Hello! This is the first week since reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, a few years ago that I’m actually able to think in a weekly block. I was convinced I should try it, some time ago, however it took a lot of personal growth to stop asking my husband, family or kids for “permission” to design my week or to give myself time to reflect. It’s really hard to make time to do this, but Sunday feels like a good time to reflect on and learn from the past week.

Pono & Mind:

🗹 Be the change you want to see happen instead of trying to change anyone else. -Arleen Lorance “Did this by printing an assertive communication list of notes from Dr. Sharon Galor’s book about assertiveness, which I intend to use to communicate in a warm and honest way with my family instead of arguing with them.”

🗹 Create your own reality consciously. -Arleen Lorance “I’m doing that by making this life improvement system based on Demitri Martin’s one, but infused with possible corrections to avoid divorce and also to align with my own values”.

🗹 See problems as opportunities. -Arleen Lorance “I did that because of frequent arguments in my birth family I decided to change my assertiveness level to not engage in unpleasant arguments, but also reach out personally to all my family members to let them know I love them and I’m ready to talk pleasantly with them about solutions if they are respectful.”

🗹 Have no expectations, but rather abundant expectancy. -Arleen Lorance “I did that because I’m not expecting anyone else to suddenly change the way they talk to me, even though I am going to change how I talk and when I am available to listen.”

🗹 Read books. Do puzzles. Brainstorming. Drawing, painting, and/or sculpting. -Demitri Martin “Read the Four Tendencies, reviewed How to Win Friends and Influence People, Never Split the Difference and took notes on Be Assertive. Did a ton of brainstorming about discipline, coconut milk and gardening. Finished a digital drawing I’ve been working on for a month.”

Mālama & Body:

☐ Eat better. -Demitri Martin

🗹 Exercise. -Demitri Martin “I nailed T25 Total Body Circuit, and I tried Last Minute Abs from Rock’n Body.”

Aloha & Relationships:

🗹 Did you let people help you/provide others with opportunities to give? -Arleen Lorance “I did ask for help with my baby and happily recieve some from my family.”

🗹 Did you receive all people/someone as beautiful exactly as they are? -Arleen Lorance “I did that with my baby, even when he cries I respect that he isn’t happy and appriciate who he is, someone who has empowered me to dare to try my best in a way words can’t explain.”

🗹 Did you help a friend/stranger? Uplift those around you? Do something nice for someone? -Demitri Martin “Sent an actual card to my bestfriend and hope/think she enjoyed it.”

🗹 Practice Confidence: Be forthright and proactive in your life. -Demitri Martin “I would have trouble doing this except for a blog post “Bodly Celebrate Yourself,” by Nomz that really touched me and let me get outside my normal shyness for a little bit these past few weeks.”

Kuleana & Career/Personal Management:

🗹 Did you set weekly goals? -Demitri Martin “Yes, I did that with the Life Improvement System. I set weekly goals that seem like a good start towards living in a way I won’t regret on my deathbed, but without expecting an unrealistic amount. Prioritizing relationships over productivity, but not crucifying productivity either.”

🗹 Did you take daily steps toward achieving those goals? -Demitri Martin “I did take a lot of small emotional and mental actions leading to major changes in the structure and schedual of next week.”

☐ Money: Keep careful track of your income and expenses. -Demitri Martin “I fixed my budget in Mint, but honestly didn’t keep careful track of it this month.”

🗹 Errands: Do your cleaning, marketing, and pay your bills on time. -Demitri Martin “I had one late bill simply on accident, did most of the cleaning on time.”

13 Points of 15 Points = 87% for the last week of August. I don’t have a lot of feelings about it yet, but I do know that I honestly tried to be mindful of what I really want in life, the other people in my life, and being realistic about what I can achieve in real life while caring for my two kids.

(See how week two went.)