Archive for the 'Inner Mean Girl 40-Day Cleanse' Category

September 15, 2010 | Inner Mean Girl 40-Day Cleanse,Life in General,Mentors,Prescott College,School Daze,Summer 2010,The 4-1-1 on Me,Uncategorized

I’m participating in the 40-day Inner Mean Girl Cleanse.. For 40 days, I am joining women around the world to cleanse my system of 6 toxic habits of my Inner Mean Girl (gossip, comparison, judgment, expectations, and obligations) and replace them with self-loving habits instead.

This week’s toxin is: Unrealistic Expectations

The Mission: To give up over-promising and perfection for the next 7 days.

When my friend told me about Prescott College, I thought “Well, this school sounds perfect for me.” I browsed the website for hours, reading everything about the program I was thinking about entering. And then the next thing I know, I’ve decided to do it. I’ve decided to go back to school after 17 yrs and finally get my degree.

This time, I’m going back for me, and the degree isn’t going to be English. It’s going to be Nonprofit Management.

I attended the 3-day orientation and felt slightly overwhelmed, but excited about starting. Excited and apprehensive because I had to step outside my comfort zone and ask complete strangers to be my teachers. My original grad date was Dec 2011. If I took 3 classes per semester, I would graduate in Dec 2011. It seemed like a reasonable goal at the time.

Until I actually started school.

Two classes.

And promptly had a teeny, tiny, breakdown 2 months in. Seriously.

I couldn’t figure out why it was so hard until Babendude pointed it out.

“It’s because you didn’t have a job.”

Ah. And the light bulb clicks on.

When I was going to school, I had been going full time. My parents wouldn’t let me get a job until I transferred to ASU. And even then, it was on campus and part time.

I took three classes for the first time this past semester.

And it nearly killed me. Emotionally.

Graduating in Dec 2011 was a nice goal, a nice expectation. But an unrealistic one, I now realize. My life was different back in the 90′s. I’ve grown up since then. Which is why my grad date is now Summer 2012, taking two classes per semester. I agonized over that decision, too. I felt like I was letting myself down, letting Babendude down. I really wanted to finish next year. But I’ve come to terms with my limitations and have to compensate for that.

No over-promising for the next 7 days? Hah. Nooooo problem.

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September 8, 2010 | Inner Mean Girl 40-Day Cleanse,Life in General,The 4-1-1 on Me

I’m participating in the 40-day Inner Mean Girl Cleanse.. For 40 days, I am joining women around the world to cleanse my system of 6 toxic habits of my Inner Mean Girl (gossip, comparison, judgment, expectations, and obligations) and replace them with self-loving habits instead. Join me.

This week’s toxin is: Obligation

The Mission: To give up external obligations and live from your soul … acting only from love (even when it makes loving challenging.) for the next 7 days.

The fall session starts on the 16th (classes technically don’t start until the 20th). I’m supposed to be enjoying a little brain break before jumping back in, but I can’t help but think about all the stuff I still have to do: pay for the class at Rio Salado, and order the required reading books for the two courses I’m taking.

It’s a “have-to”.

I shouldn’t be thinking about school right now.

I should be enjoying the fact that tomorrow is my 3 yr wedding anniversary and the upcoming mini-vacation.

But I’m thinking about school and wondering if I should get a head start on the reading material for one of my classes.

For the next 7 days, I need to stop with the shoulds, the have-tos and the musts and turn them into “get to dos.” I’m also encouraged to “serve myself first.” And I’ll be doing as instructed this weekend.

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September 1, 2010 | Inner Mean Girl 40-Day Cleanse,The 4-1-1 on Me

I’m participating in the 40-day Inner Mean Girl Cleanse.. For 40 days, I am joining women around the world to cleanse my system of 6 toxic habits of my Inner Mean Girl (gossip, comparison, judgment, expectations, and obligations) and replace them with self-loving habits instead. Join me.

This week’s toxin is: Comparison

The Mission: To refrain from comparison and pick up the self-loving habits of inspiration, appreciation, and gratitude for the next 7 days.

So, needless to say, I would’ve failed this miserably today if I’d read it earlier. My Comparison Queen came out and stopped all over my ass today. In stilettos. Today, my supervisor was talking about her future plans and how eventually she would leave the company and how, if I wanted to, step into her shoes.

Uh, that would be a hell to the no.

First of all, the thought of leaving this job and starting anew somewhere else scares the shit out of me. I’m in a rut–a cozy rut–and I like it there. She makes the job worthwhile. After 3 yrs of working together, we know each other. The dynamics will totally change when she leaves.

And she will leave.

Second, I couldn’t do all the high-level stuff that she does. “I didn’t know how to either, when I first came here,” she said. I don’t believe her. It seems like having the ability to talk like you know what you’re talking about–and have mangers and above actually listen–is just something that comes naturally.

I don’t feel that it doesn’t–for me–and yet I want to start my own business. Go figure.

So, when my Comparison Queen decides to put on her stomping shoes, I need to do the following:

1. Allow the person you are comparing yourself with to lift me up instead. Use what your Comparison Queen attacks you with as a source of inspiration to shift or take an action in your life.

2. Appreciate the other person, and appreciate myself. Take the thing you are comparing and tell that person, or yourself, that you appreciate them for it.

3. Be grateful for what you have right now. Broaden your scope of success and get grateful for the success you do have.

I think this may be easier than the gossip thing.

JUST A REMINDER: There’s still time to add “your two cents” to Chapter 5 of A Royale Pain: A Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Novel. It’s the final chapter I’ll be posting for my class project and comments close on Sunday.

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August 25, 2010 | Inner Mean Girl 40-Day Cleanse,The 4-1-1 on Me

I’m participating in the 40-day Inner Mean Girl Cleanse.. For 40 days, I am joining women around the world to cleanse my system of 6 toxic habits of my Inner Mean Girl (gossip, comparison, judgment, expectations, and obligations) and replace them with self-loving habits instead.

Today is the kick-off.

The Mission: To refrain from All gossip for the next 7 days

This means:

Being the Gossip – Talking or writing about a person who is not part of the conversation.

Colluding in Gossip. Adding commentary and thoughts to a conversation or communication that create gossip.

Witnessing Gossip – Standing by and listening to other people gossip.

Watching Gossip – Tuning into any form of media that promotes or shows gossip.

For the next 7 days, I’m rockin’ the Good Talk and kickin’ Ms. Gossip to da curb!

You, too, can cleanse your Inner Mean Girl (she’s kinda cute for a mean girl) for 40 days. For free! Yes, you heard me right. For free! No nasty pills, no bad-tasting drink that makes you hit the pot 5 minutes later, and no funky diets. You can still join, just click on the link at the beginning of the post and get your cleanse on!

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