Think Big Thursday: Confidence

I knew as the day progressed yesterday it would be monumental for me in many ways. Deep ways, but many ways. Almost like veins running through the body, each monumental moment led to the next. And yes, we MUST realize that every moment you have in this life is indeed monumental! Seriously, and not only that, they build upon on another and each is like a step that leads you upwards every single moment of the day until you lay your head down and rest for the day. When you wake up ~ it's time to climb a whole new set of steps!

Anyhow... I am going to get off track quickly if I am not careful!

Let me give you another quote from Rhonda Byrne. "When you are grateful to be the person in the mirror, feelings of dissatisfaction, discontentment, disappointment, or I'm -not-good-enough completely disappear. And with them, every dissatisfying, discontenting, and disappointing circumstance in your life magically disappears too."

The confidence had started early in the morning for me and simply just grew. For once I feel good again about me ~ and that means everything about me. I realized it had been far too long since I felt this way.

See, we have to be careful to what we allow ourselves to listen to (people, social media, the trends of the world or religious groups even, and especially the voice in our brain). There are many Christians who believe that having confidence is a sign of pride, arrogance, or even selfishness but I am sitting here today BEGGING you to not believe that. I have heard many messages on how God wants us to be lowly and cowardly and that is far from the truth! Jesus walked this earth with much confidence and guess what ~ he was the most righteous of all.

When you are walking in true confidence it only means that you have accepted yourself for who you are ~ and have even found a few things you liked about yourself. GOOD JOB!  In the gratitude journey book that I am reading it suggests that you find at least three good things that you like about yourself. At first it seems like such a low number but then I realized there was a point in my life where I couldn't have given you one. I felt like I was the worst scum of the earth ~ because I did listen to a few religious leaders who sadly pretty much told me the same exact thing (in different words of course). I am saddened to think that I allowed that to happen ~ and even sadder for those who are still listening. YOU would not be on this earth if your whole mission is to be the lowest of the low just so those who have the confidence can make you feel worse. BUT there is a key here in that last sentence. NO ONE has power over you to make you feel one way or another ~ it's all up to you. Don't blame them if they make you feel that way ~ take ownership on the way you allowed yourself to feel because after all your emotions and feelings are not out on the table for someone else to pick up and do what they want to them ~ they are inside you, and you are the only one who controls them.

So, today I challenge you as well ~ find three things you love about yourself and celebrate them! :) YOU are worth celebrating, and there is no need to wait for your birthday to celebrate! :)

I filmed a quick video on this topic yesterday if you'd like to check it out!




I am a believer in Christ. But I am not in any way legalistic and I believe that God gives us so many resources to discover the amazing moments of this life that are NOT limited to one persons (or organizations) beliefs. I am more open minded than most, and in all honestly it makes me much happier that I could ever be stuck in one way of thinking!

Think Big Thursday: Organize and Stick it! (Target Post It haul)

I am not a big Target fan, but they are slowly winning me over. The girl had asked me to take her to Target so she could see if the jacket she wanted was still on sale. Sadly for her they did not have it, but yay for me because I scored good! Target was having a PostIt sale ~ where you buy one get one 50%off. I also scored some little "to do" sticky notes in the dollar spot section. The small postits, regular post its and the to do's I will be using for my planning. I also use them to leave little notes for the kids and husband during the school year (reminders about game times/locations or things to do after school). 

 

As you can see from my receipt this large weekly planner by Post it was not part of the 50% off deal but I think it is worth the $10.99 that I was able to pay for it. It is a 25 week planner so by January I will be able to see if it functions for our family or not. I mean I have an Erin Condren planner and my family knows it is my 2nd brain for all things in our lives but this is something I want to have for the whole family to see. My planner is a bit personal.

One line will be used to keep track of my work schedules/meetings/places I need to be and when ~ so it is visible for all to see. (Any special events/appointments for the husband will also go here.) One line will be used to keep track of our daughter's extra curricular stuff (drill team/ events/games/etc). One line will be used to keep track of the twins extra curricular stuff (they do a lot of the same things ~ football practice, games, tryouts, events.. etc) and the last line will be used for menu planning because if it's on there I know what to prep the night before/morning before work and they know what's coming so they don't have to ask! I also plan on posting various scriptures throughout the week ~ for us to memorize as a family and likewise allow the family to share a scripture that God put on their heart. 

