Seasons of Change

Sorry for the cheesy title, but I *had* to do it. I'm starting an October Challenge based on this article from one of my favorite blogs, Zen Habits. I have chosen a habit I would like to change and, per the article, am posting my intentions and progress in a public place for accountability. I will work on this habit change for the entire month of October (so 31 days). If anyone would like to change a habit with me, I'd appreciate the company.

In a nutshell, the article talks about how habit change is not that complicated. It's a matter of focus and simply identifying triggers and consciously replacing the behavior you don't like with one you do. Leo identifies these as the simple steps of habit change:

1. Write down your plan.
2. Identify your triggers and replacement habits.
3. Focus on doing the replacement habits every single time the triggers happen, for about 30 days.

That’s it. He talks about each of these steps, and much more, in his habit cheatsheet. I highly encourage to read the article, then jot down some answers to the questions I post below. Creating a mantra helps you focus when the voices in your head are telling you to quit. Remember, you'll have better success if you focus on one habit at a time. I hope you'll join me in this October Challenge!

Sandy's Habit to Change: Start deliberate exercise of 15 minutes daily, in addition to as much random acts of movement I can squeeze in.

Reasons: Many, including: better health, to increase energy, to lose a few inches and tone up what I've got, to up my self-esteem and feel more comfortable in my skin

Triggers/Obstacles: long day at work, feel like I *deserve* to be lazy, feeling like I have no energy

Positive Responses to Triggers: play Wii Active Challenge or one of the other active Wii games I have, take the kids for a walk now that the weather is cooling off, go for a walk alone, practice karate since I'm so rusty

Support System: my karmalicious girls (you know), family

Mantra: I like to move it move it, I like to MOVE IT!

And The Winner Is...

Thanks to those who entered my giveaway! The winner is...

toecheeseswife

So, toecheeseswife, send me an email at sandykreps @gmail. com with your name and address, and I'll drop an envelope in the mail to you with your set of 4 limited-edition sample words from Uppercase Living -- "ho ho ho" in shimmer cranberry, "joy" in shimmer evergreen, "believe" in shimmer silver and "peace" in shimmer gold.

Thanks for playing everyone!

Giveaway!

Let's have a giveaway, shall we? I've got a set of 4 limited-edition sample words from Uppercase Living to give away -- "ho ho ho" in shimmer cranberry, "joy" in shimmer evergreen, "believe" in shimmer silver and "peace" in shimmer gold. To enter, take a peek at the products on my Uppercase Living website and leave a comment under this post with your favorite UL expression and where you would put it. I'll chose the winner randomly. Entries will close this Sunday at midnight CT.

And yes, that is the glass pen cup on my desk at work. Photo taken with my iPhone.

Good luck!

Flashback on 5/$500 Challenge & Clean Closets

So we started two challenges that haven't been resolved. Sorry, my bad. I got busy, what can I say? But it's now time to pick these two challenges back up, finish them, and move the heck on. So let's flashback to what those challenges were and make some plans for wrapping them up.

First, the Cash Challenge
5/$500 Challenge. Are you doing this? The idea behind the 5/$500 was to find 5 things to sell each day 5 days a week for 5 weeks, with the goal of making at least $500 after shipping and fees. We're extending the deadline to October 5, so go sell something! My current stats are 16 items sold for a total of $218. I'd still love to clean out some more items we don't use anymore, and I would really like to update my camera with the cash I'm earning. Have you sold anything yet?

And, the Closet Challenge
The Clean Closet Challege, Part 1. How's your closet coming? I got through most of part 1 -- I sorted and purged. The hang-up has been in the "getting rid of" part. The discards are all piled in my home office, waiting to be boxed and dropped off at the consignment store and charity (coincidentally, they're sitting next to piles of toys I was going to sort and box for consignment/charity...do you see a pattern here?) I'll do that over the next week, so we can move on to Part 2: Organizing and Upgrading Closet Storage.

So that's it. Let's get these projects wrapped up in the next couple of weeks. I've got a good friend coming for a visit at the beginning of October, and I'd love to have the piles gone and a fabulous new camera to show her!

Hostess Bump-Up Promotion PLUS the Holiday Catalog and Photo Prints!

Three exciting bits of Uppercase Living news to pass along today!

ONE: The 2009 Holiday Catalog Supplement is out and available for ordering! Click here to download the pdf of our exciting new holiday selections!

TWO: UL's new Photo Prints are available for purchase as well! These exciting new vinyls take your favorite photos and print them directly on high-quality vinyl for you to place anywhere in your home or workplace. These exciting new prints are REMOVABLE and REUSABLE as well!!! Click here to download the flyer!

THREE: New Hostess Bump-Up promotion! From September 15 to October 15, the Hostess of any submitted Open House will automatically bump up a level on her Hostess Rewards. What does this promotion mean? More free products and additional half-off items, of course! Here is an example of what you can expect: Typically, if an Open House sales total reaches $500, the Hostess would receive:

• $70 in free products
• Two (2) half-off items

With the help of the Hostess Bump-Up promotion, however, the Hostess will receive the following for an Open House with the same total:

• $100 in free product
• Three (3) half-off items

E-mail me TODAY at sandykreps @ gmail.com to schedule your Open House in the DFW Metro area or a catalog party anywhere in the USA. All orders from your party must be received by 10/14/09 to make the Bump-Up Promotion!!!

As always, you can check my web site to see more products or to order from Uppercase Living. Contact me if you have any questions! http://sandykreps.uppercaseliving.net

Fabulous and Free for Fall

Today I'm inspired once again by Centsational Girl's blog, and specifically her post on September Decor. Stranded at home with a sick child, Kate took the opportunity to gather up items from around her house and decorate for fall using things she already had. The results, as always from Kate, are fabulous, and they were free since she already owned all the items she used. I've been getting the itch to do some autumn decorating myself -- something about Halloween decor available in stores makes me want to slather my house in browns and burnt orange and nestle pumpkins and candles on the mantle. I'll take a cue from Centsational Girl on this one and spend a couple of days digging through what I already have to see if I can inject a little fall into my own home. Gotta love free and fabulous -- it saves money and is great for the environment by not buying more unneeded stuff! So a challenge to you -- can you find some new ways to use items you already have to inject a little autumn coziness into your home?