Time for a Small Reward!

It's 9:00pm and my entire body HURTS!

My amazing husband and I spent the day purging, sorting, organizing and downsizing from 2 storage units to 1 unit. After 7 hours, we did it! A car full of stuff to donate. A trunk full of paper to go to recycling and some goodies brought home to the apartment. And I'm tired!

As we were driving home at the end of the day with the 2nd load of "treasures" to incorporate into the already filled apartment and 2 very stinky dirty bodies TJ told me how proud he was of what we accomplished. Downsizing and getting rid of more things. Saving $300 dollars because we don't have to pay for the 2nd unit. Following through on what we said we were going to do this weekend.

On the flip-side, all I could think about was how much work still needed to be done. Deal with stuff we brought home. Sort through everything already here to make room for the new stuff. Figure out here the artwork is going to be hung. Along with all the other day to day chores. I couldn't wrap any energetic energy around a positive lining in our day.

Then he said he would take me to the bar to celebrate. That... That started to change my thinking! (There's a bar up the street with garage doors they open on nice nights that I really want to check out. I swear that's it... I'm really not a lush *she types between sips of beer*.) With a teeny, tiny bit of  excitement, I started to re-think the money. I don't care so much about the $300 (that amount doesn't go as far as it used to!), but I do care about the financial snowball effect ending the monthly storage fee and applying it to getting out of debt will begin building. Being debt free will help us get to the life we want.

I was nice to start to feel good about what we had done today. They say, one should reward themselves for small accomplishments. Acknowledge the milestones so you stay motivate to complete the journey. I was able to do that. I wasn't able to look at what we finished until I began to look at it from a different angle. Now, I'm really proud of what we did! And I'm so tired that we are just going to go to bed for the night as our celebratory reward and skip the bar. (Proof that I'm old!)

How do you work through big, multiple tasks? Do you celebrate the parts or wait till it's all done? Do you only see the next step or can you appreciate what you have checked off the list? 

Who is Responsible for Your Life?

On the radio this morning the DJ's were talking about a Playboy Bunny who wrote a book about her time in the Mansion. She was 1 of 3 of the bunnies in a reality show about what life was like there. The radio folks implied she didn't paint her experience there very favorably. She wrote about all the things bunnies where "forced" to do: dye their hair blonde, get plastic surgery, date Hugh Hefner, and more things. 

So, as I understand it, this girl who was on skid row with a drug addiction was given an opportunity to clean up her life, became one of the most beautiful women in America, and had exposure to things only the Top 5% have. Now, she is feeling used and mistreated. That it wasn't her fault.

I can totally believe that Mansion life came at a cost. That things happened that you wouldn't want your little girl to know about, or see, let alone doing. I can believe life would have been a rollercoaster of straight up excitement where a person can get swept away without noticing. But... Didn't she still have a choice?

I'm 43. I have no retirement. I don't have any of my own money. It's been years since I worked a typical "Adult" job with vacation, 401k, and benefits. I'm not at all proud of these statements. Not. At. All.  But, it is where I am in life.  

I would completely love to blame someone else. Escape taking responsibility for the finical toilet bowl my life is in.  I would love to say I wasn't given the Right tools growing up. That my ex-boyfriend didn't support me and my company. That my teachers didn't help me in college. But... That's not true.

Everything in my life was a CHOICE I made. I quit my "good" job without having a backup. I stayed in an unhealthy relationship too long. I didn't work on my self-esteem until later in life.  My life today is solely an outcome of the choices I made in the past.

Don't get me wrong... I did the BEST I could with what I had. Being in an unhealthy relationship is not an easy thing to leave for anyone.  It takes a lot of determination and consistent actions to build one's esteem. And, people can't do life very easily without the support or generosity of others. But, ultimately, it is MY amazing life. And MY responsibility to manage it, ask for help, or hide.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I wish people would limit blaming others so much for their lives, realize we all have many possibilities, and to know we are responsible for where we are in life.  (and YES! I do know that this is so totally completely easier to say than live!) I'm not saying we are alone, or that we shouldn't ask for help, that we shouldn't offer help not that we shouldn't try to understand another person's life. Just that we take responsibility for our own life.  

So, how is your life? Is it where you want it? What are you doing to get it there?

I Made It!

Oh. My. Gosh. Call me Brittany... I did it again. Well, almost. Here it is after 10 pm and I'm writing my post for the day. Good thing I remembered, this time.

This is going to take some getting used to. I'm working on a daily "Chore" list so I know what things need to be done every day. I opt to forget some things because they aren't a habit (yet). And then there are the things I just don't like doing that I need a larger reward for accomplishing them (laundry, dishes, making the bed, you get the picture).

I guess this one is going to be short and sweet... I will, however, leave you with one of some motivational pictures from the vacation we just had in Nantucket. (Motivational for me, hopefully pretty for you.) Nantucket has become one powerful reason for going all this and making these changes... I crave to have a life where of living in a small town on the ocean and visiting this the beautiful island regularly.  

Hope you have a wonderful night. 

Well, that didn't take long...

It's Day 5 and there are only three posts. How soon I can forget to do something I want to do. I got caught up in needed to do what I was "suppose" to do and when I froze on that, a lot of other things didn't get done (like yesterday's post).

Interesting how we can allow something we are fighting to do control everything thing else we do and stop us dead in our tracks. We want to stay "focused" and not get distracted by something else. We want to stay on point and finish this project, no matter what the cost, so we don't leave yet another one unfinished. We don't want to let someone down, so we sit in avoidance and not do anything letting down so many other people. We go to battle with this "Thing". We create an attitude of all or nothing.

