Staying Here in Texas...
Last Friday marked the end of my 13 week contract in Corpus Christi, TX... But you know what? I'm staying for a little bit longer. This is called an "extension." Basically I am working at the same facility and just continuing my same travel job but for an additional period of time. I have decided to extend for 18 more weeks, which will take me right up until November 22nd, just in time to drive home to Ohio for the holidays!
I am extending for several reasons, one being that this will help the timing of taking a break right around the holidays and second that I am enjoying my time working here. Another reason is that financially it is a bit of a strain to pick up and move every 3 months, and this will help with the budget as well.
As some of you are aware, I try each contract to improve some areas of my life whether it be fitness, spiritually, financially, personally etc.
FINANCES
This contract I have worked a lot on the finances. Whew. I am going to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU) AGAIN. This will be the 5th time... Don't judge. Apparently something hasn't stuck yet. I told my mom the other day that going to FPU in my mind was relatable to an alcoholic going to AA. I am going to a meeting one time a week, meeting with like minded people who encourage but also tell me when I need to fix something in my life. I am living on a budget and paying SO MUCH to pay my loans down. When I started traveling I still had 24 years on my loans, and it's been 2 years and I should have it paid off in another 2 years. WHEW! What a blessing to not have that over my head! I have actually made financial goals (first time ever) and actually feel like they are in reach. I am keeping my gazelle intensity and look forward to doing my debt free scream!
I continue to read a finance book at work during my lunch break and I am slowly learning about investment, smart spending and how to be an everyday millionaire. Finances are obviously not the reason for existing but they are important so that you can give to others like you would want to. Today I am living like no-one else, so that later I can live and GIVE like no-one else.
SPIRITUALLY
Last contract I spent a lot of time studying and learning more in regards to the scriptures and my personal walk with God. I would say that I have not focused on this as much as I had in my previous contract. However, I am so glad that because of my previous contract, completing a DAILY bible study in the morning has become an ingrained habit. I continue to need to spend more time in prayer and reading/studying. This is something that for the next 18 weeks I would like to spend more time doing. So thankful the BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) will be starting up soon and I will have a structured bible study to follow as well.
STUFF
This contract I have spent a lot of time listening to podcasts. One of which being Dave's for finances but the other being "The Minimalists." I recently completed their "30-day minimalism challenge" in which you start on day 1 and get rid of 1 item (donate or trash), and then day 2 you get rid of 2 items, day 3, 3 items and so forth. I actually went a little overboard and got rid of 517 things. WOAH. Who knew that many things even fit in the camper. And trust me I still have plenty of cookware, food, clothes, etc. I would like to continue a minimalism journey and pair down even more to where I only have the essentials. There is such joy in only owning things that bring you joy and not having things that bring clutter or dissatisfaction to your life. There is something to be said as well as being a Christian but also loving things. I found that some things I have an emotional attachment too that I have been exploring and doing a lot of soul searching about. For now I will find joy in the things I own, continue to determine the things that do not bring me joy and get rid of them. Crazy concept, huh? I plan to continue doing this for the next 18 weeks, and then when I get home in November I will be tackling my storage compartment and my room in my parent's house that I rent. Whew. So much stuff.
WEIGHT/FITNESS
So as most of you know, I lost a lot of weight since I started traveling. Like about 50 pounds. My goal for these 13 weeks was to loose the final 10. Which I failed to do... But I was able to maintain at the weight I left Keto at. Which is a huge win in and of itself. I plan to continue to maintain my weight and attempt to increase my gym attendance (it has been lacking the past month or so). I don't think that I am going to add weight loss to my goals right now, but in the future I would like to lose these last 10 lbs.
FASTING
Social Media. That might not be the right word but I have been working on not having certain things in my life. About a month ago, I gave up social media. I haven't been back since! I plan to get on my computer maybe once a week to make sure nothing drastic has happened, but no more social media on my phone. Maybe not ever.
Soda. I went for 4 months without Coke Zero. I have just now started adding it back into my life and I am sort of regretting it. The amount has far decreased from where it was, but this might be something that I try to cut out of my life again.
Food Shopping. This might sound silly but as a single person my grocery bill was WAY too high. As I looked at what I was buying, I would buy something and then use it to make a few things and then it would sit in my fridge for a while until it went bad and I threw it away. I am actually trying a no food waste and it has WAY decreased my grocery bill. I might be getting really creative to get rid of everything but my fridge is starting look minimalistic as well!
Make-up. I have been going make-up free for the whole month during the workweek and most weekends too. (I did take a break and wear makeup when I went to Austin). Wow, this really exposes you and makes you realize your dependance on having a "mask" or "putting your face on." I will say that doing this has significantly decreased the amount of time I need in the morning!
WRAP-UP
Plans for the next 18 weeks include:
1. Continue decreasing amount of items in my life. (Maybe I should make an item goal/week. Like get rid of 5-10 items/week..)
