The Art & Poetry of Mary Coleman

Today I worked on the legs of the little boy. They weren’t too difficult and it didn’t take me very long to finish them. At this rate I should only need two more days to finish the entire figure maybe even one day. Once I’m done with this painting I’ll start up drawing and I already have some ideas in mind for that.

Write about your approach to budgeting.

When I’m budgeting, which it is my job, I lay out all our re-occurring expenses (bills, subscriptions, supplies, groceries etc…), our upcoming expenses that may not be reoccurring (such as a car service or a house repair), and I set aside money for unexpected expenses and savings.

Something I’m trying to get better at is not spending as much on takeout. It’s a problem because I really don’t like cooking, so I tend to order in 3 or 4 times a week. Last week I only had it twice and I’m going to make an attempt to only pay for it once this week. We are going out a second time with my Uncle and Aunt, but they always insist on paying when we eat out with them.

One thing I made a New Year’s resolution about was not to spend on Amazon except for once a month for supplies only. So far I have stuck to that resolution and I’ve saved us a lot of money (I used to impulse buy on Amazon throughout the month and it added up). I’ve only made one order off Amazon in January, and I haven’t yet ordered anything in February.

Here is the daily poem:

Here’s an overview of my New Year’s Resolutions for the past week (week 7)…

I would like to introduce two things…

1. I would like to eat an average of 1800 calories a day. I averaged 2369 calories a day. I’ll try to do better next week.
2. Reduce takeout to twice this week. Cook at home 5 times – Achieved

I would like to continue on with…

1. Strength training twice for 66 minutes total – Achieved!
2. Meditation daily for a total of 63 minutes – Achieved! I mediated for 82 minutes total.
3. Running 4 times this week or using the elliptical – Achieved!
4. Going on Instagram every day – Achieved!
5. Working on my new PPE painting and finishing the left suited figure by the end of Sunday – Achieved!
6. Intermittent fasting every day, get 25+g of fiber and 65+g of protein, and avoid desserts. I avoided desserts all but one day, I got my fiber and protein goal in 6 of the days, and I fasted 5 of the days

Notes about this week: I think exercise really helps curb my daily anxiety. If I can just get in 20 minutes a day I feel so much better.  Ultra-processed food also has a sizeable impact on my mood. I did not have any panic attacks this week.

What I would like to do in Week 8…

This week I would like to introduce four new things…

1. Don’t eat any ultra-processed food and cook at home 5 of the days. When eating out order food that is not ultra-processed. Previously I was just reducing UPF but this week I want to cut it entirely out.
2. I would like to eat an average of 1800 calories a day. I didn’t achieve this in week 7 so I’m trying again. 
3. I would like to read 14 chapters of my book
4. I would like to write a poem every day

I would like to continue on with…

1. Strength training twice a week for 66 minutes total 
2. Meditation for a total of 63 minutes 
3. Run 4 times this week or use the elliptical
4. Get one 4 mile run in
5. Go on Instagram every day  
6. Work on my current PPE painting and finish the final figure and the whole painting.
7. Intermittent fasting every day, get 25+g of fiber and 65+g of protein five of the days, and continue to avoid sugar