The Ten to End Finale
The Ten to End Finale is here. The year has come and gone. It does not seem possible that 2020 is officially in the past. What a year it has been! I started Ten to End to improve my emotional and physical well-being and it was worth it. I have new perspectives and tools to carry me into the future and help me heal and grow. Now, it is up to me to keep the momentum going!
How it started
I needed something positive to focus on. The weather was shifting, the days were getting shorter and the holidays were looming. These alone can affect a person’s emotional state and energy levels. Now add external uncontrollable problems like an insanely divisive election, a rapidly spreading global virus, and long-standing civil unrest. All these uncomfortable, stressful events peaking at the same time are the perfect recipe for a strong case of the YUCKs!
Yup, the YUCKs. That is what I call the “state of being” when all energy, motivation, and sanity have been suck away, zapped to mush, and completely obliterated. Even with the best intentions, this state can prevail at times.
The past ten weeks have been high, low, and everywhere in between. Ten to End was the one constant positive. There was always something to look forward to. Somedays I flew the bird at the goals, but personal goals are hard to ignore for too long when you commit to personal care.
What I learned
Mind
The mind is a tricky thing and gaining better control of my thoughts was a big motivator in starting this challenge. I set out to expand my knowledge and perspectives beyond my front porch. The current state of our society has made it clear that it is dangerous to assume you know more than you actually do. We live in an ever-changing and growing world and being self-centered, entitled, and instantly gratified is destroying humanity. Learning about the world, different cultures, and cultivating self-awareness is keenly beneficial to being compassionate, caring, and considerate of one’s self and in turn to others.
There’s no rhyme or reason to the content I chose to consume other than it looked interesting or was related to something I was feeling at the time. Most importantly I learned that I am keenly interested in getting to know myself better. That may sound funny, but research shows that people really don’t know themselves that well and in recent years my identity has been abruptly impacted, so getting to know me is the only way to heal me.
The books:
- The Monsters We Make
- What Unites Us
- Stretch
- The Secret Life of Introverts
- Practicing the Power of Now
- Barking Up the Wrong Tree
- Grit
- The Power of Habit
- It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way
The Documentaries:
- Heal
- Saving Capitalism
- Brene Brown – The Call to Courage
- Bethany Hamilton – Unstoppable
- Out of Many, One
- Crip Camp
- 13th
- Social Dilemma
“Adults who do not have a solid sense of self at times may rely on the opinions, feelings, and thoughts of others. They may yield to their friends’ sense of fashion, buy a car that is deemed “popular,” or participate in activities they do not truly enjoy. They may allow others to make decisions for them. As this pattern continues, it can leave a person feeling depressed or anxious about choices they make and what their lives have become. They may feel helpless or even hopeless at times. Unfortunately, as this pattern continues, their sense of self may further deteriorate, leaving them feeling less and less connected to themselves. ” ‘I Don’t Know Who I Am’: Establishing Your Sense of Self by Denise Olesky, MA, NCC, LPC, GoodTherapy.org Topic Expert
Body
I learned that I loathe planking and yes, loath is my nice word. My PR landed at two minutes thirty seconds before I plateaued. Although I did not reach my goal, I did not fail, because I learned that shorter planks are just as beneficial and easier on my lower back and shoulders. I also invested in an exercise bike, so distraction from exercise with a different kind of exercise is a-ok in my book.
Honestly I did not lose any weight, but I did not gain any weight between Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas which is a win in my book! I am a little stronger and standing a little taller too. Thank you planks (ugh). I HATE to admit this, but I still suck and drinking water. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why something so very simple and so essential so hard to do.
Spirit
This year has been challenging. There have been moments where I nearly lost all faith and hope in humanity. I have seen and heard evil things from people I never expected. The utter disappointment began to settle in my core. That was a key reason for starting Ten to End. I needed to distract myself by focusing on myself. In the last few months, I have purposely moved away from toxic relationships and social media. Instead, I jumped into Bible plans, self-help books, and educational documentaries. My heart knows that the more understanding and clarity I have the better I become. The more work I put into myself the easier it is to let go of the things I cannot control. This is a BIG one for me and will continue to be a focus of mine into the new year.
The Outcome
Ten to End has put me into go mode and I am ready for 2021. I need to keep working to drink more water, stay in the NOW, and also keep pedaling and planking (groan). Most importantly I need to keep setting goals because when everything goes to hell I am better when I have something to fall back on. I may not achieve every single goal, but two steps forward are always better than two steps back.
Best wishes to all this New Year! May you find light, peace can positivity! Here are 52 (weeks) to a whole and happy you!
If you are interested in learning more about the books on my list here are some links below…
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