"Someday" is not a day of the week . . . .

Hi friends! How was your weekend? I had a very productive one and can't even begin to tell you what a difference it has already made for the start to my week. First, please allow me to tell you what has inspired me to get a move on. We have put our house on the market, so if and when it sells, we will be building a smaller place that is less than half the square footage, and THAT is my inspiration! The thought of having to move all my "stuff" has inspired me to get it together. I've begun to ask myself a few questions as I sort through my things.... "Do I really want to have to find a spot for it in a smaller place?", and "Do I love it?" I've decided that if I'm not using it, it's gone.  This is one job that I cannot procrastinate about. If I got an offer tomorrow, and did nothing in advance, I'd be in big twouble. I don't want to face that kind of pressure. So I know that the best way to get it done is to begin. It would truly be self-sabotaging to not get started, and I know it. Honestly, when you dread a task, it uses up more time and energy than just doing it. It literally exhausts me to think about doing it later. Do you find yourself procrastinating? Do you realize how soon not now becomes never? We make it harder on ourselves when we put things off. I love Mark Twains thoughts....."The secret to getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into smaller manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." Thank you Mr. Twain. 

If you're facing an overwhelming task, and find that you're having a hard time getting started, take Mr. Twain's advice. Break it down into small manageable tasks, and just start with the first one.  

Do it now, brother. 

Do it now.

-Author Unknown

What's your best time of day? . . . .

Are you most productive in the morning, then begin to fade in the afternoon, or does your best energy kick in later in the day? We all have a more productive time of day. If we know when that is, we need to take advantage of that! When faced with your biggest challenge of the day, make sure you schedule to get it done during your most productive time. It may not always be feasible, but if possible, don't procrastinate during the time of day when you are at your best. Use that time to your advantage! We all have what is considered our best time of day, mentally & physically.....know when that is! Then use it! Get your biggest challenge out of the way when you are at your best!

"It's so hard when contemplated in advance, 

and so easy when you do it."

-Robert Pirsig

It's the final week before Christmas......how are you doing? If you're not quite ready, hang in there! It will all come together. And guess what? If it doesn't go exactly as planned, that's okay too! 

Stop worrying, and enjoy! 

Self-imposed deadlines . . . .

Last evening I was going over my to-do list for the week and it was a little daunting. Doable, but daunting. Believe it or not, for me, the best part about having a list like this is having a deadline. I love and need deadlines, or I procrastinate. There is no doubt that I am the type of person who will put off today what I know can be done tomorrow. If it can wait, it waits. However, give me a deadline and I'm on it. . . . with pleasure, actually. I am at my best under pressure. So just tell me when you need it, and you got it. It is shocking to me how much can be completed when you think it needs to be "turned in."  But give me all day to do an assignment that can wait, and it'll take me 3 days to do it. So it's good for me to set self-imposed deadlines. 

• Bed needs to be made by 8:00.
• Dishwasher emptied by 8:20.
• Daily workout must be done by 9:45.
• Dry cleaning picked up by 11:20.
• All mail opened, and either shredded or organized by 12:15.
• Bills paid and office organized by 1:30.
• Online Christmas orders placed by 2:15.
• Laundry is due at 3:00.
• That shirt......ironed by 3:45.

Actually, I know that sounds weird, and realistically I don't spend every moment watching the clock, but I think you get my point. I love the pleasure of completed tasks. Leaving things undone is a stressor for me, so in order to put things behind me, I need the pressure of a deadline. And.... did I tell you? I also self-impose rewards! Get 'er done Con., and you get to soak in a hot bubble bath, or pour yourself a glass of wine, or even better.......both! 

"The ultimate inspiration is the deadline."

-Nolan Bushnell

There is nothing like reaching the end of the day and enjoying that feeling of completed tasks. It's amazing how much better that hot bath feels when you can not only let your body relax, but your mind as well. 

Happy Monday!

 I hope you have a productive week!

Cover me. I'm going in! . . . .

