I’m beginning to have trouble keeping track of all my games and competitions and challenges…
- GymPact which requires five 30-minute workouts a week
- DietBet which requires that I lose 4% of my body weight by this coming Friday (spoiler alert: I think I’m about there!)
- PN Coaching (of course)
- And now… another Whole Life Challenge
Whew.
The Whole Life Challenge started this weekend and runs for 8 weeks, requiring me to not eat things I enjoy, like PopTarts and Diet Pepsi (which, let’s face it, are like manna from heaven). Also – workouts, drinking water, stretching, and a new lifestyle habit every week (this week is no TV/computer/etc while eating). Not bad timing for it, I suppose — while things have been going well around these parts, I suppose a good nutritional kick in the butt won’t hurt (too much).
I’ve been thinking about all these social media type challenges and interactions I’ve been signing up for — it’s comfortable for me because I don’t have to actually, you know, meet and talk to people in person. I’m finding that the older I get, the less I like leaving the house. Don’t worry — I haven’t yet gotten to the stage where I sit on my porch and yell at the kids to get off my lawn (give me another year or two… oh, and a lawn for kids to have to keep off of, I suppose).
But when I do leave the house? After a short while I’m ready to go back home.
Anyone else like this? I find that even small groups of friends can wear me out; don’t get me wrong — I love my friends and love hanging out with them, but after a few hours, I just need to leave and not have to talk to anyone at all. It’s better one-on-one, also better if there’s activity that doesn’t require conversation.
I’m an introvert of the highest order, for sure. Once I read the true definition of an introvert, I knew I had found a home. I read this article and found myself emphatically shaking my head in affirmation: YES. Someone gets it (let’s not mock that it’s Huffington Post that gets me). Being social drains my energy; being alone recharges me.
For a long time, this really bothered me. Why was I the only one wanting to go home when all my friends were ready to continue the party? It seemed to me that I was fundamentally broken somehow. But whether it’s the recent media coverage of introverts, or hard-earned wisdom or just being too old to give a shit anymore, I now recognize that this is simply the way I am. Just because I want to stay home all weekend and read and exercise and snuggle with my dogs doesn’t mean I’m no fun. It just means that I find different things fun. And that’s okay (no one but me has to like it). And now that I know how to take care of myself, it’s much easier planning outings. I don’t want to be a hermit (well, not most days, at least), just want my social events in small doses is all.
Anyway. That was quite a tangent, eh? So – let’s run some numbers, just for kicks. Since the beginning of PN (this time around), I’m down 5 pounds and about 4 inches. I’ve missed only one workout and have fit in more than I was supposed to on a few of the weeks. I’m in a good groove and I’m just trying to not do anything that might upset the ol’ apple cart. As easily as this groove has come is as easily as it will go. That sounds like a great title for a song, doesn’t it? You can have it. You’re welcome.
