Pink Cup. Planners. 5:2 Weekly Review

Light Me Up: This week's inspiration is an adorable cup I snagged after we hiked Rocky Mountain National Park. The Aspen and Evergreen Gallery had a display of Danyelle Butler's pottery. I LOVED these pieces. I limited my choice to this one, although it was a tough decision. I really adored the yellow bird bowl, however, I'm being very selective with what I am bringing in. The yellow bowl wasn't congruent with the target of keeping my space clear and tidy. (I can somehow always justify space for a cute cup though :)






Let it Go: Pre-printed Planners {No picture, they've already been released!}

Grow: Using Emily McGee's Master Time Management Mini-Course and my own creation of 5:2 Weekly Review.

I am really testing illusions lately. I have this wonderful vision of time and space that is open and free without the demands of a schedule, routine and responsibility. Yeah, this is not my current reality, but one of my greatest dreams is to have my work caught up and have the luxury of nothing to do, with abundant possibilities present.

The theme of March was travel/adventure. I really enjoyed it and it's made me appreciate the foundation that was created in January and February. April's theme could be "Spring Coil." Things are wound tight and there's a lot to do! It feels like there is way more to do than the time available to work in. I've been struggling a bit with how to get everything done, but I've proven to myself that it always does get done. What I am letting of is my perception of not having enough time and instead capitalizing on the time I do have and using it more productively.

I've always used some sort of  calendar or planner to keep myself on track. I was perpetually buying new calendars and planners and then endued up not using them. This was a waste of money and materials. I hesitated to make up my own system, because I was stuck in the belief that someone "out there" had already created the perfect system and all I had to do was find it.....

Here was the old scene:
*overwhelm and stress creeping into my zen-like state
*go online and look for a planner so I could write everything down
*spend way too much time searching for "just the right one"
*purchase
*use for a couple of weeks
*ditch
*go back to a notebook when things got busy
*kick myself for buying another planner
*still somehow get stuff done

After repeated times of using someone else's planner method and it never working out, I finally stopped. I asked what I really needed, what would the ideal planner, calendar, journal FOR ME, look like? I knew I needed something free-flowing, creative, and flexible. I bought a blank notebook and started playing with layouts. (The funny thing is, they change each week. I never seem to do the same one twice!)

What I've created is part journal, part schedule, part to-do, sometimes a brain dump, and memory book, and dream catcher. The result is an organic, messy, coffee stained system that works really well for me. It's mid-sized, not too big, not too small. I do have a pocket size notebook that I haven't let go of yet. I love the size, but I find that I need something with a bit more space for weekly and monthly lay-outs. Letting Go of continually buying calendars and trusting myself to create something more fitting seems really simple, but for whatever reason, I made it difficult. As a result, I am seeing an increase in my productivity. 

What I do now:
*employ bullet journaling
*print of free, blank calendars, add to journal
*create a monthly target page
*identify three month energetic priorities
*list out all events and to-do's (in a notebook)
*prioritize targets for the day
*nightly assessment, write targets for the next day
*keep upcoming tasks/to-dos on a sticky note. I only write these down when they become priorities, sometimes they don't!
*track progress
*Step away from planning, build in decompression days
*5:2 weekly review
*Attack Targets Monday-Thursday

This week's Creative Growth Step is a refinement of my to-do list. I've also added two growth steps.

#1 I applied Emily McGee's, My Adaptable Career lessons to refine my bullet journaling practice for to-do's. She offers a Master Time Management mini-course for FREE! One of the most fantastic lessons was on prioritizing to-do's. I was already listing out my to-do's, but Emily shared the idea of prioritizing. I've adapted the lesson to fit my needs right now. And since I have a lot going on, I list my 1 TARGET for the day and 3-5 additional tasks. I have a daily priority list for HOME and CAREER.

I wanted to start tracking (and CELEBRATING) my progress.  (Previous posts highlighted that I tend to skip over accomplishments that put me in a perpetual state of always trying to do more. To alleviate that, I started a tracking system. Here's what it looks like:



Notice the blanks at the top of the page. Yep. That was the week when I was hit with a nasty sinus infection. I didn't walk so the top half of the square was not filled. I also didn't get in the full 64 oz of water that is my target so I didn't fill the bottom half in. Goals. I also want to be completely transparent in my progress (or lack thereof).