I had the pleasure of sitting on the beach yesterday with one of my favorite people, my sister-in-law. We were talking about getting things done and why it is harder for some more than others. First of all, let me tell you, she rocks. She has 3 children, 10 & under, and is pregnant with her 4th. She's extremely busy, but this is one woman who can get stuff done. I know when my kids were home, I too was able to juggle more than my share of daily tasks. So why is it, now that I have all the time in the world, that it seems to be harder to organize my time? I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that.....I tell myself that if I don't get it done today, I will have the time tomorrow. But this task is wearing on me. William James once said, "Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task." And this is one task that I want behind me. It's time to purge my closets! No big deal, right? Get in and get it done. But I find myself walking in, and walking out. Several weeks ago I wrote a post about owning it, and this is one project I need to own. No one's going to do it for me, and I can already feel the exhilaration of having it behind me. That is, by far, the biggest reward.  Do you have a project looming over you that you've been procrastinating about? Remind yourself of the wonderful feeling of having it complete, and just do it. So cover me......I'm going in!!

"Procrastination is, hands down, 

our favorite form of self-sabotage."

-Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby

True lies . . . .

In Steve Chandler's book, 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself, he describes a time when his 12 year old daughter participated in a school poetry reading in which she had to write a "lie poem" about how great she was. She was to make up untruths about herself that made her sound unbelievably wonderful. By "lying" to herself, she was creating a vision of who she wanted to be. He states that most of us are unable to see the truth of who we could be. His daughter's school developed an unintended solution to that difficulty: If it's hard for you to imagine the potential in yourself, then you might want to begin by expressing it as a fantasy, as did his daughter. He sums it up this way -- Think up some stories about who you would like to be. Your subconscious mind doesn't know you're fantasizing (it either receives pictures or it doesn't). Soon you will begin to create the necessary blueprint for stretching your accomplishments. Without a picture of your highest self, you can't live into that self. Fake it until you make it. The lie will become the truth.

By now, you already know that this works both ways: if you are continually telling yourself that you're not good enough, that you can't accomplish a task, or that you will never reach your goals, it too becomes your reality. Believe in yourself and what you are capable of doing. You have many talents! Believe in them, and cultivate them! Nurture them ♥, and you will see that your dreams can become your reality. 

About the book: Live the way you've always wanted to live! 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself is packed with techniques for breaking down negative barriers and pessimistic thoughts that prevent you from fulfilling your goals and dreams. Motivational speaker Steve Chandler helps you change your way of thinking and turn it around to what "will be." His ideas will help you create an action plan for living out your vision.

Make an effort today . . . .

What kind of effort are you making to reach your goals, to nurture that relationship, or to get the job done? And how hard are you willing to work to get there? We set goals, then we sabotage them by not making an effort.  How badly do you want it? We say we want things, but we so often find that we aren't willing to put forth the energy it takes to get them.  Will Rogers once said, "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." We have to try! We can have the best intentions all day long, but unless we make even the smallest effort to move toward our goals, our dreams, they will always be just out of reach. When we put our heart, mind, intellect and soul into even the smallest acts, that is when we reap the benefits of success. Pull up your bootstraps today and make an effort!

"The worst thing one can do is not to try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something could have materialized - and never knowing."

-David Viscott

What's your challenge this week? . . . .

Good Monday morning to you! I've said this before....every Monday we get another chance to begin again.  Another chance to complete a task that we may have been putting off. Is there something that you've been procrastinating about?  Don't postpone it anymore! Wouldn't it be great if Friday arrived and you were able to put that task behind you?  It's only 5 days away!  Do you have the discipline it takes? It is often way too easy to do nothing, to let it sit, or to say it can wait. Gather up every ounce of your strength and use your willpower muscle or lose it! When Friday arrives, and you've completed the challenge, reward yourself! Decide today what that reward will be and focus.  Come back on Friday, and let me hear from you about  your accomplishment! You can do it!

The more you exercise your will power, the stronger you'll get.

"It is time for us to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever, the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it."

-Vince Lombardi