Project Karen

TWO posts in under TWO weeks, what is going on with the previously post-publishing-sky Karen? Who knows - but I think this is a good sign. People who know me well are perfectly aware of the fact that I never shut up when experienced live, but it now looks as if this torrent of words (not always with any specific meaning) has found its way to the screen. My plan is to only write meaningful sentences - only time will show how this pans out.

Before I get started with this year's second post, I want to say a BIG THANK YOU for the kind, lovely and loving messages I received from near and afar after my previous post. I'm really grateful for your thoughts and uplifting words which have reassured me of my choice in making my battle with depression so public - though I'm aware that I'm only a small blogger-shrimp compared to the blogger-whales out there in the deep and never-ending cyber-sea. 

Last year the lovely Maria recommended the book 'The Happiness Project' by Gretchen Rubin. I swallowed her quest for finding happiness along with numerous coffee lattes (from Starbucks, more about that later) and got very inspired to do my own version of her project.

As I'm in a place of my life where I'm battling numerous issues / facing several challenges, I've decided to, magnificently unoriginally, call this project 'Project Karen'. The aim of the project is to, through mastering various tasks, manifesting certain habits, motivation and mindfulness, end up with a happier, healthier and more well-balanced me.

Below is a random list, in no order, of things I'd like to change, try, turn into a habit, finish:

• Be more conscious of what I'm eating and drinking. I started writing a food diary a couple of weeks ago and it's proving very useful. (But my gosh, is it boring reading!)

• Practise mindfulness daily, including meditation. (I can recommend the app Insight Timer, to those of you who might want to start meditating - again a recommendation from the ever-resourceful Maria.)

• Read German for a least 15 minutes every day. (During my therapy I cover the action (Swiss) German conversation, but I think it's almost equally important to read texts in German as well in order to improve my German language skills.) At the moment I'm reading 'Mord auf Raten' by Andreas Franz. If anyone can suggest any fiction books in German, please let me know.

• Update my blog at least once a month. (Hey-ho, what a great start to this 'task' already!)

• Bake one type of bread and / or cake a week, as we are a family of bread and cake lovers. And continue to experiment in the kitchen. Please see below a couple of previous bakes:

Focaccia

Tin loaf

Red onion quiche

Tin loaf, second batch, cubed for Swiss cheese fondue

• Find a yoga class I enjoy and attend regularly.

• Continue to do Zumba at least once a week. (My class consists of a bunch of people of all ages and flexibility (flexibilities?). It's good to know that there are other brave people out there who don't care about their lack of coordination either. In my head I'm a gazelle, but when I catch my moves in the mirror I look more like a three legged, sweaty - but happy - elephant.)

• Continue with or finish the following craft projects:

My current collection of knitted socks (some almost there and some half-way)

The very beginning of a scarf. Yes, I will be knitting it using sharpened drumsticks. 

Finish the Cross-Stich Bitch

Finish this Raffaello puzzle (loads of sky left...)

• Aim to reach 10,000 steps daily using the pedometer which Paul has given me. (Even if it means walking around in circles in front of the TV whilst watching 'The Bridge' with Paul in order to get the last 200 steps in.) Paul and I talked about planting the gadget on Stefan for one day to see how many kilometres he walks / runs a day, but it will probably mess up my current stats.

• Continue to take a daily picture and post it on http://instagram.com/; you can find me under: @stefansmor. The pictures are of pretty random things often with an even more random text, but it's a fun, quick and easy daily task to do.

• Continue to write reviews for Trip Advisor. The aim is to be among the top 10% reviewers in Zurich; at the moment I'm among the 20% top ones. I'm quite strict when it comes to choosing what to review. The experience has to be exceptional - either good or bad. Anything mediocre doesn't make the cut. 

• Avoid Starbucks but instead get my coffee kick from one of the many cafes here in Zurich which are not part of an international chain. It's about time that I make myself familiar with what Zurich has to offer: not only when it comes to cafes, but also guided tours, places to visit, quirky shops, restaurants etc. which I can then take visitors to - and review for Trip Advisor. Paul and I would like to stay here for a very, very long time, so it makes sense to start looking at Zurich as 'our town'. 

Main goal for 2015:

Find out what I would like to do professionally.

However, over the next couple of months, I will be getting different kinds of therapy a couple of hours a day, four days a week and the fifth day I have my weekly session with my psychiatrist. My goal there is to stay motivated and learn as much as I can from the therapists, other patients and not least myself in order for me to overcome this depression and avoid future ones.  

I look forward to updating any progress here over the next couple of weeks / months. And do let me know if you have any suggestions / want to do a project X yourself.

I'm aware that all of the above might come across as an incredibly self-indulgent and self-obsessed exercise, but I would like to add that none of the above mini projects / self-improvement tasks will ever take time away from Stefan and Paul. They are and always will be my main priority. (Hopefully, they (and us as a family) will also benefit from any improvement and development of 'Project Karen'.)