Now back to our regular scheduled program.

If there could be two words that have clung to me as the new year began, they would have to be simplicity and focus. This morning, as I thought about the activities that I have been involved with the past few days, I started to understand how intricately woven together these two words are. At least for me.

To simplify your life, it is crucial that you understand what gives you a sense of significance. Once you determine that, all the rest is just clutter.

What instills in me a sense of significance?

• My husband and daughter
• My photographs
• My writing

Simplifying my life has been a three year journey thus far. Letting go is a difficult task. Yet, as I made the decision to continue to strive to keep with the basics, I discovered validation in this process in the most unlikely of places.

My friend Janna from Bread Crumbs and Purposeful Partnerships recently wrote some very thought provoking posts. In her Tips for the Race, Janna asks:

What is the one thing that if accomplished this year would make the biggest positive impact on your life?

For me, the one thing that would make the biggest positive impact on my life would be achieving the ability to stay focused on those areas that provide me with the greatest sense of significance.

What are the obstacles standing in your way of achieving this one thing?

Clutter. Not just physical clutter but mental clutter. By getting rid of all the clutter, I can focus more readily on those areas of importance.

What three small steps can you take starting immediately to eliminate the obstacles in your way?

During the first few days of the new year I found myself engaging in the following activities:

1. Getting rid of everything that does not provide me with a sense of accomplishment and significance. For example. I have been busy painting our entry way and hallway. I got rid of the ‘stuff’ on the walls and will be replacing it with my photographs. My home should reflect the interests of my family and myself. Not the handiwork of people I don’t even know.
2. I spent a considerable amount of time deleting all my photos from my Flickr account. My intent for this site is to feature what I consider ‘the best of the best’. By creating a more simplified format, I am able to easily access the photos that I consider striking, and formulate how I want to use them in future projects. For example. I have in mind a calendar I want to market this coming fall. A local gallery has asked for samples of my work.
3. I made the decision to not pursue The Mood Disorder Network. Although I have a whole file full of possible articles and ‘topics of interest’ that I would like to cultivate into informative essays, I just can’t dedicate the time to this project. My intent with this decision is to take that file and the ‘topics of interests’ and weave them into ‘personalized’ essays. Then taking those essays and matching them with photographs.

Committing myself to simplicity and focus is not an easy task for me. When I spiral my creative energy snowballs and fast becomes out of control. I will not let the fear of getting side tracked hold me back. I will do as Janna suggested in her second thoughtful post of the new year:

I will give both my goals and my fears over to God in prayer. If my plans coincide with God’s plans for my life, I know that He will provide me with all that I need to achieve them.

So sitting here in the cool gray morning of the first day of the new year I headed to my library of books for inspiration. I found what I was looking for at first glance. I have chosen four books on which to build the foundation of 2008.

Although three of these books were not mentioned in this post (Books That Have Made a Significant Impact On My Life), they certainly deserve to be placed there now. Perhaps they were just ‘not sweating the small stuff’ with the knowledge that I would get to them eventually (grin). The fourth book should come as no surprise and I will certainly save the best for last.

Three of the four books that I am choosing as part of my ‘foundation for 2008′ are:

• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff–and it’s all small stuff

• Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Women

• Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff About Money

It wasn’t the actual books that first caught my attention this morning. It was glancing at the titles of the chapters. They seemed to condense all my “intentions, thoughts, and desires” for the coming year. Take a peek at just a few that caught my eye out of a total of 300 chapters:

• Make Peace with Imperfection
• Learn to Live in the Present Moment
• Choose Your Battles Wisely
• Look Beyond Behavior
• Develop Your Own Helping Rituals
• Look for the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
• Wish Wonder Woman Goodbye
• Go with the Twists and Turns
• Protect Your Inner Flame
• Learn About Moods and Money
• Create from the Inside Out
• Go Ahead and Do It
• Persevere
• Don’t Take It All So Seriously
• Remember that Everything Has God’s Fingerprints on It

So there you have a glimpse of what I am thinking about as we head into the new year. Yet the big picture involves the most significant and singularly important part of any foundation, the cornerstone.

“The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire edifice.”

The fourth book. My ‘cornerstone for 2008′ is my Bible:

• The Holy Bible is our guidebook – telling us how to live.
• The Holy Bible is our textbook – teaching us what to believe.
• The Holy Bible is our spotlight – showing us what God is like.
• The Holy Bible is our shield – protecting us from sin.

“The Bible teaches us what is true, shows us what is wrong in our lives and helps us to do what is right.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I heard this during a sermon a few years ago:

To know how to live, you must first know what you believe.

I believe, as Oswald Chambers wrote in his devotional for the first day of the new year:

“My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest – my best for His glory.”

Sitting here, in the cool gray morning of the first day of the new year, I want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

• The Invisible Woman by Nicole Johnson
• Oh The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss
• Mom on the Run by Nancy Kennedy
• The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
• Army Green Navy Blue by Helen Sayre Jackson
• After the Boxes Are Unpacked by Susan Miller
• Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach
• If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, You’ll Probably End Up Somewhere Else By David Campbell
• What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa Terkeurst
• Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen

What are some of the books on your bookshelves that have seen you through the darkest of days? Books that always make the cut. Inquiring minds want to know.

