Archive of the categories: Motivation

Save Energy and Save Money ~ Get $10 When you Sign up with OhmConnect!

Posted on 4 June, 2018 in Motivation

“It’s good to have goals” is one of Zach’s favorite sayings whenever I state some bold new plan that I’m going to implement in my daily routine. Usually along the lines of leaping out of bed and not hitting the snooze button, unplugging at 7 PM every day for a week, drinking a gallon of water every day, or being more consistent about taking my vitamins. Well, a couple of days ago, while idly flipping through my ValPak mailer, I saw a flyer for OhmConnect.

SAVEENERGYGETPAID

Basically, you sign up, connect your gas and electric account, get notifications of hours to reduce your energy use, and save money. You earn cash payments for the energy you save. It’s cashback rewards for saving money.

Get Cashback on your bill.jpg

Everyone wants to use less energy, right? Like other apps that make big goals (i.e., lose weight) into achievable milestones, this program sends you a text of a one hour #OhmHour in which you can reduce your use and earn money! From $100 to $300 a year if you cut your use during the #ohmhour. You can set how many hours per week you’d like to participate in. I chose 4. The first one is tomorrow.

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Want to join in the fun and start earning cash for saving energy? Sign up today and get:

  • $10 when you sign-up and complete enrollment
  • Another $10 when you connect your first smart device
  • Make over $100 a year just by using less energy

Ready to get started? Use my referral invitation: https://ohm.co/val-ashton

Thinking About 2015 Resolutions and Goals

Posted on 30 December, 2014 in Inspiration, Motivation

2013practiceDuring December every year, I think about the goals I want to make for the following year. I am always optimistic that the new year will be the best year yet! I am not someone to write down a few resolutions on New Year’s Eve and then half-heartedly try to achieve them. For me, a resolution starts with a simple acknowledgement that I want some part of my life to be better and is brought to life with a plan that includes daily, weekly, and monthly goals. Along with that acknowledgement and plan, is an understanding of why I need to make a change. This understanding is critical when I am feeling lazy or procrastinating

lifequote2For lots of people, resolutions are forgotten and abandoned by mid-January. I think this is because most people don’t have a specific plan for achieving their goals. There is a saying “Failing to plan is planning to fail” – and it’s really true. If you want to lose weight, but don’t know how you are going to do it, it’s not going to magically happen. A weight loss plan will be much more successful with a specific diet and exercise plan, broken down to daily workouts and calorie intake. Rather than resolutions, I like to focus on big goals that I can achieve, and improvements to fine-tune things I am already working on.

My big goal for 2015 is to get my private pilot license, and hopefully instrument rating. This I am working on daily, and will continue to do so until I pass that FAA Checkride. Other than that, my 2015 goals are continued improvements on 2014 efforts. I want to be more effective in keeping my house organized. Specifically, I will be better at going through mail right away, keeping the kitchen counters clutter free at all time. And laundry and dirty dishes will be addressed daily, so that they’re never waiting for me for too long. Another one of my goals for 2015 is to make the most of the valuable period of time in the morning before Ava gets up. Before I had a baby, I never realized how precious that little time is. I would lie in bed and hit the snooze button 5 or 8 times. And sometimes, I still like to do that. But now when I hear the alarm on my cell phone, I know that the cell phone alarm is a precursor to an impending baby alarm, which really can’t be ignored. If I can get up 30-45 minutes before Ava, I can have breakfast, shower, and be dressed before she gets up, which makes for a much less stressful morning.

Believe you can achieve what you set your heart to achieve, and you will do it. It might not be easy, but it will be worth it.

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Putting Fear In It’s Place ~ Letting Go of My Fear of Stalls

Posted on 3 December, 2014 in Flying Lessons, Motivation

2014-12-02 15.19.27My last flying lesson last week was pretty scary, and really for no real legitimate reason other than I let myself get scared. Nothing remotely close to bad happened. It sounds dumb to even talk about, but practicing the stall maneuver really freaks me out, probably because it feels like the plane is going to fall 5,000 feet out of the sky and I am going to plunge to my death in someone’s backyard out in Valley Center. But I am realizing that if I’m going to be a pilot, stall maneuvers are just something I’ve got to get used to and comfortable with. In other words, confronting my fears is a very necessary step in achieving success.

Saturday morning, I will be back to Pinnacle Aviation and CRQ for another flight lesson and this time, I’m going to be ready. I’m going to know what to do, and I am NOT going to panic or throw up or yell at my instructor. I will have my 8 steps to stall recovery memorized and I will be ready to execute like a champ. Here’s what I’m working on memorizing this week:

Power Off Stall Recovery – 8 steps

  1. Upon stall – pitch the aircraft to the horizon
  2. Push throttle in for FULL POWER
  3. Level the wings with the rudder only
  4. RETRACT Wing flaps to 20 degrees
  5. Maintain a positive rate of CLIMB
  6. Pitch aircraft for a climb speed of 79 KIAS
  7. Retract FLAPS to 0 degrees in 10-degree increments
  8. LEVEL OFF at entry altitude and set cruise power

There is a Zig Ziglar quote I like and it goes like this: “Far too many people have no idea what they can do because all they’ve been told is what they can’t do.” Sometimes, I think we have no idea what we can do because we let ourselves believe we can’t do something. Or, we don’t let ourselves think we can do something because we are afraid. Afraid of what? Afraid of lots of things, including failure, the number one fear! Failure can mean many things to many people, but in the case of flying maneuvers, failure is also accompanied with death. I will not fail. I will know what to do, and I won’t let myself get scared.

Stay tuned for a flight recap on Saturday – hopefully with a happy report of well-executed stall maneuvers and recovery!

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