September Walking and Incremental October

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Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started. 

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In the beginning of the September it took me 20 minutes to walk 1 mile around my neighborhood while dodging cars, avoiding dogs, and climbing hills. I eventually switched to a park near my house and started walking 2 miles a day. There were no cars, the dogs were friendly, and I walked a mile in about 17 minutes. I kept going to the park and started walking 3 miles the next week. The last week had a bit of a locational transition but I found two new parks and got back to walking. Now, I am so close to being able to walk a mile in 10 minutes. Just have to shave off that last 30 - 40 seconds. 

All totaled, I managed to walk about 30 miles in September and I want to keep going. If only I wasn’t wearing the soles off my 5 year old shoes. 

So, walking in September was a success. It got off to a slow start but I quickly found my groove and started enjoying my daily walks so much that I made the time to go every day. No excuses. Even on the days I took to rest, I wanted to go out and add a few more miles to my tally. My legs are really happy I didn’t. Going for a walk let me get some exercise but I was also able to blow off steam, day dream, plan my to-do list, and keep motivated. I recommend it.

I’ve been thinking about October’s Incremental project for the last week. Should I focus on the holiday crafting? Should I learn to spin yarn on a rented wheel from the fiber guild? Should I focus on designing and getting all these knitting patterns out of my head? I wasn’t really sure until I started typing this paragraph but October’s goal (and November’s too) will be the Couch to 5K program. 9 weeks to start running 5 kilometers (or 3.1 miles) at a time. I’m ready and I’ve got a new pair of shoes. 

August and September Incremental

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Every month I’m picking one skill to practice everyday for a month and updating my progress every Monday. I call it Project Incremental. Read up on how it all got started. 

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So, August’s Incremental Project was supposed to be about drawing, sketching, and leveling up my rendering skills. I was going to draw everyday and make amazing progress to be proud of. I bought some pencils and a sketchpad and did pretty well the first 2 weeks but I didn’t feel like I was making any  progress. Commence laziness. Then I bought a book and worked a few more sketches. Even when I decided to buckle down last week, the pencil did not touch the paper. 

What do I have to show for my 2 and a half weeks of effort? New drawing supplies, another addition to the library, 15 sketches, and a little understanding. I didn’t make amazing progress or even come close to leveling up but I’m not giving up. I still want to draw. I’m still inspired by art. I still want to mark up the page. So, it didn’t happen right now but it will. 

You know what the funny part is? Now that I’m not feeling obligated to draw everyday, I feel like picking up the sketchpad and working through a few exercises. Maybe drawing should have been September’s goal. Ah well. 

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Will the Incremental Project keep going?

Yes, even though it didn’t get off to such a great start in August. Can’t begin everything with a bang. Sometimes, you need to build a little momentum first. When I first dreamed up the Incremental Project, I wanted to focus on a wide range of things. It wasn’t supposed to be just about knitting, spinning, or creative goodness but also fitness, cooking, photo editing, or learning code. Whatever grabs my interest at the time. 

In September, my goal is to walk everyday.  By the end of the month, it might be jogging or running. There’s no real end goal but I know want to start with walking 1 mile a day. One day a week, I’ll push my limits and see how far my feet take me. On another day, I’ll rest. As for the days I’m walking, I have a plan with bullet points. Bullet points make everything official. 

  • Wake up in the morning when the air is still cool.
  • Get dressed and pull on my trusted Five Fingers.
  • Head out the door and start walking the neighborhood or the local park.
  • Get back home, stretch, and drink lots of water. Also, breakfast.

I’ve been adventuring this weekend but I’m pretty sure I walked around Ikea yesterday for at least a mile. Today’s looking like a day of rest. I hope you’re enjoying your Monday too whether you observe Labor Day or not.