I've been listening to a lot of Abraham Hicks lately (thanks to the ease of Youtube). They spend a lot of time talking about the "Path of Least Resistance"; do what feels natural to you; notice when something doesn't feel right: keep a positive outlook:, and what you put out you receive. (Ok, this is completely my take-a-way in cliff-note version and I am so totally sure there is much much more, but for short story sakes...) Looking back at yesterday, (with Hindsight as my Super Hero) I wasn't living the path of least resistance.  I was, instead, forcing myself to do something and as a result I sat at my desk hitting my head against the wall.

On the flip side, when I was able to eventually start my project I had a blast! I worked through some hiccups have been in the way stopping me. I have a worksheet to assist my clients with. I have a game plan about what to do with my own marketing that I'm proud of. So I'm glad that I didn't give up on what I wanted to do. But...

But... Is there a way we could stay on track, remember what the big picture is, forgive ourselves when we're not ready to work on this or that part, allow ourselves to work on a different section, and then try again when the resistance isn't there? I know! That is asking a lot! Just think, how much could we accomplish if we listened to our inner self and allowed it to steer the direction every now and then!

So, I'm back. I'm not going to get on my case and I'm not going to yell at myself. I'm going to learn from yesterday and I'm going to continue on this discovery journey.  I'm going to work at listening to myself and allowing my emotions to be.

What are you going to do? Power on? Or try to understand why you've put an invisible wall in front of you? Whatever you choose, I'm glad you're here on this trip with me. Thank you!

Photo Credit to Richard Long. If you would like to purchase his book please follow this link 

Why Discipline?

Like all good stories... It all started long ago in a far away land called Redford.

I realized what I was doing wasn't what I wanted to do. I didn't fully enjoy my micro interior design studio, working retail wasn't going to cut, and I had no worth-while marketable skills for a job I could live on. I discovered I needed to do something else. But what?

For nearly twelve months, I floated and bounced around. Throughout this, I discovered a career I like! How do I know I like it you ask? (Don't laugh) I know I like it because I read books about it. (I'm a slow and clumsy  reader and don't do it often, so this is a pretty big deal for me.) I want to know more about it. I go outside my comfort zone for it.  (And, we all know how hard that is to do.)

Now, I've spent six months learning and developing skills for this new adventure. I've taken classes, attended webinars, read books, listened to podcasts, (gaining an education is a different experience with Google than before) and gotten certified. I am ready to hang my shingle and get going! How exciting for me and my future!!!

But... But... But, I'm A.F.R.A.I.D.

I'm afraid to put all this knowledge I have into action. What if I really don't know anything?
I'm afraid to do what I know I can do (what I'm trained to do.)? What if it doesn't go the way I think it will?
I'm afraid to attempt the work. What if people think I'm stupid?

This is why the "D"-word (Discipline)

I Know I can do this.

I Know I have the knowledge to back up my processes.

I Know people will find value in my work.

I Know that starting and continuing will give me confidence.

I Know that with confidence fear will diminish.

I Know that having discipline will give me the backbone to continue on when I-Just-Don't-Wanna.

That is Why the need for Discipline...

The desire to overcome fear and accomplish something I Know I want and to live the life I dream about.

Day 3 of 90... only 86 more to go! I got this! Want to join me on my journey?


Thank you Very Best Quotes for a great motivational picture!

Discipline: Day 2

New Beginnings

It's raining. #Cuteness is here, meaning it's family time. A perfect day for movies and naps. But, I want more than this. Or, I want days like this more. No matter how the coin is flipped I want different than I've had, and that, my friend, is why I'm here typing and not stopping even before I've begun.

They say that it's not the destination but the journey that is important. I totally agree.  I'm thankful #Cuteness is focused on cleaning her room (only because I've bribed her with fudge.) I'm grateful my husband is working in his office and looks up to smile at me every now and then. I'm happy with my life and I never want to take any of it for granted ever. I just want more! And more! And more!

I want to always keep growing! I want to always keep learning! I want to always keep exploring! I want to always keep giving! I want to always keep smiling and laughing!

My question to you is... What do you want? What are you willing to do to change your life? Or, are you happy where you are?

A Blog a Day

Discipline: (noun) training or conditions imposed for the improvement of physical powers, self-control, etc.

I need to work on mine! No, that's not accurate... I need to find where I hid mine, dust off the cobwebs - THEN start rebuilding to make it stronger. It's not a word people would use to describe me. However, it is a characteristic a new wife, a new step-mom, a new business owner "should" have. (Or, know where it's hiding.)

I am great at having ideas. I have journals full of brainstorms or brain-dumbs! I am a wiz at starting projects. My art studio has piles of unfinished "good intentions". But, having the discipline to actually finish something (anything)... Now, that is a rare event and should be celebrated!

But... But... I want more out of life! I'm learning, slowly, that the "D"-word is important tool to help me get there!!! And, I'm too suborn to just give in and let life win... So, I'm going to find my Discipline, start training, and Live the Life I crave!

My first task in this journey: Blog every day for 90 days.

Now, here's the flip-side: I'm nervous! In the past when I've started something my follow through has lasted 2 days, 5 days at the most... And here I am broadcasting to the world I'm going to do something for 90 days! At the same time, I'm excited about it. I can't wait to see who I am at the end of this challenge. How will my writing evolve? Will my discipline change? Will I enjoy it?

Like the road less traveled... We'll see where it takes me.


Photo Credit: TheThingsWeSay.com