What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?
(Author: Sam Davidson)
I have lots of things in my life to get rid of both physically and emotionally so I think I will just list them one by one.
1. Clutter!!! In what is supposed to be the greatest electronic age, I still have way too much paper in my life. With at least four laptop crashes in the last two years, I guess old habits die hard. I didn't even lose anything in my crashes except a few emails because I double, triple and quadruple back up now but I still like the feel of paper. I will try and divest myself of a lot in 2011 which should make finding the important papers way easier.
2. Clothes that don't fit! I have essentially been the same size now for almost 6 years. Why do I still hold onto things that are both too big and too small. By the time I get to one of those others sizes, what I have will be so out of date that I won't wear it anyway. Hopefully the clothing bank won't make comments on the out of dateness of my donations. My closet and my attic will be happy and so will I.
3. Knitting and Quilting UFO's (Unfinished Objects)! I don't want to get rid of them but I do want to finish them thereby changing their status to "finished object" rather than "unfinished object". I fear this may have been a plan for the last several years. Achieving this goal, if only by a little, will make me spend less time thinking about knitting and quilting and more time actually doing it.
4. The pile of unread books! Once again I don't necessarily want to get rid of them but I'd like to turn them from unread books to read books. At that point I can decide which ones to keep. I love to read but I don't make it a priority. My goal is to see a new book when I'm shopping and be able to buy it and come home and start reading it instead of adding it to the pile. That would feel wonderful.
5. Procrastination! I think this word is my arch-enemy. It gets blamed for everything. It is the distant unattainable answer to all my problems. I resolve to eliminate using the word procrastination as an excuse and to just carefully choose the things I will do without any guilt.
6. The phrase "yes, no problem"! This is a phrase I utter without thinking even when there really IS a problem. I guess there are time when I can use this term without a little ping of dread. But saying it less or eliminating it altogether coupled with embracing the word "no" would feel pretty great!
7. Excuses! These are not the traditional explanations for why something did not get done. These are the evil little voices in my head that justify not doing something that would be good for me, good for my relationship and good for my soul. This will be a hard one but it would be a terrific accomplishment.
8. A Volunteer Job! I won't go into the specifics here but it is time for me to move on from a task that I haven't done well, continue to agree to do, resolve to do better and then feel guilty when I don't. The overwhelming feeling of relief will be wonderful. The first step is already in motion. Fingers crossed that I don't cave at the last minute.
9. Sugar! I know that sugar is not good for my energy level or general feeling of wellness yet I struggle all the time with letting sugar AND artificial sweetener alone. I know that you can't eliminate all sugar but when I significantly reduce my intake, I feel better. In a only a day or two my craving goes away. It is a magical fleeting moment...soon it creeps back in and takes hold. This is one of those goals that reminds me of the Japanese saying, "Fall down seven times, get up eight." That is what I'm going to do.
10. Wasting Time! I think this may go hand in hand with procrastination. I do believe that everyone needs time to relax and recharge. That is not a waste of time but there are any number of things that do waste time and I'd like to eliminate them. This should have a positive effect on my ability to get things done in a timely manner.
11. Guilt!!!!! This is the big one. The one that came to mind first but I forced to be last. I would like to eliminate the feeling of guilt that comes roaring in on every aspect of my life. Just let it go!
These 11 eliminations are in random order, just as I thought them up with the exception of number 11. If I truly succeed in any of these task, I will be very thankful. Eliminating things, even those that are bad for you is tough!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
#reverb10 - Day 10 Wisdom
Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
(Author: Susannah Conway)
I think I am very wise. I am so wise that I know exactly what I need to do to improve my life, win friends, influence people and have lovely shiny hair and a super firm, fit body. Everyday I wake up with a strong resolve to work on all those things: procrastination, organization, fitness and exercise. Each day is different. Some days, my firm resolve lasts until almost 10:00 AM, other days I forget it by the time I step into the shower.
How can someone as wise as me be incapable of taking my own advice?
