So it's been an interesting day and a half. The introduction post has been posted, the first day is done. And I realized something rather interesting: I am already burning myself out on the magnitude of the task at hand.
See, originally, I was going to post my wins and my losses. A win was applying to a second job or remembering to use a coupon. A loss was eating out or neglecting to balance my bank account. But I tend to overdo things early on, and I was just getting overwhelmed. Even something like looking up a mortgage-savings website got me stressed out. So I'm going to spend this evening's blog focusing on baby steps and the fun I could have with this process. That's right. Fun.
For instance, over the weekend, I got together with a friend of mine and we talked about a podcast we'd like to put together. We've been talking about it for a while, but we had a legitimate breakthrough. I wrote an entire script for an 8-10 minute parody skit, and the words just flowed.
Then today, I was talking to a friend and former manager about the skit and how awesome it was, and then how stressed I was about the concept of needing a second job. And she gave me some very good advice - that when it comes to a second job, I should do what makes me happy. I didn't have a response. I mean, I wanted to do something creative, of course, but everything I've read has said that you need to make sacrifices to save money.
But... why not both? I'm a harpist and a writer. Why not spend time that I would be working on admittedly boring work like a part-time data entry or store clerk position, and instead work on creative ventures that could very well make money? The reason I rejected those at first is that they're unstable in a way that my job isn't. But if I looked at them as a job, and put the same amount of time and energy into them, they would be so much more rewarding on a spiritual scale, and I'd be able to save more willpower to doing well at my main job which would pay higher than a part time job anyway.
So I'm going to try it for a while and see how it works, and report on it to you. Fingers crossed, right?
Now I know this is a financial blog, but I'd like to also to post a few notes related to losing weight. Why? Because at some point in the future (playing the long game here), I am going to want a better full-time job with better pay. And in order to do that, I need to take care of my physical issues like back pain and extra weight, both of which I have the tools to manage on my own terms. The fact that there is prejudice in hiring toward overweight people, especially women, sucks. But it's the truth, and it's not going to change just because I wish it would. So I'd like to lose some weight so that I'm a thinner candidate at my next important interview and more likely to be hired. Plus lower back pain sucks. And better health = lower medical costs in the long term!
And, to comment on the elephant in the room, yes. I am terrified that my weight is why I've lost two pregnancies. I do consider myself lucky, in that my losses were early in - both before 7 weeks - and they occurred naturally and completed without medical intervention. But I'm not going to try again until I consider myself more in shape. So without further ado, here are the primary goals I want to work on:
1. Do a great job at work.
2. When I'm home, make sure my home is cared for (meal prep, cleaning, organizing, and balancing the e-checkbook).
3. Once I have cared for my home, get my daily exercise in.
4. Once I am too tired to exercise any longer, practice harp - specifically, put a gig book together again.
5. Once my fingers hurt too much or I am too frustrated from practicing, write.
And that should honestly take care of the majority of my time. So the sacrifice is going to be focusing on those five things at the expense of stuff like playing video games and reading as much.
Now I still love knocking out goals and seeing the progress toward them. My three main goals are to lose weight (0 lost of 65 lbs in total), to pay off our car loan ($1,500 paid/$14,400 principal) and to save up as much money as humanly possible outside of my IRA ($1100/$50,000 goal)
I went to http://www.free-mandalas.net/ and printed out a few adult coloring pages. I'm not worrying too much about how many coloring spots are in it. If I run out, I'll get a new one. :D
Dragon for weight loss (rarr!), stained glass for the car debt, and heart for savings. One bubble per $100 saved/paid off or 1000 calories burned.
And just like that, I'm excited instead of stressed. BAM. Take that, human psychology!
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