Chapter 21 - Learning to wait

Waiting.


Oh boy.  This is probably not my best quality.  In some areas I do it well.... others not so much. 

For example,  Waiting for my now husband to get himself ready to be in the relationship that we are now in?  No problem.  Not without frustration but better than most.

Waiting for the contact for the band for our wedding to get back to me with a quote ?  CHOMPING AT THE BIT FOR DAYS.

So I was advised by the book's "Take Action Challange" to focus on an area that requires some waiting.  And open myself up to the peacefulness that goes with it and let the universe do it's thing.

OK....  um.... 

So I picked the area of Finances.  I am just going to keep doing what I am doing and I know that this too shall pass and come into it's own.  I am giving myself the September Check point for this.  Labor Day. 

My goal is to get to the point where we are bringing enough income in that I can bank what my husband is bringing in in unemployment.

Chapter 20 early Warning Signs

Yes I am starting again at Chapter 20.... but I did a refresher on the previous 19 - I did it in one day but as long as I am maintaining it and some of it I never stopped doing from 2007, then I feel it's ok.

So here are my early warning signals:

I know I'm headed for trouble when:

1.  I don't eat breakfast ( note unless I am simply not feeling well)
2.  I forget to take my daily meds
3.  I forget to set up coffee / tea the night before
4.  I forget to write in my journal
5.  I start skipping lessons for no reason
6.  my swearing gets out of control
7.  the dishes / laundry aren't being done
8.  papers are out of control
9.  I don't "feel like" doing certain work tasks ( I do them - but it takes a LOT of coaxing in my own head)
10.  I eat crap and don't care


When I see these things happening ( and right now, I have 7, 8 haoppening regularly) I need stop and evaluate and do one of the following:

1.  Go to sleep earlier, or have a short nap
2.  Talk to my husband for help
3.  talk to my girls for help ( you know who you are)

These are the truest things I have ever written about myself LOL.....  must be marriage....

Chapter 19: Brake for Spontaneity

My life right now is primarily spontaneous. In fact I am struggling to put some routine in place.

I have a to-do list a mile long that is starting to become a to-don't....

However putting some structured open ended time in is a really good idea. If I put it in place as a regular action item, I will be able to build the structure around it.

So my take -action challenge for this week is to use Tuesday night as my open ended time - Alternately I will use Friday night.

Chapter 18: Focus your Energy

Yes it has been a little over three years since the blog was activated. I had bitten off more of my life than I could actually chew. And the ride has been interesting ever since.

This book periodically sits on my shelf and actually CALLS me.

So rather than start from the beginning again, because I have been actively practicing the majority of the the first 17 chapters, I decided to pick up where I left off to move forward and at the same time I am going to do a review of the first 17.

For the purposes of chapter 18:

MY week starts on Wed as of this week.

My three most important activities are:

1. Exercize

2. Find a job

3. Get the house in order

My three things that I can do to support these actions:

1. Get my exercize in by noon each day - this is especially key because the gym is deserted between 10-1PM.

2. Put one application in each day minimum BEFORE I go to the gym. I know there will be days that I can't get an app in, but if I can average 6-8 apps per week something has to give.

3. Pick on room and focus on it. - For Wed the room is the living room and it includes filing.

Potential distractions:

1. TV

2. Computer

3. Partner/companion

To eliminate the distractions, I will turn off the computer and tv and include partner in the clean up and organization.

As for the the firs 17 chapters I will review them on a week by week basis....

Chapter 1: I still keep a journal:

Chapter 17 Creating Space

Ah, my weak spot.

This chapter deals with the good energy that flows from free space. When you clean out the clutter, the energy is wonderful.

I know this is true - I did my kitchen cabinets and my bedroom closet a few months ago and I Can't tell you how freeing it's been.

So now, the take action challenge has me thinking about which area to tackle.

I have decided to do the hall closet. it's a freaking disaster. It needs to be done. So that's what I am targeting this weekend to do it.

Chapter 16 : Stop Look and Listen

I love this chapter. Ironically I was doing the activities in this chapter this week unwittingly.

In short, at your most busy and most stressful times, this is when you should stop and take a self care break.

Since I have been at my wits end now for two weeks straight Ripping out hair, crying, swearing, drinking - all the things I rarely get into these days.


But such is the ways of the universe, The last few days I have been taking my baths in dead sea salts with Baking Soda, Aloe, Baby Oil and some fragrance. Reading my mindless books and listening to calming ocean sounds.

I have added Yoga, pilates to my daily walks AND I bought new bras and Pajamas.

During the day, I will either exercise or nap.

So I have been adding this in all along. I'm planning to continue and pleased that I was doing this already!

(Pssst Now I am caught up!)

So Sue me I'm behind again.... Chapter 15 Two heads run better than one

Yeah Yeah Yeah.... In the height of personal issues I abandoned the Life Makeovers. Which is the absolute WORST time to abandon it.

so I'm back doing what I do. I thank all my friends who have helped and are continuing to help me through situation.

However, I used to be the girl/woman who hid under the covers tll the ugliness passed. One of the major things I have been working on as part of ME is to handle these things better and not let my life stagnate because o f them.

So I bought my new bras and some new sleep wear and am exercising and taking care of me.

Enough. Here's Chapter 15

Two heads are better than one is a great concept that most people DO NOT DO.

It's called asking for help when you need it. As humans, we have a tendancy to try to go it alone. We struggle, we get frustrated and sometimes quit. And sometimes we re-invent the wheel.

So Without realizing it, I already did the exercise this week. And I did it in a cool way that I didn't even notice till it was over.

Here's the scoop. I have this friend, My Voice Twin. She's younger than I am by 12+ years. very bright. ridiculously talented.... but new to teaching just based on age.

Now from what I can see and from what I have heard from her, she's got a lot of potential and is very intuitive and bright, so her career is off to a good start.

What struck me most about her is two things. Her confidence in her own abilities and her ease at asking for assistance when needed. or opinions or anything. She's very confident.

So, when our annual NYSSMA festival came around - I have 4 kids going on level 3. Two were doing a song that I deemed OK but it was selected for me by the school. I hate the song, but for the kids that were doing it, it was ok. I have 2 other kids going to a later festival and they were assigned the song too.

I was talking to my voice twin and was telling her that the song was working my last nerve. And she mentioned why she doesn't like that song and it struck a nerve. In a good way though. I was pulling into one of the later festival kids homes while talking to her. When I got there I realized that I could do what Voice Twin did. Change the song! She's very smart because the timing is right and the replacement song is PERFECT.

She and I regularly trade ideas on how to deal with parents and kids and peers and songs and sight reading and all that crap that makes us successful teachers. It never even occured to me to change the song, but we have a month. And all the things that she hates about the song would have taken out the kid who I was dealing with that day. So why set her up for failure? Give her a tune she is familiar with and have her learn it instead.

I am actually much more humble now about asking for help. Though I really want to tell you that I am OK on professional stuff, and community service and pretty much anywhere BUT personal.

I am working on that too. Not quick to let people in so I have to learn some trust.