Isn't this depressing? No, thank God or I would be a basket case. I would rather think of each day as a clean slate, where I can take the lessons I have learned and combine them with the desires that I have and I can put one foot in front of the other and take a step or two or ten or a hundred or even 10,000 as fitness gurus suggest we should. If I falter, all is not lost. You can pick up and start again.
The wisest decision I have made this year is the same decision I make every day. Try to make each day better than the last and take the lessons you have learned along the way and try to not make the same mistakes again. But most important of all, just keep on trying using what you know to get someplace you want to be.
(Author: Susannah Conway)
I think I am very wise. I am so wise that I know exactly what I need to do to improve my life, win friends, influence people and have lovely shiny hair and a super firm, fit body. Everyday I wake up with a strong resolve to work on all those things: procrastination, organization, fitness and exercise. Each day is different. Some days, my firm resolve lasts until almost 10:00 AM, other days I forget it by the time I step into the shower.
How can someone as wise as me be incapable of taking my own advice?
Isn't this depressing? No, thank God or I would be a basket case. I would rather think of each day as a clean slate, where I can take the lessons I have learned and combine them with the desires that I have and I can put one foot in front of the other and take a step or two or ten or a hundred or even 10,000 as fitness gurus suggest we should. If I falter, all is not lost. You can pick up and start again.
The wisest decision I have made this year is the same decision I make every day. Try to make each day better than the last and take the lessons you have learned along the way and try to not make the same mistakes again. But most important of all, just keep on trying using what you know to get someplace you want to be.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
#reverb10 - Day 9 Party!
Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.
(Author: Shauna Reid)
There is no greater satisfaction than hosting a party that comes together perfectly, is relaxed and comfortable and mixes together a lot of diverse people who all get along. That describes my daughter's high school graduation party this past June. A graduation party? This is the party that "rocked your socks off?" Well actually, yes it did.
The basic idea of this party had the potential to be a very painful experience. Yet something made us forge ahead because, if we could by chance pull it off, it would be awesome. We all wanted to be with my daughter for her celebration --- my husband, my mother, our relatives...her father, his wife, their kids, their relatives...our neighbors....our friends...her friends...see what I mean? Could we honestly pull off a party where EVERYONE came? Sure, why not? Let's push it a bit more, how about if we (my husband and I AND my ex-husband and his wifeI) co-hosted? Sure, friends thought we were crazy. Honestly, I thought we were crazy. But we did it anyway and it was pretty terrific.
We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day. The party was in the yard. The food was in the dining room and a continuously running slide show of 18 years of my daughter's life was in the living room. There was also a table set up with muslin squares and pigma pens for guests to write messages to be incorporated into a quilt. (Note: yes, this would be the dreaded graduation quilt mentioned a few posts ago.) Throughout the day, people dropped in and visited. They talked and ate and sat down to watch the slide show. Most signed quilt blocks and said their good-byes. Others came early and stayed late. Still other came late and stayed even later. By the end of the night, as we cleaned up, there were still a group of my daughter's friends outside laughing and telling stories in the dark.
The food was great. The menu was chosen by my daughter. I made several pans of macaroni and cheese, buffalo chicken bites and hamburger barbecue and her stepmother (who is from Mexico) made an amazing taco bar with various fillings, homemade salsa and toppings. There was great chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.
Miss Scarlett, the sometimes crazy beagle, was on her best behavior visting with people and getting too many treats. Even the cats made quiet appearances from time to time, didn't jump up on non-cat people and disappeared when things got a bit loud.
So why did this party rock my socks off? Because we dared to dream that we could pull off a party that included a widely diverse groups of people who shared one common thing -- they love my daughter. And we were right! Dream Big!
(Author: Shauna Reid)
There is no greater satisfaction than hosting a party that comes together perfectly, is relaxed and comfortable and mixes together a lot of diverse people who all get along. That describes my daughter's high school graduation party this past June. A graduation party? This is the party that "rocked your socks off?" Well actually, yes it did.
