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Packing More Life Into My Days

I have to say, I’m just loving these “10 minute increments” that I’m building into my day. I do sometimes truly feel like I’m packing extra life into my days. These are a few of the things that are keeping me busy:

1. TalkShoe.com: how come no one ever told me about this site before? Ha! You can literally take classes for free. I’m currently listening to a podcast course on entrepreneurism. I can sneak in clips here and get a Carnegie Mellon University-worthy education for myself along the way. What a concept!

2. TedTalks: These are just mesmerizing, if you didn’t already know. These come in 20-minute increments, but I often just have them playing in the background. Some are motivating, some are educational, and some are downright awe-inspiring.

3. I just picked up these two books from the library as a complement to the journaling course I’m taking. I’m just trying to soak in all the different journaling techniques to use and coming up with of some of my own.



Journal Junkies Workshop





Visual Chronicles


4. Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall: I keep trying to squirrel away time to read this book, because I’m completely mesmerized. I’m a runner, so I find myself just wanting to steep myself in this culture of mega-distance runners and learn all their little secrets. My aunt was visiting last week and she was the one that turned me on to the book. Thanks Aunt Mary! And thank goodness for the public library.

5. Picnik.com: I messed around on this site this past week. Wow! Right now Picnik is offering all their premium stuff for FREE!!! Until April, when they merge with Google, the site is just open to the public. Oh, what fun it is to ride in a Picnik open slate, hey! I am trying to learn new ways to make my blog cuter without Photoshop. So, slowly but surely I’m teaching myself little techniques in those spare moments. I just played around with the above banner, designed an Etsy banner and made a really cool picture invitation. That’s right friends, I’m actually taking steps to open an Etsy shop. S’about time!

Any other ideas of great things to sneak in during the day? What do you accomplish on your lunch break?

Resolutions for Happiness

Last year I wrote a great article outlining ways to stay on top of your resolutions. I also blogged about how I don’t think resolutions need to be confined to one day of the year. I believe we can start over any day, any second of any day.

This year, I’m approaching resolutions from a “what makes me happy” standpoint. I’m going to make it a point to enrich my life this year, not trouble myself too much with where I’m falling short.

I did some, what I like to call, stream-of-consciousness journaling. I was grabbing papers out of the recycle bin and bits of fabric from the craft room floor to piece together the pages. Here is a personal peek inside the pages:

I have a terrible habit of collecting things and “saving them” for a good time. Sometimes I save them to the point that they’re outdated or no longer suit my taste. For instance, I have a whole package of 8-1/2″ x 11″ scrapbook paper from high school that I collected bit by bit. I find some of the patterns horrifying now and I’ve since graduated to the standard 12″x12″ scrapbook anyhow. I am still inclined to save beautiful fabrics for that “ideal” project and expensive face cream for the night before special parties. Instead, this year, I’m going to make a concerted effort to enjoy the things I find beautiful NOW!

I also did some season-specific pages, outlining the things that I want to do in the summer and the winter, like “perfect a Sangria recipe” in summer and “morning jump rope/stretches to get warm” in winter. My whole heart felt lighter as I was brainstorming all these things that bring me pleasure. I want to remember to indulge in these special things with each passing month. In fact, I’m so eager about them, I want to do them all today!

I even did a “Do the things I Love” page, listing my top sources of pleasure, so that I don’t forget to make space for them in my daily routine.

And I plan to do my favorite things by implementing a 10-min increment plan. You know, all those 10 minute chunks of time we let slip away each day? Well, I’m going to squirrel them away and work my hardest to bring some of my dreams to fruition. There’s a lot you can make, research about, see or sweat off in 10 minutes. Even parts of those “things I love” from the list above can be managed in 10 minutes.

I also set some fun fitness, finance and romance goals. And I have a page listing what I could be doing daily, weekly and monthly to achieve my dreams. This process is like therapy! I suggest giving it a try. In fact, “dream planning” is now on my list of weekly goals, along with picking out my weekly workouts, and checking in on the family budget. Ahhh, sounds perfect.

What are your plans for 2012?

Best Place to Work

I work at one of the best places to work. Really! It’s official. We were voted in the top 10 best places to work in the nation.

Here’s the proof. Where else do you get henna tattoos for free on your work break?

PA070026

Business owners take note: One of the best ways to ensure customer service exceeds your expectations is to treat your “internal customers” with just as much respect and gratitude. Well-taken-care-of employees will naturally feel more inclined to take good care of customers.

