2015 Goals Series: Finish My Novel

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them. You can follow along here. 

karindalziel

This goal is definitely the most stressful, yet the most life changing for me.  And it is the one I have been avoiding the most.

Hi all.  This is the last post in the 2015 Goals Series.  Thanks for sticking with me.

So, even as I'm sitting down to write this, I feel my core start to tighten, and I start to feel my usual urge to run away when things get tough.  I feel the urge to give up, but at the same time I know that this is what I'm meant to do.  So giving up is not an option.  Sometimes I think, if it's so hard for me, then maybe it's not meant to be.  But almost before I can get that thought out, something inside me screams, "YOU CAN DO THIS!"

The last, but not least, of my goals for 2015 is to finish my first novel.  Well, not exactly finish, but make great headway.

It all started when I first attempted NaNoWriMo in 2003.  I don't even remember where this story idea came from initially, but it has grown to be such a part of me it almost seems real.  I have dreams about it to this day.  I just played around with the idea for a couple of years (I did not successfully finish that 2003 NaNoWriMo), but it did not really pull at me until the beginning of 2006.

In late 2006, my life had become a bit tumultuous.  I had lost my dad suddenly just months before, my marriage was ending, and I was unsure of what to do next.  My writing had become extremely important to me, and I picked up on my novel idea.  I suddenly felt an extreme need to finish it, like time was running out.  I became obsessed with it.  Soon I had in my head that it would be a good idea to quit my job and take three months to finish my book.

I quit my job.  I was the Firm Administrator of a CPA firm, where I had worked for 11 years.  I had a corner office.  And I left it.

I know we're not supposed to have regrets in life, but that's one of mine.

So I left my job, with plans to live off my 401K until I could finish my book and have it published, and then I would go back to work temporarily until I made my millions.

What a foolish, foolish girl I was.

I did manage to squeak out a first draft of 50,000 words.  I was really proud of that, and still am.  But as far as having a publishable product, I failed miserably.  It was a bad move financially (obviously) and totally crushed my confidence as a writer.

Fast forward to now, and I am ready to give it a go again, but without all of the silly sacrifices.  

I still feel like I am struggling with the self-confidence in a big way, but I'm determined to overcome that.  The time has come for me to stop worrying about what other people would think of my story, and just get it written.  The first draft was, um, a shitty first draft.  So much work has to be done, it's overwhelming.  

But I'm doing to do it.

So, I have a plan for finishing this book, but it won't happen until next year, according to my calculations.  However, I can get a boatload of work done this year.

Here's my plan:  

1. Prepare story outline. (1 outline)
2. Prepare chapter outlines. (35 outlines)
3. Prepare chapter blueprints. (35 blueprints)
4. Edit chapters. (35)
5. Prepare final draft.

Steps and timeline:

1. Prepare story outline in one week. (1 week)
2. Prepare one chapter outline per week. (35 weeks)
3. Prepare one chapter blueprint per week. (35 weeks)
4. Edit one chapter per week. (35 weeks)
5. Hand off book to Mom to read and comment. (4 weeks)
6. Prepare final draft of novel. (2 weeks)

112 weeks total = 28 months

So, you're probably wondering, where in the heck do I come up with this.  What in the world are chapter blueprints, blah blah blah?  

That's for another blog post, but it's a technique I learned long ago from Steve Manning, before I even started working on this book.  I've used it for many smaller projects, mostly for work, and found that it really is fool proof.  I'll write a more comprehensive post on it soon.

The technique is fool proof, as long as you do the work.  That is something I have not done with this book.

But this year that will change.  I'm determined.  I have to, right?  I have this fear that I will die before I finish it.  I would go to Heaven really unhappy if that happened.

I'm sorry this was so long.  It could have been longer, believe me.  This is a subject that is so close to my heart.

Do you have a project that is pulling at you?  I'd love to hear about it.  It would be helpful to know that I'm not the only one.  :)

Thanks again for reading. 

