Organization...Is it real?

It’s the start of a year so I’m still going strong XXXXX. (Insert the sound of screeching brakes here)

No, I’m desperately trying to hold on to what motivation I can find so I can accomplish my goals.

As usual organizing is on the list. I look at my office and I think Huh, this has been on my “to-do list for two years now. I’ve tried a few times but the size of the job is so overwhelming that I become frozen. I have no idea where to start or more appropriately, how to get the job done. I even took “before” photos last year so I could write a blog post and show you all, the wonderful job I did. That went well. Not sure I can find the before pictures which is ok ‘cause the office is in disarray again…. (still).

I’m feeling the need to have a major, post holiday, purge.

I know how to organize. I’m actually very good at organizing. The root of my problem is a space issue. Or as my Grandfather would say, “It’s like trying to put ten pounds of sh** in a five pound bag.” He had such a way with words, don’t ya think??

So since I’m not getting more space added to my house, I better look at what can let go of.

When I thought about listing what needs done, I realized it ALL needs done. The kids closets/dressers, My clothing, Hubbies clothing, the toy bins in the living room, the play room, the pantry, the bathrooms, even the basement storage and laundry room need purged. Every little nook and cranny has “extras” shoved into what space can be found. Closets, drawers and cabinets are all busting at the seams.

I envy the people who claim to live a minimalist lifestyle. (To a point anyway). As I think of organizing, I think of what product, container or bin I should get to help sort my stuff. So not only is it a need to keep or hold onto everything. It is also a desire to be a consumer.

I need to take a step back, stop myself from running away from the job (shopping for more stuff) and find a way to get my home in order.

I’m going on a journey to find elbow room in my house. A few basic rules I’ll need for survival:

When something comes into my house, something must go.

Don’t over stock pantry. Donate old clothes when new ones are purchased. (Gasp) Don’t start a new decorating or jewelry project until some pending projects are complete! (Ouch, that’s going to be a hard one.)

One piece of paper is the beginning of a stack.

Look at the paper, form, note or mail and then categorize its placement right away, not later, not tomorrow. Now. File it with papers to keep, place it in the bill folder, copy the pertinent info down to a calendar and pitch it!!!!

Create moments of success with small accomplishments.

Loosing motivation can be crippling for me. Then I tend to go in a downward spiral. I need to break things down into small jobs that I can finish in a short time to keep a hold on my motivation. Stop looking at pinterst for organizing ideas and just GO DO IT!!!!



Wish me luck on my quest.

Happy New Year Everyone!

I’m sure you’re shocked to even see a post from me. I wanted to get off to a good start this year but I’m not making any promises of maintaining a blog schedule. I will say that I am going to try to make several changes in several areas of my life this year. So with that said, Blogging is on the “to do” list.

I know I was a bit lax this past year with a decreased number of post in each month and even missed a few months altogether. I think I feel I should keep my mouth shut when I have negative feelings. Not sure if that’s good or bad.

So as we say good buy to one year and hello to another year it’s always a good time to take a look around and reassess things. I look back at a year and think about what I did and how I feel about myself and the events in my life. 2012…Not a bad year. BUT… not a great one either. I struggled some, through the year but mostly the last quarter or so of the year. I think I can put my finger on most of the root causes and from there I know where to go to make improvements.

I have my list of goals to work on and hopefully that will keep me in check better this year. I know I didn’t really set any goals last year and that was a big part of the problem.

They are all in the standard goal categories; cook healthy/eat right, work on home projects/clean the house better, resolve/improve relationships and career goals.

Each of those has sub-categories that may prove to be quit challenging. So as a rule I re-examine goals regularly and make sure they are realistic and achievable.

The overall theme I’ll be focusing on this year is to be more “glass half full”. I really try to be that way, but the big problem is when I see that glass half empty, I dwell and spiral in that direction. Then I feel guilty about that and end up feeling even more negative about myself.

