Saturday, December 4, 2010

“Growth” Opportunities

Oh Saturday, you come and go so quickly. Let us savor the moment…..ready……ENJOY! ahhhhh…..
Okay, moving on. Lets talk GROWTH! You see, I am not a “goal” setting person. In fact, goal setting stresses me out. I get anxiety just thinking about them. I am the type of person who freaks if they are not meeting their goals. Don’t get me wrong, goals are great and many people handle them well, but for me, not so much. Instead, I like to focus on GROWTH opportunities. I like to look at what areas in my life I can “grow” in…….the spiritual , physical, and/or emotional. This month, time management is a huge struggle but I see it as a “growth” opportunity. A time where I can learn how to “not sweat the small stuff” and focus on priorities.  One way to do this is to become more efficient in my everyday routine. That means spending less time on social media sites (at least for now) and focusing on getting my tasks done. It means planning out my week versus planning out my day. It means making my workouts more fun and effective versus spending way too much time on the same old boring routine.
So here you have it, the perfect growth opportunity workout. You can do this on the treadmill, stairmill, or elliptical. Walk it, run it, climb it! All you need to know are the miles and speed!
Get ‘er done!

GO (growth opportunity) speed workout

  • Warm up 1 mile easy
  • three progressive 400’s (.25 mile)- get faster with each 400m.
  • Recover (walk or easy run) for a 400m (.25 mile)
  • repeat this 2-5x depending on your TIME MANAGEMENT
  • Cool down 1/2 mile to 1 mile easy.
I usually do this 3-4 rounds and get in around 40-45 minutes. Trust me, if you do it right, you’ll be tired! If you have less time, just do 2 rounds and you’ll get in 25-35 minutes. If want to be hardcore, which I know some of you are, shoot for 5 rounds. Either way, its all about speed! Make sure your recovery is truly a recovery, an easy jog or walk. If you are on the elliptical, try recovering by going backwards at an easy speed.
Need some tunes to go with that??? Another playlist below. Some electronic mixes, but great for cardio!
  1. Absolutely Still 3:58 Paper Empire- Better Than Ezra
  2. Tonight (feat. John Cooper) 4:21 Tonight -tobyMac
  3. So Happy I Could Die 3:55 The Fame Monster -Lady GaGa
  4. & Down 4:20 Oi Oi Oi Boys- Noize
  5. It Is What It Is 3:21 Smoke & Mirrors -Lifehouse
  6. Ruby 3:24 Yours Truly, Angry Mob- Kaiser Chiefs
  7. From Yesterday 4:07 A Beautiful Lie -30 Seconds to Mars
  8. The Reeling 4:48 Manners- Passion Pit
  9. Blah Blah Blah (feat. 3OH!3) 2:52 Animal- Ke$ha
  10. Never Miss a Beat 3:07 Off With Their Heads- Kaiser Chiefs
  11. Percussion Gun 3:08 It's Frightening -White Rabbits
  12. Ave Mary A 3:16 Funhouse - P!nk
  13. Get Back Up 3:15 Tonight Deluxe Edition -tobyMac
  14. Magic Bus 5:17 Mad Kidz - EP Crookers
  15. Warp 7.7 3:53 Warp - Single The Bloody Beetroot
And last but not least, here’s the hub’s “growth opportunity.” He’s been challenging himself to see just how long his “fro” can get before January 1st. I guess you could say he’s been working on letting go of vanity….haha. JOKING!

Hair a few months ago…..
DSCF0275

Hair now! Still a month to go before cutting…..EEK!
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA         OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Just look at the volume! Crazy guy.

What are your “growth opportunities” that you are working on? Did you see Lisa’s? She’s eating a lot more veggies this month. Check out her post here.

Up next…..
I’ll be sharing (I mean giving) away a lot of my favorite products. My holiday present to YOU. Just call me OPRAH! But please don’t start screaming and jumping up and down, that’s just annoying. hehe.

