This morning I completed the first activity of the I Don’t Care Project: Running With My Shirt Off.
(Video of activity will be posted next week… after Apple fixes our computer!)
How it helped:
– it invigorated, energized, and motivated me!
– taught me that once you get out and start whatever the challenge is, it gets easier. The fear of what others think lessens.
– taught me that the doubts and fears only get worse with putting it off(was going to do it a day earlier but used the irrelevant excuse of our computer crashing to wait a day).
How it hurt:
– I’m insecure with my shirt off and I ran down the main street in the center if my own town during the morning rush.
– It was 37 degrees this morning! My fingers strung for AT LEAST 30 minutes after I got back!
– I ran 2 miles when I hadn’t run in 3 months… feeling very sore.
– The thought actually crossed my mind that I might get arrested for indecent exposure (or for being illogical and stupid) when I passed a police officer.
Look for the video sometime next week.
Post your suggestions for “uncomfortable situations” in the comment section of the IDC Project page. We need more ideas!
I’m certainly glad that you didn’t get arrested, and even though I wouldn’t do this myself I certainly applaud you for stepping out of your comfort zone!
Thanks Ryan, I couldn’t think about and had to just do it! The more I thought about it, the more I chickened out. I also tried to remember why I was doing it, what I wanted to learn.
Great job on your first challenge. Looking forward to seeing the proof 🙂
Here are some IDC activities that I thought of for you:
~ Claudia gets a mullet for a month or so (J, unfortunately, was given one as a child (thanks, mom), and I lived to tell about it.)
~ Marathon or 1/2 marathon (I attempted my first marathon training last year… epic fail on my part)
~ Tough Mudder
~ Sky diving or bungee jumping
~ Cut off all tv service (We did this a few months ago, and I don’t miss it at all (except for watching Steeler’s games.))
~ House swap with someone for a week or a month or longer (as portrayed in the 2006 movie “The Holiday.” I always thought it would be cool. We subscribed to a house swap service for a year, but nothing ever worked out with the logistics.)
~ Sell your house (or stop renting at the end of the lease), quit your jobs, and travel the country (or the world) for a year or so. (My husband, Steve, our two year old, and I are seriously consider doing this in June. We’ve started the process and are awaiting a response from a recruiter to help securing a series of 13-week traveling PT positions .
~ Be a guest on someone’s podcast or online radio show to talk about your adventures. (I have a few leads if you want them.)
~ Substitute teacher for a week at a public high school or elementary school.
~ 100% homemade Christmas gifts. Raw products can be store bought, but have to be created into something original. (This is a goal of mine. I’m trying to get my sister and mom on board, but they’re not biting. It would be a lot more effort that going to the mall, but I think it would be very memorable to see everyone’s God-given gifts and talents being used to bless others.)
~ Money give-away. (Our church did this a few years ago. It reversed tithed and passed out $10 bills to everyone. The goal was to look for a situation where you could help or bless someone else. We were new to the area and had made several trips to Walmart for house supplies. Every time we went, the greeter was this very old, very kind gentleman. He became the first familiar, friendly face we met. Steve and I purchased a card, wrote him a message telling him about how he unknowingly helped to welcome us to the strange, new town, and we put our money together and enclosed it in the card.)
If I think of more, I’ll pass them on. I LOVE what you guys are doing. I’m excited to follow your journey.
Awesome, Jody! Those are great ideas! I love what you and Steve are doing. Selling your house and traveling the country, that’s inspirational. I’m sure there will be sacrifices, but what an experience!
I like the house swap idea too and the marathon (ran a half marathon 10 years ago and would love to do a full one!). And that’s really neat that your church did the money give away. Sounds like people there are thinking outside the box. I like it! Substitute for a week? That’d be tough. I did my student teaching and then substituted for a bit at a Philadelphia charter school. The kids weren’t too crazy, but after my first few days of substituting, I decided substituting wasn’t for me! Haven’t done it since.
A few of these we’ve already done, we sold our tv this past summer and it’s been great! Though we did miss watching the Phillies this fall (you’re nearby in Pittsburgh? Steelers?). Also, we do a homemade gift exchange with Claudia’s family and it’s great!
Love your ideas, thanks for sharing!
Steve and I grew up in western PA in Somerset County. We moved to Virginia after we got married and finished our grad school programs at Pitt. I’m a high school teacher in the special ed program (ED/LD). Every time I prepare sub plans I wish the best of luck to the sub. I would never want that job: fresh meat!
Yeah, fresh meat! You get to see the situation from the other side. You know, Virginia probably just as close. We’re near philadelphia.
I am dying laughing!!! But I love what it taught you…that is so true. The more we avoid our fears, the worse the fears get. We face our fears…and they start losing their power of us. Love that. Will remember that now that I have a mental picture to out to it! Haha;)
Char, you might have a stronger mental picture after the video. 🙂 It’s true, action is a great remedy to this kind of fear.