2015 Goals Series: Maintain Our Household on a Regular Basis

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them. You can follow along here.

wererabbit

Hello again!  Welcome to post number seven in the 2015 Goals Series.  There's just one more after this one, but today we're going to talk about my goal to maintain our household on a regular basis.

I'll go ahead and say it right now.  I'm a horrible housekeeper.  I just don't like to do it, and seem to put it off and put it off until it becomes a "situation."  It would be most helpful if my family members shared in the responsibility, but they don't.  And for me, the drama that ensues when I bring it up with them is just not worth it.  So I don't.  That makes me feel resentful, though.  I have a full-time job that keeps me very busy.  I resent the fact that I'm the one expected to do the chores.  But, it is what it is.

So rather than complain about it and feel mad about it, I'm going to renew my dedication.  I want to live in a clean, and tidy, and well-maintained space.  Doing it on a daily basis will make the job easier and less time consuming, and will allow time for other things I like to do.  And, I won't feel guilty doing the fun stuff if I know that I've taken care of the unfun stuff.  And who knows -- maybe by being a good example to my family, they'll be motivated to join in.

I used to have a complicated schedule for my chores, but I've made it more simple by just assigning a room a day.  That way, I really shouldn't have to spend more than an hour on chores.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who hates housework.  What do you do to stay motivated and push through the unfun stuff?

Thanks for reading.  I appreciate your time!

2015 Goals Series: Declutter Our Home

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them. You can follow along here.

Sean MacEntee

Hi there!  Welcome back to the 2015 Goals Series.  Today is the sixth post in the series, and we're going to talk about my goal to declutter our home.

Yuck.

Let me just preface this by saying my family and I are not hoarders in the extreme sense, but we all tend to have an attachment to our things.  The daughters are emotionally attached to the toys they played with when they were younger, and their school papers going back to kindergarten.  The husband is attached to receipts and bills and other paperwork.  He hates to throw anything away for fear he may need it someday.  And me, well, I'm attached to notebooks and office supplies.

In addition to that, our home is pretty small for two adults and two teenagers.  It's barely big enough for the four of us, but throw all of our junk in the mix, and we have a space crisis!

I don't have a problem hanging on to the things we love.  But those things need to have their own space.  Because if they are out in the open, they tend to attract other things -- the unloved junk kind of things -- and before you know it, things are out of control.

So this year is the year of decluttering.  My goal is to get rid of the things that we do not love and that do not serve a purpose.  And then, find a home for the things we do love and bring us joy.

Here are the spaces I plan to work on.  Yes, this is every single space in our home.

• Coat closet Living room
• Laundry room
• Girls' bathroom cabinet
• Girls' bedroom
• My closet
• Girls' bedroom closet
• Kitchen pantry
• Kitchen cabinets
• Dining room
• Master bedroom
• John's closet
• Master bathroom cabinet
• Storage room
• Garage
• Balcony

Some of the spaces don't have that much clutter, but they all need attention on some level.  

I don't have a plan, at the moment, for getting this done.  I've tried several methods of getting rid of clutter, but they never seem to take hold.  So this month I'm reading "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" by Marie Kondo.  In the book, Ms. Kondo shares her thoughts on our spiritual relationship with things, and how to clear the clutter once and for all.  I've just started it (I'm at 11%), but it's an interesting read so far.  I'll share my review of it here once I'm finished.  I'm hoping the book will give me a fresh perspective on things, and allow me to knock the clutter out for good.

Do you "suffer from clutter" like me?  Or is your space under control?  I'd love to hear all about it!

Thank you for popping in today.  I hope you are well!

2015 Goals Series: Develop a Consistent Meditation Practice

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them. You can follow along here.

emanuelemaria

Hello there.  I hope you are having a good day, and are happy and healthy.  Me?  I'm feeling a little bit scattered and restless, so I thought now would be a good time to talk about my goal to develop a consistent meditation practice.

