WEEKLY BLOG: WORKING WITH A SHORT WEEK

This week was all about getting as much work done as I can on a short week. My weekly blog intentions have been amazing and I’m learning so much about myself. My goal and intentions this week were to submit as many proposals as possible and land as many contracts as I could. I knew I had to take advantage of the short work week with Monday being a holiday and Friday was my daughters birthday.

Sunday: My week started busy with work, cleaning, and enjoying time with the family. I was still finishing up on a previous contract and I was very excited on how well it went. With each new freelance contract I get, the more confident and excited I get about how far I can go. Of course it was Sunday, so naturally football is always a focal point. All around I felt good going into the week.

Monday: I decided to split my day working from home and going to my day job. My husband took off to be with the kids to allow me to balance both. I knew I wanted to get work done from home and at my day job. I’m more than grateful that we have the flexibility in both our jobs to do so. I was able to hit my goal on submitting as many proposals as I can. In my head, if I submit proposals at the beginning of the week, that will set me up to have contracts by the end of the week. Leading into each week I already have work set up.

Tuesday: Back to business as usual. Routine, school, kids, and bitterly cold at that. Today was the day I wanted to wrap up my daughters birthday plans for Friday. I needed to make sure I had her gift and everything ready to go for dinner on Friday. Though the last two days I’ve been grappling with not wanting to go to the office. I’ve been having this urge to stay home and get more work done at home as to it’s picking up. All while things at my day job have been very slow. But I quickly gathered myself and reminded myself of how blessed and grateful I am to have the ability to create my own schedule.

Wednesday: Was hump day realness. Today I was in tidy up mode. My midweek clean up is the best thing I could’ve done for myself. It gives me a moment to recoup, gather myself and the family, and get through the rest of the week. However, we did have moment of adjustment when we received notification that the kids would be out of school on Friday due to staffing shortages. So thank God first, that I wrapped up my daughters birthday earlier in the week. But now I had to make sure she felt extra special since she was going to be home and not school during the day. This interruption is the reason why I began my journey and setting intentions weekly. Change is going to happen and you have to be able to adapt quickly and take advantage of the positive.

anonymous woman reading magazine in cafe

Thursday: There was another quick interruption as a coworker of mine fell ill, and I had to fill in longer than expected. Once again my husband and I made some adjustments at home for the unexpected day out of school. Today was actually my rest day. I decided to order out and just enjoy my evening. That was my self care moment for myself. TGIF: SELF CARE IS ALL AROUND YOU

Friday: My daughters birthday. So because of my coworker being out I had to go into the office. However, my husband decided to take off. Before I left we had a good breakfast as a family for my daughters birthday and I was able to watch her open her gifts. My mommy guilt of going to work quickly went away because I knew she’d be occupied with her gift and wouldn’t be thinking about me. (Yes, I can’t help it, I still get mommy guilt.) I was able to have a great day at work and then come home and enjoy the birthday plans we had made.

Saturday: Of course I’m going to sleep in. This was a busy day as I had errands and finishing up a contract. The only thing that I didn’t get done was repotting my plant and I’ll probably do that tomorrow. I was able do everything I needed to do plus relax and sit down early.

Once again this week has taught me life is going to throw curve balls, its all about how you catch them. If I don’t handle the ever changing days of life then my children won’t be able to adapt either. I’m very aware of how I respond because I know they are watching me.

Setting my weekly intentions, staying on track, and allowing room for adjustment has helped me stay calm and work through everything. If you’re struggling week to week on keeping up or not handling situations that arrive, I encourage you to set intentions at the beginning of the week. You don’t have to be a CEO of a large company to set intentions, goals, or an agenda. You are the CEO of your life and you need to manage it.

Have a great week everyone!!!!!

Be well on your journey.

RosalynLynn

Be you so you can be free.

Create Plans, Systems, and Habits For The New Year

It’s that time of year where people are talking about their new year’s resolutions. Instead of resolutions create plans, systems, and habits for the new year. I’ve never like this idea or really been able to answer the question “what’s your New Years resolution?”

Instead of a New Years resolution I think its more important and/or effective to create a lifestyle with systems and daily habits. Have a plan for your life in year. Break that plan down into half year goals, seasonal or quarterly goals, and then monthly goals. If needed you can even break it down into weekly goals until it has become habit. Setting goals, making plans, and listing somethings you’d like to accomplish in a year is more realistic and obtainable.

So often when we set resolutions they barely last a month or even a week sometimes. That’s because it hasn’t been thoroughly thought out, made with intention, and done at the spare of the moment.

Before creating a system or change you must ask yourself what is my end goal here? How long will it take me to reach my end game? What do I need in the process? If I have to make a detour what is my course of action to get back on track? What do I need to put into place to begin? What are the steps of this goal?

To make anything sustainable we have to be patient, persistent, and consistent. Yes there will be road blocks but we will overcome them. The systems set by our daily habits will allow us to get back into to gear when something happens. Life is going to continue but its how we push through that makes us strong.When we push through obstacles that gives us the confidence and motivation to continue on with our goals. Now we won’t give up or lose sight on what we sought out to achieve.

When you have an outline of your goal you’re able to track progress. You can adjust the goal if necessary. Increase or decrease your course of action, add or delete some steps in the process, and have a visual.

For example, if you have a weight loss goal, make a plan to lose 5lbs in the first month or two. Because you have a goal you know you have to eat a balanced diet and exercise to achieve that goal. Look at your work week, schedule of things to do with the kids or family in the week, and figure when it will be best to work out for at least 30 minutes 4 times a week. Anyone can say “I want to get fit” but what does that mean without a plan and goals behind it.

