Thinking out Loud |
||||
|
Thursday, January 28, 2010
WEEKS #3-5 2010 Hare to Tortoise
Well, that wasn’t as successful as I’d hoped. I let the weeks slip by without an update. But here I am now, and I must say that I’ve been very productive. I joined facebook as an individual and for The Finished Page, and it’s fun to see the pages our “fans” are sharing on that venue. As far as spending 15 minutes every morning thinking about what I’m grateful for, what I want to accomplish and what I like about myself, well, one of those things has slipped, and of course it’s the self praise. I don’t know why it’s so hard to praise ourselves. Probably it’s conditioning. So I’ll put forth an effort to remember to list my good qualities every morning. Along those lines of changing self-talk, I’m going to work on affirmations this week.
AFFIRMATIONS: I will write at least 8 affirmations this week. If I can say it, I can believe it, I can live it.
HOW TO WRITE AFFIRMATIONS: From “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield
1. Visualize what you want to create, place yourself inside the picture, and see through your eyes.
2. Hear the sounds you’d be hearing if you had already achieved your vision.
3. Feel the feeling you would feel as if you’ve already acheived it.
4. Describe all of this in a brief statement.
GUIDELINES TO WRITING AFFIRMATIONS: a) Start with the words, I am. b) Use the present tense. c) State it in the positive, affirm what you want, NOT what you don’t want.
d) Keep it breif. e) Make it specific. f) Include an action word ending in -ing. g) Include at least one dynamic emotion or feeling word.
h) Make affirmations for yourself, not others (don’t say- Johnny keeps his room clean). i) Add the phrase, “or something better”, because- you never know
FINANCIAL: Balance the checkbooks.
Posted by Lisa on 01/28 at 11:06 AM
Hare to Tortoise- Staying The Course •
Life Tips From Masters Around the World •
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Roller Skating Then and Now
Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve worked up a sweat at a skating rink. Four or five years ago, when the kids were tiny, I’d go, rent skates and hold onto their hands while they flopped around. Today I went just to skate. I have to say that it’s not like riding a bike. There are many cool moves that I simply can’t pull off. Of course it’s been nearly 40 years since I did most of those moves. I used to love the local skating rink. Our gang went there every weekend, to skate, talk, and longingly look at the boys who wouldn’t ever ask us for the couples skate. Of course we were awkward 10-14 year old girls, with frizzy hair, braces, glasses and no social skills, but come on, we didn’t know that.
With decades and perspective behind me I watched the action. Granted, this wasn’t the 6-midnight skate, where the angst of youth plays out, this was the 2-4pm slot, with lots of families. Smiling, I saw a grown man create a cave between his legs for his little tutu’d daughter, parents protectively “cage” their children when they hit the floor, and a bunch of adults who aren’t too cool to show that they will never be great skaters. One guy, a bear of a man, went down with a massive slam and a giant grin. Amazingly enough, with falls, splats, biffs and wipeouts everywhere, there were no broken bones and lots of smiles. Family time for sure.
Posted by Lisa on 01/19 at 04:26 PM
Thinking Out Loud- Lisa's Journal •
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Organize like a Monkey
Really, don’t organize like a monkey. It’s a joke, but not really, because that’s how I seem to go about my work day. I’ve found that I’m all over the place when I’m trying to get work done from home. I pick up papers from my desk, and there’s a coupon there, I bring it down to the kitchen to file it in the proper place, oh, the dishwasher needs to run, but maybe I can find another glass or two to fill it, find a glass in the bedroom, pick up the clothes, run a load of laundry, walk through the kitchen on the way to the studio again, oh yeah, the dishwasher. I am so easily distracted from my task, whatever the task may be. It must be that I don’t value my own time.
I know that I can focus. When I paint a mural for a client, I will work hard for 7 hours, sometimes eating lunch on the site. I usually charge by the hour, and I want them to feel that they are getting value for their money. Same thing when I’m working on the road. My concentration starts to slide a bit more when I’m doing a commissioned portrait, it’s a set price and I can do it at my own pace. It’s the worst when I’m doing my computer work (emails are distracting), or any art projects that aren’t paid. Because my New Year’s Resolution is to be more productive with my time, I’m finding holes everywhere. Lucky for me I’m seeing them.