The basic idea of this party had the potential to be a very painful experience. Yet something made us forge ahead because, if we could by chance pull it off, it would be awesome. We all wanted to be with my daughter for her celebration --- my husband, my mother, our relatives...her father, his wife, their kids, their relatives...our neighbors....our friends...her friends...see what I mean? Could we honestly pull off a party where EVERYONE came? Sure, why not? Let's push it a bit more, how about if we (my husband and I AND my ex-husband and his wifeI) co-hosted? Sure, friends thought we were crazy. Honestly, I thought we were crazy. But we did it anyway and it was pretty terrific.
We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day. The party was in the yard. The food was in the dining room and a continuously running slide show of 18 years of my daughter's life was in the living room. There was also a table set up with muslin squares and pigma pens for guests to write messages to be incorporated into a quilt. (Note: yes, this would be the dreaded graduation quilt mentioned a few posts ago.) Throughout the day, people dropped in and visited. They talked and ate and sat down to watch the slide show. Most signed quilt blocks and said their good-byes. Others came early and stayed late. Still other came late and stayed even later. By the end of the night, as we cleaned up, there were still a group of my daughter's friends outside laughing and telling stories in the dark.
The food was great. The menu was chosen by my daughter. I made several pans of macaroni and cheese, buffalo chicken bites and hamburger barbecue and her stepmother (who is from Mexico) made an amazing taco bar with various fillings, homemade salsa and toppings. There was great chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.
Miss Scarlett, the sometimes crazy beagle, was on her best behavior visting with people and getting too many treats. Even the cats made quiet appearances from time to time, didn't jump up on non-cat people and disappeared when things got a bit loud.
So why did this party rock my socks off? Because we dared to dream that we could pull off a party that included a widely diverse groups of people who shared one common thing -- they love my daughter. And we were right! Dream Big!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
#reverb10 - Day 8 - Beautifully Different
December 8 – Beautifully Different.
Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.
(Author: Karen Walrond)
I like to think I am different. I don't want to do what everyone else does or think what everyone else thinks. Sometimes my desire to be different is affirmed when I suddenly realize that the people around me don't think the way I do. When Men Are From Mars: Women Are From Venus came out, I eagerly got my hands on a copy. ready to learn about the secret world of men This would help me understand relationships and I would be ready to face them head on. After a few chapters, I was pretty excited as I read through the various traits that described me....too bad I was reading the section about men! It may be a bit of an exaggeration but I have always remembered it when I get frustrated about a relationship and often realize that I'm not re-acting the way a woman is supposed to re-act (well at least according to the book author). I still think it is a great book about relationships but I need to refer to both sexes to figure myself out.
My tendency to approach things in my own way, often with a wildly different perspective has turned out to be pretty valuable. I was on the debate team in high school. At the time, I thought it was because I just liked to argue. However, it taught me to see both sides of an issue and when you're debating competitively, it doesn't really matter if you believe the side you are representing. You just have to have the opposite view of the other team and effectively present your argument. Is this where it all began? I think so.
In my real life job, I am involved with the preservation of historic buildings. This is not a job for someone who does not like confrontation. The fight to preserve something can be exciting, challenging, confrontational and sometimes downright hateful. Emotions are very close to the surface and can bubble over without warning. I feel that one of the most effective tools I bring to the table is the ability to see both sides of the issue and to speak the language of opposing parties. It has served me well in my career and has resulted in some pretty great compromises and a lot of assuaged feelings.
I've never followed the crowd, never needed to be like everyone else and actually enjoy being different. I think it is a pretty cool quality. My friends may think some of my ideas are odd but I think its one of the things they like about me and I'm not shy about sharing my opinions.
The other element that makes me "beautifully different" is my sense of humor. Though it is not universally appreciated, I think it plays a very important role in who I am. It can be a bit sarcastic at times but never intended to be mean. This is a trait that I acquired from my father, either genetically (who knows, might be) or by just being close to him. For me, humor is the way through any situation, even the uncomfortable ones.
