Just for fun...enjoy

Ahhh....some lovely distractions

Well, it's been a while since I wrote something on my blog...and for no good reason either...well sort of...

Sitting in my chair, Chai tea by my side, and I am looking at my screen ready to confess some things.

First of all, time is can sometimes be cruel. Not enough hours in a day to work on stuff I personally want to do.

Let's start with a game, besides Geocaching, that I love...Fantasy Football!

If you don't know what Fantasy Football is, you are going to have to do an internet search. Don't have enough room to go over all the little details but here is a quick and general run down.....Fantasy Football is a game where a group of people get together and do what is called a 'draft'. That is where the 'coaches' or 'owners' pick players from the NFL. Nobody can have the same player that was previously picked. Example: If I draft Payton Manning, quarterback of the Denver Broncos, nobody else in the 'league' can draft him. Each NFL week, whatever the NFL players do in real life, your 'team' scores points. You compare your total points with a different team each week and figure out who 'wins' and who 'loses'. A win-lose record is kept. Towards the end of the NFL season we have what is called a 'play-off' (usually starts on week 14 in the NFL). The best teams of the fantasy league go into the play-offs. If you lose, you are eliminated until there is only one team left and that team is considered the Fantasy Football Champion!

If this doesn't make sense, like I said, do an internet search. There are probably websites that can explain it better and in greater detail.

So what does this have to do with me and my blog about Geocaching Route 66? A lot.

People that organize fantasy football leagues are called commissioners. And this guys loves being the commissioner. I get a kick out organizing leagues and creating some fun. I commission 3 leagues and in 2 of those leagues, the team that does the worst, gets renamed by some else in the league. I have a wrestling style belt for one league for the winner. One of my leagues is one I do at work. We don't have any money on the line, but I do have 2 traveling trophies for winners. And so on...

With so many leagues to run, comes time consuming activities like emailing leaguemates, organizing league get togethers, and watching/listening to a lot of football.

Which in turn, has taken some of my time away from adding to my blog, but I am having the time of my life at the moment (even when my teams are doing horrible). And isn't that part of life? Enjoying the small things? Even if they can be distracting?

I haven't forgotten about Geocaching Route 66. In fact, I have mapped out my route through Illinois with a list of over 400 goecaches to go for so far. (Doubt I'll get them all, but this too has been fun to do.)

I also haven't forgotten about working on my goals, which will be in my next blog. I will let you know ahead of time, I am have not been doing well and have been thinking about a different approach on trying to reach my goals. 

Until next time, enjoy life folks.

I would love to hear what you got to say or think. Click on the comment section below and let me know what is on your mind. If that isn't working, try emailing me at richhavlik@gmail.com 

I'm at the End of My Belt and a New Hurdle

Hello Everyone,

You've probably heard this over and over, "There are many ways to measure success."

Trust me, just because that saying is over used, it doesn't make it any less true. With all the hurdles I want to jump, there are many little milestones to look forward to. 

I never been much of a 'numbers' guy. In Geocaching, some of the people that play are out to get their number of finds' as-high-as-they-can as-fast-as-they-can. At first, I was seeking out geocaches on a regular basis to get to 1000 finds. Once I hit that milestone, I slowed down quite a bit. I am no longer just look for geocaches to increase my numbers, but look for geocaches that will take me to places I have never been to before. I have discovered parks and trails I never knew existed and I can honestly say that I would never have sought them out without playing this game.

One of reasons I want to geocache Route 66 is not only to increase my numbers, but I want to see where these caches will take me. So far, as I research geocaches in Illinois along Route 66, most of them seem like they will take me to some pretty cool historical landmarks.

So what are some 'measurements' I plan on looking forward to seeing as I jump some of my self imposed hurdles?

One, is my belt. I am at the very last hole on my belt. I know I could go out and buy a bigger belt, but that feels like cheating a bit. I'd rather spend money on clothes (and belts) for a smaller body than for one that has been expanding in the last couple of years.

Along with using belt holes as milestone markers, getting back into some clothes that I have set aside, that have become too tight to wear, is another way to measure my progress. As my clothes started to fit tighter and tighter, as I was gaining weight, I'd put them into a stack of in a corner of my closet. My original goal was to donate that clothing to the local second hand store. Now that I look at pile of clothes, perhaps reducing that pile, as I lose weight, can also be a milestone.

I know using the scale is a way to measure my progress (by the way, I am now down to 301 pounds) but I don't want to be a slave to a scale. Here is a quick rundown of some other milestone markers I'd like to use....