Posted by Lisa on 01/16 at 01:29 PM
Thinking Out Loud- Lisa's Journal •
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Week #2 of 2010- Hare to Tortoise
Here’s the update on my first week of changes.
Paperwork: I’m getting organized with my paperwork. That’s the best I can say. I’m not struggling with it, but it is a slow grind. Of course that’s what this is about, incorporating a slow movement toward daily disciplines. I’m about 3/4 of the way through my desk papers, and just starting my “desktop” file on my computer.
8-8oz. glasses of water a day: I’m doing great with the water. It was previously hard for me to keep track of my water intake, so I never knew if I was on-track for the 8 glasses a day.I have a “Nathan” brand water bottle that holds 24 oz of water at a time. I put three rubber bands around the rim, and after I drink one full bottle of water, I shift a rubber band to the clip. Now I have a visual reminder of my goal, and I really like the container with the rubber grip and the sipping part that folds for no-spills, and especially the straw that is in there, so that I don’t need to tip my head back to drink (good while driving).
WEEK #2 GOALS
WELLNESS GOAL: Wake up 15 minutes earlier.
1) Spend 5 minutes thinking about what a great day I’m going to have, being grateful for my loved ones.
2) Spend 5 minutes thinking about what I want to accomplish in my working hours, visualizing getting the top 5 things done first. Be grateful for my ability to get this done.
3) Spend 5 minutes thinking about myself. List 5 possitive qualities that I have, and 1 thing I want to do just for myself this day.
FINANCIAL GOAL: Balance the checkbooks, and keep them there.
Posted by Lisa on 01/13 at 01:03 PM
Hare to Tortoise- Staying The Course •
Friday, January 01, 2010
Week #1 of 2010 Hare to Tortoise
OK, so I’ve been thinking about this transformation that I’ve elected to undertake in 2010 and part of me has really balked. What’s wrong with being the hare? Hey, there’s a lot to say for speed and napping. But when I’m honest with myself, I see the inefficiencies within my systems for working, banking, taking care of my health and even shopping. I’ve been living with ordered chaos for so long that I have a comfort with it. That’s where the heels-to-the-ground mule-like reluctance has me cornered. Comfort. But I must say that when I took a personality profile a few years back, I wasn’t pleased with the results. I am way too imbalanced toward the creative, wing it, roll with the punches side, and have nothing much to show for the balanced checkbook side of living. And I want to add balance to my life, as well as to my checkbook. I’m ready to get back into shape physically, spiritually and emotionally and willing to tackle a commitment to being productive 6 hours a day, consistently. So here I go, taking the leap to, if not master, possibly embrace the techniques of the Tortoise. For years I’ve read, taken classes and implemented countless tools for creating harmony in my work and life. This is the year to try them on and more importantly keep them going. I’ll add a new tool to my shed every week.
Week #1
Health: Drink 8 glasses of water, minimum every day, no excuses.
Work: Tackling the organization of my paperwork from piles to files. I’m very good at this part, I love the mess, because the clean is so much more dramatic as an “after” photo. So this time I need a different game plan. As I go through my papers and art supplies and books etc. I need to write categories and solutions on my white board, such as:
“The Finished Page paperwork"/ use file drawers that I can transport
“Books dealing with investing"/on the top shelf of my bookshelf-marked
“Art supplies I don’t use often"/ boxed and marked in the office closet
After that’s all done to my satisfaction I’ll keep my filing system written down on my desktop in my computer so that I can access the file and find out where I might have categorized whatever it is I filed and can’t seem to find, ‘cause I know that will happen. Hey, no matter how good the system is, I’ll need a backup. Next week I’ll let you know how this is working for me.
Posted by Lisa on 01/01 at 09:10 AM
Hare to Tortoise- Staying The Course •
Page 2 of 4 pages < 1 2 3 4 >