This goal has been on my radar for several years.  I've managed to meditate once or twice a week for a while now, but because I'm so inconsistent, I don't feel like I'm reaping the full benefit.  Meditation is important to me for several reasons, but mostly because it helps to reduce my stress, helps me to settle my mind, and helps me make time with my God.  I've learned that if I don't make time to quiet myself and my mind, things get out of control.

I'd like to practice on a daily basis, and that's what I'll be working towards this year.  Right now I prefer a guided meditation, because I think that helps me to focus and sit still.  I've been using a free app from Deepak Chopra and Chopra Center Meditation called Living in Love.  The app comes with one or two free guided meditations and music tracks, but there's the option to buy others for a nominal fee.  I like it because I can easily program how long I want the meditation to be.  That comes in handy for those times when I only have a few minutes.  It will also work well as I attempt to increase my meditation time over the coming months.

So here's my plan:  

• January - Meditate for 5 minutes daily
• February - Meditate for 10 minutes daily
• March - Meditate for 15 minutes daily
• April - Meditate for 20 minutes daily
• May - Meditate for 25 minutes daily
• June - Meditate for 30 minutes daily
• July - Meditate for 35 minutes daily
• August - Meditate for 40 minutes daily
• September - Meditate for 45 minutes daily
• October - Meditate for 50 minutes daily
• November - Meditate for 55 minutes daily
• December - Meditate for 60 minutes daily

I'm allowing this plan to be pretty fluid.  For instance, this month I've been meditating for ten minutes each day instead of five.  Five minutes just doesn't seem long enough, and ten minutes is pretty easy for me to do since I've been in the practice of sitting for that period of time for a while now.

I also am not that concerned about working up to an hour a day.  Would it be nice?  Absolutely!  But I recognize that sitting on a daily basis is more important than how long I sit.

I think this will be a bit hard for me to accomplish, because I'm not in the habit of making time for myself.  I have to learn that if I give myself permission to sit quietly for a few minutes, I will ultimately have the energy to devote to other things.  It's a win-win situation!

Do you have a meditation practice?  How do you manage to sit still and quiet?

See?  Even just writing about meditation has made me feel better!

Take care out there!

2015 Goals Series: Read Twelve Books

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them. You can follow along here.

brenda-starr

Hi again!  Welcome to part four of the 2015 Goals Series.  

So far I've shared a summary of my goals for this year, and reviewed in detail my goals to blog daily and reach my goal weight.  Today I'll talk about something short and sweet:  my goal to read twelve books this year.

Now I know that seems like a light goal for some of you hard core readers out there.  I've seen some of my friends on Goodreads who read sixty books or more last year!  That's amazing!  But considering I only read five books in 2014, I think my goal of twelve is a good place to start for me. That's a book a month, and that's something I should be able to do easily, now that I've rekindled my love for reading.  (Haha -- get it?  Kindle?) 

I used to devour books when I was younger.  I have my Mom to thank for that.  She has always been an avid reader, and we would visit the library once a week or so.  Some of my fondest memories are of time spent in the old library in our hometown, scanning the books on the shelves for what seemed like hours (in that regard, I totally judge a book by its cover!), poking around in the card catalogs (oh I miss those long drawers stuffed full of notecards).  I even remember the dark and dingy basement that housed all of the old newspapers.  Oh, and I can't forget the librarian, who at the time was a scary old lady.  Sadly I don't know what her name was.  I'll bet she was really nice....

Eek, sorry!  Back to my reading goal...

I still love to read, but once again I allowed life to bust in on my free time, and reading took a back seat.  So sad.  So I'm working to change that for 2015.  As I said, my plan is to read at least one book a month.  I mentioned Goodreads a moment ago.  That's the tool I use to keep track of the books I want to read, as well as the books I'm currently reading and those I've already read.  I can also see what my friends are reading and read reviews and recommendations.  And I can also share my progress on Twitter and Facebook.  It's pretty cool.

As far as my method of reading, I'm all over the map.  I have a few paper books that I'm planning to read, but I also love my Kindle app.  I have a Kindle Fire but mostly I use the app on my iPhone.  It's so convenient to not have to carry a paper book around.