So here’s to the right foot forward and all things positive. One of my friends made a statement that really made sense to me. Rather than “Resolutions”, she is planning a year of “Intentions”. So for today at least I will be intentional!!!

I hope you all have the best 2013 you can!

So how’s the New Year’s resolution going??

I know so many of you are wondering what happened to my quarterly review of my New Year goals. [Insert sarcasm here] Thank you so much for all you concern. For those of you dieing to refresh your memory, go check out the 1st and 2nd quart reviews. The third quarter hit at a bad time. Too bad I could re-schedule it. (Ha… get it?) Anyway, let’s just say I did OK. As the year comes to an end I feel I did not too bad at reaching my goals for the year. Not great either but I’m satisfied enough and ready to move on.

I’ve already started making a list of possible goals for 2010. I know you’re on the edge of your seat to find out what they are but you’ll just have to wait for that post.

So fess up, did you stick to your goals?
(I just read that 22% give up in the first week of the New Year and more than half quit by the end of March.)

Will you make a new year’s resolution for 2010?

New Year's Resolution Anyone???

Holy Toledo Batman!!! Can you believe that half the year has passed us by already? So do ya see where I’m going? It’s time to take a check back on our goals. (Dun Dun Dun)

Well? How are you doing with your New Year resolutions? And by the way it really is never to late to start working on them. Over the last three months, I have continued to juggle my many hats as you can see. (You can take a look at the first 3 months of the year here) Over this last quarter, I used these blog posts to show my perspective as a…

Occupational Therapist~ Handwriting

Jewelry designer~ Lariat who, Earrings, She won!, Mosaic, Busy, Purse photo, Girls night in

Mom~ Easter bunny I’m a Stalker Mosaic More feet Purse photo craft for teacher Dad’s shirt Organizing toys

Homemaker~ Spring, right? Hubby reads my blog Vignette Chair What’s cooking Organizing toys

Friend~ 25 things about me Filled a bucket Girls night in

Wife~ 16th 7 year anniversary

Woman~ ??? What the … ????

Ok, my role as an OT is small but I’m not currently practicing in a clinic so keeping my feet wet is good enough for me. Most of the other areas seem to be somewhat balanced. I know, the wife role is a little weak but at least we are still working on our marriage so I’m good there, too. Now here’s the part where I really start to freak out. ME! What the heck!?! Nothing? I know I overlapped in a few areas and wore more than one hat at a time. That’s the name of the game right? I guess I could say that the “girls night in” was “Me time” too. But I really planned that event to socialize with my friends and sell some jewelry. Clearly I’m not finding a whole lot of time for just me. I know, you’re shocked. Well, at least I’m not alone. But as a thereapist I do feel it is important to give to your self. I mean, that is why I started this year out with the goals I choose. So I could find a healthy balance and still get all my duties accomplished.

To be honest, I’d have to say I lost my focus for a while but then jumped back on the wagon again. I try to remember my initial goal and I try to address all the areas of my life as much as I can but reality slides in and tosses a curve ball at me every now and then. I’m going to keep trying to achieve my goals and make adjustments along the way to my expectations so that I don’t go nuts in the process.

How have you been doing with your goals?

Did you toss them out the window?

Are you working on any new goals for the year?

What kind of self-improvement interests you? Or do you think life is busy enough, to hell with personal goals?

1st Quarterly Check

Can you believe that we are at the end of our first quarter for 2009? Time is just flying by. I started this year with some lofty goals in mind. In my post about goals, I talked about setting a timeline and checking back for progress. My overall goal for 2009 is to find more balance in my life. You know, those “many hats” that I wear. I don’t want December to creep up on me and then realize that I didn’t come close to my goal. I’m checking in now to see how I’m doing so far.

I wear the hat of: a woman, a wife, a mom, a homemaker, a friend, an occupational therapist and a jewelry designer. My goal for the year was to find balance in all that I do and make sure that I stay true to all areas of my life.

