Alone

What lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be ~ Ellen Burstyn

Sixteen years ago, I joined a corporate training department. Not long after I started another new trainer started. My co-worker and I trained together for a time but then we were left to our own devices. I ran my classes and she ran hers, sometimes in different locations. Although we usually had office days on Mondays, we both had so much prep and project work today,we still rarely saw each other.

Such is the nature of a dream journey. Although you may join a group for training or orientation, once you find your vision and set your goals, many times you are left alone to work your routines that eventually help you realize your dream.

When I started writing, I had an optimal situation. My husband at the time was not a morning person and kept to himself. This allowed me to get up, exercise, then get my writing goal done for the day.When I was done with that, he was ready to socialize and we went on with our day together. I came to enjoy the first few hours to myself and now they aren’t so isolating. My morning time is sacred and energizing.

Do you feel alone or isolated when working on your dream goals?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Develop and Follow Routines

Scrambling Your Preconceptions

Every once in a blue moon, something new comes along that scrambles your preconceptions ~ Unknown

Once you have your vision figured out, the next step is to set your goals to attain that vision. The thing about a knockout vision is that you’ve got to have killer goals to match. That’s the once in a blue moon new “thing” that came to me. Big vision like writing romance novels required big goals to reach them.

Each day and each week my preconceptions are scrambled. I continue to adjust my routines and boundaries and then my time lines on my goals get reassigned as well. Most of the time it’s because I set too aggressive of a date for the goal I’m trying to accomplish. I’m getting better at this. The last couple of weeks dealing with a major stressor has helped me see that. There was nothing I could do, I needed to grieve and deal with a death in my life. My goals had to wait.

Now I have a clearer picture of what is attainable given my already busy life.

What was something that helped scramble your preconceptions lately?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Setting Goals

The Was Nothing, But You Could See it a Whole lot Better

In the beginning there was nothing. God said, “Let there be light!” And there was light. There was still nothing, but you could see it a whole lot better. ~ Ellen Degeneres

Sometimes before my vision comes to me, there is nothing. For example, I’ve gone two weeks again without promoting my new skin care products. Just like when I was involved in other direct sales companies, weeks at a time would go by when I wouldn’t work my business.

I’ve had some major stresses going on and the new me set a boundary that said, “This is not good for my business right now, but I need to step away and deal with this life issue. The business will always be there. I just won’t get there as fast as I want.” The old me would have felt guilty for not working the business, in spite of the stress and not dealt with the stress very well at all.

With a few minutes to spare in this downtime during my life event, I’ve made two significant decisions. The first decision I made to go ahead and expand my product line to include scents sooner than I thought. The other decision I made was to make my product in smaller batches. That has some pricing impacts, but I believe in my product and I think the public will, too. Had I not stepped away, I might not have been able to make these decisions that affect the overall vision of my fledgling company.

The one routine I haven’t faltered on has been my writing. I have faithfully gotten up every morning and made my writing goal since last Friday. My current project has nothing to do with the life event, but writing everyday has helped soothe my soul for the rest of the day.

How does your vision change when you take a break from your dream journey? I’d love to hear!



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Rejoice, for Your Soul is Alive!

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive ~ Eleonora Duse

The amazing thing about working on a dream journey is how much I enjoy the simplest and some of the most mundane things in life. Granted, being a writer, I am looking for ways to make the routine tasks of life more interesting in my writing, I still look for the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Even when I was finishing my degree and working full time, I enjoyed the weekends more and time with our extended family at the time. When I am the busiest, I seek to do more in less time and relish the downtime even more.

For instance…just today, I was up at 4:45 am, wrote my 500 words per day, and took my walk before work. After working all day, I came home and put together a promotional blog post then ran off to dinner with friends from work. I came home, took care of the chores and threw up a couple of blog posts. I still would like to watch some tv (actually watch a program, not have it on in the background) and get some reading done. Again, I am back into my routines, getting a lot accomplished including some socializing.

How does keeping busy help you on your dream journey?





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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Dream Buddy

Freedom

Here’s to freedom in all of its forms ~ Jill Badonsky

Freedom.

For me, attainment of my current dreams and means freedom. In addition to financial security, I hope to attain control of my own time. I hope to work less and make more money.

I have always dreamed of the work from home job where if I decided to take the day off, I could. Last year after the Royals won the World Series and the city threw them a parade and a party, I wondered, “What jobs do those people have that allows them to just drop what their doing in two days to attend the parade?” Even my bosses are small business owners and they weren’t able to leave work that day.

It’s this vision of work that attracted me to direct sales. That dream has come full circle as I develop my coconut oil skin care line.  What I didn’t understand then that I know now is that it takes many years of hard work to attain that level of achievement and freedom. I wasn’t prepared to do the work fifteen years ago. I’m ready to do that now.

What does freedom mean to you and your dream journey?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Creating a Vision

Setting Goals

Develop and Follow Routines

Define Boundaries 

Dream Buddy

Scotch and Ginger Ale

Here’s to a ginger ale and scotch with a twist of lime on the rocks on a summer evening ~ Dean Frech

Sometimes the best thing to do with a dream buddy is go have a drink. Don’t talk about your dream journeys, just relax, and unwind. I can’t tell you how fun that can be and how much stress it can lift off of either of your shoulders. Even if you make a pact not to talk about your goals, the conversation almost always goes there. If you are successful in sticking to your boundaries, then maybe a part of the conversation will inspire you later.