• Quick losing my breath so easily after exercising or working (Remember, I am a funeral director. Can you guess why I might physically exert myself a work?) or geoaching...
• Reduce my need for acid reflux medicine...
• Make sure my knees and hips don't give out me when I get older (by the way, I'm going to be 48 years old soon)...
• Just plain feel better...

I am sure other milestones will come along the way as time goes on. What are some of your milestones you want to see happen (or have seen) as you jump (or jumped) over hurdles in your life? I'd love to hear what got to say. Free feel to leave a comment. If you click the title of this blog, I believe that will take you to the comment section. If that doesn't work for you, feel free to email me at richhavlik@gmail.com

New Hurdle Time!!!!!

If you have read the previous blogs, I mentioned that I have some goals I want to work on as I prepare myself to Geocache and Explore Route 66. There are; Quit Smoking, Quit Drinking Pop, Start Working Out, and Eat Better. 

I also mentioned that I was going to randomly select these goals to work on. Late last July, Start Working Out was picked. I have been going to the gym or exercising at least twice a week.

Well, it's time to reveal what was randomly picked to work on next.......drumroll please

Quit Smoking!!!!

This is going to be my biggest and hardest challenge, but the carrot (Route 66) is big. To reward myself for doing this, I am going to set up a regular daily deposit of money into a saving account. 

That amount? The cost of a pack of cigarettes.

Which is? The average cost is over $7.50 a pack. For cleaner accounting purposes, I am going to round that number up to $8 a pack.

How much do I smoke? About a pack a day. So my daily transfer of money will be $8 a day.

A friend of mine on Facebook has an app that tracks on how many cigarettes that they haven't smoked and how much money they saved by not smoking. I'll be looking for this app as well and if I can, I'll post my milestones regularly here.

I know that's a 'numbers' thing, but outside of feeling better, there isn't much else in terms of measuring my success here. Plus, the daily deposit of money is going to be crucial in my Route 66 travels.

One thing I have said in the past about Geocaching and Exploring Route 66 is that I plan on starting my journey in Chicago and go until I run our of time or money, then head home. Then pick up where I left off the next year. I have a feeling that this journey is going to take years to finish, but I have many milestone to look forward to as well. And that is a Great thing!

Lying Lazy Butt

Hello Everyone,

Well my first goal, to start working out, is going slow which I admit. It is so easy to find excuses not to go or not to push myself. Most of the excuses are are just mind games my 'lazy-butt' part of my personality comes up with. We all have those inner voices.

Then I saw a post my son put on Facebook.

The post basically asked people to explain how they accomplished their goals and how do they defeat the Neigh Sayers in their lives. He never really got a real response. The comments people posted was more of the 'You can do it!' or 'Be your own cheerleader.' variety.

So, how would I answer my son....

First, I will freely admit that the biggest Neigh Sayer in my life are my own thoughts. It's the thoughts that get implanted after you hear it and believe it even though it is some kind of lie.

I am not saying that you can't accomplish your goals or that I can't accomplish my goals. What I am saying is that during the course of our lives we run into people (family, friends, co-workers, etc...) and we hear something that seems true, but isn't, but for some reason we believe the negativity. Those negativities become weights in our process.

Want to try to jump some hurdles? Try jumping with an extra 10 or 20 pounds of negativity. It makes it seems impossible with that extra burden.

So what do we do about it? How do we shrug off the extra loaded weight?

The only thing I can think of is that we got to change our way of thinking. We have to somehow get rid of the Inner Neigh-Sayer. That voice that repeats the lies we allowed into our lives.

Sounds easy? It won't be. We are so use to carrying that extra weight that we gave up on even trying to jump a hurdle.  It's always easier to keep doing the same-old thing.

How do we change the lazy-butt voices in our heads?

One, we got to take a moment and realize a couple of truths. One of those truths is this; we repeat the same behavior over and over again because we get something from it. So, take a long moment and analyze a behavior of yours and figure out what you are getting from it and ask questions; 'What am I getting from this?', 'Is this a result from believing a lie?', 'Do I really want to continue this?', and so on.

Challenge yourself. Even if you have to go to a dark place to do so. You might feel like crap while doing this, but at least you can start bringing some lies into the light and start replacing them with truths.

Another truth to believe is that we should not be afraid of those dark places. We all have been so conditioned to avoid pain and sadness and displeasure that we forget that those feelings are part of our human experience. We may not like feeling those ways, but for true healing and change, those places need to be experienced.