Along with setting goals and creating an action plan, having a system in place will assist you in achieving the goals you want. Having systems in place with daily habits that are pushing you toward your goal allows you to remain present in the moment. The systems of daily habits become the lifestyle change you are striving for. You can’t have one without the other. Create plans, systems, and habits to set you up for success this year.

Back to the weight loss example, you will need a system of when and how often I need to go to the grocery store to ensure I have what I need before, during, and after workout. Along with what will my daily meals and snacks look like. Waking up to making sure you don’t skip breakfast is a great daily habit to begin with. What am I going to have for lunch, what is my snack for the day, or what is the plan for dinner.

No matter what it is, you want to accomplish, create a plan for it. Vacation, remodeling the home, purchasing a new car, or whatever make an intentional plan. I know it may seem like a lot or it can be overwhelming in the beginning but once it becomes habit and who you are it won’t phase you one bit. Living the life you envisioned, deserve, and sought for is the best reward.

We have to make it a lifestyle and part of who we are. It has to be about us, for us, and by us otherwise it’s just empty words of hopes of what we’d like to do and accomplish.

RosalynLynn

Be you so you can be free.

Why Material Things Can’t Make Us Happy

Do you have a closet full of clothes with tags on them? Shoe boxes with shoes in them lined for days that you haven’t worn or worn only once? Makeup drawer overflowing, drawers won’t close because clothes is falling out of them, and more handbags than days, and you still aren’t fulfilled and living happily, thats because no matter how much material things we buy, it won’t make us happy.

First the gratification we receive from a new purchase is short lived. Hence, the reason we sometimes don’t use or wear the specific item. We’ve all heard of the term retail therapy. The shopping temporarily fulfills us to get our mind off what really has us bothered.

Unfortunately, there is always going to be something we want or think we have to buy. There is this fictional idea that we’ve created and trying to chase. Have you ever wanted something really bad and finally got it, but no sooner than you turned the corner you were looking for something else.

Most often when we purchase something new it isn’t for ourselves. The new clothes, shoes, home decor, furniture, or whatever else is purchased to get a reaction from others. We’re looking for their reaction to fulfill or validate the emptiness. New flash, people really don’t care about all the material things. In fact, most people don’t like being around someone always bragging and boasting.

The more material things we have, the more our homes are cluttered, the more “stuff” we have to maintain, and the more we are likely to become stressed. Another reason material things won’t make us happy, is because we can’t enjoy it all. The more that is purchased the more the reality becomes physical that we need to dig a little deeper and say “what do I really want?”

Save yourself time, money, frustration, and anger when the next time you get ready to purchase something ask yourself:

If it’s a need or want?

What purpose does it serve?

Everything has a place and there’s a place for everything, does it have a place?

Will it make me better?

Can I afford it?

This will begin the process of you making well thought out decisions that will lead you to self fulfillment and saving money. Create memories and experiences that you can hold on to and pass down.

RosalynLynn

Be you so you can be free.

Self Care IS SETTING PERSONAL GOALS

It can be overwhelming when it comes to setting and maintaining goals. Part of self care is setting personal goals. If we set them too high then its easily discouraging when we hit a bump in the road. For me what I’ve learned and what works for me is to set small goals.That will set me up and motivate me to continue on to my larger goal.

Because I have so many ideas and so much I want to do I figured its best for me to begin setting small goals for myself to keep me on track and organized. What Self Care Is NOT

I’ve been slacking on my water intake and my body, skin, and energy has been telling me to get back to drinking more water. To do so I’ve made sure to have a bottle of water beside the bed so in the morning before I do anything. Also on the drive to dropping off my children and picking them up in the afternoon I make sure I have a bottle of water. Side note: having a bottle of water in the car on the ride to and from school eliminates me wanting to stop at Starbucks.

My next goal for the week was to finish the paper work needed to start a project that I’ve been wanting to do. I’ve researched for the last several months and now its time for me to take the next steps and do the legwork. This goal seems simple yet its going to keep me line and make sure I not get side tracked and jump all over the place, because lets face it that can happen.

Working out is an essential part of my self care. I must workout at least 4-5 days a week. At this point my workout is mostly for my mental sometimes. The ability to clear my head and refocus is the best therapy for me sometimes. Now when I say schedule, no I don’t write it down, but its me staying in my routine. Typically for me I workout maybe three days straight then take a day off and then go another two days. I do a mix of aerobics, strength training, and of course walking.

The last and most important is an ongoing goal, personally, staying positive no matter what. My everyday corporate job can be mentally draining and stressful sometimes, I have three children in elementary, middle, and high school, and helping my mother is quite a feast I have to eat weekly. However, I wouldn’t change a thing. Staying positive, motivated, staying in the moment, releasing my tension when I have to, and not losing myself is my goal.

I love taking care of my family and being able to have my sense of self. It’s something I believe I can handle and have at the same time.

Setting and maintaining goals is something personal to you. Figure out what your ultimate goal is. Write it down. Set small goals to get you to where you want to go. This give a visual and won’t overwhelm you. Some of us can’t set a big goal and stick to it. We get side tracked, and discouraged.

Finally, its ok to not have a big goal like starting a business or writing a book. It can be as simple as drinking more water. Whatever it is that will get you to where you want to be set the goal.

RosalynLynn

Be you so you can be free.