For now I have this mounted on one of our walls in an area I want to create a "family command center" outside of the eye of entrance, but where it is noticeable as the family is waking into the foyer. I need a small table or bin area for this along with a few more little trinkets. This is an area that I hope to have in place before Thanksgiving. :) 

There was a time in my life where I wouldn't have dreamed of being so organized! I mean we lived in chaos though we couldn't' see it. I am blessed that I have had access to many personalities online to mentor me from their own blogs sand YouTube channels. I am a product of the Titus 2 mentality of many giving women in my life ~ albeit via the internet. 

3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Titus 2: 3-5 NIV

I hope by me sharing my journey through the years from that chaotic state of mind to a functional and organized I too can be a part of that group that teaches the younger to live in a way that brings God glory in the way they run their home, and organize their lives.

Think Big Thursday: Know your battle rhythm

Yesterday I shared with you that Inspiration was everywhere. Today I am going to share yet another person who has inspired me and the impact this one person has had on my life by just a few words found on YouTube.

General Stanley McChrystal said "If you want to be successful you have to have a team around you that knows your battle rhythm." But what stood out was that term "battle rhythm" because in some way each of our days are as important as being in a war. I am not saying you or I are better than the soldiers on front lines but I NEED you to look at your life and how you are spending your time as important as one who is fighting because in today's society you have to know what your fighting for and how your going to achieve a WIN for the day. See, if you have no idea what your fighting for or how you are spending your time and energy you will get no where and fast.

You might ask what a battle rhythm is so I thought I would define it simply and then show you what it looks like in my own life and how you can implement the idea to create your own. It simply is a military term used to explain the daily/weekly meetings, briefs, and products that must be delivered/ attended. So if we put that in a "busy mom" lingo it simply is a plan of how your going to spend your time and energy each day/week to get tasks completed either alone, or with other family members, coworkers, etc. If your a parent it includes your children's schedules as well as your husbands. I don't know about you, but I spend quite a bit of time making sure all five of us get to where we need to get to and on time (which means early because if your on time your late), as well as projects completed, along with a home taken care of, family fed and in clean clothes.

As wives, mothers, busy women we must have a battle rhythm of our own. As a writer, my family knows that if my ear plugs are in and my fingers are clickty clackity on the keyboard of the laptop then I am most likely either writing for my latest book, OR for the blog. It's how I work. In the Summer I try to get most of that done during the day in the week so that weekends are freed up some. They also know that I spend a good couple of weeks right before school starts and as soon as I return organizing my school year so that it can run seamless along with writing, home blessings, and keeping them on track as well.

Tools I use to map my Battle Rhythm
1. Planner
I love my Erin Condren life planner. There is plenty of space to  plan out my day, week, month even the whole year as needed. It goes with me to work, in the car during pickups from practice/games, etc. It is basically a piece of my brain on paper. If I or any member of my family  has an appointment it is put in there immediately. I also use it to plan out blog posts, writing schedules, work meetings, special events at either my school or the kids, neighborhood celebrations, etc. I even use it to meal plan, budget, and inspire myself for the week.

2. Computer
I use  my laptop daily! It ranks right up there with my planner. This also includes my flash drive that holds all of my manuscripts both open and closed.

3. Hot tea at night, coffee in the morning, water during the day, dinner at night.
I eat a hearty dinner at night followed by a cup of hot tea. It is how I finish my day. I wake up to a bottle of water followed by coffee. It fuels me for the morning where I power clean and get focused for the day. I have a set routine that works for me. My family can almost map that out just as well as I can ~ just as I can map out there's. This is important because if every person in my home knows each other's routines and habits, we can work around and support one another. Having a solid routine has allowed me to "unplug" more on the weekends than ever before because we have learned one another's battle rhythm. I know on Tuesdays and Thursdays my husband will meet up with a few guys from the neighborhood for an hour or two ~ that opens the window for me to write a bit without "stealing" together time away to write even though he supports me and I remain in the main dwelling area of our home at anytime that I am writing.

So often I get asked "HOW do you do it all?", This is how. I know my battle rhythm and I adjust it as needed to keep on top of things. What is YOUR battle rhythm?

Thing Big Thursday: Are you influenced or influential?

Influence is defined as having the capacity to have an effect on the character, development or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.

Someone who is influential utilizes that capacity with themselves to help shape people and mold outcomes in one form or another. Positive or negative.

Those who strive to be successful in their lives often start out by finding someone who influences them in the area in which they long for success. Sometimes that is all that they need to get a spark going in the right direction! Sadly though, it is easy to assume that one may no longer need influencers in their life. Mentors. We all need mentors. If we do not allow and encourage them in our lives, we will then be influenced in the opposite way.