This one accomplishment deserves many kudos. I want to shout from the rooftops. I didn’t quit. I didn’t turn my back and I didn’t walk away. I actually worked on finding a solution.

The next step in this planning process has proved to be much more challenging. During my most recent coaching session with Janna we discussed:

• developing focus and clarity towards a new avenue of generating income (besides teaching)
• exploring options of earning an income that would provide fulfillment and leverage my strengths

As a starting point in this process, I am to think of ten ways that I can incorporate my passion of photography and my writing into a marketable online and IRL business.

That is as far as my thought process has gone since our session on Saturday. I can’t seem to go any further.

When I begin thinking along the lines of possibilities I begin catastrophizing. Which means I envision the wost possible outcome of each idea that comes to mind. Therefore, I fall into a pattern of distractibility.

And so here I am. At a stand still for the moment. Distracting myself from the ‘plan’. Waiting for it to just all fall in my lap (as my husband would be prone to say).

Related Posts:

In Search of the Holy Grail

I Want To Be The Knife

This book left me with a variety of different emotions to sort through. As a parent, I was horrified that he left the comfort and security of living in the United States to trek through Africa with his brother and their friends. As a Christian, I was amazed at his honesty when faced with a world without hope and a tragedy so unbearable that you question God with every breath you take. As a person, one who has been afraid of her own shadow for her entire life, I was encouraged by his ability to step beyond fear and pursue the dreams that God has given him.

Here is an excerpt from the introduction:

” My story is not what the newspapers made it out to be. It is much bigger than a ten-minute slot on the evening news, something reported with little thought or concern and just as quickly forgotten. My story is bigger than me. It is bigger than any one of us. My story is of our wildest dreams coming true and our most godless fears and horrors being realized. It is of love and hate, life and death, brotherhood and utter solitude, faith and doubt.

The last thing this world needs is another self-help or feel-good-faith book, seven simple steps to whatever. Just the thought makes my stomach turn. The truth is that life is far too complex to be put in a box, labeled, and have the appropriate manual attached. I wonder, have those people who seem to have all the answers ever really experienced hardship or grief, true joy, or adventure? Have they ever really lived? For those of us who venture outside the cookie-cutter lives that many settle for, a superficial plastic faith with the corresponding instruction booklet will do nothing. When we take that brave step from the comfortable mainstream into the unknown, we quickly discover that we are all just travelers on a journey trying to find our way.”

Although I viewed much of this book as being part of the foolishness and idealism of youth, I can’t help but wonder how different my life would have been if I had been permitted to leave the ‘comfortable mainstream’ and join the Peace Corps all those years ago…when I was young and foolish. Or should I say, young and able to listen to my dreams more clearly.

If you are interested in this book…be the first one to comment with “I want this book” and I will mail it to you. Again, this offer is limited to Canada and the United States.

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons

As I contemplate my future and career related possibilities, I am finding myself bogged down in the muck and mire of procrastination. I can dream it. But I can’t be the dream. Why is that?

My husband says I give up too easily. I have had two great businesses. Yet, as each one began to crest at the five year mark. I quit. Gave up. I didn’t want to ‘play’ at being a successful business woman anymore. As with any business…as it grows…so did the problems. This is how I looked at it. I did not look at…as the business grows…so does my income…my credibility….my self-esteem.

What is wrong with me? I ask my husband. He says I lack ‘follow through’. I’m not tenacious enough. I admit defeat too soon. He states that my life is full of opportunities that I run from. And to make matters worse, when I start to run I actually expect the opportunities to chase after me.No more. As soon as I hit the ‘Publish Post’ button I will begin my journey (again) into the land of dreams…and I will make it happen.

I am going to learn to focus. I am going to be persistent. I am going to be the knife.

Just watch me.

Related Posts:

Searching for the Holy Grail

I don’t want to quit teaching…well actually I won’t quit teaching. I love it too much. It’s more of a passion than a job. But I need to supplement my income. Where do I start?

I went online in search of ‘motivational quizzes’ to find out what ‘motivates me’. When you get to be my age, issues such as these start to get a little blurred around the edges.

My first stop was here. This is where I learned that I am motivated by a sense of autonomy (seeking to be independent and able to make key decisions for oneself) and security (seeking a solid and predictable future). Now I have it in black and white why I am so confused…these two motivating factors do not make the best bedfellows….or is that ‘careerfellows’ (giggle).

This test measured my weakest area of motivation as being travel and my strongest area of motivation being respect.

So if I don’t want to travel perhaps working from home is the best option for me. This quiz assessed that I am most likely to succeed if I work from home. This success will undoubtedly provide the respect that apparently motivates me (based on the last test).

My Keirsey Temperment Sorter suggested that these are the careers that I (an ESFJ) am best suited for.

