iCiNG Transformation Challenge: 10/28
[ 9 February 2009 ]
Remember this?! If so, you’re old school!
To get you through your challenge today, I want you to think of someone you idolise or admire. For me those people might be Diana Vreeland or Madonna — the people I model myself after tend to be strong, polarising, ambitious women. Think about a goal they might have had in the past; then imagine what steps they would take to make it happen.
Now think about your own goals. How can you channel your role models in achieving what you want? If Madonna wanted to do more yoga, she’d do more yoga, & no one could hold her back. She would be an unstoppable force. Similarly, if Diana Vreeland was putting together an issue of Vogue & they were approaching deadline, do you think she’d just go home & put her feet up? Hell no! She’d light a cigarette, slug back a bit of vodka & get the job done.
Imagine your idol is watching you today. Now, do them proud.
Love letters & feather headdresses,
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What a great idea. Thanks, Gala. :-D When I imagine I’m being watched by, say, you, Joan Didion, my grad school mentor, and Tori Amos, the conversation you guys are having in my head is fantastic.
This is amazing idea and a great way of thinking. definitely going to make me try harder today. =)
I love this idea, I do this whenever I need to toughen up and keeping going (even though I really want to run home and curl up in a corner)
“What would think if he/she could see you now?! stop freaking out/ whining/ moping and get your butt back into the dentist chair/ treadmill/ lecture hall!” – It works!
AHH I remember that! Je suis vraiment old school! I remember finding this blog, probably 3 months in (:
And the idea is amazing
Mary — Hahahah, that’s amazing :D
Hailey — I’m thrilled & flattered that you’re still around!
As for my own iTC, things seem to have picked up in the last couple of days. I stocked up on raw treats & have been doing lots of yoga & hooping & LOVING IT. I feel so good. Unstoppable! & when I feel good, more good stuff comes to me… I’m so happy!
This is so funny I was just thinking of those pictures the other day!!!!! I think the first time I saw it, I went out and bought two scarves!
i’d be watched by Audrey Hepburn. And though I look a mess today, she’d say something nice. She always did! When I think about that, I stand a little straighter, lift my chin a bit, and put on a kind smile. It feels good
Fantastic advice! I am going to sit down at my typewriter and imagine Marc Chagall is sitting next to me at his easel, feeding me sweet words of encouragement.
What ever happened to that scarf Gala? It used to feature so prominently in your wardrobe, haven’t seen it in a long while.
Maggie — It’s in my wardrobe! I do still bust it out every now & then but I guess the thrill wore off a bit. Now that I like my hair so much I wear headscarves a lot less these days!
I love it! I remember those pictures and am very flattered to be considered old school! all 18 years of me! lol. Gala you are my role model so i’ll be thinking of you whilst hanging out with my girlfriend today! In fact i had been thinking of showing her an old post of yours “50 things to do after a bad day” its not a bad day, but they are still good things to do!
And i feel im in need of a new list, crazy things to do in 2009 (a bit late i know) dancing on tables, skinnydipping and roadtripping are all on it so far but just reading through your posts gives me more ideas, thank you!
haha – if that makes you old school … well. i think i first stumbled across this blog when i was living in europe and you were doing your first IDUD, and saucily getting paramedics to take photographs … gosh, does that make me old??
that’s an amazing outfit.
i might take ms westwood as my idol and refrain from wearing knickers to this stuffy event i’m attending this evening. i shall go commando while listening to violin! LOL
Phsyce — You just cuted me out :>
Natalie — Haha! I remember that! Didn’t I dress up as an Atmosphere song?! I loved those paramedics, they were very accommodating. As far as I know they used those photos in their quarterly newsletter! AMAZING. Also for the record I fully & officially endorse no-knickers-at-the-orchestra!
Gala this was the kick I needed today, I was feeling lazy but not anymore!
p.s. I totally remember that picture I was in love with the first picture and your shoes!
:D @ the oldschool IDUD comments.
i thought about your videos where you were eating a tart to a v-snares song & the stop motion one with the clouds the other day when i was planning a video i am making to a daft punk song. i want to sync up the jerkiness of the beat to the video… you should do more videos gala, they were so fun to watch!!!
anywayzzz…my IDUD has been lagging, but i am working on my project RIGHT NOW and channeling MISSY ELLIOTT. LOL.
i guess i’m old school then! haha i feel silly thinking that since i’m only seventeen :p but awesome!
pretending your idol is watching you is cool advice! i’ve got you on one shoulder and vivienne westwood on the other, battling it out angel/devil style!
except one side is all “paint cupcakes on your shoes!” and the other is all, “no, throw an underwear dance party!”, so it’s a win-win. :p
That’s excellent advice!
Ahh my idol. The wisest of them IMO is Zacky V from Avenged Sevenfold..
“the best revenge is bettering yourself”
as well as
“those who take the biggest risks have the greatest rewards and those too afraid to take those risks look down on those who do.”