So what makes me beautifully different? A unique perspective and a wicked sense of humor. There are many things about myself I'd like to change but those two traits I will keep proudly.
Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful.
(Author: Karen Walrond)
I like to think I am different. I don't want to do what everyone else does or think what everyone else thinks. Sometimes my desire to be different is affirmed when I suddenly realize that the people around me don't think the way I do. When Men Are From Mars: Women Are From Venus came out, I eagerly got my hands on a copy. ready to learn about the secret world of men This would help me understand relationships and I would be ready to face them head on. After a few chapters, I was pretty excited as I read through the various traits that described me....too bad I was reading the section about men! It may be a bit of an exaggeration but I have always remembered it when I get frustrated about a relationship and often realize that I'm not re-acting the way a woman is supposed to re-act (well at least according to the book author). I still think it is a great book about relationships but I need to refer to both sexes to figure myself out.
My tendency to approach things in my own way, often with a wildly different perspective has turned out to be pretty valuable. I was on the debate team in high school. At the time, I thought it was because I just liked to argue. However, it taught me to see both sides of an issue and when you're debating competitively, it doesn't really matter if you believe the side you are representing. You just have to have the opposite view of the other team and effectively present your argument. Is this where it all began? I think so.
In my real life job, I am involved with the preservation of historic buildings. This is not a job for someone who does not like confrontation. The fight to preserve something can be exciting, challenging, confrontational and sometimes downright hateful. Emotions are very close to the surface and can bubble over without warning. I feel that one of the most effective tools I bring to the table is the ability to see both sides of the issue and to speak the language of opposing parties. It has served me well in my career and has resulted in some pretty great compromises and a lot of assuaged feelings.
I've never followed the crowd, never needed to be like everyone else and actually enjoy being different. I think it is a pretty cool quality. My friends may think some of my ideas are odd but I think its one of the things they like about me and I'm not shy about sharing my opinions.
The other element that makes me "beautifully different" is my sense of humor. Though it is not universally appreciated, I think it plays a very important role in who I am. It can be a bit sarcastic at times but never intended to be mean. This is a trait that I acquired from my father, either genetically (who knows, might be) or by just being close to him. For me, humor is the way through any situation, even the uncomfortable ones.
So what makes me beautifully different? A unique perspective and a wicked sense of humor. There are many things about myself I'd like to change but those two traits I will keep proudly.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
#reverb10 - Day 7 - Community
Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?
(Author: Cali Harris)
The age of the internet allows us to have multiple kinds of interaction, some with people we may never meet. It's hard to imagine that this phenomenon has come upon us so quickly. It almost seems overwhelming when you start to think about the people you now connect with on a regular basis through online communities of all kinds. In the days of phone calls, snail mail and chance encounters at the grocery store, your circle of interactions was fairly limited. Now on a daily basis, I have an exchange with an online quilting group, an email group of very close friends who all live fairly far apart, and, on Facebook, high school and college friends, work colleagues, quilting friends, acquaintances from previous careers, my daughter and some of her friends and few podcasters whose programs I listen to regularly. Wow! How in the world do I have time to get any actual work done?
There is nothing that will make you question what yourself about these relationships than to tell your 77 year-old mother about your "friend" in Kansas City whom you've never met, nor actually ever spoken to, yet you know their cat's name and their husband's favorite food and what their latest quilting project is. Life is fast-paced. There is no denying it; we have evolved into a community of people who quickly check in and catch up with a great deal of people with whom we share something in common -- a hobby, an interest or a career. I think its fun to see what gets other folks excited and its comforting to know you can reach out at any time and connect with someone without worrying about waking someone up or bothering them.
On the other hand, I have actually met a number of my online friends over the years on a variety of occasions including a cruise, a wedding or two (including my own), a graduation party for my daughter and a wonderful shopping trip for quilting fabric in Lancaster County, PA. I've even gone off to quilt camp with a few of my online friends combining my "in person" quilting friends from my quilt guild with my "virtual" quilting friends. And you know what? People are people. It's been my experience that if you become friends online, you actually end up knowing someone a whole lot better than some people you see in the flesh. So far, there hasn't been one online friend whom I've met in person that I didn't like just as much as I liked them online. In person and online, I know so many great people.