Recipe tweaking. Stay tuned for some Gluten Free Sugar & Spice Arrowroot Cookies/biscuits. (Thanks to Bre for the recipe idea).
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Have a great weekend. Enjoy TIME well spent!

Cheers,
LC

p.s.
GOOOO DORRY!! Good luck on your half marathon tomorrow!

38 comments:

Kristina @ spabettie said...

I LOVE this... can't wait to see how long (big?) his hair gets! Jason has regular visits to his hairstylist now, but he has awesome curly hair and used to let it get BIG. :)

thanks for the playlist... I need new invigorating tunes, so I'll check these out! I see a couple bands I love (Kaiser Chiefs!).

and yes, GO DORRY !! :)

Christin@purplebirdblog said...

My growth opportunity is to find more time to just breathe. I am go go go go go all day every day lately, and other than my savasanas in yoga, I hardly ever take a moment to just BE and enjoy the day. I need to work on that big time! :)

hungryrunnergirl said...

I love your idea on focusing on growth!! Goals stress me out too. Thank you for the workout!! That sounds mighty hard. Love the hubby's fro and your definition of why he is doing it!! Those biscuits look amazing and yes GOOO Dorry!

Your posts always inspire me to be better. I always leave your blog wanting to be a better person:)

Dorry said...

I should be asleeeep!!!!!!! Thanks for your support dear friend. And with that, I'm really going to turn off this laptop and go to sleep. xoxo

Maggsmorris said...

That's some big hair! haha

Carrie said...

arrowroot! coool! ive never used that.. cant wait for therecipe!

Allie said...

Sweeeet! thnx for listing your playlist. Totally need music inspiration. Carry on fabulous Cotters!

mamarunsbarefoot said...

I need some growth.. I'll give it a try this week

Morgan @ Healthy Happy Place said...

I love running quarters. they wear me out and are such a good speed workout!

Your hubs hair is hilarious by the way!! :)

Heather @ Where's the Beach said...

LOL love the hubby's hair. Jason's hair just gets bigger like that too. Love the time management workout. May get a chance to try that on the elliptical this week. And I haven't thought of Better than Ezra in eons!

Bre said...

love the fro growing- bet that creates some non-aero drag! ;)
GO opportunities- i love it! and december will be full of them- training camp, family and friends holiday chaos, birthdays, new years & new goals...oh the possibilities are endless!

Jess said...

Hmmm now you have me thinking about what my growth opportunity for December ought to be. I'll be blogging about this later I'm sure ;-)

Suzanne said...

Hehe, your hubs is a cutie! :) I'm not a goals person either and don't really set concrete goals. They kind of float around in my head - I don't stress over them. Btw, I LOVE music lists so thanks!

Lisa said...

now that is one impressive 'fro' your hubby has going!

Allie said...

Awww, your husband is adorable! I am a goal person TOO much haha.. I make lists daily :p. I LOVE when you post music lists!

Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) said...

great growth. both your thoughts and your hubs' hair! :)

Averie said...

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Averie said...

was just trying to see how I should log in (new computer...figured it out lol)

Shannon said...

ooh, i need to get in the baking spirit... i can't decide what cookies to make this year!!! oh, the choices :)

Jamie said...

Hi Lindsay! Just wanted to let you know I have not stopped reading your blog, I just can't comment at work for some reason and that's where I do a lot of my blog reading...SHH! I really like this post! Recently I have decided to stop stressing b/c I am not exactly where I want to be in life/reaching my exact goals and it was making me unhappy and I realized I have a lot to be happy about!

I also see you are a brunette now! It looks awesome...so jealous you are one of those people that can pull off dark and blonde hair!

joslyn @ missfitbliss said...

I love the speed workout! I'm meeting my bff at a high school track next weekend - we may just try to get this in!

lindsay cotter said...

Oh awesome! Track workouts are the best with buddies. Let me know if you do give it a whirl!

Nellie said...