“My goal is to do something everyday for each area of my life: each of my three kids as individuals and my family as a unit (or one-on-one time with my husband which can only help the family unit), the house, my friendships, my business and something just for me. Hey! How did I get moved to the end of the list? And what’s with the word “just”? OK, I’m calm; at least I am finally on the list. As long as I stay true to my goal, I will pay attention to myself at some point each day. (Even if it’s for one minute, I will give to me.)”

Let’s look at the topics I have covered so far:
I have been an OT (Goals, W-sitting, Have a glass of water and My Aching Back)
I have been a jewelry designer/business woman (Why do I blog, Promo time and DYI Bookmark)
I have been a mom and homemaker (Manic Monday, I heart my swiffer, What to do with all those baby wipes, Dinner fast, easy and they’ll eat it, “Mom, where’s the…?”)
I have been a friend (Call a friend)


So that about covers my blog posts for this quarter.
Aaaa, Do you see wife anywhere around there? Ummm, better get on that soon. (So much to do, so little time).

Outside of the blogging world I think I’m doing fair. I am taking steps toward my goal but there is still room for improvements. I know it’s a lot to fit-in, but with some good time management (I see a future blog topic) I think I can accomplish my goal. I did say I wanted to do something everyday for each area of my life. I try daily to do just that but honestly, I miss a few things here and there. The kids always get their time daily, the family as a unit gets time a good 5 to 6 days a week, (one-on-one time with the hubby…ouch. That one hits the list 2 to 3 times a month.) Defiantly need to pay more attention there. The house gets some attention; just not what it really needs, but that is getting better. I do something for my business each day. And I think I’m a good friend; I try to connect with friends daily (not everybody everyday, but I am building and honoring my friendships).

Ahhh, I almost forgot about ME!!! Why does that keep happening??? Wait, I did do a post about “pretty feet”. Ok, so I don’t make it to the daily list. (No shock there). I do get some “Me” time during a virtual girls night out. It’s a fun way to discover other blogs and their writers. So with drink in hand, head over to Ann’s on Friday night. Come over on the 3rd and you might win a pair of my earrings in a giveaway. Here’s my contribution to last weeks game.

In the mean time, am working at giving to myself more, even if it is just one minute, but I really only do “me” maybe once a week. (Things like a shower or eating - just don’t count. And good thing too ‘cause they don’t happen everyday either).

So, I’ve put my cards on the table. How are you doing with your goals???

If you haven’t put them in writing yet…GO GET A PEN.

(Next update in three more months)

Goals...Why have them?

One thing you will learn about me is that I feel strongly about having goals? Goals are something I use in my everyday life. I’m one of those people that needs to see or at least have a finish line. Goals were always a part of being therapist and something I have incorporated into my jewelry business. They give me something to focus on and help to hold me accountable for my life and aspirations. As an Occupational Therapist, goal writing is like blinking. There are classes devoted solely to learning the skill of good goal writing. Not to mention that the concept is peppered throughout all the other classes and an integral part of our profession. As an O.T., I would write goals on a regular basis for patients/clients, students, co-workers and for myself as a professional. I know what you’re thinking, “What’s the big deal? Just do it.” Well that’s where a lot of people get lost or rather their goals get lost. Setting a goal is key to reaching an accomplishment. If you are going to put something out there that you want to target, you can’t be wishy-washy. If there is no way to quantify what you are trying to do and no deadline to reach for, you’re just talk.

To set a good goal, first determine what it is that you want to do; be healthy, get organized or have more family time. Things you need to know are: a who, what, how, and/or how much and a when. Ok, we know the who (that would be YOU). We know the what (that’s the goal in general). Now we need to fill in the rest of the blanks. The best goals or the goals that actually work are the ones that have a few extra key points. All goals need to be measurable, have a time frame and be realistic. Otherwise, we won’t reach them. So what the hell am I talking about??? To measure something, I need to put a number on it. “I will loose 5 pounds.” Five pounds is realistic and something that I feel confident that I can accomplish. (As apposed to twenty-five pounds) Now we need to establish a time frame. If I just throw a goal out there I can always say that I am working on it or that I will focus on my goal tomorrow. (There will always be another tomorrow). Can you say procrastination? “I will clean off the top of my desk by the end of the week.” Now I know when I will be held accountable so that each day I can see if I am getting closer to reaching my goal and adjust my actions accordingly. That should take care of the basics of what goes into writing a good goal.

