Number 31b: Be Better October - The Recap, Part One

It's 5 pm on the first Friday, October 11. I'm insanely exhausted.
But I'm not complaining. Not bitching. Not moaning.
I'm just busy. Which makes happy. Dare I say, satisfied?

Let's recap. Over a month ago I pledged to Be Better during the month of October. With the insanity of the Government Shutdown, and all of the negativity I read daily on the internet, I made the decision to not spread any more negativity last month.

I set six goals for the month of October. Here's how I fared in tackling the first three.

Be Better At Saving. The Challenge: I will not buy any new clothes during the month of October. I will put aside an extra $25 each week into my savings account.

The Halfway Point: I was SO TEMPTED to buy clothes all month. The transition of season just made me crave the purchase of fuzzy sweaters and earmuffs and that new pair of boots. (I mean come on, who doesn't love a fuzzy sweater?) I caved on one item, and that was a new long sleeve for running, which replaced my well-worn (and somewhat pungent) running jacket. So I'll say everyone is better off due to that purchase. (Plus it helped towards my mileage goal -- have I justified this enough to the world yet?)
The Results: I DID IT!! Last week I allowed myself a new fuzzy sweater and a (sale) necklace. Other than that though, I've done pretty well at breaking myself of my spending habit. And the extra $100 I put away this month? Keeping it in my savings account for a rainy day. 

Be Better To My Liver.  The Challenge: Avoid alcohol for an entire week.
The Halfway Point: I cut down on my alcohol intake during the first weeks of the month, but I still found it insanely hard to socialize without drinking. So I compromised with myself, I did not drink within my apartment during the week.
The Results: I definitely could have tried harder to stick to this challenge... but fortunately last week's cold kept me without alcohol for a full six days. So thanks, body, for yelling at me so my mom doesn't have to. Maybe we'll try this guy again after Thanksgiving.

Be Better About Increasing My Mileage.  
The Challenge: Run 60 miles during the month of October.
The Halfway Point: 26 miles (I was only four miles off at halfway!)
The Results: 43.74 miles. I was off my goal by about 3 runs' worth of miles. What I didn't factor in this month? I was in rehearsal and simultaneously finishing writing a play. So while I didn't hit my goal, it wasn't because I was lazy.

The silver lining? In the past three months I've run 131.47 miles. I'm going to cut myself a little slack.

Fun fact? I finished the Hot Chocolate last weekend in a little over 26 minutes. Even though I didn't hit my goal, I'm still pretty proud of myself, folks! Plus, look how much I'm enjoying that chocolate post-race.

All of the challenges actually went much smoother than I was expecting. While this blog in general is about tackling a ridiculous "to do list", I thought I would hold myself more accountable but tracking the goals on the blog itself. But it turns out I was able to stick to my goals with publicly publishing. Maybe I should have also added, Be Better at Blogging About Stuff to the list, but oh well.

Tackling goals is not easy and sometimes it's hard to see progress. I think it really helped to have a set of tangible things I could monitor with numbers - things like amount of money saved and number of miles run with less tangible things like counting to ten before I whine about my life. Do I feel like a better person? Sure. Can I do better? Always. Stay tuned for my recap of the second set of challenges and my next set of silly encounters in the city.

As always, thanks for reading.
xoxo, E.

Number 31: Invent an Interesting Past... Or Work On Creating An Even Better Future

Hey Gen Y. Millennials. Whatever all of you underemployed, over-ambitious, under-40s are being called this week. Can I get something off of my chest? Can I ask a teeny, tiny favor? Could you all please STOP. YOUR. BITCHING. Yeah, I'm talking to you, whoever wrote this article and this article, but I'm also talking to myself. Do you know how many times a week I complain about the "first-world problems" I'm experiencing? Too many. Complaining is natural - I get it. And keeping frustrations in is simply unhealthy. But lately I'm sick of listening to myself. I complain about everything from not having the perfect pair of shoes to wear on a Saturday night, to why I'm a 6 instead of a 4, to complaining about my job, to complaining about my career (and yeah those things are different). And let's not get started on the tirades I've gone on about my love life.

But what do I ever do about it? What do any of us every do about it?

I read a rash of articles every day that just COMPLAIN about the state of our lives without thinking about improving on it. We graduated into a recession, that sucks. We may be dreamers, but why is that a bad thing? We are called lazy, yet somehow we have the time and the means (and apparently the drive) to write article after article about the sorry state we are in - but we can't control those things. I mean someone out there had the time to create a DATING SITE FOR GHOSTS, but we don't have the time to spread any good. Look at what is going on in Washington. It's essentially a massive temper tantrum, but WHY?! This is helping NO ONE. NO. ONE.

So, starting today, instead of acting like this about the things I can't control...

...I'm going to focus on the things I can control and challenge myself to something I'm calling Be Better October. I started this blog (twice) to give myself a challenge. To publicly dare myself to get out and DO something. Here's All I Wanna Do this month...

- Be Better At Saving. The problem? I love clothes. LOVE THEM. But I don't necessarily need to buy any new ones right now.  
The Challenge: I will not buy any new clothes during the month of October. In addition to what I already put aside from each check, I WILL put an extra $25 into my savings account at the end of each week.
The Payoff: I'll have an extra $100 set aside to do something nice for myself. Or a jump start on my holiday present fund.  
The Duration: October 1 - October 31.

- Be Better To My Liver. The problem? Chicago is a drinking town. Everywhere you go, alcohol is not only presented to you, but it is encouraged that you have multiple drinks.
The Challenge: Stay sober for an entire week. (I'll give myself a bye for a celebratory glass of wine on Friday evening. Or when my fantasy team dominates again this week.)
The Payoff: Again, there's the bank account thing... but I'll have more energy to complete my "Be Better" tasks.
The Duration: October 2 - October 9.

- Be Better About Increasing My Mileage. The problem? I ran a half-marathon in May and while I haven't stopped running, I haven't kept my mileage up to the number I'd like it to be. Now that it's getting cooler, it's easier for me to go on longer runs, so it seems like a good time to up my mileage.
The Challenge: Run at least 60 miles this month.To be fair, I ran 52 miles in the month of September. But I'm determined to up the ante.
The Payoff: Looking smoking hot in my not-at-all sexy Halloween costume. (That isn't sarcasm. It's really unsexy. But it is hilarious. Obviously.) And smoking the competition in the two road races I've got lined up for November.
The Duration: October 1 - October 31.

- Be Better To My City. The problem? I feel selfish. In an effort to think and act more positively this month, I think I should do something for my community.
The Challenge: Volunteer at least once this month.
The Payoff: I'm helping to make my city better and someone's day better while betting myself.
The Duration: We'll see what I choose to do!

-  Be Better About Complaining. The problem? I'm sick of negativity. With all of the time I spend complaining about things, I could be using that time to make improvements
The Challenge: Like with anger management, I'm going to count to ten before I complain.
The Payoff: Hopefully I'll be sending out more positive vibes by the end of the month.
The Duration: This one is open ended... the wishful thinking part of me hopes this will become habit.

- Be Better About Working Hard. The problem? No matter how hard I work as an actor, there is always someone working harder.
The Challenge: Find and work out two new monologues by the end of the month.
The Payoff: ...we'll see.
The Duration: October 1 - October 31.

So, here we go internet. I'm trying to do a little good, one day at a time. So here's to a little less bitching, a little more positivity. I plan on feeling like this by the end of the month...

...because really, when I think best self, I think breaking it down with TSwift. Happy October, Friends. I'm off to do some good.