I've recently realized how externally motivated I am.
I mean, I realized this about myself before. Some roommates and I had sticker charts during my last year in grad school for things we were working on. I once told my friend Meagan (who is a massage therapist) that she couldn't give me a massage that weekend if I didn't work out every day that week (and you better believe I did end up working out every day that week). I completed an Ironman in a Month challenge because if you completed it, you were entered into a drawing for prizes. But even with all these examples, I never really owned how externally motivated I am, because we should do things just because they're supposed to be done, right? Sticker charts are for children being potty-trained, not late 20-somethings who are just kind of lazy.
Enter Habitica. I had heard about this app a bit before, but finally downloaded it last Sunday. And guys, I'm in love. It's a website and app where you can "gamify" your life and get rewarded for completing habits, daily items, and to-dos. Your character gets better and stronger and earns more rewards the more you do....but if you don't do things, the character's health decreases and you can lose the progress you've made in the game. You can also join quests with your friends to hold yourself even more accountable, because if you're on a quest and miss a daily, everybody on your team takes a hit. I'm super impressed with how involved this website and app are. And they're totally free! You can subscribe for a certain amount a month for extra features, though I'm finding that the free version is meeting my needs right now. If you think you'd find this helpful, I'd encourage you to check it out. I know I've been a lot more productive this last week than I normally am and I really hope to keep that motivation going.
End of PSA.
In other news...
This winter was rough. (Hence not much blogging.) We set all sorts of records for snow. I had to get snow tires. (Which I got off yesterday! Hooray!) It was hard constantly seeing snow on the ground all the time, constantly having to watch for ice, and never feeling warm enough when I was outside. I even ran away for a long weekend to North Carolina to see some friends because it was warmer there. (It ended up not being super warm a couple of the days, but there wasn't snow on the ground, so that was a win.) And, of course, it being dark on the way to and from work is never fun. Now that the weather is getting better (and Daylight Savings Time is here!), I feel my mood rapidly improving overall, so that's happy. I don't think I realized how much the weather was impacting me mentally and emotionally.
Life is settling down as it doesn't feel as in flux as it has been. I didn't get a job in Utah that I applied for, which really helped me to throw myself more into really making here home, including spending more time with friends and activities and not just staying home doing nothing. I'm still in my current apartment...partly because there really aren't too many cheaper options for similar apartments and partly (mainly) because moving is a pain. I really like my apartment, just not the management. However, they haven't caused any issues lately, so I can't complain. I am now month-to-month, so I can leave if I decide to. I'm trying to move forward in various goals. A friend tutored me a bit on my sewing machine. I'm doing some mending, but then hope to maybe start working on some of my 101 list sewing goals. I'm taking another calligraphy class (this time, it's copperplate, and it's been a lot harder for me than the other scripts, but it's really pretty). Galloway has started up again and I'm a pace group leader this season. I'm training for my first half marathon at the end of April and then doing another a half marathon outside of Glacier National Park in June. Got a PR on a 10K yesterday. Lots of good things happening. Both I and my Habitica character are progressing. :-)
