Hello my friends!
After an unplanned and too long hiatus, I am dipping my toe back into the waters of oversharing and underdelivering to provide you with an outline of the long promised, never before explained Jenny Goodguts Basic Training Program (take 1).
I still have not explained my experiments in Doing More Good (rather than doing less bad) but, As God is my Witness, that is coming soon. I want to go ahead and share Basic Training (take 1) because using this kind of spreadsheet has changed my life. My life then reverted back to how it was before, somewhat, but I’m trusting that reinstituting the spreadsheet will once again change my life.
And don’t take it from me, I have one reverberating testimonial:
“Thanks for telling me about your spreadsheet. I made one too. It was really helpful” (paraphrase)
— Angie
The mechanics of the spreadsheet:
It is a printed piece of paper. There are a number of small daily actions listed. They are slotted into a timezone (breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc). The sheet is taped to the wall in my kitchen. At the assigned time of day, I look at the sheet and try to make sure all relevant tasks are complete.
Originally, this spreadsheet was mostly used to help me remember to take certain supplements, breathe before eating, consume cultured foods (more on this later) so it was a perfect system for those tasks. I (almost) didn’t miss checking a box for 8 weeks, and that is REALLY saying something for me.
The tasks in Basic Training don’t fit as easily into the original time slots, and are not quite as simple to complete, so I am experimenting with a new spreadsheet and will modify (Jenny Goodguts Basic Training Program, take 2) once I see how these different types of activities work within this system. Instead of waiting until it is perfect, I’m sharing as I go.
What does Basic Training include?
Basic Training lasts 4 weeks.
It focuses on preparing the individual to be stronger, healthier, and more resilient so that we can get to the superhero stuff down the road.
It follows the Jenny Goodguts principle: Do More Good. In a nutshell that means it does not focus on things you should not do or on what you might be doing that is ‘bad’ for you. It focuses on adding more good things to your life, on ways to spend time and energy that will support your vision of what you want to be instead of focusing on what you don’t want to be.
Basic Training is something that can be completely modified for any individual. I’m sharing the actions that are part of my own spreadsheet as an example but feel free to adjust in any way you like! I will provide more guidance on how Basic Training can be modified in the future, but I’m in desperate need of it myself, as well as of some accountability, which public blogging provides, so I’m rolling it out barebones to start with.
Basic Training includes five aspects:
1) Nutrition/Energy
2) Movement/Strength
3) Clarity
4) Spirit/Soul
5) Rest/Restoration
For my purposes,
Spirit = What is bigger than me?
Soul = What am I?
Re: meditation app, check out Calm. I did it for a while. There is guided or unguided meditation. You can start short, say 5 minutes, then slowly build up to however long you want.
Songs: “This is the Day”, by The The, “Electric Feel”, by MGMT, and “Walking on a Dream”, by Empire of the Sun:
We are always running for the thrill of it thrill of it
Always pushing up the hill searching for the thrill of it
On and on and on we are calling out and out again
Never looking down I’m just in awe of what’s in front of me
Thanks Patricia ; ) I’m compiling a happy songs playlist so will check these out since I can’t listen to Falco EVERY day ; )
Dear Jenny,
Thanks for the guidance of Basic Training! With every intention of participating- the realization that thought of “my daily habits” precedes my ability to outline my implementation of “My 4 week commitment” to the five areas of the program. As my father said “TTT” Thanks for the structure and I will keep you posted on my progress. I am a work in motion.
Hi DJ,
Thanks for writing! While there is no “right” way to do Basic Training (since it is meant to be modified by each individual to her/his situation), you are doing it right ; ) The idea is definitely to think about each of the 5 areas and consider what would be a beneficial, doable, daily practice each day for 4 weeks. We are all going at our own pace ; )
I love the app Insight Timer. Simple and Easy and you can invite friends for accountability.
https://insighttimer.com/
Hi NGina,
I have tried the Insight Timer (especially Tara Brach who my GP recommended to me) but as a beginning beginner at meditation I’m finding that the FREE 10 day intro pack at Headspace is very useful to learn how to set up a basic daily practice. After I finish my free 10 days on Headspace, I think I’ll go back to Insight Timer, and also check out Calm as suggested by another reader, and then also try some of the offerings on Headspace (and any other suggestions I get!) to see which works better for me as a still beginner but who has 10 days of practice under her belt ; )