If I’ve learned anything from working where I work, it’s that some of the best ways to honor employees are free:

1. Start some lunchtime or after-work clubs for people with similar interests. Give new parents, crafters, gardeners and others a place to gather and form long-lasting relationships. Allow participants to relax their professional demeanor a bit and show their true colors. Bring in a guest speaker every once in awhile.

2. Offer free workouts at lunchtime. Use a TV or projector to show workout videos. Exercise TV has all those free workouts on demand.

3. Host a supply exchange: Set out a table and invite employees to swap extras of an item that you choose. Some ideas are books, craft supplies, tools and kids’ clothes. The rule is, you bring one to take one.

4. Relax the dress code, even just once a month.

5. Send out a weekly internal email updating everyone on what’s happening inside your company. You might showcase one employee per week, revealing something no one knows about that person. This is a great way to keep everyone in-the-loop and start conversations.

5. Have employees donate business books that are in good condition to the company library and allow everyone to “check out” books from the selection.

Some of these ideas are taken directly from my own workplace. We incorporate some of these things and so much more, you probably would never guess. But henna…that’s when you know you’ve got it good.

Current Obsessions

Every once in awhile I become completely obsessive over someone or something. The objects of my obsession all relate to my deepest passions in life in one way or another. I love studying people who are doing exactly what I want to be doing or things that trip my heart a little. Here are some of my recent and past obsessions:

1. Sylvia Plath: her intelligence, way with words, and desire to follow her writing dreams. I don’t like to delve too deep into the dark side, but I think her writing is genius. I’m a little bit of a nerd when it comes to reading scholarly articles that analyze her works, just don’t tell anyone.

2. JK Rowling: her background story is riveting. Her keen intelligence and humbleness makes her oh-so-likable. The way her ingenious, detail-driven mind works is astounding. I love how protective she is of her own creation too. She will never sell out to anything that doesn’t completely match her vision. I never hear ego when I hear her speak, I just hear a passion for her creation.

3. Creative, playful, self-driven girls making their own ways in the world like Ginny, Amy, Elsie and Rachel. I have to go back and read earlier posts just to soak up as much as I can. I find that when I steep myself in all their charm, beauty and creativity, it jumpstarts the inspiration in my own life. A big thanks!

4. Zee Avi music: my soul does a happy little skip when her voice comes on my Pandora channel.

5. I somehow can’t soak up enough podcasts about thinkers, ideas, literature, big dreams, fitness, and weird science. I will be a student until the day I die.

6. Diana Vreeland: I can’t help it, but I’m hooked. I read her biography, researched her life and fell in love. Yes, there’s the arrogance, but she has no apologies for it. I just think it’s riveting how she pretty much inspired fashion in her time. She didn’t just track fashion trends in Vogue, she actually dictated fashion to the world. She knew exactly what she wanted and never wavered even a smidgen. I got stuck on Jackie O for the same reason–she had vision. I like that.

7. Mad Men: A friend and I started watching the series at the same time just because we thought it looked neat. “Looked neat” is such an understatement, no? The clothes, the interior design, the juicy plots, the inside look at the advertising world (I’m a copywriter, I can’t help it). I’m in a love/hate relationship with the moodiness, but it’s better than frothiness if you ask me.

8. Christian Hedonism: I’m reading Desiring God by John Piper (bless him!). I want to lap up every last drop. Who knew Christians were really supposed to be that happy? My spirit is growing from having a solemn attitude (which has its place in certain contexts) about faith to a downright giddy one. It’s exciting!

9. Oprah’s LifeClass: I’m not going to be trite and gush about how Oprah has changed my life, but you have to respect the woman for her self-built empire and unprecedented gallery of information. That said, I’m finding the LifeClass immensely groundbreaking for curating a life built upon my deepest, most pure potential. Even some of those listed above have been creative, lifestyle role models and have helped me realize some key things about myself and what I want to accomplish.

The Mother of Invention

My mind has recently taken to thinking up inventions and website development ideas. Of course, I don’t have the wherewithal to carry most of them out (or maybe I do and don’t know it). I just like to think them up. I keep reading about 16-year-olds who started up their own websites and became overnight millionaires. I’m not necessarily looking at this with dollar signs in my eyes, but the concept of coming up with these ideas just fascinates and intrigues me beyond belief.

Some of the websites that I’ve been thinking about are already out there in cyberspace. And they help me tremendously once I find them, such as this online recipe organizer. I start with the basic concept that the mother of all invention is necessity (I really need a place to store all my favorite recipes online!). Such a simple adage with such profound effects in the world.

