Recognizing Your Multi-tasking Gifts

The last few days of the past week were very busy for me. I just ran from one commitment to another. I loved doing everything I had planned, but I had no time to write. Finally, Friday afternoon I sat down for a few minutes to work on a script. I was trying to get an email, with attached pages, off to Clint Johnson for a workshop at LDS Storymakers. It wasn’t due for a few days, but I needed to send it before the section leader I wanted had a full group.

A few minutes after I started to compose my letter, my grandson called from college and said he was coming for the long weekend. I was VERY excited to have him. What fun! I worked a little longer on my letter and then stopped to see if I had all the ‘fixings’ to make tacos (his favorite) and snicker doodles for dessert (also his favorite). Shortly thereafter my mother called and needed a few things from the store. This was a good because I was out of refried beans. I also love taking her because it gives us a chance to visit.

Four hours later, after shopping, dinner and dessert, I’m back to my email. It took me a minute to find my place, but I did get it finished with my attached pages, so I’m set.

How many times during the week does this happen to you? I love my life and everything I have to do, but I don’t think I would get everything accomplished if I couldn’t multi-task. When driving in the car, I’m either listening to a book on CD or plotting my next scene. I can listen to one child play the piano and read a book to another one. I love walking on my treadmill at night while visiting with my husband or watching a TV show. Sometimes I include others in my multi-tasking. The other night I had to take dinner to a friend who broke her foot so my mom came over to help me cut the fruit for the salad and my husband mashed the potatoes while I cooked the chicken.

Take a minute and think of all the times during the day you multi-task. Give yourself a pat on the back and say a little thank you to the universe for that gift. Because of it, you have time to do your favorite thing - write!!!

Doing the Unbelievable

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I decided to go back to school after my youngest was born. It was something inside of me that always felt…unfinished.

I had over twenty classes to complete what I had started so many years before. My mind told me I couldn’t do it—there was just too much to do—but my soul told me I could.

So I started digging through classes one by one. Studying while babies slept, while teens learned to drive, as children grew into towering stalks.

I took my time, making sure I learned what was being taught, gleaning research that I hoped would be used in the future or even the present.

Math never came easy to me. I used to dream it did when I was a child—when numbers were made of magic. I failed the course—I was defeated.

It was time to quit.

But the fighter in me told me I couldn’t, I had to keep in the battle, even though I was weary and ready for home.

So I fought.

Now I can see it, just beyond the horizon. Waving to me, urging me to keep in the fight, to keep moving forward. The flag—my flag. The one that calls to victory.

And I know it can be won.

(Two and a half more classes to go!!! *squeal*)

What is your fight? Revising, school work, finding awesome writing shoes? 

Girls Night Out or was it Girl's Night In?

It started out as a Girls Night Out with my nieces. It ended up with an unplanned sleep over.

As I was loading up the car to go home, I accidentally locked my keys in the car along with the cell phone friend-husband and I share. Friend-husband was kind enough to come rescue me, even though I was already using his keys as mine had (looking innocent) disappeared. His pick-up was just (I mean JUST) tuned up and given a clean bill of health, however it broke down on the freeway, just a few miles from home.

Two hours later, when he hadn't arrived. I sensed that something was wrong. At first I thought maybe he was searching for the missing set of keys, but after two hours I could imagine all sorts of things. Since I had the cell phone, he couldn't call me. In fact he had walked to McDonalds, in icy weather, to call a neighbor who kindly towed him home.

When we reconnected by telephone, we felt grateful that everyone was okay and in a toasty warm place for the night. I could sleep over and call a locksmith in the morning. He could get his pickup checked out the next day. All was well.

Girls Night Out had become Girls Night In.

By the way, my nieces ROCK. We had fun laughing and talking together. We shared ideas and thoughts about self worth. Everyone had something to say and I'm thinking we all went home feeling better about ourselves.

I love Girls Nights Out. They give me an opportunity to teach about self worth and positive messages. We learn from each other. We empower each other.

Today I launched a new blogsite where you can get a weekly dose of self-confidence and where you can learn to love yourself. It's called Your True Reflection.

I hope you'll join me there, and tell all your friends.

Isn't it time we all learned to love ourselves?

Linda Garner

Goals

I have been sick this week - too much celebrating. I feel like my little four-year-old grandson who (sobbing in his mother’s arms because he was too tired) said, "I’m just having too much fun." I have to rest from too much fun also.

We traditionally set goals this time of year. Sometimes I rebel against doing it, but I know that what I think about and plan, I become. All of us participate in goal setting whether on a conscious or subconscious level. 