Did you say giving away...as in FREE??? And how did you know I was jumping up and down, squealing like a mouse?? And speaking of mice...you better check Mr. Cotter's hair to see if a family of them is living in that rat's nest :) :) :) KIDDING!! You're lucky he's not growing out a beard to see how long it will get! HA!

Cara Craves... said...

That is one impressive fro!
Is there a reason to why he is growing it out? or just for kicks?

Fit Chick said...

That's a great workout! Thanks for the playlist. I have to check out those songs!

Paige @ Running Around Normal said...

You know I was totally thinking about this the other day - goals aren't for everyone! I love them, and love having something to tackle, but it's def not for everyone. It's def ok just to live and do and be your best on a day by day basis too. And in the end...you've grown, right ? :)

thefitnessfreak said...

My growth opportunity? Oooh, my cycling class! Yeah!

I am so jealous your husband is growing out his hair. I wish my hubby would take on that challenge as I like longer hair. Maybe he'll do it again for me one day : )

I hope your weekend was great and that you're ready for this one!

Nicole

Lori said...

Great Growth Opportunities you have- and your husband's fro goal too. lol
I LOVE that giant wine glass! How awesome is that?!

I'm doing my own Growth Opportunity workout with weights- hoping to pile on the muscle... I'm very into weight training since starting CrossFit. I'm a bit obsessed. :)

Those cookies are definitely on my ever-growing list of "To-Makes" I have.

Lauren @ WWoB said...

You posted a playlist!!! YAY!! Thank you. Seriously. I refuse to get onto the treadmill until I get some new tunes. And I LOVE WARP TOO! You little raver, you... ;)

I love your rejection of goals and replacement with growth. I think that is a beautiful idea. I have a couple huge emotional Growths that I need to work through this week. Im trying to see it as a process rather than a final decision/goal/forced thing. Merh.

PS: methinks the hubster is cute with long hair!

Deb (Smoothie Girl Eats Too) said...

He's still cute :-)

thefitnessfreak said...

My growth opportunity? Oooh, my cycling class! Yeah!

I am so jealous your husband is growing out his hair. I wish my hubby would take on that challenge as I like longer hair. Maybe he'll do it again for me one day : )

I hope your weekend was great and that you're ready for this one!

Nicole

Paige @ Running Around Normal said...

You know I was totally thinking about this the other day - goals aren't for everyone! I love them, and love having something to tackle, but it's def not for everyone. It's def ok just to live and do and be your best on a day by day basis too. And in the end...you've grown, right ? :)

Lauren @ WWoB said...

You posted a playlist!!! YAY!! Thank you. Seriously. I refuse to get onto the treadmill until I get some new tunes. And I LOVE WARP TOO! You little raver, you... ;)

I love your rejection of goals and replacement with growth. I think that is a beautiful idea. I have a couple huge emotional Growths that I need to work through this week. Im trying to see it as a process rather than a final decision/goal/forced thing. Merh.

PS: methinks the hubster is cute with long hair!

Jamie said...

Hi Lindsay! Just wanted to let you know I have not stopped reading your blog, I just can't comment at work for some reason and that's where I do a lot of my blog reading...SHH! I really like this post! Recently I have decided to stop stressing b/c I am not exactly where I want to be in life/reaching my exact goals and it was making me unhappy and I realized I have a lot to be happy about!

I also see you are a brunette now! It looks awesome...so jealous you are one of those people that can pull off dark and blonde hair!

Allie said...

Awww, your husband is adorable! I am a goal person TOO much haha.. I make lists daily :p. I LOVE when you post music lists!

Heather @ Where's the Beach said...

LOL love the hubby's hair. Jason's hair just gets bigger like that too. Love the time management workout. May get a chance to try that on the elliptical this week. And I haven't thought of Better than Ezra in eons!

Christin@purplebirdblog said...

My growth opportunity is to find more time to just breathe. I am go go go go go all day every day lately, and other than my savasanas in yoga, I hardly ever take a moment to just BE and enjoy the day. I need to work on that big time! :)

Averie said...

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