I remember being told once that once I get into a position that is normally avoided, was that I was to sit in it. Soak in it. Let it fill up the pores of my body. Basically, experience it. Then there will come a point where one makes a decision, a good and healthy decision, to get out and learn to deal with it.

Another truth is that we don't have concur all our goals all at once. Our society is face paced as it is. Technology is changing the ways we live our lives yearly if not monthly. Everything seems to be moving at a faster rate year after year, new technology after new technology. Have you seen this latest generation with the latest devices? How it's has changed our ways of interacting?

I remember hearing from a seminar a couple of decades ago, and that person was talking about how to reach your goals even if life is super busy; which it is. Even if you accomplish 1% of your goal on a regular basis, you will see results. Be patient with yourself. And I would like to add, Enjoy the Ride.

So now that I started working out, how is it going besides 'slow'?

It may sound lukewarm but...so far so good. Along with trying to work out 2 times a week, I am also working on not accepting excuses not to work out.

I also weighted myself for the first time in a very long time. And yes, I do weight more now than I ever have. A whopping 304 pounds. Also included a 'before' picture. Something to compare to in the future.

The hurdles, over time in this area, seem mounting and difficult to overcome. But, I am now seeing that, that is just a lie.

All good intentions lead to a bigger belly?

Hello Everyone!

Ever want to do something different? Maybe change the pace in your life, change your scenery, or your bored and want something new and different? Ever start something new, you are doing great and then somehow it fizzles away?

My last blog I stated that I was going to start working out. A change. The first of a few I want to make before I start my Route 66 journey.

So, how's that going?

I am finding out that some hurdles have hurdles. What do I mean by that?

Before I go answering that question, I want to do an unofficial poll. Have you ever done something, with the greatest of intentions, that you started, slowly stopped doing it, and continued paying for it?

About a year ago (or could be longer, I don't remember) I started up a gym membership at one of those places that are open all the time. You could go hit the treadmill at 3am if you want. I started to go on a regular basis at first. Then as time went on, I started to go irregularly. Then eventually stopped going all together. But I continued to pay for it. I had full intentions on going again, but didn't. I'd get monthly reminders that I had a gym membership (every time my monthly fee were deducted from my account) but made no effort to go. Yep, I'm that guy. Am I alone at this? Email me and let me know.

What did I learn so far? The road to a bigger belly is paved with good intentions.

The hardest part of starting any new habit is the start itself. There seems to be a few hurdles to jump before starting anything. But there is many more in continuing. Most of those hurdles are mental hurdles; 'Oh, I'll make up this time that I missed working out later this week', 'I'm too pooped. I don't even want to leave the couch', etc...

I remember learning, in a men's support group, that the reason people continue doing a specific behavior, either good or bad, is because they are getting something from it. 

I also remember listening to a sermon in church that was also talking about human behavior. My pastor made a statement that has stuck in my head, "The need that you feed will be the need that will lead."

If we picture a habit as an animal. What will happen to that animal if we feed and take care of it versus having another animal/pet and totally ignoring it?

Take a look at some parts of your life that you don't like or want to change and ask yourself, "Do I want to continue feeding this beast?"

For me, it's time to do something different. It's time to start starving my old habits and give some new ones the royal treatment. 

One of my hurdles, in starting my workouts at the gym, has been getting into the gym. I couldn't find my fob. I called the gym to get a new fob and I went there to pick it up before work one day. Later that week, I went looking for my new fob and I looked and looked and found it (I thought). When I got to the gym door, the fob didn't work. What I think I did was misplace the new fob and found my old one (which they of course canceled). In the meantime, I have been doing long walks in the neighborhood. I did set up another meeting with the gal at the gym to see what's up with the fob, so I will be hitting the weights and treadmill soon.

Bottomline, I am having a slow start. But, slow starts are okay. I just have to remember, "Trees that are slow to grow, bear the best fruits."

Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think in the comment box below. If that is not working, feel free to email me at richhavlik@gmail.com 

I'd love to hear from you!

Just some goofy stuff....enjoy

Why So Random??

Ever notice how life seems to have so many random elements? Car accidents. State lotteries. Some cancers. The roll of a die. There seems to be so much happening that is out that is not in our control.

When I think of randomness, some quotes and ideas come to mind....