I cherish the friendships I have discovered through my online community. They have become some of the dearest people to me. My quilting friends are quick with encouragement and good advice and just the nicest people. We have been through some tough times and some wonderful times together. I truly hope that continues for a very long time.
Love you Tiara Babes!
(Author: Cali Harris)
The age of the internet allows us to have multiple kinds of interaction, some with people we may never meet. It's hard to imagine that this phenomenon has come upon us so quickly. It almost seems overwhelming when you start to think about the people you now connect with on a regular basis through online communities of all kinds. In the days of phone calls, snail mail and chance encounters at the grocery store, your circle of interactions was fairly limited. Now on a daily basis, I have an exchange with an online quilting group, an email group of very close friends who all live fairly far apart, and, on Facebook, high school and college friends, work colleagues, quilting friends, acquaintances from previous careers, my daughter and some of her friends and few podcasters whose programs I listen to regularly. Wow! How in the world do I have time to get any actual work done?
There is nothing that will make you question what yourself about these relationships than to tell your 77 year-old mother about your "friend" in Kansas City whom you've never met, nor actually ever spoken to, yet you know their cat's name and their husband's favorite food and what their latest quilting project is. Life is fast-paced. There is no denying it; we have evolved into a community of people who quickly check in and catch up with a great deal of people with whom we share something in common -- a hobby, an interest or a career. I think its fun to see what gets other folks excited and its comforting to know you can reach out at any time and connect with someone without worrying about waking someone up or bothering them.
On the other hand, I have actually met a number of my online friends over the years on a variety of occasions including a cruise, a wedding or two (including my own), a graduation party for my daughter and a wonderful shopping trip for quilting fabric in Lancaster County, PA. I've even gone off to quilt camp with a few of my online friends combining my "in person" quilting friends from my quilt guild with my "virtual" quilting friends. And you know what? People are people. It's been my experience that if you become friends online, you actually end up knowing someone a whole lot better than some people you see in the flesh. So far, there hasn't been one online friend whom I've met in person that I didn't like just as much as I liked them online. In person and online, I know so many great people.
I cherish the friendships I have discovered through my online community. They have become some of the dearest people to me. My quilting friends are quick with encouragement and good advice and just the nicest people. We have been through some tough times and some wonderful times together. I truly hope that continues for a very long time.
Love you Tiara Babes!
#reverb10 - Day 6 Make
Prompt: Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?
What was the last thing I made? Does that mean finished? This is a challenging question posed to the queen of UFOs (unfinished objects) and WIPs (works in progress). I routinely have multiple knitting and quilting projects going on at once. There is usually one that is the favorite child and gets the most attention. Sometimes that child misbehaves and needs a time out and another one comes out to take its place. Sometimes they all need a time out because I've gotten excited about starting a new project (or two or three). That, my friends, is called "start-itis."
I do finish things. I think the last finished project was a lovely ruffled neck warmer made from baby blue alpaca from Peru, a gift from a friend who visited there. When I look at it, it makes me smile. Now I haven't actually worn it yet. And sadly, I have to admit that I rarely wear what I make. There are exceptions to this...wool fingerless mitts for typing on cold days in the office and a nice cotton shawl that I wrap around my shoulders when I read. The cold hard reality is that I enjoy the process of knitting far more than I enjoy the finished project.
I am a process knitter, a process quilter and just a process person in general. I love learning new skills. I love the period of time spent working on the project the most. Many times, once I have mastered the new stitch or technique, I lose interest. I do want to finish projects but I don't much care about them once they are completed. This has both good and bad consequences. It is very good for charity...finished shawls donated to hospice, preemie hats donated to the hospital, or scarves to anyone who admires them. It is very bad for family members and friends who are waiting for promised projects to be finished and passed on to be enjoyed. Right now, my daughter's high school graduation quilt is a bit of a touchy subject. She is convinced she'll be graduating college before she gets it.
