do I need to sit with this week? i need to sit with how i am feeling and how to heal.
I am looking forward to: having jake back at home.
This week’s challenges: following up for some of the needed work on our car.
Top Goals:
- Work: more 1-1s, summarizing, iterating.
- Personal: keep body pumping, make a food plan, do olw march.
- Family: getting into a routine with david and our physics class.
I will focus on my values:
- Love: i want to journal some this week to help me feel my feelings.
- Learn: learn how to do my job.
- Peace: peace with what happened.
- Service: this week’s service is getting back in the car when i really don’t want to.
- Gratitude: for my husband. my kids. my parents.
This week, I want to remember: it’s going to be ok. i’m going to be ok. things happen. life is not a straight line.
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
How I got Stronger this week: I am almost done with my 30day yoga adventure in February and since March started, I’ve already started my March goal which is 31 days of Body Pump Express. I have been doing it at home every morning. And since I’d started February 2 days late and it only had 28 days, I’ve had 4 days of overlap of doing both. Which has been hard just schedule wise. Mentally this was a challenging week as I am trying to learn so much about how to succeed in my new job. also emotionally it was rough because I was in a car accident. And scheduling wise it was also tough because Jake was out of town 6 of the 7 days. But I pulled through. I’m making forward movement on all counts. I am showing up and I am trying.
Top Goals Review: had more 1-1s, making progress on the roadmap and the reviews, learning, made march plans and spending a lot of time with the kids.
I celebrate: I celebrate no one getting hurt.
I am grateful for: my husband. i know i say this a lot. but i am so grateful for how much he helped me on Thursday. How he was there for me again and again and said exactly what I needed to hear. He’s magic.
Karen’s Points: For March, it’s body pump all the way. the food is still yoyo but i will see ifi can make a plan for that this weekend, too.
A Change I embraced: i embraced jake being gone a lot this week.
I let go of: i am working on letting go of all the shame, guilt, sadness, frustration i feel around the accident.
Core Desired Feelings Check-in:
- Fresh: hmmm maybe body pump daily?
- Magical: this week’s magical moment is jake.
- Lighter: i am trying to be graceful again with this week’s unexpected news.
- True: allowing myself to feel my feelings.
Where I chose Joy:i chose joy on tuesday within the chaos of driving to kids’ bus, to work, to the school, to food, back to school, and home and then wake up and drive back to school and back to work. a lot of driving this week.
I showed up for: david this week where i advocated for one of his upcoming trips.
A Mistake I made this week: the accident and all of what came after felt worse than a mistake. it felt awful.
What I tolerated this week: so much driving. so much rain. so much sadness.
My mood this week was: sad.
I forgive myself for: how i feel about the accident.
What I love right now: I love that my kids are thriving. i am so grateful.
Weekly Reflection is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
This week is about David’s birthday, some leftover photos from my trip to Sydney. Photos during yoga, traffic tickets, swimming class, drop off, and some wonderful together time. Oh and my new job. <3
Moments from this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
      Some okay reading this week.
I started with I Found You which was okay. It wasn’t amazing but it was an enjoyable read and a pretty quick one.
An American Marriage was wonderful even though the content was so heart wrenching and difficult. It was a a great way to tackle a much-tackled topic in a creative and engaging way. I really enjoyed it.
Everything Happens for a Reason was a quick read and quite sad. I’ve read several such books at this point and this one wasn’t my favorite but I find them all worthwhile. It helps me stay centered and remember what matters most.
The Dangerous Art of Blending In was a Young Adult. My first in a while and I don’t know if it was that it has been a while or something else but I didn’t love this book. Really serious subject matter and content and yet I couldn’t get past how exceptionally terrible the mother is. I just couldn’t deal with it..
Self-Portrait with Boy was interesting. Different than a lot of other books I’ve read before which says a lot of course but this book dragged out a bit more than I would have liked. Otherwise, it was an interesting read.
Asymmetry was the last read of this week. It was also unusual and all the reviews talk about how clever it is. I’ll admit I listened to and read this while we were in the car so my attention was split and maybe I didn’t understand its smartness. I liked the stories okay but I didn’t get the deeper part of this book.
Here’s to reading more!
Books I Read this Week 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
My word for this year is Strong.
Strong has a lot of meanings. And while my goal is to get mentally and emotionally stronger this year, I first picked this word because I wanted to get physically stronger. I want to end 2018 considerably stronger than I started it. While I would also like to be thinner, fitter, and healthier, my first priority is still to get stronger.