PSA - if a drink is problematic, for whatever reason, you can substitute coffee, soda, or a meal. The point is, enjoy yourself and your dream buddy’s time together.



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Dream Buddy

Boundaries

Find people to hang out with that make you laugh incredibly hard ~ Jill Badonsky

Boundaries. Boundaries are so easy to talk about and state that you’ll abide by them, but sometimes, so hard to maintain.

I found out some bad news that my separated spouse passed away about a week ago. I realized as soon as I heard and processed the news that I needed to drop all routines and attend to myself for the week. I went out to dinner with some people from church to help process the loss on one night. I went to my sister-in-law’s for dinner another night and had a church meeting.   My one free night I took a one hour nap after work, and did some reading and watching tv but not much else.

The cool thing about all this is that there’s not a lot going on right now. I was able to step away from my routine and give myself time to process the loss. I didn’t accomplish my daily writing goal, not because of the death, but because my schedule required me to go into work very early. I’ve tried to write in the afternoons/evening after work, but it never works.

How do you deal with major roadblocks that need attention in your life? I’d love to hear how you handle such heavy obstacles in your dream journey.

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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Define Boundaries 

When Routines Surpass Your Expectations

Here’s to when a recipe surpasses your expectations ~ Jill Badonsky

Back in June, I was one month into my new separation and new found freedom. I had been doing a lot of “busy work,” but was very unorganized and a little ADD at times. I employed a technique that I use at work to make sure I was getting everything done that needed. I created a to-do list.

This to-do list included everything from cleaning the cat box every day, cleaning up the kitchen every night, and watering the outdoor plants. I also transferred my weekly appointments on the list, including my work schedule which varied at the time and haircuts. My hair stylist laughed at me one day when she saw that I had to put “clean up kitchen” on my list every day. (I had sent her a picture of the list that showed my appointment was on the list that week). By having weekly chores and appointments in front of me, I was able to determine exactly how much I could get done every day.

After three or four weeks, I was able to take those tasks off the list because I developed a routine and accomplished those tasks every day (on a side note, sometimes I skip cleaning up the kitchen and watering the plants, but I always take care of my cats!). I had to put some tasks back on my list as reminders of their importance to me, like oil pulling every day.  Sure, that’s a multi-task project (I can do just about anything else for 20 minutes while I swish coconut oil around in my mouth), but with it on the list, it’s a daily reminder to get it done.

I learned a long time ago to put routine tasks on your to do list until they truly become routine, like clockwork. So I encourage you to do the same. I put Promo on my daily list of non-negotiable to remind me to post promo on any of the social media sites. It’s something that if I don’t remind myself every day, it might not get done.

How do you make sure you get mundane, yet important tasks done as routinely as you need?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Develop and Follow Routines

Revising Goals

I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done ~ Lucille Ball

Have you gone back to your new year’s resolutions or the last time you set a goals and revisited them? Did you make any revisions?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, good for you! You’re well on your way. I am the king of making large goals and then figuring out there’s no way possible to fit them in my already busy schedule. I am working on saying “no” to more things, being more productive, and at the same time, finding plenty of time to relax and enjoy myself. That’s coming from a man who has to put “1-hour or movie/tv” in his daily non-negotiable list of things to do, or it might not get done.

I’ve said before that goals are dreams with dates on them. Even though I would love to say I’ve met every one of my goals ever set on the date intended, that statement is the furthest from the truth. I am working on setting such a high expectation for myself so that I set more realistic goals, but in the meantime, I’m taking it easy on myself when I have to revise a deadline.

How about you? Do you accomplish your goals by the deadline or do you revise like me?



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Can't get enough of the 5 Steps? Look at the archives in my original blog:

Setting Goals

August Quick Start

Without an open mind, you can never be a great success ~ Martha Stewart

I love the month of August. Many new starts in my life have taken place in August. On August 1, 1990 I started working full time. On August 1, 1994, I started working and moved to Colorado with the same company. In 1997 I started another job. In 2010, I started working at the job that would put me in touch with the doctors for whom I work today.

My father was a teacher. I never understood the hustle and bustle of August, but I understand it now. Summer band started by this point, summer sports, the county fair held in my hometown, and then the first day of the school year. I didn’t recognize the energy I felt during month of August until a friend at work pointed out it was because our parents were teachers and went back to school. It was the beginning of a new year for them and for us.

So nearly every year, I get burnt out and unfocused after Memorial Day and re-energized in August. It’s the same with me this year. I like to review my resolutions and goals I’ve made for the year and revisit them. After all, there is still five months of the year left. That’s a lot of time to accomplish goals that ultimately lead to dreams coming true.

Here is a link to my 2016 goals on my Romance Blog:

2016 Resolutions

I had to revise my writing goals. I reduced my daily writing goal to 500 words per day, which means I am only going to get one novel written this year. That’s okay, at my level, it’s all I can handle.

My second novel, Disappear With Me, will be re-released on August 20 through my publisher, so I didn’t have to go the self-publishing route.

Promo - that is the area on which I will focus for the rest of the year, more consistent promo.

In addition to my writing, I now have this blog to maintain and my new business, Coconut Concepts, so each of those ventures have goals.

It’s going to be a busy end of the year, but as long I stick to my routines and plans, I’m sure I will progress.

How about you? What does August mean to you?