It has been a long while since I have updated this blog. I
wrote the following a few months ago and never finished it to get it on here.
But today is a new day, and I decided while updating other sites I would do so
on this one. I hope to build some momentum on here again.
I spent a lot of time
on my health, and with the idea of working smarter not harder. In the time
since I last updated there has been some changes. Noah is more like a typical 7
year old, but he will be 10 in 10 days, wow. I can’t believe it’s been 10
years! He is doing so much better, is off the gluten free-casein free diet
(minus yogurt and milk) and doing very well in school. He is interested in
having us be proud of him.
Working on Health
This is necessary for so many of us. We take on more than we
should, sometimes because there seems to be no other way. Sometimes because we
just think we can. Maybe you are like me, and you tend to bite of more than you
can chew, I find its best to do so, as long as you don’t’ mind spitting
something out if you truly can’t chew it all. Pushing ourselves beyond our
comfort zone is necessary for growth.
Goals I had were to make sure I exercised every day, drink
enough water, get to bed so I can have 7-8 hours’ sleep, have a day of rest,
and eliminate as much bread as possible(because I truly have issues digesting
it, and its causing me inflammation). I like many of you know to do these
things, and do them pretty consistently, but it still can be sporadic. Which
means, sure you do all that you should for weeks or months on end, but then
suddenly you have more on your plate, so what goes first, all the things you
need to do to take care of yourself. Before you know it, a few months pass and
you realize you have been barely drinking water, your sleep is disturbed, you
are eating foods you can’t digest because they are there when you need them,
and others aren’t there. You may be busy, sweating your butt off and having
plenty of activity, but no fun exercise or decent consistent like you normally
do.
So for one year, I wanted to make sure I did all those
things, I got through most of September doing so. Then Joe got laid off and was
home every day for a MONTH, screwing up my routine. Now he is working, but they
are sporadic hours so it’s taking a lot of adjustment to find a routine in this
small house. So some things are within my control regardless, but others,
including work or exercise which are in
areas that we share or are equipment we share aren’t just when I want because I
don’t live here alone.
Overall I made a lot of improvements, and I keep reminding
myself I have to put myself on the list, it’s my job to do so and no one else’s.
It’s my job to say no, and I am not in the position to help others until I help
myself.
Working Smarter not harder
Most people work hard, and we should. But this doesn’t mean
we shouldn’t think about ways to accomplish tasks more efficiently or find
better paying work to cut back on some of the stuff that we have to spend more
time on that pays less. I was grateful for the experience I received from some
of the websites I write for, but needed to get more pay up front work. So I focused
on more print work which pays much better than online. Hence, not seeing much
here. (Since this pays pennies…but one day!)
I also made sure I was fully available for Noah, and
anything related to the house. I need an organized and clean home, otherwise I
get all stressed out. When you work for
yourself you are fully in charge of finding your work also, and anyone who does
so will tell you, this is a task you do every day. Each day someone who has
their own business or is their own contractor spends time finding more work,
networking and just keeping their radar up. I have been fortunate where work
has occasionally fallen in my lap based on someone reading an article and
wanting to publish it in their magazine. But that doesn’t happen often enough
to just rely on the maybe of it. Like all things, you need some luck, but
mostly a lot of perseverance to see things through.