#2 Growth Step: The 5:2 Weekly Review is where I list Five Wins for the week. These are targets I've hit, good things that have happened, memories, new insights, and/or fun surprises that I want to highlight. I also list list two areas where I can redirect my focus and bring up to par. These may be continual daily, weekly or monthly targets or actions that I really dropped the ball with, that need more attention. It could me more than one, but I keep this area pretty concise.




I watch for areas that I feel I fall short in and write about them. From this writing I can see where to direct my focus. I don't over-focus, but if there's something that is causing me to feel agitation, I will journal and "brain dump" it in a notebook.  From there I will identify what it is that I can change/shift/revisit and work on a game plan. I typically identify one or two areas that I want to work on. I will write a short summary in my planner and a more in-depth one in my PON (plain old notebook!)

Thursday night has become my planning night. There's no science or why, it just seems like a natural and supportive night for assessment: By this night my targets are:

• papers taken care of: bills paid, receipts filed, correspondence answered
• counters cleaned off
• fridge cleaned out
• floors vacuumed
• laundry washed, folded and put away
• dishes washed and placed back in cupboard
• clothes packed and ready for departure

 I take the next two nights off. These are for travel, stepping away from the routine/chaos/schedule (when and if possible). The focus is to rest, relax, decompress, and/or adventure.

Keeping an on-going journal has certainly supported the hypothesis that I am busy (not just in my head, there's proof!) and it serves as a reminder of how much I do squeeze into a day. If there's something I really want to change, I have to look at how I am spending my days, assess my choices, clarify what to Let Go of (habit/belief) and then take creative steps to Grow something else in that space. {What time sucks, limiting habits or unsupportive beliefs am I ready to let go of now?} {What am I ready to create and experience now?}

Space is space. We can't make more of it. We can't make more time. We have what we have. However, we also have the ability to uncreate, release and Let Go of what is in that space. We can clear and cultivate inner/outer spaces, which allow our "seeds" (targets, dreams) to GROW and purposely live a life that LIGHTS US UP!

How do you track your time? What are your favorite ways to keep yourself on track and get things done? I'd love to hear about what is working for you.
 If you'd like to share what Lights You Up, what you are Letting Go or what your steps to Growth look like right now, join me on instagram @robynreece15 and use the #LLGApril18.

Flower candles. Garage Clearing. Water+Walking

I am going to confess something. Spring is not my favorite season. Winter is my least favorite.  I like fall. I love summer. That said, I have deep gratitude when the season of spring rolls around. I appreciate the warmer temperatures, more hours of light in the day, shoots of gorgeous green grass, thunderstorms, light breezes and being able to sit on my porch again and enjoy a hot mug of coffee. Things look dead, drab and blah right now. It's not my style at all.

There is a tangible difference in my energy and mood when I am warmer and I have more access to nature. I tend to hole up and hibernate in the colder times. In the Nine Star Ki system I study, this season is known as Three tree. It is the time of upward rising, rapid growth and expansion. It is the time/space/place in our world where we collectively feel the invitation to expand, blossom, stretch and grow. Pioneering efforts, trying new things and taking on areas of new study are all fostered in this season. The visual is that of leaves bursting out on branches. Ideas pop out, new life is tangible.

I have so many ideas popping, and yet I often don't implement them. I seem to have a continual flow of creative energies and ideas. I have the choice to keep them to myself or act on them and see where they go? It is never know to me how these small ideas might take root, blossom and grow, but it is my hope that words and ideas I share can contribute those who find their way to this blog.

My theme this year is Growth. While I may not consciously work with this every day, I do keep this word posted and present and I check in with it often. In conjunction with the theme of Growth I am dedicating the blog to sharing in the following three areas:

Lighten Up
Let It Go
Growth

Lighten Up the foundation of my success.  This includes the inspiration, the WHY, the possibility and light coming in. I'm feeling this now, especially after cold winter months. Things that "light me up" give me the motivation to try to new things, to explore, discover and create. The light is what helps us see beyond the current shadows. Even before the release happens and growth can take place, we have to a starting point, the SOURCE. I'll be sharing visual inspirations, via Instagram, that help to me to Lighten Up. 

