SISTER WISDOM

Due to the holiday – and our trip to MS for a family reunion – I’m starting the monthly challenge a bit behind. Just two days. Details, friends, details.

Speaking of details, let’s just get right to it and I’ll break down this monthly challenge. Here’s where I am, personally, professionally, esoterically speaking… (everybody go look up esoterically now. Oh, nevermind. I’ll do it for you. Here.) Where was I?
Right. Where I am, in broad, somewhat vague “life” terms: 1) happy about the birth of our third baby, 2) happy and excited about the major life/career change my husband is navigating (more on that in the future), 3) happy with the progress I’m making in my writing career, 4) overwhelmed by the thought of being a mom of 3 and getting too busy with day-to-day and forgetting to enjoy these children, 5) freaked out and trying to remain calm about the major life/career change my husband is navigating that will, necessarily, constitute a major life change for me, too, and 6) aware that if I don’t exhibit some serious self-discipline all the progress I’ve made in writing will crumble around me.

Hm. I think that just about covers it. Basically, I’m looking at a lot – a whole huge heapin’ lot – of change right now. I am not really a big fan of change. I like Christmas traditions and having the same bedtime every night. I am not a naturally spontaneous person. I have come to appreciate spontaneity, and enjoy it, and even, sometimes, purposely incorporate it into my life. (Is it still spontaneity if you “purposely incorporate it” into your life? Probably not.)

So, just from a basic “me” point of view, change is more threatening than welcoming. I know from life experience that even the most threatening change can end up being amazing. However, I still default to feelings of panic more than feelings of happy, calm, comfort. This is true whether the change is planned or unplanned. Change itself that makes me a little nervous.

Change makes me nervous because I feel out of control. I can’t predict what life will be like, if I will like it, if I will be able to handle it. I can plan for it, but I can’t preview before we go live. I would like a preview.

September is about counterbalancing that out-of-control feeling by taking charge of what I can. Not everything, and not all at once; I’m talking about a steady effort in dealing with those things that I’ve put off and in building self-discipline in areas that I’ve allowed to grow flabby.

Enough introduction. Here’s my plan for the September RECLAIM YOUR LIFE Monthly Challenge. (I think the title is kind of catchy…)

1) Set priorities
2) Set a basic schedule
3) Simplify maintenance
4) Create routines
5) Choose project(s)
6) Choose a personal goal(s)
7) Track progress for one month

More on this tomorrow. For now, I’m off to write some other articles, as that is next on my schedule. La de da!