I have also started using the Overdrive app that allows you to borrow ebooks and audio books from the library!  I absolutely love it!  I downloaded an audio book just the other day to listen to while I'm walking on the treadmill.  It helps to pass the time while I'm exercising, and I'm learning something at the same time.  It's great!

Honestly, I think this will be the easiest goal for me to achieve this year.  But I'm still excited about it!

Do you like to read?  Do you have any book recommendations?  List them down in the comments if you like -- I'm always open for suggestions!

Thanks again for stopping by today.  I hope you're doing well!

2015 Goals Series: Reach my Goal Weight

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them. You can follow along here.

inspiredhomefitness

Hi there!  Thanks for joining me for part three of the 2015 Goals Series.

So far I have shared a summary of my goals for 2015, and focused on my goal to blog here every day. Today I want to look at another one of my goals:  to reach my goal weight by the end of the year.

I'm sure this is on the minds of many at the beginning of the new year.  Frankly, losing weight has probably been on my goal or resolution list every year of my adult life.  I think it is an admirable goal.  I think everyone should strive to be as healthy and fit as they can.  It just helps you enjoy life more.

I have been slightly overweight for most of my adult life.  It all probably began when I got my first job, had my own money, and started ordering from Domino's Pizza.  Oh, the freedom!  My weight began to increase slowly, and I didn't really pay attention, other than occasionally needing to go up a size in my jeans.  Amazingly, that did not sound any alarm bells for me.  

My need to lose weight and get healthy culminated near the end of 2010.  I was at my heaviest, unhealthiest, and unhappiest.  I was close to 250 lbs. (I'm 5'8" in my head, and 5'7" in the doctor's office), but most troublesome to me was my declining health.  Suddenly I was on several prescription medications, my knees were giving me problems, and I was seeing a cardiologist.  I had enough trouble dealing with my dress size of 20, but I was not ready to start feeling old at 45.

So in 2011, I started researching gastric bypass surgery.  My brother had gone through it a few years before, with great results.  My husband went through it the year before.  I knew the ins and outs of the surgery, but I wanted to make sure it was right for me.

Towards the end of 2011 I made the decision to move forward with the surgery, and in March 2012 it was done.  Fast forward to today -- I'm 40 lbs. lighter (I was down 55 lbs., but have gained some back) and am definitely healthier (no longer on prescription meds, heart is fine, but the knees still click and creak).  But, I want to lose the 15 lbs. I've gained back, plus another 25 lbs. or so to get to my goal weight.

So, one of my goals for 2015 is to reach my goal weight of 165 lbs by the end of this year.  It's important to me because I want to be healthier, happier, and more confident.  I think they are the cliche reasons, but they really ring true for me.

How am I going to do this?  I'm so glad you asked!  Here's my plan for achieving my goal:

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. 
• Weight myself every Sunday and keep a record to make sure I am on track.
• Avoid fast food and fried foods and limit sweets.  All of these are my weakness.  :(
• Use Fitbit to monitor activity, food, and water intake.

I'm most excited about my new Fitbit, and will be doing a review on it in the coming weeks.  It's proving to be oh so helpful so far, even on day three of my journey.  I'm really excited and motivated, and am really confident that I will easily meet this goal.  Sharing my progress here for all the internet to see doesn't hurt, either.  

Do you have any weight loss or fitness goals this year?  What are you doing to stay motivated?

I appreciate that you stopped by to check in with me.  You're awesome!

2015 Goals Series: Daily Blogging

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them. You can follow along here.

Kristina B

Hi there!  Thanks for joining me as we continue with my 2015 Goals Series.  

Yesterday we started with my reasons for setting goals for 2015 in the first place, and shared a little bit about what hasn't worked for me in the past.  For the next several days, we'll explore each goal individually.  

Today we'll delve into my goal to publish a daily blog post.

I've had this blog for a long time -- since April 17, 2010.  There have been several attempts like this one to jump start the blog, but over the past four years I have published only 89 posts.  I immediately start to chastise myself for that, but no more.  This is a new beginning, and you know I love new beginnings!