I love choosing the right material -- wool, cotton, acrylic -- depending on the final product. I especially love choosing the colors. I love color; every color. Color makes me happy. Fabric makes me really, really happy. I love good quality 100% cotton quilting fabric. I love acquiring it and fondling it, sometimes I even use it. When I am using the yarn or the fabric, I am content and at peace. I am caught up in the process of creating.
I want to be knitting and quilting every day and if I could carve out a little more time to do it, I might finish more projects...or have more time to start new ones. Happy crafting!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
#reverb10 - Day 5 Let Go
PROMPT: What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?
Let go and let God. It's a simple prayer for those times when you just don't know what to do to manage the thing over which you have no control. Why do we wait until we've tried everything else without success before we let go...and let God? This is not meant to be preachy in any way. It just seems that we have to be at the end of our rope awash in frustration or anger or sorrow before we can force ourselves to "let go".
I'm a Lutheran these days after spending most of my life as a Catholic. It may be a cliche but I think I developed a great deal of Catholic guilt while I was learning the stations of the cross and praying the rosary. I can easily convince myself that all things that are wrong in life are my fault in some way. Someone is unhappy....my fault. A change in routine at work that is not going over well....my fault. The destruction of the Amazon rain forest....my fault. OK, I'm not sure I can really justify that one but it doesn't make me feel any less guilty.
I suffer from a bit of an over-zealous habit to please everyone. I overextend myself regularly to make sure all the details are under control so that every thing is "perfect" and everyone is getting whatever it is that they need. Sadly, sometimes, to the point where I'm the one that isn't happy.
So if recognizing you have a problem is the beginning of the solution, what have I done to let things (anything, something) go? I haven't completely figured it out yet, but I have come a long way in the last year in not planning everything to within an inch of its life. I like when things go as I have visioned them in my mind. But alas, things seldom go as planned. I have worked really hard this year to accept the changes that are inevitable. Recently, my carefully made plans for a weekend changed at least seven times before Friday arrived. As each issue arose that lead to the change, I quickly adapted and starting planning again. I don't think I'll ever be able to get beyond the need to over-plan even the contingency plan but I have come a long way in how I react to the change.
I declare that a good step in letting go.
Let go and let God. It's a simple prayer for those times when you just don't know what to do to manage the thing over which you have no control. Why do we wait until we've tried everything else without success before we let go...and let God? This is not meant to be preachy in any way. It just seems that we have to be at the end of our rope awash in frustration or anger or sorrow before we can force ourselves to "let go".
I'm a Lutheran these days after spending most of my life as a Catholic. It may be a cliche but I think I developed a great deal of Catholic guilt while I was learning the stations of the cross and praying the rosary. I can easily convince myself that all things that are wrong in life are my fault in some way. Someone is unhappy....my fault. A change in routine at work that is not going over well....my fault. The destruction of the Amazon rain forest....my fault. OK, I'm not sure I can really justify that one but it doesn't make me feel any less guilty.
I suffer from a bit of an over-zealous habit to please everyone. I overextend myself regularly to make sure all the details are under control so that every thing is "perfect" and everyone is getting whatever it is that they need. Sadly, sometimes, to the point where I'm the one that isn't happy.
So if recognizing you have a problem is the beginning of the solution, what have I done to let things (anything, something) go? I haven't completely figured it out yet, but I have come a long way in the last year in not planning everything to within an inch of its life. I like when things go as I have visioned them in my mind. But alas, things seldom go as planned. I have worked really hard this year to accept the changes that are inevitable. Recently, my carefully made plans for a weekend changed at least seven times before Friday arrived. As each issue arose that lead to the change, I quickly adapted and starting planning again. I don't think I'll ever be able to get beyond the need to over-plan even the contingency plan but I have come a long way in how I react to the change.
I declare that a good step in letting go.
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