I’m working on developing a personalized notebook where you can reload or remove sheets as needed. It would also include and organize a bunch of needs in one place. Mine would have about a million tabs in it for writing ideas, sketches, gratitude lists, books to read lists, things to buy lists and about 999,995 more. Different types of papers and designs would also be required. My notebook would probably be more like something you would find on Etsy. I’ve been doing a lot of research on quality sketch and watercolor papers and bookbinding techniques to make it just right. If I get good momentum going, I could probably make some others for upcoming gifts and sell them in my own yet-unestablished Etsy store. Here is a peek at some of the designs that are inspiring me right now:

I absolutely love the three-ring laminated designs by Crown Bindery

Monika Wright’s mini notebooks and albums are just darling and absolutely perfect.
I am a big fan of repurposing old tattered old books into something new and cherished. I’ve had my eye on storybook notebooks like this one from BigLittle’s shop for awhile now.
My husband has promised to try an experiment with a drill to see if we can bring some of my ideas to fruition. I am at least hopeful that we can “invent” some kind of paper organization system that works for me. I am so tired of seeing my little piles of tattered notes and musings scattered about everywhere. I need a place to keep them all safe and sound.
Plus, I’ve been on an artsy creation streak for awhile now. I recently made some no-sew applique scarves, fridge menu boards, fabric flowers and other ephemera. I just.can’t.sit.still!!!!

Another Success Story

2011 Ford Mustang GT Convertible
Pic from jpowers65’s on Flickr

One of my uncles flew in Wednesday from Texas and flew back out early Thursday morning, and in that short time, his presence inspired me in three very influential, perhaps life-changing ways.

First, he bought my grandparents, his parents, two brand-spanking new vehicles. Yes, you heard that right! This has got to be the highlight of the month…winter…perhaps year. My grandma has always always had a dream of owning a little red sports car. Every one of us in the family knows this and has always known this. Well, how about a brand-new, lipstick-red, Ford Mustang convertible? I’m pretty sure that qualifies. I’m pretty sure that would also qualify as Socrates’ version of the “perfect form” of little red sports car. My grandpa is also enjoying his fresh-from-the-mint Ford Ranger. To me, this has very little to do with the materialistic aspect of the gifts. It’s about one man showing his deepest love, respect and gratitude to his parents. It is the most endearing, generous and lovely thing I have seen in a very long time.

You will never meet two more deserving people of that level of love and respect. I have always said that it would be difficult to demonstrate the level of my appreciation to them for all that they do, but that I just hope I can strive to be as good a parent/grandparent as they have been to their progeny. And this experience has made me want to be the best mom I can be for my son every.single.moment. I want to emulate whatever it is they’re doing so right. A mother’s level of love for her children is an impossible pinnacle to surpass, and I want my son to experience every morsel of it. I will never suppress it or keep it undercover from him. And I hope that one day, he too will raise a family of all-around good people.

Second, my uncle is an affluent businessman. He radiates an air of utter unerring confidence wherever he is. I only had the opportunity to visit with him for a few hours. But even in that length of time, his aura of dignity and integrity resonated with me. There is not a hint of hesitation in his step or passiveness in his manner. I am constantly trying to evolve and progress in my personal life and profession. And his presence and long-standing success infused me with a fresh surge of inspiration.

Third, I didn’t recognize the man when I walked in the door of the dealership. He has lost over 100 lbs and looks amazing. There’s definition in his face and a sense of limberness in his body. I’m a complete sucker for a success story. I go scouting for them when I need a boost. And when a success story hits this “close to home” (really!), it is the most potent of all. All I can say is, my grandpa has obviously passed on his diligence and self-discipline to other members of the family, providing other role models for me to revere and success stories to challenge me–and hopefully others as well!

What Have You Got to Lose?

Picture courtesy of Sunipix

A lot!

I was thinking about what might make someone motivated to lose weight when they’re sort of apathetic about their size…as in, their potentially-failing health, neutral body image, pleas from children, etc have not been enough of a push to get them to lose weight. These were some of my ideas:

1. Reproduction: Research shows that obesity is related to a host of reproductive problems. Planning to have a family–and a healthy one at that–can be a huge force toward leading a healthier lifestyle. I’ve also read that obese women are at higher risk for early and recurrent early miscarriages. It is highly advised that women get their weight under control to prevent this truly heartbreaking experience.

2. Insurance rates: I have seen instances where health insurance rates doubled as a result of health assessment reports. Talk about reason to lose weight!

