Kathy over at Bereaved and Blessed started a new blog hop called Winter Shed. Here's what she says about it: "This is a support group/blog hop for those trying to be accountable for the positive changes we intend to make in our lives in 2013. Whether you are trying to shed weight, find more balance or let go of something else that is dragging you down in the New Year… We can do this — together! Once a week, on Fridays, from now until at least mid-March/Spring, I will check in and share how my week has gone in the key areas I am working on. My hope and intention is that knowing I have this self-imposed report card to file will motivate me to stay focused on my goals." The full back story can be found here.
I think this is a great idea, as there are many things that I'd like to improve or change, but that often don't get done because I'm not actively sharing it with anyone else. Of course as as I was behind with a number of blog posts that were either in drafts folder (whether on my blogger account or in my head), I failed to write my Winter Shed: Week One post on time, so here are week one and two combined.
As I commented on Kathy's original post, the general idea is to get out of what I call "mommy mode isolation" and try to pick up some of my former activities that have fallen by the wayside since the birth of my children (3.5 and 1 year ago).
These include:
- Read more novels.
- Follow the news more (including reading the New Yorker).
- Pick up regular blogging again and start a series/hop on Cultural Differences.
- Get my professional website up and running.
- Find more clients / pursue more paid projects.
- Start playing the cello again (I forgot to mention this in my comment to Kathy's post, but it's a very important one).
Now to report on how I did during week one and two:
1. Read more novels.
I have to give myself a zero here. I haven't read one letter of literature in the past two weeks. I'm halfway through a French novel (been in that state for the past six months or so), but I got turned off when the writer introduced himself in the story, however I do find that despite that the writing is good, so I'm a bit in limbo on whether to ditch it and start a new book or continue reading until the end.
2. Follow the news more.
Well... two days ago I read the newspaper that my husband had brought back from the plane and I listened to (Dutch) news during breakfast a few times this past week. But next week I want to have read at least one New Yorker article!
3. Pick up regular blogging again and start a series/hop on Cultural Differences.
I think I did pretty good here! I had some serious catch-up to do and wrote/finished four blog posts, not including this one, and one already scheduled for next week. My goal is to write and publish at least one blog post a week. Regarding the Cultural Differences series, there are many empty posts (but with topic ideas) in my drafts folder that I hope to fill in the coming weeks. I also commented on a few blogs, but can do better, because I haven't commented on any of the posts of the other December Perfect Moment Monday participants...
4. Get my professional website up and running.
Another zero... Hope to have a better report next week.
5. Find more clients / pursue more paid projects.
Today I followed up on a quote I delivered last month and I contacted a client to see if there might be any projects in the pipeline. So not much, but it's a start...
6. Start playing the cello again.
Another zero... I haven't played since our second son was born a year ago. I don't really know why, there are just always so many other things on my to-do list that I forget, or am too tired. I used to play in a piano trio with two neighbors, who are eager for me to pick that up again, but I recently got very frustrated with one of them over something else and he could drive me crazy too sometimes during rehearsals, so I'm not sure if I want to give up precious weekend time for that...
So... not such a great score. I can say I have an excuse because our youngest son was sick with the stomach flu for a few days, but I know I can do better. Tune in next Friday to see if I can stick to my goals!
3 comments:
Six goals? Every week?!?
I love it that you blog again, have to admit.
just wouldn't want you to start with everything at once and then have it getting on top of you.
(I did that when I moved back to Holland: started in an orchestra, took music lessons, started running, cooking, reviving old friendships on top of a more than full time job. After some months I was exhausted and had to drop the music. Only last year I made a new start with that!)
So don't put yourself down for not achieving everything at once, two out of six is a very good start!
Good luck balancing all of it, and most of all: Enjoy it!
Way to go on getting your first Winter Shed post up! I loved reading about your goals (so interesting) and how you are doing with them. I think we all tend to be hardest on ourselves... I too think you are off to a great start! You do have a good excuse for the areas you didn't follow through on as much, but I appreciate you wanting and knowing you can do better. Looking forward to sharing this journey with you! I am especially interested in your Cultural Differences series/hop! :)
That is a lot of things you are working on!! Give yourself the possibility to review your tasks, I'd say you should be happy to make progress on a maximum of three each week, 6 is just too many all at once! I think once you start getting into the routine of doing something, say reading the New Yorker, then adding a new goal would be more manageable! Definitely you are doing great at blogging, I love to read you again!
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