Over the course of my life, I’ve been thin and I’ve been relatively healthy but I’ve never been strong. It’s just not an adjective I would associate with myself. I can’t bench heavy weights, I can’t do pull ups, in fact I probably couldn’t carry either of my children at this point. (They are not babies anymore!)
I have some problems on my back and neck and jaw and I’ve always had chronic pain. But I’ve lived with it forever and I will say that I’m likely in less pain now than I’ve been in most of my life. I am also stronger now, too. I’ve been going to the gym at work for at least 3 times a week since last August. That’s six months of solid exercise.
But it’s nowhere near enough.
And I’ll be honest that I don’t have it in me to spend two hours at the gym each day. I don’t have the initial strength and the ongoing discipline to push boundaries here.
And yet.
And yet, I have this huge ache to get stronger. I watch instagram videos of women who can lift heavy weights, do pull ups and otherwise have the skills I seem to be craving. If only watching others would make me stronger, I’d have totally won by now.
Alas, it does not.
So I want to work on this a little at a time and make consistent progress. My path to stronger is going to have to look like slow and steady progress. I did the Whole 30, 10mins of cardio, 10mins if strength, 10 mins of stretching in January and 30 days of yoga in February and now I want to make a new goal for March. Something I can do every single day regardless of where I am and how busy I am that day. Something that’s a clear indication that I am getting stronger. Something that builds my muscles, my cardiovascular health, and my mind.
I understand that the path to strong is long and arduous but some days I just wish it weren’t so hard.
On My Mind is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
We try to go skiing at least once a year. Ideally, we’d go two, three times so the kids can get enough time on the slopes and actually get comfortable with the sport. However, it doesn’t seem to work out for more than once a year. And this year, this weekend was our trip. Because of my new job, we weren’t clear if we would go until pretty close to the last minute so we did what we usually do which is to stay in Reno where there are always plenty of hotel rooms. And then we drive over the Diamond Peak in the morning and the kids go to school while Jake and I drive.
This year, it was exceptionally cold and David didn’t want to take lessons for two days so both kids did one morning of lessons, Nathaniel also did the afternoon and the next morning but David stayed with us the rest of the time. After the first day, it was so incredibly cold that I decided I was not going to ski the next day. So I bailed while the boys kept skiing.
Little boy waiting for the teacher.
On the way back to the hotel after our first day. David fell asleep within 5 minutes of this photo. Jake had to focus really hard since the roads were very icy.
Skiing is always an adventure and I will admit that while I like the skiing itself, I really dislike the cold and the inordinate amount of work (and money!) this sport entails. But alas, it’s a really fun sport.
And an adventure.
Stories from 2018 is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018here.
Weekly Intention: Everyone goes back to school and work this week. My manager is out of town so all of my week will be getting focused and caught up to speed on my new work and getting ahead in my old job so I can make sure to give him more time when he’s back. Jake will be gone most of this week and I will have to juggle work and pickup/drop off which I know will be tough. I also have to go to the kids’ school twice this week. Personally, my intention is to spend a bit extra time resting and a beat longer which each kid to make sure I am not rushing through this week. At work, I want to also get organized a bit.
This month’s intention is: Physically Strong: This is your month. Get out there and get strong. Increase the weights. Add more cardio. Make a plan. You can do this. You have it in you. Still working on the yoga. Will think about my March plans this week.
One way I will stretch this week: i will be starting to make decisions and that will require stretching (at work.)
One boundary I will set this week: i will have to be clear with my work/home boundaries this week as I will be mostly an only-parent this week.
This week, I will focus on pleasing: hmm i think this week will be dedicated to Jake as I give him the room to go on his business trips.
One new thing I will learn this week: i am taking an AP Physics course with David which is kicking my …. since I know nothing.
One area where I will go deeper this week: i guess i will dive deeper in the product roadmap this week, too.
What do I need to sit with this week? i need to sit with understanding my job better, diving deeper and carving some solid work for myself.
I am looking forward to: feeling a bit more at home here. i know it will take some time.
This week’s challenges: balancing work and home this week without jake.
Top Goals:
- Work: more 1-1s, product roadmap and reviews, making a plan for next steps.
- Personal: making march plan, picking something to do daily.
- Family: spending time with both boys this week and making sure they get back into the groove of school.
I will focus on my values:
- Love: i want to spend my evenings with a little self-care this week.
- Learn: learn more about the organization as a whole.
- Peace: peace with juggling things this week.
- Service: this week’s service is all the drop off and pick ups maybe? 🙂
- Gratitude: for having the space to juggle all i have to juggle this week.
This week, I want to remember: that it’s all going to look different in three months and then again in six months. be patient.
Stronger Than Before is a year-long project for 2018. You can read more about my projects for 2018 here.
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projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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