Fab advice!! My role models would probably have a complete nervous breakdown if they had to deal with my life. However (once recovered and on the necessary medication) they would be all about the getting up early & exercising thing, focus, discipline, creative work every day etc. sigh. I should pick something more relaxed as my role model. Possibly a tree sloth.
I just found out today that I’m likely to lose my part-time job. I will find out more this week. I am pleased with how I am handling it so far (i.e. not getting depressed, complaining, etc). I’m thinking about what creative work I can do instead – even if it’s just secretary in an agency or something. I have realised I am absolutely sick of of working in a non-arts related area, so maybe this is could be the big push I need to get going! I was kinda hoping to do this next year, not so soon …
So I am trying to think: Yay! Opportunity!. I am actually amazed at how positive I feel. I should be panicking about the soon to be disappearing income (I have no back-up!) but I will come up with something …
... and if not, there’s always exotic dancing.
xxx
Eep, I’m old-school! No waiiii! I never thought this day would come…
i adore that scarf and have ALWAYS loved that diana vreeland quote! thank you for bringing it back to mind!
ps i’m interested in trying hooping but what happens if i cannot hoop AT ALL.. i mean AT ALL! my transformation challenge is to exercise in some form every day, and i’d love to try hooping, but it is embarassing! i am beyond uncoordinated.
either way, mwah!
emmaline
I remember discovering your site early last year and then trawling the archives & seeing these pics and going wow! Sooo cool!
I was having a shiz time last year o/s and actually sat myself down and thought ‘what would Gala do if she were in this situation?’ – I then threw my shoulders back,remembered how fabulous I really am, bought a gorgeous pair of giant black sunnies and nail polish and felt heaps better! (Retrospective thank you to Gala!)
My iCT is fun! I am loving being able to give myself a constant reminder that this is the only time I have!
Hey emmaline – I can totally relate! I can only keep a hoop up for 3 seconds now!!
Oh man, old school Gala all the way! haha. Oh man the IDUD. Good times with pretty ladies. That should either be this ITC challenge tagline or a porno, possibly both.
hahaha, i thought those pics looked familar…and then i read the comments and i knew i was right =)
thats around when i first started coming here. cool.
as for thee itc.
i’ve been slacking.
i havent been taking my vit’s the past 3 days & i havent worked out since thurs.im not to upset about the workout. im tryna bulk up a lil not lose, so my muscles need time. but i need my vit’s!!!
i’m going to get a workout in before bed. i have to remotivate myself all over again. too much downtime!
I actually do that a lot already, when I feel like I’m getting lazy or slightly putting myself down I think “what would Gala do if she was me right now”. That usually gets me off my butt and right back on the track of being good to myself track.
My iTC is (still) doing something every day that is good for me and I’m pretty pleased with myself so far. I have been exercising a great deal more than usual and I am feeling better for it. I have been eating at least one raw meal almost every day and I am working raw side treats in with the other meals as well. But the big one is that I’ve started going to therapy so I can learn how to replace my negative patterns that seem to lead me into depression with happiness and strength.
I powered through my gym session last night, first time i’ve gone in ages without going to a class or training with my personal trainer, it felt really good to get proactive.
training session tonight should be fun, hopefully i will gets to use a few more free weights, my arms are starting to look more toned and my healthy eating seems to be doing great things for my nails. i can never grow them but they seem stronger after only a week of changes!
Keep going everyone!! we can get through it!!!
I don’t really know who’s my role model…i gotta think about that…it’s kinda sad actually, well, no one i think of i could like follow his or her steps…
anyway…anyone’s working on losing weight for the itc? if so how do you stay motivated? I haven’t been doing great hehe
Any tips?
Oh yeeeaaahhh I’m old school ;P.
Well. I’m sick. I really, truly, sick. I feel dreadful but I stil went to school today! And actually did most of the work! Although I didn’t read this until five in the afternoon, I still had my drive for the day. I knew it was going to be tough when I woke up so I decided ‘Today Will Be The Day I Fight For It’. Meaning: I knew it was going to be a major struggle, but acknowledging that I was going to fight my own war today in order to get things done somehow made it better!
I don’t really have an idol! Which makes me sad :(. I suppose, at times, I see Joss Whedon as an idol, partly because he’s one hilarious genius & partly because he’s so passionate about what he does. But I really want a female idol… hmmm… maybe a certain Gala could fit the bill?
LOVE.
I haven’t been good with my exersise. But I think my sleeping habits are better I’ve been a little earlier. Also I’m about halfway through my story.
hey em. don’t worry the weightloss will eventually come! i started my own transformation challenge in january, wanting to lose weight. i started having selfmade smoothies for breakfast, tried to eat lots of salads for lunch and work out on my new crosstrainer every night. but instead of losing weight i gained some. i was sooooo disappointed! and guess what: today was the first day i achieved a weight that is lower than the one i started out with. so keeping at it pays off! and now with my first success to motivate me i am still more determined to go on. something that really seems to help is not eating in the evening. at first when coming home from work i always thought i had to treat myself to some yummy food as a reward for working so hard. but at some point i realized that i had to find other rewards that wouldn’t make me cringe every time i stepped on the scales. so now i watch movies or shows i love, read an entertaining book, talk to friends on the phone, blog or do something else that keeps me content and occupied. and if the craving for food gets unbearable i eat a few nuts or a pear or an apple and think of how great i will feel the next morning when i look at my weight.
so don’t lose your courage and i am sure you will achieve your goal after all.
have a great day everyone!