Let's take this as an example. We are going to take an office and two "cubby mates" and watch what happens when influence is hovering around the corner (both positive AND negative). We will name them Polly (Positive Polly) and Nancy (Negative Nancy). There are three office cubbies in a row, with Polly on one end, Nancy on the other, and Meg left in the middle. Meg is someone who tries to lay low and not ruffle feathers. Polly is always trying to encourage others and has no problem helping whoever needs by teaching them how to accomplish the goal at hand as well as solve their own problems. And Nancy, who is never happy and always finds a problem before a solution.

One day Nancy called into work, so the manager on duty split Nancy's work between Meg and Polly. Together they worked to get the extra load as well as their own completed in a timely manner. The manager came in and complimented them both and treated them to lunch. Over lunch the three of them began to discuss an upcoming project and it was decided that Meg and Polly would be the great team to bring it all together and present it to their advertisers for approval. The creativity they all brought to the table was amazing, and even quiet Meg began to pipe out with ideas that were new and innovative. Over the next week, Nancy returned to work a bit surprised that the place didn't' fall apart without her. In fact it felt different when she walked in and seeing Meg and Polly interact in the way in which they were irritated Nancy. She felt out of the loop and just distracted by all the comraderee that was going on. Heck, who knew Meg could tell a joke?

The beginning of the  next week, Polly was out for a day as one of children were sick. Meg was sitting in her cubicle and Nancy was running late as usual. The manager came in frazzled and gave Polly's work load to split between Meg and Nancy. When Nancy came in, Meg told her about the extra work and Nancy began to laugh. "I am not doing her work. She should have been here!" When Meg explained that the same thing happened the week before when she was out the only response from Nancy was "Oh. Well.. that's not my problem. I am not going to do my work and someone else's work and NOT get paid for it. You can do it all." Then Nancy got on her cel phone and Meg could hear gossiping as she began to buckle down and get done what she could.

"Can you believe they want me to do someone else's job? I hate my own, why would I want to do someone elses? I do enough around here! In fact I am the best they got!" The conversation went on and the  more Nancy talked the more disturbed and saddened Meg got. Maybe Nancy was right. Maybe she shouldn't do Polly's work but concentrate on just her own. After all, she was only getting one paycheck, not two.

The next day Polly came in to a pile of work on her desk. She turned on her computer and got straight to work. When Meg came in, she said her usual "Good Morning Meg!" but Meg just barely glanced at her. After an hour or so, Nancy walked in smacking her gum smirking at the pile of things to be done on Polly's desk. "Looks like you will be too busy to make the meeting this morning!" Meg snickered as well and then went into the break room to pour another cup of coffee. Nancy looked at her calendar and realized she an hour and a half before she needed to make it to the company meeting so she buckle down and before she realized it she reached the end of her pile.

As all three of them walked into the meeting room, Nancy sat in the back of the room, while Meg sat around the middle. Polly walked up front to their management team, and placed two large files in front of them both. "Sorry I missed yesterday, but I am thankful I was able to concentrate and get this done before this meeting started." "What? As a team we expect you all to cover for one another as needed. Did it not get done yesterday?"

Meg stood up in tears. "I am so sorry!! I knew I should have done my part but when Polly began saying how she wasn't getting paid to do two jobs so wasn't going to work two jobs, it kind of rubbed off on me and made sense."

Leaving it at that.  You can draw your own conclusion as to what happens within that "team".But .. are you being influenced or are you more of an influencer? See we all are influenced in some ways UNLESS we think we already know all that we need to.

I can tell you~ I have been in the classroom with preschoolers for almost 12 years now. I learn something new every single day. I learn new ways to teach, to share information, and above all.... daily I am taught that teamwork matters! Leaders influence by action not by words.

Think BIG Thursday: You have ALL that you need already!

No copyright infringement intended

I woke up this morning with YOU on my heart and in my mind. And it is with this thought. "You have ALL that you need already!". Now you might want to argue with me, want me to see that you have nothing in the bank, lacking a career, or lonely but hang in there with me through this post and I hope to show you differently!

When I ask you what are your basic needs in life  you will most likely give the generic answers of food, shelter, clothes, money, relationships. But you know that is NOT what I am talking about. Sure those things are needed and I truly do not know anyone who is starving, homeless, or naked. I do know a few who complain about no money yet they have internet, cel phones, cable, money for beer, yet they "are broke". I do not know anyone who does not have some sort of relationship with someone. They may not be thriving in that area, but they have someone... we all have GOD. So... if you are reading this .. you HAVE the basic needs in your life. But lets dig deeper and I want to show you that YOU have more than you ever could have thought of.

