#NerdsUnite: Meghan's Metamorphosis
<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Meghan. She came on board months ago to write for us, and then very unexpectedly had her life change. No like for reals - her first email to me was how she was in this relationship ... and how awesome it was ... like literally a week later, they broke up. She hasn't been able to write for months and is now dipping her toes back in the water. I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT MEGHAN!! </editorsnote>
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Meghan Brown
We're three weeks into the official "Metamorphosis Project", which seems a good time as any for a quick
check-in.
Refresher: I'm looking to fix my life up by focusing on three main goals. Lose 12lbs by my birthday, be in a position to start looking for a legit writing agent by January 2nd, 2012, and live like the kind of grown-up I want to be on a day-to-day basis.
Goal One: Skinny Minnie
I've lost 5.1lbs in three weeks through a combination of CONSTANT WALKING (seriously, SO MUCH WALKING) and being completely obsessed with counting Weight Watchers points. I've gotten a LOT better about buying groceries before I'm in total OMG-FRIDGE-IS-BARREN-PLEASE-GET-ME-CHIPOTLE-BEFORE-I-STARVE-TO-DEATH mode, which has probably been the biggest breakthrough so far. I've also committed to eating three small meals a day (plus snacks!) and have made a real effort to try and cut out most processed foods in favor of fruits and veggies. Sample daily menu:
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Breakfast: Two eggs with veggies and chicken apple sausage (or a bowl of Special K Fruit & Yogurt cereal with 1% milk if I don't have a ton of time)
Snack: Banana or apple
Lunch: Massive salad with pita bread and hummus (or a Sesame Chicken Lean Cuisine, though I'm trying to wean myself off)
Snack: Grapes, apple, squash (I've been cooking a LOT of squash)
Dinner: Mahi Mahi (frozen from Costco) with BBQ sauce and a veggie (or Boca Burger, or Salmon fillet)
Not too fancy or interesting... but SUCH an improvement. The best part is that I'm not feeling hungry all the time. I get 30 WW points per day, and usually hit that EXACT limit (if not a few points shy) without feeling deprived in the slightest.
I'm not getting too excited mainly because I'm well aware the first few pounds are the easiest to lose, and aren't really an indicator of how well I'm going to stick with it. I will say that this is the first time I'm seeing the potential for a legitimate change in long-term behavior. I'm eating at home a lot more, spending less, and finding myself more fulfilled by the food that I'm eating. Overall? Net win.
Goal Two: Writing like a Motherfucker
While I haven't quite lived up to the (overly) high standard I set for myself, I have been focusing a lot more on long-term projects instead of letting ideas overwhelm me and shutting down. I'm focusing primarily on film and tv writing, and am starting to really HUSTLE (hence, the massive social media blitz of late).
Signed on for two particularly interesting projects this week. One is a short film for Thirsty Girl Films about a woman who becomes a quadriplegic, which is going to be awesome. My killer-inspiring friend Meg is directing, and I'll be co-writing with my friend Delia.
The second project is writing a pilot for the Comedy Central pilot contest. The amazing @iamrachelwho (who I met during the TNTML meet-up in San Diego!) and I went to lunch, and she gave me all the deets and asked if I'd be interested in working together... um, YES. Rachel is amazing and I couldn't be happier to get a DEADLINE. Plus, I love contests. SO much fun.
I've got two contest deadlines coming up in the next few days that I'm focusing on... so things are definitely starting to happen. I need to be careful because I tend to go OMG I NEED TO BE DOING EVERYTHING PERFECTLY RIGHT THE HELL NOW OR OTHERWISE I AM THE BIGGEST OF FAILURES WAH... and (shockingly!) that's not a super-conducive attitude. I'm focusing on reminding myself that PROCESS is important as well... and that these little steps will help add up to something greater.
Goal Three: Act like a Grown-up
OK. So... maybe we failed just a TEENY bit on this one.
Basically, my awful procrastination habits are still rearing their ugly heads. I still have not gotten to the post office. My car didn't get smog checked (or oil changed) (or, uh, washed) (though it did rain today! does that count?). I am out of silverware and underwear. My little house is sort of out of control.
BUT! Good news! Now that I'm confessing, I'm so embarrassed that I just went and moved my phone alarm up an hour tomorrow so I can do the dishes and a load of laundry before my writers meeting. Turning that new leaf over! (Yiiiikes.)
I don't know WHY it's so hard for me to be organized. I just... don't... want to be bothered? Is that a reason? I need to get better about looking at happiness in the long-term instead of the short term. In the short term, The Biggest Loser makes me WAY happier than doing dishes... but in the long term, I'm much more happy with a clean kitchen than I am with the fleeting memory of zoning out in front of my laptop.
I have been really good about not doing stupid things this past week, though that is primarily because I spent the two weeks prior doing REALLY stupid things and I needed a break. I've stopped responding to OKCupid messages and started really trying to figure my life out... for the past week, at least. Let's hope the introspective mood sticks around for awhile--I've got a lot to work on, and trying to figure out why, exactly, I've made certain choices is the only way that I'm going to be able to move forward.
So that's where I'm at. Where are you? Would love to hear about anyone else's progress / struggles with self-improvement. We're all in this together. Hit me up on twitter with any advice!