Today I am giving you an August challenge update.
It has been quite a month!
If you have no idea what I'm talking about
I will link below to my August challenge video as well as my moving vlogs
because I live in America now
and it is weird.
Let's go.
[music]
Hi guys, it's Laura from 'How To Get Your Shit Together' and I help you get organised, get motivated, and challenge yourself.
'Cause who wants to live a life where they're not striving for something exciting?
This year, as part of the annual HowToGYST One Month Challenge,
I challenged myself to get to know my new home and my new area inside out.
So let's see how I did.
We left Ireland on August 2nd and we arrived in Cincinnati on August 3rd.
So here is a list of some of the things that I have done since we arrived:
Drove for the very first time on the right (i.e. "wrong") side of the road.
Sat and passed my American driving test. Hurray!
But you have no idea how awkward it was to get my actual licence.
Trying to prove your address when you have just moved to a new place... Nightmare!
Learned my way around the area.
I can now get to and from most local places without using the SatNav.
And I can also get to and from the interstate.
The world is my oyster.
Pumped gas here for the first time
and it was a disaster.
The pump kept declining my card and then I had to go up to the lady at the window and she looked at me like I was a complete idiot.
And I felt like one.
Opened an American bank account.
Did several grocery shops.
I haven't yet visited Target; that is still on the list.
I'm waiting until I pretty much have an entire day to do it.
Clipped a whole pile of coupons
So far, have used none of them.
Signed up for all of the loyalty cards.
Discovered banana nut muffins.
They are like crack.
Discovered they test tornado warning sirens once a month.
They are crap.
Joined the local library (it was one of my top priorities)
and I attended an event there.
Also, I have applied to host my own event there so fingers crossed for that.
Met some of the neighbours and their kids.
Lots of them are around Scout's age, which is great.
Set up the new house and bought new furniture for it.
And, related to that, went to IKEA.
Turns out, it's the same as in Ireland.
Maybe marginally bigger, but no better.
Went to the local amusement park where we met some Disney princesses, including Moana.
Opened a PO box! Details below!
Bought a robot vacuum and learned how to use it.
By the by, they are the best things ever.
I have called ours Rex.
Visited several local schools and finally registered Scout in one of them. She has just started.
Joined a new gym, but we have also set up a home gym in our basement
so I haven't actually used my membership yet.
But we got a good deal on it through Sam's work
and we're hoping to bring Scout there swimming because they have a pool so we're gonna keep our membership.
Found an international shop that sells some of the foods that I love from home...
and got lost in it.
It is huge.
Like everything else over here.
Posted my first letter by just leaving it in the mailbox.
We don't have that in Ireland. It's brilliant.
Screened approximately eleventy bajillion spam phone calls,
and that's after we signed up to that do-not-call registry thing.
We've just unplugged our phone now.
Set up my own home office. Just mine.
Not shared with my husband. Just for me. It's magical.
Bought myself some studio lights and some various other bits and bobs for recording.
Visited the local playground a few times.
Sampled local cuisine, Skyline Chili.
My husband managed to ask the waitress for a 3-way with a straight face.
Threw Sam a surprise birthday party...
3 weeks after his actual birthday.
Surprise!
Got myself addicted to Gatorade.
Met Thomas the Tank Engine. How many people can say that?!
Made good use of our new Amazon Prime account.
I can order groceries and some household stuff and have them here within 2 hours. It's mad!
I haven't actually done that yet but I have ordered lots of things had them delivered next day.
Learned that children here are required to have a physical if they want to attend school.
Experienced my first American storm, and it wasn't playing around.
[loud thunder]
Joined an online forum that's kind of like a message board for people who live in the local area
so that I can find out what's happening in the area, who's selling what, look for recommendations for good trades people, etc.
Oh lads, the list goes on and on.
Loads of other little trips around the area and loads of other things learned.
And that was on top of all of my regular work
so yeah, I packed a lot into this month.
And it showed in my sleeping habits because I slept really well this month.
I took on this challenge because I expected the move to be tough.
I expected to find it really difficult to adjust and settle into a new place
so I wanted to really throw myself into the experience,
to immerse myself in the new area and the new culture, and to find my way around as quickly as possible so that I didn't feel lost here.
But the strange thing is that, as soon as we moved into this house, it felt like home.
There was no adjustment period.
There was no time at which I felt that I was out of my depth or that I was faced with a problem that I couldn't overcome.
Yes, there were some moments where I was frustrated because I knew that something would just have been much easier in Ireland
but, overall, I think I'm doing well.
I haven't driven into the city yet, so that's going to be a little bit nerve-wracking when I do,
and I also have to find a good doctor, a dentist, and hairdresser.
But, overall, I would say I rocked this challenge.
Now, tell me, did you take on the challenge?
And, if so, how did you do?
If you are in my private Facebook group,
I have loved seeing your progress.
You have all done such a scarily good job.
You all just got stuck in straight away,
and it has been great to see all of your updates and your pictures.
If you were doing the challenge and you didn't get as much done as you had hoped,
just remember that you have still made more progress than if you hadn't challenged yourself at all.
So I'm gonna say it's high fives all 'round.
Good job, me.
Maybe you're so excited that you want to take on a new challenge for the next month. Go for it!
All I will say is that, like for August, try to stick to just one challenge.
Trying to do too many things will just dilute your focus
and, if you slip up on just one of them, that will demotivate you for all of the others.
Pick one thing and then, if you achieve it, pick another thing.
Remember, one step at a time.
If you try to run in too many directions at once, you will get nowhere.
Pick your Point A, get there, and then pick a Point B and work on getting there.
If you want to see lots more motivational videos to help give you that kick up the arse
then subscribe to the channel if you haven't already because I upload new videos every Thursday to do just that.
If you're on YouTube the button looks like this and you will find it down there.
And don't forget to click the little bell beside it if you want to get notified every time I have a new video up.
Until next time, go raibh míle maith agaibh agus feicfidh mé sibhse go luath. Slán!
[music]
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