Small Feats

Courtesy of abowlfulloflemons.net

Today I was listening to one of my favorite radio stations when I heard the term “Get it Done”.  I usually use a more inappropriate variation of the same term but it all means the same thing.  So many times I make lists of things that I want to accomplish and months later, I can check some things off but not enough.  I want to accomplish all of my dreams, especially my big one’s but I seem to lose stamina because they are so big.  I know some will say that motivation is the issue but, I am not sure if it’s motivation or persistence.  I have bought so many calendars and journals to write down my plans but they were never specific enough.  I just ended up wasting money on another journal full of dreams.  What I realize as I get older and as I monitor myself for online graduate studies is that if I break things down into smaller tasks that are day by day or week by week, I accomplish more and I accomplish more on time!  The feeling of completing something small in relation to a bigger dream feels really good.  So, of course I have come up with a way to organize my small feats that tackle my bigger than life dreams.

I can use one of the many calendars or notebooks that I have already purchased and map out a week at a time.  If you are like me, you have many goals that you want to accomplish which is why it is important to color code them.  I love, love, love my Staedtler pens.  They help me clearly see that I am accomplishing multiple tasks a day in regards to each of my goals.  Use a different color for each dream/goal.  Darken your lines when you are nearing the completion of goals. If it is a huge project, you may want to do weekly or monthly checklists.  If it is not that sizable, you may benefit from a daily checklist.  Check them off when you complete them and or revise and shift things around as necessary. Each day we should all be doing something that emphasizes our talents and pushes us closer to our goals. Otherwise, we will go crazy or get depressed because we have surrendered to a dream deferred.  Look for more posts on this topic to come.

P.S.= Do whatever works for you, but just make sure to get it done!

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Taking on too much

I am the queen of taking on too much.  I am a teacher, graduate student, mother of two (and all that entails), business partner, writing a novel, blogging, attendee of various workshops, compiling my poetry book, reading professional development books for my job, and studying for my real estate license.  There are probably a few other things that i haven’t mentioned but, I find that I am always tired and sometimes irritable.

Recently I went back to organizing my life and various appointments in my planner.  It works for the most part until I forget that I have one (ha!).  As I get older, I am learning to use a word that made me very uncomfortable before, “No”.  Only two letters, yet it feels like utter betrayal.  That feeling is beginning to subside for me a little as I reflect on what is important to me.  My family is important to me.  My faith is important to me.  My health is important to me (I was diagnosed with MS- but I am not ready to write fully on that just yet).  So, the betrayal that “No” ushers in doesn’t quite have the same impact any longer.

I am one person and I know that I can do amazing things in this lifetime.  I can give back and also take care of myself but, that means prioritizing and putting what I value first.  If you are encountering the same experience, just list out your top 3-4 priorities.  When other things come up and if they are not a necessity, ask yourself “does this align with my priorities/what I value”?  Then, kindly tell that task or that person I’ll need to take a rain check.

Live happy, well, and healthy