In order to really solidify this goal, I took some time to really think about why it is important to me. Why do I feel the need to publish a blog post every single day?  The answers to that are pretty clear to me now.  

I want to develop the habit of writing every day.  

I want my Muse to know that when I sit down with my laptop and cup of something hot, I mean business and am ready to work.  If I leave a day or more in between writings, then that just leaves the door open for skipping another day, and then another day, and then before I know it a month has gone by.  They say that it takes 21 days two to eight months to develop a habit.  If I'm able to keep the daily writing thing going for twelve months, I should be set!

I want to practice the craft of writing.  

As you saw in yesterday's summary, another one of my goals is to finish writing my novel.  These days I can't even pretend to put together any kind of coherent story, because I'm so dreadfully out of practice.  Writing every day, even if it's not related to my novel, will eventually prepare me for getting back to my novel.  Practice makes perfect!

I want to share my knowledge with others.

I have learned a little about a lot of things in my forty-plus years on this Earth.  A lot of what I have learned has come from the internet.  I really love to share what I know, and if the information I have to offer can help just one person, I will be a very happy girl!

Finally, I want to build a community.

I'm not the only one who has learned a little about a lot of things.  We all have, and we all have information to share and contributions to make.  I would love to build an online community of friends who are interested in similar things.  It will be hard to resist all of the growing and sharing!

My plan for accomplishing this goal is pretty simple.  I'm going to write here every day.  Don't worry, I'll work hard to provide interesting content, although I hope you'll forgive me for the occasional meaningless ramble thrown into the mix.  I do have an extensive list of posts and topics under my belt, which is great news!  I will try to develop a bit of a schedule so you'll know what to expect and when, but that won't be written in stone.  I believe it's good to shake things up once in a while!

So, there you have it.  I'm really excited about starting out fresh, and I'm feeling really motivated. And this is post number three under my belt.  Only 362 to go!

How many of you have a blog?  Do you have any tips for keeping up the momentum?

Thanks for reading. :)

2015 Goals Series: A Summary

This post is part of the 2015 Goals Series, where I'll share my goals for the year, why they are important to me, and how I plan to accomplish them.  You can follow along here.

angietorres

I am so happy to be writing this post.  I'm happy because this year I made the choice to think about the things I want to accomplish, and then was motivated to actually write them down.  This time last year -- not so much.

First I'll go back to 2013.  In 2013, I made grand plans for my annual goals.  They were well thought out, and well planned, and I had good intentions.  Very good intentions.  But something happened.  I don't even know what.  I let life get in the way, I guess.  I didn't stand up for what I wanted to do, and I didn't protect the time I needed to do it.  That's not to say that anyone stopped me.  That was all my doing.  I got lazy.  And then I got busy.  And then I was motivated, but too busy to catch up.  And then I was depressed because I couldn't catch up.  And then, I just gave up.

So last year, in 2014, I decided to take a different approach, and did not plan out what I wanted to accomplish.  I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself.  I had become quite busy with work and family and all of the stuff that goes with it.  I didn't want 2014 to end the way 2013 did -- me feeling depressed and sorry for myself because I had not accomplished anything.  So I figured I would just let things happen.  I had an idea of what I would like to do (like, everything on my list from 2013, and then some), but I told myself I would just fit it in when I could.  You know, when things slowed down, or when I found some spare time.  Well that just didn't work at all.

I've always know that I am a list-oriented type of worker.  Ask my husband.  The two of us grocery shopping together always ends up with someone getting mad (usually, that would be me).  When I shop, I have to have a list, in order by store sections, and I cross items off the list as I go along.  If it's not on the list, it doesn't exist.  My husband, on the other hand, prefers to just zip all around, going here and there, picking up this and that... it drives me insane!

Lists provide order for me, and organization, and something to strive for, and something to cross off so I can see what I have accomplished.  I don't know why I ever thought I would complete any of my goals without having them written down.