Let It Go is the action that has to happen behind the scenes. Once inspiration, is received there's usually some letting go that naturally needs to happen to create space for more of what I DO want to experience. This is where I assess what's working and what is not working. It's the aspect of looking at data, gathering evidence, cultivating the ground and weeding what is taking up time and space in my life. It used to be the part that I most avoided. Now I see it as completely necessary and freeing. I let go of different things each day, everything from an old belief or habit that I've discovered running on auto-pilot, to a coffee mug that no longer lights me up. Continual release, on emotional, mental, and physical levels, are necessary for a healthy and productive lives. Think about the buildup and filth that would occur if we never took the trash out of our houses? Scary, right?! I believe the same holds true with emotional and mental trash. We have to be diligent about continually cleaning out our spaces. If we want to Grow we have to have the space/time to do so. We can't get more time/space, but we can clear those environments out and make room for what is supportive.

Growth is the invisible results of choices being put into action. Here we actively work with habit shifts, new ideas, seeing and using challenges to our advantages. There are cycles, seasons and rhythms of Growth. Sometimes it is very tangible to see. At other times the energy is inward and can go unnoticed for longer stretches. There are times of activity and movement and times of dormancy and stillness. Through it all, growth is continual. It is part of the time/space plane that we live on and even when we try to deny and resist it. The speed might vary, but GROWTH is a continual process.

This week:

Lighten Up: Once I weed something, it is usually gone for good. There are rare times when an item doesn't quite leave the space. It may be put in a box with the intention of donating, but for whatever reason it didn't make it to that destination. That is what happened with these cute candles. They were in a donate box and it only got as far as the garage. During the cleaning I discovered and brought these back in, with the intent to light them. I've had them for about 10 years and never once lit em up. I'm really craving floral themes and spring colors/symbols right now so I added them to my kitchen. I will often do my journal pages by candle light. 



 Let Go: 
The worst part about coming home is the unpacking. UGH. We we filled to the brim here. The jeep doesn't have a lot of room so anything beyond a couple of backpacks makes it look scrunched. This time though it was at capacity. Bringing items in and putting them away is daunting to me. What was right about this was leaving in plenty of time that we could actually do something constructive once we got home.

While it was very tempting to take a nap, thanks to the incessant barking of the dogs next door and Parker playing his guitar, silence + peace + rest was not possible. I asked what would be the best use of my time and found myself drawn to the garage. I wasn't planning on cleaning it out, but since I couldn't sleep, I announced that April was garage cleaning month and that we should all gather outside and commence to this great post holiday, family bonding activity. I'm sure you can imagine the sheer delight of my offspring! We cleaned up leaves, rearranged the rocks and brought the porch and flower beds back to life.  I was  amazed at the ease of the project once we got started. We pitched a lot of items. What is left needs to be disposed of or donated (old bikes, random golf clubs). The good deal is that when an opportunity arises for proper disposal, the items are ready to go. I shared with Parker that the benefit of an organized garage is that he has more room for the "Green Monster." He was certainly thrilled (ok, he wasn't excited in the least, but he did help, without complaining because the efforts are going to a very expensive trip to Greece/Rome in 2019.) I've had this item on my to-do list for MONTHS and I was tickled pink to get it done in about three hours! 

As a result of Operation Garage Reclamation I ended up with a nasty allergic reaction and head/sinus cold. I have been healthy all winter, even through the Influenza epidemic. I clean out the garage (thanks dust + mold) and BAM! I feel like total crap. Even with a plugged head, sore throat, water eyes, cough and general misery... I'm REALLY grateful for the opportunity, effort and energy to get the old junk cleared out!

 Grow: I've been sitting with April targets this month. I'm still working with them but this week's growth steps include water + walking. I have been much more conscious of my water intake, and for the most part, I don't do too bad. I could do better though and that is why I am bringing my these targets into focus. I could actually drink coffee nonstop, all day. I love it. I adore the taste and the smell and of course the caffeine boost is more than welcome. I quit drinking soda on the daily several years ago. I did discover La Croix this summer and I find that to fill my carbonation addiction. Water is where it's at though! I rotate between two 32oz water bottles. My target is to have one gone by noon and the other by 6. 
 

With the {hopefully} warmer temps coming soon {anytime now, c'mon, hurry up!} I am looking forward to walking outside. It's still dark and too chilly for me to walk in the mornings. My current growth step is to set clothes out the night before, get up, and hit the treadmill. My target is to hit this Monday through Friday with Saturday and Sunday being an added bonus. 

