Focus on photography

This week I decided to give the bulk of my available attention over to photography and let the other areas take a rest. So I’ve been taking pictures, editing pictures, and practicing marketing lessons. There’s a competition deadline coming up this weekend that will make it an even higher priority but may just yield some long term results.

Along with that, there’s a laundry list of everyday life – house projects, cleaning, gardening, all  of which need attention. It can seem like no progress is being made but looking back at where things were even a year ago I can see huge results.  I’m still feeling a little unfocused though so time for more lists and priority setting!  All in all it feels like things are moving along, even if it’s sporadically.

The No Excuses Project: Home improvement on top of everything

Like most homeowners I’ve got a list of things that need doing that never seems to get shorter. It’s not hard to come up with an excuse as to why sitting down with a book is more urgent than painting the airless unfinished closet (left over from 1950). That’s on top of all the other little things that come up and need attention. Sooo… while it will never be as efficient as a 30 minute home improvement tv segment, here’s my basic plan going forward:

1) make a list of everything that needs time and attention for each room during spring cleaning (when you notice that the latch isn’t catching right or the trim needs repainting

2) Get one major project done a year (this year it’s that dreadful closet) by breaking it into smaller steps that can be done each week – research, trip to the hardware store (or two or three) priming, etc.

3) take care of the small stuff room by room and as the budget allows

It may not seem like much but gradually things get done and looking the way I want them with the excuses staying in the background

Next week: Getting in shape – different from losing weight and the last topic!

Holding myself accountable

• Garden – hanging in there but the snails maybe getting the upper hand
• Jewelry – on hiatus for the week
• Photography – ramped up again and working hard on getting exposure (the marketing kind)
• Writing – small steps on the current project
• Losing weight – have got to find the time for more exercise (not exactly news)
• Check-ups – see me after the dental crown in August
• Chores – it comes and goes but ok for the moment
• Family & Friends – a veritable social whirl last week, now for some downtime
• Romance – back to researching social activities I actually want to participate in
• Travel – decided that the lure of beaches and gemstones is taking higher priority than people:-)
• Treasure hunting – got out the maps for local gem hunting – not a lot to work with but that just means less competition

Technorati Tags: diy, excuses, home projects

Progression

There’s something very satisfying about balance.  It’s been a week of small steps in all directions. Sometimes those steps have simply been getting updates that things are still pending but that still feels like progress. I’m getting focused on some of the smaller writing projects and trying to get those done along with getting some time in with friends.

I also had to make a decision to truly follow my intuition when the people around me were advising me not to. It can be hard to go against conventional wisdom but I’m proud of myself for not only listening but actually following my heart.   I just wish it could have been for doing something instead of not doing something because I’m left feeling a sense of lack instead of abundance.

Even though it’s July I’m starting to think about next summer and really making a move then to do some art shows – it will take me that long to figure out which ones and get everything ready. I think I’m getting to the point where that sounds like fun.

I’m continuing to build my marketing skills although that’s clearly not something I was born knowing. In a way that makes it a little more fun – a challenge to see if I can grasp enough to really make a difference. That’s on the agenda for this weekend along with painting a closet and editing photographs, not to mention a little Shakespeare!

The No Excuses Project: The dreaded DIY home project

I think it’s simply human nature that those who undertake home improvement projects will always have at least one unfinished, 5 just started and 20 more on a list somewhere. It’s just when the unfinished one lingers for ten years that there just might be a problem. An uncomfortable space, or one with uncomfortable reminders, can become a nagging voice against everything else you’re trying to accomplish.

Just a few of the excuses I’ve used to avoid dealing with peeling wallpaper and the like:

• It will take too long
• I don’t have the right materials
• I don’t know where to start
• I have too many other projects

Next week: making more progress on home projects

Holding myself accountable

Photography – progress on editing images, now just need to take some new

Writing – small steps towards an outline, a necessary first step

Jewelry – whew – turned out being late was actually early so on target for now

Losing weight – a little more exercise but more to do here

Checkups – ah the dentist just can’t wait to see me again but making progress

Friends and family – made this a higher priority and did a little catching

Romance – sometimes going for something means turning away from what won’t work

Garden – staying on course

Travel – working out the details for some long weekends

Treasure hunting – looked into what else might be nearby

Technorati Tags: common excuses, finishing things, home projects

The No Excuses Project: Writing on top of everything

Excuses don’t have to be innovative to be effective in holding you back. That’s certainly the case with the ones I’ve used to delay various writing projects or leave them half started on the top of the filing cabinet. The cure is no more exciting really.

First off – keep the focus on only two actual projects plus the regular blogging. For now that’s the meditation book and the road trip book. Until those are done, nothing else gets worked on

Beyond that, a hard and fast goal for each project to be done every two weeks. I’m great at polishing or staring into space so it’s important to take the focus off of the quality, at least initially.

That’s really all that needs to happen. If I keep to that the excuses won’t be taking charge. Like so many things getting into good habits will keep everything else flowing. That doesn’t mean there won’t have to be some juggling with all the other goals – that’s why a summary calendar is in the works.

