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.  

Getting Support

I've been thinking about how we can get support from those around us.  First, let's look at who does support us. The first names that come to mind are our loved one, our spouse, family members or parents. Next,  we may think of friends, neighbors, church and association members. Also on our list might be our co-workers and colleagues.

Each of us have a form of support that that I would like to call our Transactional Support Team. These are individuals who are in our lives due to some type of transaction. They can include our hairstylist, bank teller, checkout clerk, or postal/package delivery person.  Sometimes all we need is an acknowledgment of our existence, a chat about the weather or a friendly hello.

Who is on your Transactional Support Team?

Changes and Challenges

Now is a great time to review the 2016 calendar and see the progress you have made in life's transitions, challenges and changes.

What have you accomplished?

What is on track in your life?

What is new and a positive addition to your life that you did not see or imagine last year?

Take some time to do this exercise so you can be aware of your accomplishments. You may want to consider creating an accomplishment journal. This is a great tool to see your life's transitions and changes.

When Other Things Get In The Way

Where has the time gone? Time goes quickly if you do not pay attention or get distracted with other things.

I am back after a long blogging hiatus. Ready, refreshed and renewed.

My life has had many major transitions since my last blog post.

Caretaking of Parent
Passing of parent
Injury/Illness
Carekaking of ill and aged dog
Passing of Dog
Househunting
Planned Remodeling
Moving
Unexpected Remodeling  (roof repair and replacement)
Big Events
Unexpected Travel

I finished out my Executor position with my Father's Estate in the Spring of 2014.  My father had passed in March of 2013 after many years of health issues of which I was primary caretaker upon his many hospitializaions. In early May 2014,  I went on a short trip and "tripped" and broke my shoulder. Summer of 2014 was spent doing physical therapy. In the summer of 2014 we began house hunting again and our beloved pet Bucky was beginning his decline in health. In September our beloved Bucky, Norwich Terrier, passed at the age of 15.

In October 2014 we purchased our new home and I began an intensive remodeling project, serving as general contractor for the project which included wallpaper removal,  wood flooring installation, sanding and refinishing.  In addition to having the whole interior house painted, some drywall installation in the garage, a whole house painting of the interior, electrical work and some tile repair work.  We moved into the house 2 days before Thanksgiving. About two weeks later we had a major roof leak and were expecting five houseguests for the holidays. Two days before the guest arrived we had a second leak.

January and February 2015 was spent supervising contracted repairs in the Study as the ceiling had to be replaced as well as exterior house repainting and deck repair.  In late January we had a new roof installed. March was vacation time and my husband and I took off for a much need break on a cruise. April and May saw me working on a kitchen stovetop changeout and new kitchen fan installation project.

May involved traveling to a family graduation, then June started party preparations for a friends's big birthday and our first Fourth of July Party Blowout. August involved a cross country road trip and family and friends reunion.

September and October 2015 brought some health issues and November another cruise. December was spent getting ready for the holidays and subsequent houseguests.
So that brings us to now - January 2016.

All this confirms my thoughts that big transitions take time and that some things just take time to get through.

Comments Welcome.