So let's talk about something a bit bigger! EVERY human has six needs that need to be taken care of. If they are not ... we "adapt" in a negative way. There are two for survival, two for success, and two for fulfillment!

The first two that you need for survival are variety and certainty.
Variety: The need for stimulus and change.
Certainty: The need for safety, stability, and comfort.

The next two are going to lead you to success no matter what it is your want to succeed in and they are significance and connection and love.
Significance: The need to be special and worthy of attention.
Connection & love: The need for connection with others and ultimately to love and be loved.

The last two will help you find fulfillment in your life no matter what is going on the outside of your little world that you live in and they are growth and contribution.
Growth: The need to develop and expand.
Contribution: The need to give beyond yourself.

Now, let me put this puzzle all together for you. The only way I know to do that is share it from my perspective, but I hope by doing so you can see that you indeed have ALL that you need!

I like a routine and I flourish in my life when that is place. That is a need of certainty that is taken care of. I can tell you though if I do the same things day in and day out I feel a huge void, almost like I am just walking in a fog. I need some variety! When I pair those up it looks like this: I work Monday - Friday, and the weekends are spent with husband and kids. I have stability and variety because their are 5 people in our home ~ all with different needs of our own. Some weekends we mingle with the neighbors every day, some weekends we are focusing solely on our family time. It is never the same, and I learned to appreciate that. We all have a need to be significant even if it is only as a wife and mother. Some of us find significance in our careers, relationships, or hobbies. I teach, write, and bake with that need of needing to be significant to someone. Our life's purpose leads us to ways to find that need to be filled. Connection and love comes easily, and though it isn't always pretty we find a way to get that need filled. I am my BEST when things are well connected between my husband and I (we have balance in all areas including our sex life), just as when things are smooth between our children and I. Everything else can be falling apart, but if if am thriving in those connections I am good.  Those four needs MUST be taken care of to experience the last two which are growth and then finally contribution. Growth is just as important as eating. I say this because we live on a moving planet in a moving universe, proof that we all must be moving! You can choose to move forward with growth or think you want to stay the same but instead you are moving backward. Growth can be spiritual, emotional, financial, educational, physical, etc. We should be challenging ourselves to be better today than we were yesterday! And my favorite is contribution. We all want to contribute to something. It feels so good to give back! Sometimes that means giving your child more of your time, maybe even doing something that will help them to become closer to understanding or reaching a goal. Perhaps it is helping a coworker reach a difficult deadline. Maybe it's taking a meal over to someone who is sick, having a baby, or lost a loved one. Contribution goes outside of yourself. If you are so wrapped up in your own needs, this one need will not be fulfilled let alone even touched. I do contribute as much as I can especially at work, and with my neighbors.

Now I told you have all that you need, and I hope that you can see that you do. If not, then it's on you to figure it out, and meet the needs that you might not have realized were holding you back!

Think Big Thursday: Boldness

It is not often that I share about things my stages of transformation. Not like in a Caitlynn Jenner kind of transformation ... well.. maybe, but hang in there! The boldness I am speaking of is NOT my outside transformation, but instead my inner transformation that truly does change everything about who I am.

The definition of boldness is not hesitating or being fearful the face of actual or possible danger or simply being rebuff, courageous and daring. Someone of boldness is not hesitant to break the rules or propriety; behavior that is socially or morally correct and proper.

Boldness is NOT bossiness. 

2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:2-4
(Lording in this verse means bossiness)

Boldness in truth brings wisdom. 

Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. John 7:18

Boldness is evidence of strength. 

The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. Proverbs 28:1

I am pretty bold in the things in which I believe in, and the various "God whispers" that I encounter because I believe that they are not just for me, but for others as well. He is removing from me the things that used to fuel me, ~ myself ~ and filling me with more of Him and by doing so .. I am able to be more bold on where I stand in life. Without HIM I can do nothing ... and that my friend is in the scriptures!

30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. John 5:30 NIV

My favorite however is this one: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. It is found in John 15:5 and really is an area that God is working in and through me. If I am honest this is very true. I couldn't write these blog posts on my own ~ well I could but they wouldn't impact the same. I couldn't feed my family meals that are amazing, well.. I could but they wouldn't enjoy the meas as well as the inspired ones He gives me for the menu list (or those quick hey let's have ...). I wouldn't be able to teach the way I teach, take care of our home, write books, etc. Basically.. I would fail in every area of my life over and over and over, and believe me He has humbled me many times when I get too full of myself. 