Next week: Home improvement projects

Holding myself accountable

• Jewelry – almost caught up and a specific action plan in place for this week
• Photography – worked on marketing, but behind on taking new photos
• Family & friends – doing ok but a little behind on correspondence
• Romance – proud of myself for not falling into some old  that were tested this week- probably time to work on expanding my environment
• Losing weight – my horoscope promised better results. Right there that says enough about what hasn’t happened!
• Check-ups – on track for now
• Garden – keeping to the plan with good results
• Chores – had to do some catching up over the holiday weekend but now on track
• Travel – making plans for both the practical and the un – should be a busy year
• Treasure hunting – maybe a little behind here but even I don’t care for treasure hunting in the pouring rain…

Technorati Tags: excuses, getting things done

Expectations

If there’s been a theme for this past week, it’s been about re-evaluating first impressions and expectations.  From objectively looking at my day job options to evening plans disrupted by someone challenging a coal train and losing (meaning it took 2 1/2 hours to get home.) Sometimes the accomplishments are about adapting instead of what gets done. That still leaves a long list but small steps were made on those as well.

I think the biggest challenge has been giving myself permission to disappoint people when the choice comes down to disappointing myself or them. It’s actually easier to say no when a specific question is asked. A raised eyebrow or a hopeful smile is harder to walk away from. Sometimes that’s just what it takes, though. I can’t help but think that once I manage to lose the guilt over doing this that these situations will magically disappear forever.

At least I can hope. I have big plans for the three day weekend around catching up and making some serious progress on all fronts.

Technorati Tags: expectations

The No Excuses Project: Writing for profit

Maybe because it can be done basically anywhere, for any length of time, makes writing even more prone to excuses.  There’s really no good reason why anyone that’s said that they want to write a book hasn’t done so already. Getting published is something different; actually writing the thing is completely under your control. I know this and yet untold projects sit in an outline or first chapter state waiting for me to simply focus and finish.

Writing is something I very much want to be part of my overall career mix – from blogging to writing novels, photography books and so on. But somehow getting those projects completed is lagging, to say the least.

There aren’t really any new or special excuses at play for this one – the old stand-by’s do the job just fine:

• I’m too tired/ not in the mood (meaning I don’t feel creative)
• It’s too big
• It will take too long
• I don’t know where to start
• I’m not good enough (a couple more books on the subject will help, right?)
• I have too many other projects
• I’ll lose interest before it’s finished

Next week: How I’m going to turn this around and fit it in with everything else

Holding myself accountable:

The garden – needs weeding but is otherwise doing ok

Jewelry – is on track for now and the priority for this coming week

Photography – continues to take a back seat, not a good thing

Travel – the fund is growing, plans are being made

Romance  – possibilities are emerging

Treasure hunting – not on the current agenda

Chores – holding their own

Family and friends – doing ok

Losing weight – somewhere in the middle on this one

Medical health – off to the dentist next week

Technorati Tags: common excuses, creativity, getting things done, writing

The second layer

It’s been an interesting week – almost completely occupied with work drama. The very reason I want to avoid working for someone else. What’s interesting to me is that the explanation given for some bad behavior was being tired and stressed.  Fair enough, most of us release our inner toddler under those circumstances.  But what about the decisions that led to the sleep deprivation in the first place?  I’m pretty sure an adult made those. Consequently I’ve made some decisions of my own to stay true to my core beliefs about not getting in that state.It’s not going to go over well – another human standard. We all seem to take it personally when someone chooses not to make the choices we’ve made.

Beyond that I’ve gotten some volunteer work in. Not the most productive week in terms of output but maybe one of the most in terms of personal growth. It’s been a long week but I feel better at the end of it than the beginning and that seems like a major accomplishment.

Technorati Tags: Health and Happiness, time management

The No Excuses Project: Dealing with what you don’t want to

A part of getting what you want to happen is getting the stuff you need to do (but don’t want to) out of the way so it’s not distracting. Personally, I have low tolerance for any kind of medical appointment when I’m feeling well – even though rationally I know they’re a good idea.  If only they didn’t keep having to be done I’d grit my teeth and get through it.  But, like most unpleasant tasks they are re-occurring.

So here’s how I’m tackling that so it stops being a nagging thought and simply becomes a normal part of life:

1) Whenever location or insurance changes I’ll select and confirm providers in the first three months

2) Every two years I’ll set aside two weekdays and get all appointments scheduled in that space

3) Every birthday year ending in 0 or 5 will be catchup for everything else that needs doing.

That’s it – nothing complicated, no overly aggressive schedule that I know I won’t keep anyway.  Just a means to an end and breaking it down so that it doesn’t become an overwhelming thing that has to be done immediately.

Next week: Fitting writing into the career mix

Holding myself accountable:

Hate to say it but pretty much everything went on hold this week due to the day job taking over briefly.

Technorati Tags: getting things done, time management

The last Friday of Spring

Summer starts next Monday, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. It’s been a long, rainy week and not much beside office work has gotten done.  The new jewelry pieces though are almost complete – a few weeks behind schedule but impossibly so. I’m not sure where the summer plans went but I realized that I’ve got no immediate plans for shows and so forth but I’m still paying to have credit card services.  Rather than cancel that it’s a reminder to me to work harder on marketing and get more productive with my time.

I’ve been reminding myself that everything really does happen for a reason. Too much work does at least mean more pay (the major  benefit of contracting) so right there is my travel fund and that may prove to be invaluable in achieving other goals. So I’m trying not to wince at how much time is going away from my major projects in the last week.

The one benefit that comes from being truly committed to goals is that the distractions and setbacks actually reinforce the commitment instead of dissolving it. It seems unfair but you can see that in people that are truly confident as well, not to be confused with arrogance. Confident people tend to gain more confidence from their experiences, even the failures than those that aren’t.  Those still struggling in that area will see a win as chance, luck, or a coincidence and not carry it forward.

Technorati Tags: accomplishing goals, confidence

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