We are shaped by our thoughts. We become what we think. Buddha 

Even if I never set goals, I still invite things into my life by my thoughts.  So I do set goals and have a plan because I don't want my life to be run by default.

One of the things I struggle with is consistency. I can start out with really good intentions and then forget about them after a few weeks. All it takes is for me to have to get a lesson or meeting ready and before I know it, I've thrown my whole energy into that project and forgotten all about my other goals. Summer is also a very bad time for me to be consistent. With kids and family, everything goes out the window for a few months.

So one thing I know about myself is that I won't be consistent all the time, and I now I set a time of reestablishing my goals once a month just to check to see if I got off the track. I ALWAYS have to recommit myself in September after everyone is back in school. 

Be flexible in goal setting. Be willing to change your goals over time. (You may not have to be, but I do.

Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity. Lois Pasteur

            So here’s to flexibility, change and tenacity in your goal-setting!

            Share your ideas with me. I’d love suggestions as to what works for you.
Christy Monson
Connections (christymonson.blogspot.com)
Prophets in Person (prophetsinperson.blogspot.com)

Sorry. I'm Not Posting Today

I'm not posting today, because I can't think of anything to say.

Maybe it's because I have to get a lesson ready for church.

Or that I stayed up way too late last night reading a book that I said I couldn't "get into" and suddenly found myself unable to set it down.

Maybe it's because I feel like I should say something about who I am and am afraid that there is nothing much to say.

Perhaps it's because I gave up chocolate and even though I feel a ton better, I still think about the way it melts on my tongue.

You know it might be because I found that cool new song that won't get out of my head, but I don't really care, because it makes my spirit soar and my lips turn into a smile (even when I'm driving).

It's probably because I have characters mingling in my thoughts and I just can't think of anything more than what I should write about them in the next scene.

So nope. I'm not posting today.

*startled surprise*

Hey, I think I just posted something. Opps. Maybe next week I won't post (but I probably will).

So tell me...Do you find other things coming in the way of posting on your blog? Please let it be writing! *fingers crossed*

Where's My Paintbrush?

“Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts. You have to remember this when you find yourself at the beginning.” Sandra Bullock

I have always loved beginnings. I delight in the start of a new month, the start of a new week, the start of a new year. I get a kick out of a fresh start. I adore mornings. Morning feels like taking a fresh canvas of time and deciding what I will paint on it.

I don’t really do New Years Resolutions, instead I make plans. This year I plan to enjoy myself more. I intend to love more. I plan to connect more. I intend to take better care of myself and my glorious body. I plan to put the disappointments of yesterday behind me and believe in the promise of tomorrow.

This year, I will choose carefully how to spend my gift of time. I will not have time for judging other or for criticism. I will not have time for discouragement or negative thoughts. I will choose to move on when others disappoint me. I will choose forgiveness.

I plan to love myself more completely. I choose to believe in myself and to appreciate my uniqueness. I don’t have to be perfect. I can love myself as I am.

I am planning to see more sunsets, more rainbows, more waterfalls. I am planning to trust more, to give more, to dance more. I am planning to see more, to hear more, to live more.

Life is a curious mix of beginnings, middles, and endings. Today’s beginning signals an end to yesterday. Today is the middle of something. In the middle lie some of Life’s harder choices. Persistence and stamina pay off in the middle, not the end. Today is a beginning, middle, and end. Today brings promise, fueled by choice.

Shall we not embrace the promise? Shall we not believe in choice?

I believe. It’s a New Year. What will I paint on this canvas?

Happy 2011.

Linda Garner

Goal Setting

Each January I like to set goals for the weeks, months and year. Writing goals are tricky for me because my aspiration is to be published by the end of the year. But there are many aspects to being in print that are not under my control, so I have to establish my objectives differently.

For instance, I can set goals to attend writing workshops of my choice, read and study books on writing, attend critique groups and pen so many pages a week. But I can’t plan that illusive “being published” goal. Hopefully the goals I set will lead to that end.

What about you? What are your writing goals? I’d love your ideas and feedback.

I find sharing my ambitions with those around me helps keep me on task. It makes my commitment greater. I also like feedback from others. It helps me stay focused.

Here are some quotes I like to read often.

 “Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals.” Aristotle

We are shaped by our thoughts. We become what we think. Buddha

(I think a lot about writing.)

Goals that are not written down are just wishes. Unknown

 People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going. Earl Nightengale

How have you set goals in the past? What do you like about the way you set them?  What would you like to change? Share with us.

Christy Monson