21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 16

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15.

Day 16:
Eat your frog. My mom always talked about this when she was teaching. She'd tell us to get the subject done first that we struggled with or didn't like so we wouldn't procrastinate on it. Today Crystal talks about the same thing with our daily tasks. This chapter is a challenge to stop procrastinating on that one thing you don't want to do. I have to make sure I get my workout done first thing in the morning because if I don't do it then, I will most likely not do it at all. It's not that I don't like working out, I actually enjoy the exercise and especially the way I feel after it. The reason I have to do it first is that I don't want to get out of bed. If you haven't noticed it yet, I do not like mornings so it takes a lot of discipline to make myself get out of bed earlier than usual to workout. When you start the day with the thing you like least, the rest of the day is more enjoyable and it gives you some extra momentum for the rest of the day. Crystal then goes one step further and tells us to not only do the thing we like least first, she also says to do the thing we enjoy the most last. Then we have an extra incentive to finish our other tasks.

Mom's Potato Salad

I had never made potato salad before I met Jared and the one batch that I made after we were engaged didn't turn out very well. Now Jared LOVES potato salad, but especially his mom's recipe and my attempt tasted nothing like his mom's. We got married 13 days before his birthday so I decided that I wanted to attempt potato salad again as a special birthday gift to him. I asked his mom for her recipe but she had always just made it "to taste" without a recipe. I knew how badly I'd messed up the first time and that I would need to have a recipe if I was going to be able to keep making potato salad like his mom. Then I had the perfect idea, I would have his mom come over and teach me how to make her recipe, writing down ingredients and measurements as she went, which is how this recipe came to be. I love how creamy and flavorful this recipe is so I hope you enjoy! It does make about an ice cream pail's worth so I have also included a half batch recipe below.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 15

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14.

Day 15:
Say, "Yes," to the best. Every mom must realize that "supermom" is a myth. If you want to live a productive, efficient, happy, peaceful, and disciplined life, you MUST learn to say "no." When I make getting up a priority, I must say "no" to habitually staying up late. I also have to say "no" to most activities and events that would keep me up late. I need to learn to count the cost of each commitment before I make the final decision. I can't say "yes" to everything so I must pick and choose wisely by starting with the best stuff first. If I have leftover time and energy I can say "yes" to some of the good things, too.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 14

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13.

Day 14:
Set yourself up for success. In this chapter, Crystal discussing the crippling problem of making excuses for why you can't do something. "Instead, choose to invest the time you usually would devote to formulating an excuse to considering what you can do to set yourself up for success in achieving your goals." If you goal is to get up early, you have to make going to bed earlier a priority. You may need to buy an alarm without a snooze, set multiple alarms, have a friend call you, etc. I had an alarm on my phone that wouldn't turn off or snooze till I had solved a couple of math problems successfully. I've also had alarms that slowly get louder and louder. If you're trying to exercise first thing in the morning, make sure you have everything ready the night before. Plan out your calories the night before if you're trying to get in the habit of eating fewer/better calories. Basically, do as much of the prep work ahead of time so that you have a better chance at success.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 13

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12.

Day 13:
Read motivating books. I loved this chapter because I have made this one of my goals for 2014. "Good books will challenge you to improve as an individual." Crystal talks about reading before bed and how it can help you unwind while sharpening your mind. She also suggests listening to audio books if you struggle finding time to reading. She offers 3 book suggestions to give a boost in the discipline department. 1. Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, 2. 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, and 3.Today Matters: 12 Daily Practices to Guarantee Tomorrows Success. I plan to put all three on my reading list. :) Biographies are also a good read.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 12

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11.

Day 12:
I didn't like today's reading. However, it was what I needed to hear - discipline demands FOCUS. "You'll never hit the bull's-eye if you're aiming at multiple targets." That statement hurt a little hearing it, but it's very true. I don't get very far on anything when I'm trying to work on several things at a time. I have really hard time staying focused (and I think a lot of moms feel this way, too). Crystal gives some really good common sense advice. 1. Remove distractions, i.e. if you're trying to lose weight don't keep baking brownies (yes, I do this and know that I shouldn't), if you're trying to accomplish a task evaluate where you're using your time (Facebook, twitter, reading instead of doing your task, etc.). 2. Focus in on the task at hand. She suggests using a timer and practicing stay focused (start with 5 minute increments). I will interject that every time I have tried doing this I get interrupted about 10 seconds into it by a small child in need of immediate attention. I think they can sense that I've started the timer. Now, I have decided to give it a try and see if I will do better this time around.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 11

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10.

Day 11:
Yay! I've made it halfway and I'm still going! I've had some great encouragement (and help) from Jared. Crystal tells you how to find and team up with a cheerleader to benefit both of you. It needs to be someone that you can keep in touch with on a regular basis to hold each other accountable - email, text, call, etc.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 10

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9.

Day 10:
I can really relate to today's topic, "Discipline Needs Cheerleaders". We all work better and stay more focused when we have someone cheering us on and challenging us to do more or be better. Accountability is a great motivator. I know this from experience. When we lived up north, I had two dear friends whom I would go running with on a regular basis and it really pushed me to work harder and to be diligent.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 9

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8.

Day 9:
Today's reading was all about how important breaking large projects up into baby steps is. You need to see successes in the small things to help you keep moving forward with your goals. Whenever I complain about being overwhelmed by a large goal my husband says, "How do you eat and elephant?" The answer is one bit at a time, emphasizing how important it is to take small steps and just keep plugging away at them.

21 Days to a More Disciplined Life: Day 8

I am reading 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life as part of my goals for 2014 and I'm sharing insights from each day's readings. If you want to catch up on my progress, read previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7.

Day 8:
You've got to put your goals on paper. Crystal shares the importance of writing your goals down on paper because writing your goals down gives them more weight. It helps you to track your progress, and your progress motivates you. Writing your goals down can also provide accountability. Crystal says that you should post your written goals in conspicuous places so that you see them on a daily basis. I post my yearly goals here on my blog so that there are more people than just me seeing them. It helps me to stay focused knowing that there is someone else who might be "watching" my progress.