So I sit here and tell you that I am a goal setter but through various trials and many errors I realize that unless my goals are in line with God's will for my life, I can't live in boldness with those goals. I get fearful, and indecisive. My boat gets rocked .. and not in a good way. But when I am bold within the boundaries of God's will for my goals and the things He has called me to do, I can walk in His boldness, and in a courageous way. 

So I ask you... where are YOU walking in boldness, and where is HE calling you to do so, yet you are fighting or struggling to do so? Comment below or on our Facebook page, and let's learn to be Bold as He is calling us to!


 

Think Big Thursdays: Are you looking for the clues?

No copyright infringement intended 

Ever experience one of those priceless moments when you are sitting there and realize that you have been given secret clues throughout the day (week, month, year perhaps) to questions that have been lingering deep within? What is even more amazing is that you discover clues to things you never even realized you were looking for!

That is what yesterday brought to me ~ the realization that every single one of us will encounter these special clues throughout our day. These clues can be so small that if you are lost in yourself, in worry, or even in desperation to please they can be missed. If you are so bent in doing things your way, you will miss out. I say this in confidence because I have experienced it as well. I have missed out on some clues or as I often like to call them "God Whispers" because in my own head and yes, sadly my heart too I was intent on doing things my way.

I heard a LOUD whisper yesterday, almost a groan that was deep and demanding to be heard. It was this. "See me first! I want to give you every desire of your heart, but I want you to seek me first with everything you have. That means you are going to have to put some things away for right now and just seek me. Find me. Know me. And then, then my child ..... everything you desire you will find."

*insert crickets here*

Yes. I did. Deep within me, I got it. I heard it. I slept it last night. It was like my body hasn't rested in I cant' remember how long and it is simply because I have been chasing more of the things I want in life, and only seeking Him only halfheartedly.At best only partially. As in not fully.  Let's take a sneak peek at that scripture and see what it says.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

But what is it exactly that is going to be "given to us"? Oh let's take a step back because God is very clear on that!

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (Matthew 6:25-32 NIV)

And of course you can't forget the last part of that chapter as profound as it is.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

I would like to think that we also shouldn't be concerned with the good things, the blessings of tomorrow because each day is filled with enough of those things too! If we are looking forward we miss out on what is right in front of us. I am very guilty of this, especially during the school year when I am a busy working momma and housewife! Keeping life glued together when it feels like it is going to split at the seams from being over-scheduled is not easy. I think this is why God calls us to seek Him first so we can let go and just be a kid again ~ His kid!

That means every single day I wait for His lead ~ not my own. If I am going to be a "writer" He will lead me down that path in the way He so desires. No  more struggles. No more trying to make things happen feeling like I am spinning out of control.

I am ever so grateful to have tools in my hands ~ Cd's, Podcasts, Virtual services and all the fellowship with like minded people that I could imagine or ever hope for. For these are the things that lead me closer to Him and further away from the rat race of this world. These are things that help me to see the clues in life that are being left for me to pick up, and use for the next step.

Thinkful Thursdays: Friends

It's that time again! Time to think Big! This Thursday though I am going to challenge you to think DEEP and you may not like what I have to share.

Friends.

I have been guilty of telling preschoolers in my presence that "we are all friends" but really... should we be? I don't want to contradict myself but I am learning I don't WANT to be friends with everyone. Now , it didn't always used to be that way, and a HUGE part of me wanted me to be able to be everyone's friend. So much so that I could even see my own daughter's heart get crushed because she wasn't everyone's friend.

Guess what. We are NOT created to be friends with everyone. Sure, we are commanded to LOVE everyone and to be friendly but it doesn't mean we have to be FRIENDS.

Did you know... Jesus wasn't everyone's friend .He had enemies. Do you know why? Because there was a lot of judgement in living a life where you truly live for your purpose, passion and dreams to come to pass right before your eyes. WE need to be friendly to everyone we come in contact with but I NO LONGER believe that we should all be friends. Why?

* You become the company you keep. Don't think you can turn a heap of trash into a heap of sugar ~ that is now how the world works. Do you have to be mean? No. But do you have to be a part of it? NO! If you know what your values are and what you stand for, it isn't so easy to compromise on them.