However, what work from home opportunity is hidden amongst this list of possibilities? Can you see one? I am still stuck in the forest of what motivates me. Help me see beyond the trees!!!

Related Posts:

Repackaging Your Career

Don’t have one? Well let’s get started. What you will need is a large three ring binder. This will keep all your information organized and readily available…to update at regular intervals…or to utilize when you begin your career change.

• Gather up all your personal identification information:

• • Birth Certificate
  • Proof of Citizenship
  • Social Security Card
  • Passport
  • Photo ID

• Gather up all your military service information (this may not apply to you…however, it did apply to me)

• • Separation Papers, DD Form 214, DD Form 295, LES
  • Training Record
  • Honors & Awards
  • DD Form 2586 – Verification of Military Experience and Training
  • Service Record
  • Security Clearance
  • Medical Record
  • Benefits

• Gather up the information available in regards to your work experience

• • Work History (job titles, dates, duties, accomplishments, employers)
  • Work Samples
  • Honors and Citations
  • Community Activities
  • Salary History
  • References

• Gather up all documentation in regards to your education and any type of training you have had

• • Transcripts
  • Diplomas/Certificates
  • Honors
  • Activities List
  • Licenses
  • Certifications

• Make several copies of the Master Application Worksheet.This will help you organize all the information that you have spent the past few days collecting. It will help you develop a history of your education and training, work experience, military service, hobbies and interests, organizational memberships, and community activities. Using the worksheet helps you organize the information to use later when you:

• • Write your resume
  • Fill out employment application forms
  • Answer questions in job interviews

My tip this Thursday? Create a Career Catalog or spend some time updating your current one. For me, it will make my task of searching for an at-home career much easier…after all…I have a snapshot of my past career choices, my skills, my achievements all in one place.

“Our first topic is “In this skin…”, in which you will tell us all how aging has affected you personally, your attitude towards it and what you’ve learned from it.”

This has been a year of difficult transitions for me…only because I make it that way, if you tend to listen to my husband’s opinion (grin). You see, my husband just turned 45, our daughter turns 12 next week and in a few months I am turning 53. Now, 40, and 50 proved to be no problem for me…there were other events during those times to occupy my mind…..being told I was pregnant two weeks before my 40th birthday and then…asking my husband for a divorce several weeks prior to my 50th birthday. So you see….I had other events going on to keep me from dwelling on ‘this getting older thing’. Oh, and just as a ‘by the way’…..my husband and I are still together….weathering yet another mid-life crisis (grin).

I believe one of the most upsetting obstacles in turning 53 is my weight. I have never, even while pregnant at 40, had a weight issue. Now, I am unsure where my waist is. Many of you are familar with the saga of the ‘frumpy t-shirt’….posted on my now defunct blog Outside the Margins (a result of the onset of my bipolar, almost 53, behaviors). For those of you who are not familar with my background…I am a jeans and t-shirt kinda gal….always have been. My job, professor at a community college, allows for this kind of wardrobe preference (praise the Lord). However, for those of you who are my age and size…there is not much out there that we can fit into…that coincides with the image we have of ourselves. This makes shopping very frustrating for me. I am slowly learning to inch my way out of the t-shirt rut I and I am continuing with my walking program at the Wildlife Park…but there will never come a day again when my 53 year old body will match the body I used to have….no matter how many bowls of Special K I eat. And I grieve over this from time to time.

On a more positive note, what I enjoy most about being almost 53 is that I have earned the right to have a ‘soap box’ or two. Having experienced a great deal of life along the way, I believe it is my duty to keep those younger than me informed of my opinions….on all matters…..from my stand on standardized testing (which in case you are wondering…I am against…although I do agree…it has it’s place as long as it is not abused…which does not occur very often)……to understanding what your values are in order to make good life decisions. The rolling of eyes and the heavy sighs no longer bother me…when I am in the classroom, I have a captive audience and I have earned the right to take advantage of that (giggle).

One of the most noteworthy aspects of being this age is that I am no longer a frequent flyer on guilt trips. I don’t feel guilty anymore that my daughter can write her name in the dust that has accumulated on just about every surface in our home, or that we have to use paperplates because I haven’t had time to do the dishes (too busy blogging, by the way)….or that all the clothes aren’t folded and put away in their precise drawers(after all, I just started reading the Mitford series…who has time for laundry???). I’m too busy with life….and this is a nice thing. I am much less OCD than I used to be and this I enjoy.

So, my attitude towards aging??? Like with anything else, I have my good days and bad days. Yesterday was good, I wore my new shirt with jeans and snazzy sandals to my daughter’s birthday dinner. Today…I am paying for eating that darn Bloomin’ Onion and just had to drink a glass of prune juice…so, my attitude…at least until the prune juice works….not so good. But that’s okay…I know that later I will have the opportunity to do whatever the heck I feel like doing….because after all…(another one of my soap boxes)…..my education has provided me with the freedom to make personal choices that are in line with not only my values but with my number one goal….to be a wife and mother, no matter what my age is….and it is Spring Break at the college where I teach…yippee!!!!