That brings us to 2015:  a fresh new start.  I love fresh new starts!  It didn't take me long to prepare my list of things to do this year.  They've been up in my head, poking at me and nagging me for two years!  And this time, I decided to share them with you, just for an extra dose of accountability.

So, without further ado, here are my goals for 2015:

• Reach my goal weight
• Read twelve books
• Finish writing my novel
• Publish a daily blog post
• Declutter our home
• Regularly maintain our household
• Develop a consistent meditation practice

In this "2015 Goals Series," I'll go into detail for each goal.  I'll explain why I want to accomplish it, and share my plan for how I will accomplish it.  I'll also post a monthly review of how I'm doing, so you can follow along as I'm being the most productive I've ever been.  It'll be fun, I promise!

Do you have any goals or resolutions for the coming year?  If you do, I'd love to hear about them. Please share them in the comments below, so we can cheer each other on!

Here's to a productive and fulfilling year ahead.  Let's get this party started!

Happy New Year 2015!

nicolebeaulac

Hello again, and Happy New Year!

Can you believe it's 2015 already? It seems like Halloween was just yesterday. Our poor Christmas decorations haven't even had a chance to get warm! Time flies by faster each year.

Our New Year's Day has been relatively quiet and relaxing. We all slept until 9:00am (it was much needed, and delightful), did a little shopping, and watched college football. John and I made a commitment to fitness by purchasing Fitbits, so once we got them configured and working properly, we went out for a thirty-minute walk. That was a huge accomplishment for us!

The rest of the evening will be quiet as well. The husband and daughters are on their laptops playing various games, and I am fine-tuning my goals. I'm feeling more motivated than I did this past year, so I'm taking that as a good sign that I might actually accomplish something!

One of those goals is to be more present here on the blog. I have lots of plans for this space, including sharing my goals, and reporting on my progress on a regular basis. That will help me hold myself accountable, but I hope it will also help someone out there follow their own dreams and accomplish great things!

Well, that's it for now. I hope you have a very happy and healthy 2015!

Six-Month Review and End-of-Year Wrap-Up

I received an email from Neale Donald Walsch last year.  That email came at a good time back then, and has been a helpful reminder to me several times since.  I now use it when when I am reviewing my goals and planning for the future.

"On this day in your life I believe God wants you to know...

...that this is not the end but the beginning.  All endings start something better.  It is inevitable.

Here is God's promise:  Life proceeds, it never recedes.  Life progresses, it never regresses.  Not even death ends anything.  So how much can this particular event matter?

It is true.  When one door closes, another door opens.  The movement of life is ever upward.  Six months from today you will know this.  For now, trust it."

I find myself at the end of a year, and near the end of a chapter in my life.  As I review the past six months, I find that there is much to be grateful for, but not much progress.  I can blame the lack of progress on myself only.  I've been my biggest roadblock.  I've allowed myself to procrastinate, and I've allowed life to happen to me.  That's not the way I want to be.  I want so much out of life, yet I did nothing to make my goals happen.  I did nothing to make my dreams come true.

Well, I'm here to announce to the world that there's a new Journal Keeper in town.  She's ready for things to happen, and ready to make them happen, come hell or high water.  I don't want to get to the end of 2011 and be disappointed with where I am and what I have done (or haven't done) with my life.

Here are my Goals for 2011...

1. Get down to 165 lbs. (lose 75 lbs.).
2. Finish writing my first novel.
3. Publish a post at The Journal Keeper every day.
4. Publish an article at Associated Content every week.
5. Declutter our home.
6. Meditate regularly.

Here are the positive habits I want to adopt...

1. Drink more water.
2. Give thanks every day.
3. Read for 30 minutes each day.
4. Brush teeth and wash face before bed.
5. Write every day.

Here are the negative habits I want to eliminate...

1. Biting nails and picking fingers
2. Eating poorly
3. Wasting time on tasks not related to my goals
4. Procrastinating
5. Negative self-talk

I'll elaborate on these items in future blog posts, because I think my reasons for each of them are important.  It's good to know where I've been so I can learn the lessons and not make the same mistakes.  I'll also post updates on my progress.  Although I am eager to reach each of my goals, I am also aware that the journey is just as important.

