100 Small Steps Challenge: The Fourth Week

Day 22: Monday 21 Dec

I guess the arrival of my induction pack in the mail today denotes I am now employed?! Whether I will continue to work with the obsessive compulsive disorder client remains unknown, however there are other clients on the books that I could work with through the agency.

I saw the doctor Tim referred me to this morning, too. We spoke about my dysfunctional sleeping issues, about my upcoming Nepal trek (with regards to the immunisations I'll need) and I requested to have some routine blood tests as it has been over a year since the last lot I had.

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Day 23: Tuesday 22 Dec


In the mail today I received an offer to study a Bachelor of Nursing at Charles Sturt University via distance education. I had applied at the end of October with half a thought to return to uni to finish my nursing degree. I'm still contemplating my decision, but at this stage I'm leaning towards accepting the offer. I really need something to fill my days up with. Whether that be a job and/or study it doesn't really matter. I was going to make 2010 The Year of the Mountains - with me focusing 100% on my preparation for my summit attempt of Mera Peak and have a study-free year. However, I'm now 30 and I'm still largely unconvinced that I am suited to being a paramedic (I could discuss a few of the reasons in another post). I'm thinking I could feel better within myself if I started progressing towards another career option 'just in case' I never return to my paramedic work. To have all your eggs in one basket isn't ideal for anyone. I need to weigh up the cost of studying by distance education in 2010 versus the cost of leaving my nursing studies until 2011 and studying on-campus at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). There are always going to be positives and negatives with all options.

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Day 24 : Wednesday 23 Dec

I did a shift this afternoon with the same obsessive compulsive client as last Wednesday. My shift overlapped with another carer (whom I worked along side last Wednesday) by an hour and a half and after that... I was on my own! HELP! I'm unsure at this stage if I'll be continuing to work with this particular client for reasons I won't discuss here for obvious privacy reasons. I learned a lot though. About the client and also about me. What I learned about me is more important for the purpose of this Challenge. I learned that I can be assertive without getting angry or upset. I know this challenge is about taking 'small steps' - but that was a huge realisation/achievement for me. In the past its been the case more often that not that when I do attempt to assert myself, it ends up in an argument or a tear fest. Neither which are ideal - specially in the workplace. Go me! I'm growing and it's exciting. However, I also learned that not everyone will like everyone. We're all individuals - we're all unique. But then, some people may just not like or connect or get along with anyone due to issues of their own creation - be it because they are stubborn, self-centred, stuck-in-their-ways and/or they don't make an effort (or any combination of the above). There's a bunch of reasons for this paradigm. Interpersonal relations and communication is a two way thing - for it to work, you both have to make it work. Neither party can do 100% of the work and expect optimal outcomes.

** Image sourced from The importance of being assertive **

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Day 25: Thursday 24 Dec

We had our family Chrissy lunch today with my grandparents and my Mum's aunty. It was nothing extravagant or over-the-top - just a nice, relaxing day. The 'small step' I took today was taking all my own food (three meals worth - though one of them was just a Reflex Nutrition protein shake). I was determined to not eat anything extra as I was doing so well with my eating, and have been training so hard that I figured I wasn't prepared to stop what I was doing for the sake of a single day on the calendar that typically spins out to over a week for a lot of people. I know how hard it was to build momentum after a mini (or major) blow out. The psychological impact is perhaps the greatest - the feelings of guilt and of failure for eating so much crap in such a small time frame. So, the best policy is to not go 'off-plan' in the first instance! Too easy. I succeeded, as I knew I would, and it was effortless. I didn't feel deprived or tempted all day. Sure, I love food - but I love feeling amazing better than any chocolate coated anything could ever taste like. And I love feeling fit, strong and lean. The only 'extra' I did consume was three sugar free Double D lollies which is like bugger all, I know!

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Day 26: Friday 25 Dec

Who remembers the two music CD albums I bought Monday week ago? Listening to them in any shape or form was conditional upon me getting down to 75 kg. I had anticipated that they the CDs would be available for my listening pleasure by Christmas. And, what do you know - they sure were! This morning I weighed in at 74.8 kg. WOOP WOOP! I was so happy! It symbolises the end of me playing 'catch-up' as I recall being about 75 kg in the first week of February when I scooted down to Melbourne for a week and had that big mentoring session with Craig Harper. I made him a deal that I wouldn't return to him for another session until I was I think 7 kg lighter - which would have made it 68 kg (which rings a bell). I'm not going to go into what 'could have been' - it's too self-destructive. [Like, sure, I could 'easily' be at my goal weight by now - under 60kg] I focus on the NOW and my next mini-goal: 72.5 kg.

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Day 27: Saturday 26 Dec

As part of my ongoing rehab for my neck/poor scapula control issues, Tim-the-physio has given me three exercises to do AT LEAST three times a day (more is better). They are aimed at improved posture and pectoral (shoulder) girdle position. One of the exercises has be rolling my shoulders in preparation to set my scapula (shoulder blades) and then raise my arms from my side to 90 degrees, horizontal to my shoulder with light resistance. When Tim first had me doing this, I was using 0.5 kg dumbbells (which I must admit I laughed at him when he gave me them in the pilates studio! But he assured me they were enough for me, for now). I graduated from those in my pilates session last Thursday (17/12) and am now using 1 kg dumbbells. I already had a set of 1kg dumbbells at home too! Otherwise, Tim said any weighted object is fine - like a can of baked beans!

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Day 28: Sunday 27 Dec

This morning I installed the Polar Personal Trainer 5 software that came with my RS400 heart rate monitor. I also installed the driver for the infrared USB adapter that I purchased separately and uploaded nine exercise files. When I finally figured it out I quickly discover how amazingly awesome this is. It's so cool - I love it.