I must thank you for this entry, I really need it today!
I have an important exam tomorrow morning, and I feel tired, bored, I’d rather sleep than go out there…but I’ll keep on studying ‘cause I want to pass it, I can do it! :-)
Natalie – I remember that too! haha… old school. Gala I must say this post is pretty great, and I have always wanted that colour purple/violet hair!!! I just don’t think I can pull it off like you do haha
My role model for the Icing Transformation Challenge is Alice Waters. She made local food gourmet, planted prison gardens, started the Edible Schoolyard, and even got one of the Yale Dining Halls to go local. She is a force for taste, beauty, and the ecology of eating.
My goal is to provide similar inspiration – and a lot of practical instruction – for local foods, cooking from scratch, and plant-centered living. My platform is the blogosphere.
In keeping with this week’s Alice Waters alter ego, I’d like to suggest a trio of delightful little salads for everyone who is going raw, going veg, or going healthy.
Carrot salad with craisins, almonds, green pumpkin seeds and lemon here: localizing.wordpress.com/2009/...
Simple green salad with lemon here:
localizing.wordpress.com/2008/...
Beet-carrot-ginger salad-to-knock-your-socks-off here:
localizing.wordpress.com/2009/...
wow…. guess i’m old school!
i don’t think my idols would get on very well.
me: shall i have a biscuit?
debbie harry: NO! dance!
dorothy parker: have a martini!
anais nin: have SEX! and then write about it!
me: c’mon guys, it was only a biscuit!
it would end up a big row, i think.
Your advice reminded me of something the amazing Keri Smith once added to the Play-section of her blog: www.kerismith.com/funstuff/wor…
I’ve been typing away on my graduation paper, only stopping to hulahoop… without even having a real hulahoop at hand. It’s all a matter of imagination :)
Although I really admire what you’re doing, my real idol is … me. The me I could be that is. I can see her standing there, balancing the Nobelprize of Literature on her fingertips, sporting a dress made entirely out of old magazines and flashing her killer legs.
Hi Gala I just discovered your blog. I’ve been admiring your pink hair on Flickr for a while, and I took up hooping last month, very addictive! I am also working on some weight loss goals to prep for Burning Man this year, so I’ll be visiting this blog often! Very inspiring!!
i just made a life-altering change, and i’ve been a nervous/ecstatic wreck! i’ve had to justify my decision a thousand times over already and this is just the kind of image i need in my head.
i’ll probably be thinking of miranda july, annie leibovitz, isadora duncan, and some kind of gala-nubby-star trifecta…
i can’t believe! i am old school too. as in really old school, and i’m so proud of it! Gala, you keep being an inspiration after wow, a year and a half or so with reading your blog first thing in the morning. i totally admire you for what you do.
remember how i sewed a heart on the inside on one of my gloves? :))) sweetfancytreat.blogspot.com/2…
visit me soon: sweetfancytreat.blogspot.com/
love, always. xo
Yes yes yes! You’re too adorable, when are we going to see pictures of your new hair?! && I miss your daily outfits Gala!
idols! idols! I don’t know if I have any, to be honest.. But I have a picture in my head of the Heather K I want to be, and I always try to act more like her.
My diet has been slipping, I’m caving in to more junk… I’ll keep an eye on that for the remaining challenge.
YAY!
Alex — I posted one last week! In my kimono ;D
(...I’m always one day behind, due to different time zones! It’s still the tenth here ;p)
I’m still doing great! I’ve been honest all day & I’ve just spent an hour & an half diligently working on a short story. I also went for a long walk after work & really, I must do this more often — & remember to bring my camera! So many interesting & quirky things to capture in my neighbourhood. ;p
(I think this challenge is re-igniting my creativity in a whole slew of ways, & I love it!)
& I have role models, but I’m afraid they’re not famous! Which makes them all the more special to me, I guess. ;p
p.s. Eve: AWESOME future-you description
Heather K – I’m the same way, I try not to idolize other people, but the one person I can always aspire to be like is the best version of myself!
Today was exceedingly awesome, ITC wise. SO proud of myself, excited for more days like this one!
Also, not using very many articles or unnecessary verbs. Starting to talk like Rorschach. Reading Watchmen too much. So amazing.
Erika — In those photos, I was playing a character: Diana Vreeland. She was known for being surrounded by a constant plume of smoke. Also those pictures were taken in 2007 I think, long before I had even heard of raw food!