Now we need to consider if we want a long-term goal

or a short-term goal.

Well, how big is the task and is it something that might need to be broken down into several smaller tasks? You don’t eat an elephant in one big bite do ya? I know…cliché but you get the idea. Right? It’s all about the baby steps. Ok, my long-term goal is to have more balance in the various areas of my life by the end of 2009. Now this is a big job and could easily be lost in the chaos of daily life or procrastinated. (There’s that word again). To reach my long-term goal, I need to break it down into one or more short-term goals. How does this help? It will give me opportunities for success. By reaching the smaller goals, I will gain motivation to move forward in reaching the bigger goal. So, I need to identify the various areas of my life and set goals for each of them. I know that each day I want to give my attention to: my kids, my house, my “family” as a unit, my business and me. Hey! Why am I at the bottom of the list? I know. I know. That is where we usually put ourselves. I guess I should be happy to be on the list. To really reach this goal, I need to sub-divide into achievable goals, ensuring that they are measurable and obtainable. That will enable me to take the baby steps towards the bigger goal and ultimately success.

Why Do I Blog?

Several months ago I started tossing around the idea of having a blog. I thought I could use a blog as a means to shamelessly promote my business. I started lurking around a few blogs and googling “how to blog” to learn as much as I could about the whole process. Having such a full plate then, I put the idea on the back burner for a while. A few weeks ago, I was telling my friend how cool I thought her blog was and she offered to have me post something if I wanted. So I started thinking about topics I could write about. Umm? What should I say? Well, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I have a lot to say. Maybe, I need to move my plan to start a blog back up to the front.
Now I need to pick an area that will be the theme of my blog. Uh Oh. I have to make a choice? Umm, I want to promote my business and get more web traffic but I’m about more than that. So are the other women in my life. I bet there are several chicks out there that have lots of layers or wear many hats.
Since starting a blog was on my list of goals for 2009, why not use one of my other goals to help me with a theme. Balance. I hear a lot of people taking about getting some but it seems few really have balance in their life. I want balance. I have quite a few things to focus on and I wear many hats throughout my day. I’m a woman, a mom, a wife, a homemaker, a friend, an occupational therapist and a jewelry designer. To have more balance, I wanted to make sure one or more of the areas in my life didn’t get left out for too long. My goal is to do something everyday for each area of my life; each of my three kids as individuals and my family as a unit (or one-on-one time with my husband which can only help the family unit), the house, my friendships, my business and something just for me. Hey! How did I get moved to the end of the list? And what’s with the word “just”? OK, I’m calm; at least I am finally on the list. As long as I stay true to my goal, I will pay attention to myself at some point each day. (Even if it’s for one minute, I will give to me.)
So what’s my theme? I’ll be blogging about my many hats. What will you find on my blog? There will be something for every area of my life and probably a few areas of your life.

Here you will find my ideas on how to have fun one-on-one time with your kiddos. I’ll share some fresh ways to have family bonding time. I have a few ideas for the house, whether it is decorating, quick clean up tricks or simple DIY projects. For health and wellness, I will give you helpful hints from the perspective of an occupational therapist. Remember the shameless promotion of my web site business? Keep your eyes open for special discounts and coupons for my web site and my theories on accessorizing and jewelry making. (I’ll even be doing some "how to make your own" from time to time with lots of pictures for you to follow). Oh yeah, let’s not forget about the “me” part. I’ll share my ideas on how to give to yourself. I promise to try my best in keeping everything short and sweet because we are all busy and we want to fit as much into our day as we can. So, let me know if I get too long-winded and please send me your new ideas to share with other busy moms, homemakers, friends, entrepreneurs and wonderful women.