3. Monetary incentives: Money, in general, is a good incentive for a lot of people to do anything. I see a lot of games popping up in area gyms and workplaces offering the “biggest loser” a pool of money or other great incentives. Perhaps stats on what they’d save money on if they’d lose weight such as grocery bills, clothing, airline seats (in some cases), gas, the obvious doctor bills and much more would assist in motivating.

4. Altruistic motives: How about encouragement to commit to running a race in honor of a friend with cancer or perhaps “dedicating” a few pounds to premature babies in the NICU (in the form of pledges per pound).

5: Success Stories: Motivational stories have always inspired me personally. When I see someone in my daily life begin to lose weight, I want to know everything about how they did it. It’s almost a stroke of jealousy that stirs up the desire in me. If someone larger than me (and whom I know personally or see in real life) can do it and look great, I want to!

6: I am also highly motivated to “show ’em” when people make rude comments or tease me about my weight or even another aspect of my life. When I came back to visit from my first semester in college, someone made a comment about my more-than-freshman-15 weight gain. That was a wake-up call. Someone else told me to revel in the weight I was at for my wedding because that was the lowest I’d ever be. Well, well, well. Today, after having a baby even, I weigh 15lbs less than I did the day I said my vows. I don’t appreciate being labeled, judged or pressed into a self-fulfilling prophesy of someone else’s. So there!

Quest for Ideas

So, I’m stuck in a bit of a rut. I have motivation, inspiration, stars-in-my-eyes overload with no outlet for it. For the life of me, no poem ideas, children’s storybook ideas, or art project ideas are sparking interest within me. It’s either I have the ideas or the inspiration, rarely both.

So, I’m just going to sit down and brainstorm. I’ve decided I’m going to force myself to harvest this crop of inspiration. Not the momma-said-so-I’m-not-going-to force myself, but a sit-in-front-of-computer-screen-until-something-comes-out force. Perhaps rummaging through some of my reading list and following links from there will lead me on a path of discovery. But therein lies some of the problem. I like to get caught up in other peoples’ ideas and start the I-wish-I-would’ve-thought-of-that mind game that could make it worse.

Kids, this is the reason they tell you to be in constant practice of your chosen art form. The second you stop writing, drawing, knitting, drafting, etc is the moment you lose your mojo. Some of my best ideas were born when I was the busiest I’ve ever been in my life, so I can’t use the I-have-no-time excuse. Here I go…weeeeeee!

Bravo Nike

Nike, of course, has it right. “Just do it.” Whoever came up with the slogan in that marketing office deserves some sort of all-star award for this all-encompassing idea. Every single effort we make in our lives boils down to this elemental statement.

Whenever I’m in the midst of a crisis, personal lapse, writer’s block, weight creep or any other stall on a personal end, I commit myself to researching the problem and developing a solution. I’m just very proactive like that. The trouble is, sometimes I know the answer, I just don’t act on it. I know exactly what will make my stress more manageable; I know exactly what to listen to when I need a creative jump-start; I know that tracking food always takes the weight off. Sometimes the ideas seem too simplistic to really work. Of course sitting out in nature dissipates stress, but sometimes I’m just too bummed to get out from under the covers when I’ve convinced myself nothing will work anyway. Now, I’m a pretty resourceful and self-motivated person in some areas, but sometimes it all boils down to just doing it.

I’ve always had an immense desire for change, a raging internal drive to take myself to the next level in my profession, hobbies and relationships. I take grueling effort to research, list, calculate and produce solutions for everyday problems. Perhaps a publishing prize would be within reach if I actually sat down to write. Perhaps my PR for running would get better if I stuck to a training plan and ate only Running World-worthy food.

It’s all a matter of just doing it.

Fuel for the Fire

I told my husband this past weekend that the bad things that people do to me are “fuel for the fire,” so to speak. Each time I’m ignored, overlooked or have been snubbed by someone, I use that experience as ammunition for pursuing my passions. I’ll write extra pages in my novel, try to outshine myself at work, or create a goal that surpasses anything the villain has ever done. I’ve adopted sort of an “I’ll show them” attitude.

This is just how I am. I don’t think it’s good to only be motivated by someone else’s actions, but I do think that this is a very productive way to turn something unfortunate into something positive. Even if I don’t “show them,” I’m using that madness to spur myself in a positive direction.

Next time you’re faced with a snub, insult, admonition or bad review, visualize the success of something you’re working on. Place all that extra energy, emphasis and irritation you’re filled with into something productive. Instead of punching a hole in the wall, direct that energy into your passions. It also happens to be very cathartic.

I swear Honey, my book about gaming widows is going to be a best-seller!