Another confession: it has been an effort to just move and take care of daily chores this week. Loading and unloading laundry and dishes feels like I'm running some sort of marathon. I am freaking wiped out. I have still been getting up early but with my lungs feeling tight and stressed, I haven't pushed the walking. I'm hoping with rest + water + Cold Snap, I can kick out whatever this brutal virus or allergy thing is. 

My growth step, when my body is ready to take it, is to prep my mornings before I go to sleep. Since waking up is a task for me, I've tried to make it easier by having my walking gear set out and ready. 





What Lights you up? What are you ready to Let Go of? What are you ready to Grow?

Being present, accountable and having conversations around hitting targets are important keys to experiencing success. I'd love to see what you are up to and I really would enjoy contributing to your LLG Hop on over to Instagram and share what Lights You Up, what you are Letting Go of  or what your steps to Growth look like right now! Feel free to tag me @robynreece15 and use the #LLGApril18.

Little Showers. Grief. Highlights

This has been tough week. Carl's birthday would have been Tuesday, March 27. He is greatly missed by so many. Grief is a complicated process and there's seemingly no end to it. I seem to swim on emotional tides, some very rough and treacherous, some manageable. The longing and loss never subside, it's constant. There are ways to cope with the pain. Each person is wired to handle it in her/his own way. I spent the day mostly in bouts of tears and sadness. I did my best to stick to a normal routine and to find the light that was poking through. I've found movement to be especially helpful. Though I received several invitations to forgo my walk, I persisted through the distractions. The long walked helped. I spent time with Parker shooting his black powder rifle and chatting with loves ones. I resist feeling so low and yet, I've learned not to fight it. Like the weather there are breaks in my low feelings. They roll in, stay for awhile and eventually they dissipate. I don't stay down as long as I used to. Walking and writing are two of my best therapies. 

I've slightly shifted the theme of my blog in conjunction with the fresh energies of Spring. I'll share more about that next week. I'll be following the theme of Lighten Up, which are the inspirations that come to me, Let It Go, which continues the theme of weeding/release and Grow, my word of the year and positive action steps I take to reach my targets.

This week's features:

Lighten Up: Typically I'm not for dreary days. I am always surprised to find out how much I miss sunshine and warmth. Winter is my least favorite season. I hate being cold and even more I despise the lack of color. Dead, dry, dense landscapes do not fulfill my soul. Spring isn't my favorite season either, but I've come to appreciate the lifting of the heavy blanket that is Winter. Green shoots of grass begin to poke up, more daylight hours are present and the sense of possibilities start to bloom. The hope of new experiences and trees with leaves get me through the drudgery of the frigid season. Tuesday was lovely, warm and sunny. Wednesday was the polar opposite. It rained a bit and the pre-April shower brought a smile to my face. I've forgotten how refreshing rain is. It smelled wonderful and was truly a source of light for me today.





Let It Go: Grief, in any form, is tough. It's a constant pain that never goes away. Sometimes it is heavy and more pronounces, at other times it is running on auto-pilot in the background. It's never gone though. One of the aspects that I am letting go of is how I should grieve or the right way to grieve. There are positive choices for dealing with pain and negative choices that are more self-destructive. I've experienced both. I've been working with with habit change techniques {I'll be sharing about that in a future post}. Instead of falling into old patterns and wallowing there, I made the conscious effort to shift. I incorporated walking, journaling and doing something new, shooting a black powder pistol. {Not to brag about what kind of "shot" I am, but ask Parker who nailed the water bottle!} I won't say it was easy, but it did get me through the day and night, into bed and some semblance of sleep. When I recognized the tendency to compare my pain levels to others and think, "I should......" I let that go. I stopped, made the shift and went in a different direction. Dealing with grief is entirely an individual choice. 




Grow: Perhaps it was because I couldn't sleep or maybe it was because I hit the end of my sleep cycle, but I got up at 4:30 and never went back to bed. I did my morning pages and then walked on the treadmill. My mind was in constant active mode the rest of the day. (There could be something to that wake-up time?!)  I've came up with some pretty cool ideas like this week's Growth step. I learned how to customize the "highlights" on Instagram stories. I connected it to the themes I am writing about here and tying it all together. It took several attempts and some creative thinking to get those little circles how I wanted them to look.  I am excited and pleased with how it turned out. