Why hello....

Chloe m'dear, how are you going? Tackling each day as it comes? I know I certainly am.

As I said in my first blog you're such a beautiful, stylish person and your blog on Saturday definitely confirmed that. I was thinking we should set ourselves some targets and reward ourselves with your wonderful suggestions.

25% of goal = new handbag?
50% of goal = new sports shoes?
75% of goal = book tickets to Melbourne for a shopping trip?
100% by Melbourne…..ha if that is achievable?!

A few months ago I went to a series of lectures at the University of Auckland for ‘Brain Day’. My favourite lecture was given by Dr Antonio Fernando on ‘The Science of Happiness’.

As cheesy as the title sounds it was a very practical and insightful lecture that focused on three main principles of securing happiness. Compassion, Expectations and Gratitude.

So here goes:

Compassion
Yesterday I had an absolute mare, I slept through my alarm by 3 hours. Waking to that horrible lurch in my stomach I felt groggy and behind until mid-afternoon. Around noon I wrote an entire blog chastising myself for missing Pump and putting myself on the back foot. Perhaps fortunately I got distracted by work and lost my unsaved blog because it focused on all the ‘wrong’ things.

Life happens. Work, friends, family, weather, momentary crisis’ and bigger disasters happen and in those instances most of us can be compassionate to others, so why not be compassionate to ourselves too? I let myself off the hook, enjoyed dinner with a very dear friend, got an early night’s sleep and rejigged my weeks goals to accommodate my grey squidgy matters failing to wake me.

Expectations
Expectations are a fine balancing act, we all require things to aspire to because challenges push us towards greatness but setting those expectations at achievable milestones and within things we can control is critical.

So what I am focusing on/ my expectations of myself this week are:

Sunday                 Evening walk
Monday               Evening walk from Orakei Bay to Kohi
Tuesday               Pump
Wednesday        RPM     
Thursday             Pump   
Friday                   Balance rather than Friday drinks
Saturday              RPM and walk/run around the rocks from Takapuna to Milford and back
Sunday                 Packing up my flat and a walk if anyone is keen....? Really enjoying the dry weather if you hadn't noticed!

Gratitude
Since I last posted I have had some really special catch ups with friends in a city I absolutely adore.

The support Chloe and I have received for being brave enough to go public with our constant battle with our bodies has been overwhelming and I am utterly grateful to have such wonderful people around me…plus social pressure is effective!

Finally I am so grateful Chloe is joining me on this venture, it wouldn’t work without you babe.

Until next time,
P x

[RPM, 2% of goal lost, tired but pleased I committed to this before my life became chaotic]

If anyone wants to hear Dr Fernando’s lecture the recording can be found here http://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/faculty/cbr/brainweek/brainweek2013/brainday2013.aspx