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I recently watched a video by Tiago Forte about what he calls “The Excitement Map”.

He suggests using it to figure out what goals to go after, because focusing on what excites you naturally boosts life satisfaction.

I like it because it reminds me how much of life can be exciting when I’m feeling pretty “blah”.

How To Make One

He used a “mind map” layout for his, with “life” at the center and branches extending from there.

I just made lists. And I’m calling it my “Fuck Yeah List”, because these are things you should always say “fuck yeah!” to. 😆

Basically, you just make a list (or branches) of things that energize & fascinate you. Don’t get too specific to start, just general categories or subjects of interest – whatever “lights you up”. He suggests browsing through your digital life for ideas (such as videos & articles you’ve saved, observations throughout the day, etc). A good question to ask yourself to help add to the list is “What did you enjoy doing as a kid? No judgment, no guilt tripping yourself with what you think should be on there – just the things that genuinely spark something in your soul. Tiago even goes so far as to say that these should be things you feel you have a physical, visceral passion for.

From there, you’d get more specific – ask yourself & write down what about each topic makes it important or meaningful or exciting for you.

Now you have something to work with however you see useful. ❤️

My “Fuck Yeah List”

I expected myself to struggle with making my own list because I’ve been feeling pretty “blah” lately (distracted, overwhelmed, worried — you know, all the fun mental clutter.)

But once I got going on it, it really came together nicely! So here’s what I came up with :

Writing
- Sharing things that excite / interest me
- Feeling proud of something I’ve written
Nature
- Seeing things I don’t see very often (certain birds, butterflies, ruins)
- Fresh air, refreshing breeze
- Flowing water
Adventures
- Experiencing different places & things
- Shopping
- Hiking
- Events
Music
- Concerts
- Dancing
Witchcraft
- Nature
- Meditation
- Protection
Learning
- Psychology
- Stoicism
- Buddhism
- Health
- Neurology
Exercise
- Getting stronger, leaner, faster
- Dancing, coordination
Cooking
- Putting together healthy, delicious dinners for my loved ones
Notion
- Creating engaging, functional workspaces for different purposes
Driving
- Cruising around at night, no one else on the road, listening to music with the windows wide open
- Going 70+ on the highway, legally

If you’ve been feeling flat lately, this is a game-changer. Make your own Excitement Map and see what lights you up. Share this post if you think someone else needs the reminder.

Rock on!

I’ve lost over 15 pounds! 😁👍

That’s halfway to my goal!! 🥳

Ever since my doctor told me my cholesterol was “elevated” (though, as I’ve been told by everyone else, “whose isn’t?!?”), I made an honest effort to make some changes to my health.

My main goal is to feel better, however. A better mindset has been the most rewarding side effect of all the dieting & exercise I’ve been doing the past couple months – weight loss & toned muscles are just a bonus.

Let’s review my efforts so far…

Diet

I’ve been following a “mindful eating” diet plan set up with the help of ChatGPT. It helped me set up a schedule so that I wouldn’t get too hungry by dinnertime (& thus shovel a bunch of food in my face).

Here’s what that looks like :

Mindful Eating Schedule

10:00 – lemon / lime water
11:00 – fruit
1:30 – salad w/ protein
4:00 – smoothie / yogurt
6:30 – veggies with hummus
8:00 – dinner
11:30 – dark chocolate & nuts
1:00 – fruit

I don’t follow this strictly, but it’s been proving to be pretty good guidelines for me. I’m trying to focus on eating mostly veggies & protein. Through ideas from Tim Ferriss’ slow carb diet, part of my weekly “do nothing day” includes “going crazy” (which has definitely helped me keep my sanity!) And on days when we find ourselves on an adventure, I just try to stay mindful of what I order out (without depriving myself of the glorious BBQ of summer!)

I’ve also been counting calories using an app called “My Net Diary”. It makes sense to take in fewer calories than you burn off throughout each day, so it’s been making me more aware of what I’m eating. And I love it!

“Don’t drink calories” has been a big realization for me – I didn’t realize how ridiculous my coffee creamer was! (Bet your ass I’ve got a generous amount of it plus a shot of Trader Vic’s macadamia nut liqueur in there on “go crazy day” though! 😋)

Exercise

I forgot how much I love to exercise!

I started with just 5 minutes a day, and have built myself up to about 45 minutes (give or take).

I do different things daily, all movements that I love (which is key to maintaining the routine!) :

20min cardio / dance
15min arms / bellydancing
10min yoga / tai chi / qi gong

I’ve always been interested in belly dancing, and now that I’ve been doing YouTube videos regularly, I’m seriously considering signing up for a local belly dancing group. (How I would love to create & perform a routine to some ska & rockabilly – The thought of complementing “King For A Day” with the chimes of a bellydancing belt is just too adorable! 😊)

On “go crazy” days, I stick to just yoga, tai chi, and qi gong. And definitely not for 45 minutes!

I realized I have a bit of trouble with tai chi & qi gong because I’ve been practicing yoga for over 20 years. Yoga is about releasing energy and gradually improving flexibility, balance, & strength; where tai chi & qi gong are more about energy movement & manipulation, and range of motion. The movements in yoga tend to be more “grandiose” than those with tai chi, so I struggle to slow down and flow with the “chi”. But both types of movements have their appropriate times.

Smoking…..

Well…heh…oops! 😬

(I’m such an asshole……)

I quit smoking over 6 years ago, when I was pregnant with my oldest. However, I vaped until a couple of months ago when I’d lowered the nicotine level in my vape so low that I realized it was all psychological habit instead of addiction. So I quit.

I kept a pack of Camels around that I’d smoke maybe one or two a year if shit hit the fan & I needed a little nihilism.

Well, I needed a little nihilism amidst my recent “mid-life crisis”, & now I’m smoking more than I’d like to admit.

I gotta quit. Again.

It’s honestly kinda low on my list of concerns, though, to be honest. (A post on that soon…probably.)

I’ve really been enjoying sneaking off to the nooks & crannies of my yard to see whatever nature I can while I’m out there though – hummingbirds, butterflies, chipmunks, & squirrels throwing crabapples at me.

Health Log on Notion

I’ve been using Notion to help me keep track of everything (as always).

I have a database with a template set up to reset daily.

In the properties, I track how many fruits & veggies I eat each day, water, exercise types, calories, steps, cigs, and some other stuff.

The note itself contains my “mindful eating schedule”, a food log, exercise log, and space for reflections (I realized during yoga yesterday how cranky my knees have gotten omg!)

This is making it super easy to not only stay mindful throughout the day but also reflect & pivot as needed each week!

Lessons I’ve Learned

Diet is the most important thing to focus on if you want to lose weight. You can exercise all you want, but if you’re shoveling candy & chips in your face all day, you won’t make any progress.
Exercise is important for overall health. Not just mental & physical vitality, but also to tone up your muscles. So move your ass – You’ll lose weight a lot quicker!
Start small & build up to where you feel like you need to be. I slowly reduced my calorie “allowances” and started with 5 minutes of exercise (building gradually each week).
Do things you enjoy. I like the foods I eat on my schedule, & they make me feel good. I love dance cardio & belly dancing. If I tried jogging daily, it wouldn’t last long (I’ve tried, & it didn’t.) Do whatever keeps you interested.

I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m damn proud of how far I’ve come. If you’re working on your own health journey — remember, baby steps and curiosity go a long way. You’ve got this.

Have you started (or restarted) a health habit lately? Tell me about it — I’d love to hear.

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