"Expect the Unexpected"

"Most people are content to let perfect days happen at random rather than PLAN for them. "

"Why so random?"...actually the quote is 'Why so serious?', but if you say, 'Why so random?' in Heath Ledger's Joker's voice, sounds a bit goofy but fun. 

"The journey has been incredible from its beginning. So much of life, seems to me, is determined by pure randomness.", Sidney Poitier

If you read my last blog post, you would have noticed that I plan on taking four action plans. Starting one plan a month. But randomly. 

Why so random?

I probably see a lot more randomness in life than most people..especially being a funeral director. I have seen a lot of random things happen to people and their families. Plus, I never really have been much of control freak. Sometimes when I am on a walk or hike and I come to a crossroad, I have flipped a coin to see what path I'll take.

My laid back demeanor also helps. If you ask my girlfriend, Becky, what my favorite personal quote is, she'd tell you, "No worries".

Here are my personal hurdles I want to jump before I head out on Route 66 next year....

QUIT SMOKING. A no brainer here, right? Wrong! I am addicted to nicotine and the stupid deadly habit of smoking cigarettes. I have quit smoking many times but for some reason or another I return to the habit out of pure selfishness.

Once I quit for 5-6 years. To keep a long long story short, I made a promise to quit to my wife and kids at a fixed date/milestone in my life. I did it without a problem and was smoke free until the divorce. Yep, I started up again. No excuses. I just wanted to.

Another time, I had a $100 bet with a co-worker and quit for a year. I won, then started up again. No excuses. I just wanted to.

Not too long ago, I quit for a month for a chance to win $5000. I didn't win. Yep, you guessed it, I started up again.

As you can see, I basically need a big carrot to quit. Now that I have decided to Geocache and Explore Route 66, my big carrot is back. 

My game plan is, when it's time to quit, is to deposit into my saving account $7 a day (a little less than the cost of a pack of cigarettes). This will help with the hurdles of MONEY and ENERGY for the annual trip down Route 66.

QUIT DRINKING POP. Another no brainer, right? Wrong again! Because of my battle with energy levels, I have allowed myself to get dependent on the sugars and caffeine in pop and energy drinks. 

I had a trade service in the funeral industry where I was on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The trade service was draining physically and, for 10 years, I didn't have a regular sleep schedule. Consuming pop was my crutch (along with cigarettes). The pop drinking really hasn't lessened at all even after I got out of the trade service.

There are days where I love drinking pop and then there are days where I hate it (especially on days when I wake myself up with the caffeine but feel like crap because of the pop).

When I quit drinking pop, like when I quit smoking, I am going to deposit a fixed amount per day into my savings account. Right now, I think I am spending about $3 a day on pop.

START WORKING OUT. It only makes sense that including a work out plan in my life that will help me lose weight which will help me increase my ENERGY level in a more natural way. 

There was another time in my life where I weighted a lot, like 299 pounds a lot. As much as my wife tried to convince me to start taking care of myself, I had no interest. Why? I had no carrot.....until....

When we, as a family, moved to Rogers, Minnesota, I stubbled upon a professional wrestling school. I LOVE watching wrestling and the thought of a small chance of me getting into the ring and beimg a totally different character appealed to me big time. The deal I made was that if I get myself down to 200 pounds, I got to join the school for at least one year. Now that was a big carrot. So what happened?

I got down to 220 pounds and then the school moved to Minneapolis. My carrot went bye bye. I then went back to my old ways.

I know I can do it. The only true problem is I selfishly need a reason to keep me motivated. (Something to explore in future blogs)

START EATING BETTER. This kind of goes hand-in-hand with working out, but I got to concur one molehill at a time. When I tackle this hurdle, I plan on reducing my sugar intake and increase fruits and veggies to my diet. 

I also plan on eliminating going to fast food places. To do this, I am going have to make a huge effort in bringing in my own lunches to work instead of utilizing the fast food lanes. 

After getting into the habit of eating better, this should be a major factor of increasing my ENERGY levels naturally.

So which hurdle am I going to work on first randomly?

Drumroll please.....................

START WORKING OUT!

Wish me luck, say a prayer (or two, or three, or everyday) and I will keep you informed on how it's going.

Thanks for taking the time out in reading this. If you'd like to leave a comment or ask some questions, click the 'comment' down below. If for some reason the website won't allow you to leave a comment, feel free to email me at richhavlik@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.

For you out there reading this and are squirming at the thought of doing anything without some kind scheduled plan versus randomly selecting actions, let me suggest this. Take a walk and carry a coin. You might just have some fun.