* For YEARS I have felt like I needed anyone and everyone's friendship. I wasn't selective. I wasn't very choosey. HOW SAD!!! Sure, there are a good handful that I can think of that God just had a hand in the connection! Those I hold near and dear, and even though it's summer, I have talked to them often. But there are many who I once considered as friends have either dissolved or never were really more than an acquaintance. I know... that is just the cycle of life.

* Any friendship that causes conflict with your spouse. I know that sounds probably very 1950ish but really... who likes conflict in their marriage?! Not me! And I am not going to value one single earthly relationship over my husband. It just can't happen. Thankfully my husband and I are pretty much on board with that.

* Before I can be a good friend to anyone, I need to be a good friend with myself. Sounds conceited maybe but really... if I don't like who I am ~ why should you? Why should anyone? I would think that I probably put my husband through a lot of internal grief because of the times I was miserable with myself in my life and I didn't want to accept me for me. Now that I do, and I realize my value in this world ..... it's time to accept that value and put up some new boundaries that will not be crossed.

So, once again the kids in preschool taught me a lesson I didn't even realize they were teaching  me. You do NOT have to be friends with everyone, but we all can learn to be friendly.

Think Big Thursday: Setting SMART goals.

I am a pretty motivated person. I must if I am writing a book right! I know I haven't updated much on the blog here about You Are More but let me tell you.... I will be ready to push through the publishing process no later than August 1. I wanted it to be by this Sunday but I had a bit of an emotional set back. When I read, I find myself getting into character and feeling what they feel and going through the emotions they go through. I don't know why I never realized that I would do that while writing! Anyway, we are about out of the woods emotionally ~ sorta and now it's just wrapping it all up. You do need to know that if you read it ... it will not necessarily be the end. You will have to wait for book #2! You are More does have it's own Facebook page where you can stay updated.

Anyway, I do have people ask me all the time "How do you get it all done" and I have even been told "You are just a jack of all trades". Yep I am. I love it all! I do it all. I have many parts to my personality and you will not get that from first impressions. In fact I have to be comfortable around you for you to see anything but "plain ol Sheila". Those who know me best know that I am anything but plain! So, let 's get to the "how do you get it all done?" A lot of it is habits that I have learned through the years to get things done around whatever "other" thing I am doing. Even if that "other" thing is working outside the home for 40 hours a week. But the habits didn't come without a desire to reach goals.

The one thing I realized last night though is any area I am struggling in is because I have yet learned to make smart goals. Sure I can say I want to lose say 20 pounds by the end of the year and while that is a GREAT and attainable goal ~ it isn't specific enough. Okay if I want to be honest I have about 30 that I NEED to lose, 40 that I WANT to lose and 50 that I DREAM of losing. All of them are different levels of desire and motivation behind. They each have a milestone attached to them and why. I am slowly learning about small goals through the book writing. I learned to set a minimum of a # of words that I wanted to get done each week. For some it may be wanting to become more organized so they set goals of starting to go to bed with the kitchen clean. Then it is waking up and getting laundry done. Then they add vacuuming before leaving the house in the morning. So within a few weeks not only are they keeping a cleaner kitchen, laundry is being kept up AND the house is vacuumed. By doing those three things it simply opens the door for continued success and deeper regular cleaning. And before you know it you are more cleaner and organized in your home.

If your wanting to lose weight may I suggest to stop setting FAR out there goals? Like it is easy to say I want to lose 100 pounds in a year. And if you indeed have 100 pounds to lose that is a doable goal. BUT... do you know what is going to happen within that year? What set backs that may arrive? Even to me 30 pounds sounds a bit overwhelming and even if I lost 4 it wouldn't put a dent in that number. BUT... if I break that down into mini goals and stop looking past the first goal set then it will feel doable. So by example I am sharing my "smart" goals considering weight loss.

1. Specific: I am going to lose weight in the next
2. Measurable:10 pounds
3. Achievable: Yes. (That makes it about 2.5 pounds a week)
4. Realistic: Yes. While I need to lose 30, want to lose 40 and dream to lose 50 I realistically have chosen to lose it in 10 pound increments. That is how I lost it big the last time (I just had a smack the head session when I remembered that!)
5. Timely: In the next 25 days (By August 18th)

Then , after I reach that first 10 pounds I will set the next goal of 10 pounds. And so on and so on.

STOP waiting for things to happen. Be the adult you are and set a few goals for yourself. Yes it means exercising self control and learning a bit of discipline. We want our kids to know when to "say when" but we have to do that as adults too!