Choose Your Challenge

The new year is fast approaching and this is the perfect time to choose a challenge for 2018. Every year, for the last 5 years, I have chosen to read a certain number of books. Last year I decided 60 was the number of books to read in 2017. Yesterday I reached my reading goal. I based my decision on what I had planned for the year and selected the appropriate number. For my 2018 "reading" challenge, I will be selecting 65 books.

Now is the time for you to make some choices about a 2018 challenge. Why not choose something to challenge you? Think fitness or exercise related. How about education or new knowledge related?  How about family related or travel bucket list related? Choose your challenge(s) and change your life.

A challenge can help you grow and change your life. Let me know what you are planning to do in 2018.

Time to Listen More

Now is a good time for us to listen. The holiday season brings many social gatherings and events. Listen more and learn. Instead of delving right into a conversation, spend more time in listening mode. This may give you an opportunity for deeper communications in the long run.

Let's say you are attending a neighbor's party. When you choose to listen instead of providing small talk, you can find out all types of information. This event could provide you with the knowledge that:  your friend Sally has just purchased a new car, Jody was laid off and is in need of a new job,Margie is worried about her aging parents, Martha is looking for help with social media for her new business.

All this information gleaned at the neighborhood party can then translate to Sally has an old car to sell.  Jody, who needs a job, can be referred to Martha who needs some help with social media. Margie, with the aging parents, might just need an ear to vent, or she may need some local resources you have to share.

When you listen deeply, you can potentially give the gift of helping move things along, make a job connection or give much needed comfort and assistance. Being a good listener takes extra work and effort, but it really can pay out healthy dividends for yourself, your friends and your community.

Making Time For Fun

Let's talk about having fun. Fun is something we all need to take seriously. After all, all work and no play is what makes a day dull and us boring.

How can you have fun Today? How can you make fun everyday a priority? Having fun is different for each of us. For some it may be reading a book, watching a favorite TV show or movie, using Pinterest or Facebook, playing solitaire, going for a walk or spending time talking on the phone to a friend or family member. 

It is especially important to set some time for fun when we are overloaded with a long "to do list" or complex project. Fun needs to be incorporated into our day when we are in the middle of a life transition or living through a stress filled period in our life such as when serving as a primary caregiver for an acutely ill person or child.  It may seem like a misuse of our time but the "fun break" or "Fun out" will make us more productive and effective in the long run.

When we schedule in fun, we maintain a good balance in our life. 

So what fun are you planning today?

This is a revised post from 2014

Time for a Calendar Review!

Have you reviewed your calendar lately? A calendar review is a great way to get insight into your productivity. To do this helpful exercise, open up your online or paper calendar and review your past 12 months of listed activities.

• Do you have significant and functional social time with friends, family and loved ones?
• Have you included physical exercise and healthy activities to reach your health and fitness goals?
• Are you including enrichment and life long learning activities into your schedule?
• Are the associations and organizations that you belong to and attending fulfilling your needs?

Your calendar can give you valuable data into how you are spending your time. It can also flag activities that you list but do not attend. Take some time to review your calendar, it will be time well spent.

This is an earlier 2012 post from my Terry's Thinking Blog, well worth revisiting this time of year.