I'm looking forward to being a leaner, healthier, smarter, calmer, more successful Journal Keeper in 2011.  It's going to be an awesome journey!

Related Info

To receive daily inspirational emails from Neale Donald Walsch, sign up here.  I don't get paid if you do -- I just think you might like them!

reverb10: Writing

tomswift46

This is part of a series of posts for Reverb10 -- an online event to promote reflecting and manifesting. To read all of the posts in this series, just click on the "reverb10" tag over there on the right.

Writing

What do I do each day that doesn't contribute to my writing?  That's easy.

I waste time.

I am a professional procrastinator.  It's a shame I don't get paid for it, because if I did I'd be rolling in the dough.  Procrastination for me is a safety mechanism, I think.  I'm afraid of failure, but I'm afraid of success even more.  That subject, however, is for another blog post (or three).

How do I waste my time?  I spend way too much of my time checking email and Facebook and Twitter and FoxNews and Google Reader.  And when I've exhausted those avenues, I take a nap.  Or I read.  Or I organize.  Anything goes when it comes to finding something to do other than write.

Can I eliminate those time wasters?  Sure I can!  But the question here for me is will I. 

One of my goals for 2011 is to make more time for my writing.  Blogging here is a good start for me.  If I can make it through the month of December -- and I'm going to try really hard! -- that will be a great sign.  Then I can get back to work on editing my novel and getting started on the next one I have outlined. 

So, here's to eliminating those time wasters that are holding me back, and not making any contributions to my goals.  Let's be clear -- I'm  not going to eliminate them altogether.  But the time I spend on them will be cut drastically!  :)

Quieting the Mind, Settling the Soul

Lel4nd

I am enjoying a mental health morning.  My husband, John, left earlier to play golf with friends (he's not a golfer by any means, so I can't wait to hear how things went!) and the girls are with their mother this weekend, so I have the apartment all to myself.  My Bayberry Spice candle is burning and filling the air with the wintry scent that soothes my soul, I'm sipping on Dunkin Donuts Mocha Mint coffee (my third cup -- I'll surely end up with a bellyache!), and I'm listening to my Spa Radio station on Pandora.  I'm still in my robe and slippers, people!  I can't think of a better way to take care of Me.

My mind has been whirling lately with worries, stresses, lists of things I want to do, lists of things I'm not doing -- you know the drill.  I've usually been able to calm myself by meditating with Holosync taking a short nap, or journaling, but lately that hasn't been working. I think my mind has gone into Shut Down Mode.  She is overwhelmed and stretched to the limit, and has decided she's just not going to do it anymore.

The biggest thing bothering me right now is my attempt at NaNoWriMo.  I haven't had the time (or, let's be honest, the desire) to write the required 1667 words each day.  And now I'm so far behind I'll never catch up by November 30.  So I'm giving it up.  This will be my fourth try -- and my fourth failure.  And that makes me disappointed in myself.  I'm disappointed because that's just one more thing to add to the list of thousands that I have started but not completed.

But, I wonder if my inability to finish things is not so much laziness on my part, but maybe more of over-scheduling on my part.  I want to do too many things, and I try to do them all at one time.  I try to stay busy all of the time.  Oh my gosh, you should see my planner!  I have all of these great plans and things to do for each day, but most of them don't get done.  And when I do try to quiet myself and relax, I feel guilty because of the unfinished items still left on those pages.

Perhaps today I will take some time to revisit my goals and items on my to-do lists.  Maybe I can try to weed some things out; try to focus more on what's important for me.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to do that today.  But right now, I'm having another cup of this awesome Mocha Mint coffee!

Things To Do Before I Die

scottwills

I have kept a list of Things To Do Before I Die in my trusty planner for years.  Since I am considering doing away with the Paper Planner, I thought I would post my list here.  Perhaps putting it out there for the Universe to read will spur things along.

Here's my Bucket List.