2. Continue to maintain weight... Keep trekking.
3. Increase gym attendance to 4x/week
4. Increase amount of bible study/prayer in the evening.
I am extending for several reasons, one being that this will help the timing of taking a break right around the holidays and second that I am enjoying my time working here. Another reason is that financially it is a bit of a strain to pick up and move every 3 months, and this will help with the budget as well.
As some of you are aware, I try each contract to improve some areas of my life whether it be fitness, spiritually, financially, personally etc.
FINANCES
This contract I have worked a lot on the finances. Whew. I am going to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University (FPU) AGAIN. This will be the 5th time... Don't judge. Apparently something hasn't stuck yet. I told my mom the other day that going to FPU in my mind was relatable to an alcoholic going to AA. I am going to a meeting one time a week, meeting with like minded people who encourage but also tell me when I need to fix something in my life. I am living on a budget and paying SO MUCH to pay my loans down. When I started traveling I still had 24 years on my loans, and it's been 2 years and I should have it paid off in another 2 years. WHEW! What a blessing to not have that over my head! I have actually made financial goals (first time ever) and actually feel like they are in reach. I am keeping my gazelle intensity and look forward to doing my debt free scream!
I continue to read a finance book at work during my lunch break and I am slowly learning about investment, smart spending and how to be an everyday millionaire. Finances are obviously not the reason for existing but they are important so that you can give to others like you would want to. Today I am living like no-one else, so that later I can live and GIVE like no-one else.
SPIRITUALLY
Last contract I spent a lot of time studying and learning more in regards to the scriptures and my personal walk with God. I would say that I have not focused on this as much as I had in my previous contract. However, I am so glad that because of my previous contract, completing a DAILY bible study in the morning has become an ingrained habit. I continue to need to spend more time in prayer and reading/studying. This is something that for the next 18 weeks I would like to spend more time doing. So thankful the BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) will be starting up soon and I will have a structured bible study to follow as well.
STUFF
This contract I have spent a lot of time listening to podcasts. One of which being Dave's for finances but the other being "The Minimalists." I recently completed their "30-day minimalism challenge" in which you start on day 1 and get rid of 1 item (donate or trash), and then day 2 you get rid of 2 items, day 3, 3 items and so forth. I actually went a little overboard and got rid of 517 things. WOAH. Who knew that many things even fit in the camper. And trust me I still have plenty of cookware, food, clothes, etc. I would like to continue a minimalism journey and pair down even more to where I only have the essentials. There is such joy in only owning things that bring you joy and not having things that bring clutter or dissatisfaction to your life. There is something to be said as well as being a Christian but also loving things. I found that some things I have an emotional attachment too that I have been exploring and doing a lot of soul searching about. For now I will find joy in the things I own, continue to determine the things that do not bring me joy and get rid of them. Crazy concept, huh? I plan to continue doing this for the next 18 weeks, and then when I get home in November I will be tackling my storage compartment and my room in my parent's house that I rent. Whew. So much stuff.
WEIGHT/FITNESS
So as most of you know, I lost a lot of weight since I started traveling. Like about 50 pounds. My goal for these 13 weeks was to loose the final 10. Which I failed to do... But I was able to maintain at the weight I left Keto at. Which is a huge win in and of itself. I plan to continue to maintain my weight and attempt to increase my gym attendance (it has been lacking the past month or so). I don't think that I am going to add weight loss to my goals right now, but in the future I would like to lose these last 10 lbs.
FASTING
Social Media. That might not be the right word but I have been working on not having certain things in my life. About a month ago, I gave up social media. I haven't been back since! I plan to get on my computer maybe once a week to make sure nothing drastic has happened, but no more social media on my phone. Maybe not ever.
Soda. I went for 4 months without Coke Zero. I have just now started adding it back into my life and I am sort of regretting it. The amount has far decreased from where it was, but this might be something that I try to cut out of my life again.
Food Shopping. This might sound silly but as a single person my grocery bill was WAY too high. As I looked at what I was buying, I would buy something and then use it to make a few things and then it would sit in my fridge for a while until it went bad and I threw it away. I am actually trying a no food waste and it has WAY decreased my grocery bill. I might be getting really creative to get rid of everything but my fridge is starting look minimalistic as well!
Make-up. I have been going make-up free for the whole month during the workweek and most weekends too. (I did take a break and wear makeup when I went to Austin). Wow, this really exposes you and makes you realize your dependance on having a "mask" or "putting your face on." I will say that doing this has significantly decreased the amount of time I need in the morning!
WRAP-UP
Plans for the next 18 weeks include:
1. Continue decreasing amount of items in my life. (Maybe I should make an item goal/week. Like get rid of 5-10 items/week..)
2. Continue to maintain weight... Keep trekking.
3. Increase gym attendance to 4x/week
4. Increase amount of bible study/prayer in the evening.
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