What happens when you over challenge yourself.

What happens when you over challenge yourself?

 Is that even a correct sentence, over challenge or over commit to challenges.

 Ha ha, great english Trish!!!

I have become a little obsessed with learning or bettering myself this year. I am participating in 5 daily photo challenges now plus one weekly to improve my technique & creative thinking in photography. They all have such different themes, its very inspiring but clearly addictive.

Some of my photos I use my DSLR & others my iPhone as I would like to take great photo's with each of them. I have been thinking I would like to try out some of the clip on lenses for iPhone photography. 

Have you used any?

I am also trying to learn how to edit using Lightroom & Photoshop, which has meant I can now take photos with my DSLR in RAW mode instead of a jpeg. This gives you a lot more detail in your pics but it also means you DO have to edit them.I am only doing the basics in Lightroom at this stage.

 This weeks focus will be creating design boards using Photoshop so I can do a really nice visual presentation for my clients & maybe one day I will be clever enough to do online design work for people, sounds exciting hey....watch this space.

I have had people approach me about doing interior design work with them even though I haven't finished my studies. Not one to refuse a challenge in 2016 I have jumped in feet first... Why not!

It is such a great way to learn & build a portfolio. They are well aware of my experience level. It's so nice to have people have so much faith in you.

The down side to all of this photography & interior design work is that I am not studying as much as I should, I am not keeping on top of my housework as much as I need to, so it resembles a bomb site most of the time, especially the kitchen.

 I need to train my minions better, messy little rascals!

My fitness and nutrition have also suffered, I think I am still in festive season mode in this area & its really showing around my waistline. Either that or as they say "gremlins have snuck into my closet & seen my clothes smaller." Eeeeekkkk!!!!

So what is the plan of attack I hear you say. A tried & true method used by highly organised people.

ROUTINE!!!!

Sounds simple doesn't it.....for me not so much. It is going to require some serious self discipline & a change in  my mentality when it comes to my children's mess.I have gotten into the habit of thinking it is easier to do it myself, but they are getting increasingly lazy & even messier of late.

I began making them clean up after themselves more this week & ensuring they actually do the chores assigned to them.

 It has decreased my work load but certainly upped the nagging factor, ha ha ha not to mention some teenage boy grumpiness.

I have set a post dinner study time so TV off, all technology that isn't involved in homework is off & doesn't come back on until all homework is complete & the kitchen is clean.We begin this torturous addition to our day on Monday, so if you hear on the news a mother in the Hunter Valley was murdered by her children you will know that it was me & my new routine hasn't been embraced.

I will keep you posted on how well, or if this works for us.

Exercise wise I am working towards getting up early again & going for a walk, it really is a great way to start the day. In the gym I will be picking a muscle group or two each day & doing  different exercises on each muscle group. If I can get in the gym for 20 minutes  most days & go for a 30 min walk of a morning I will soon get back that craving for exercising which also brings with it a taste for clean healthy food  & hopefully my clothes will be comfy again in no time....problem solved!

Wish me luck.

CHEERS

Trish xx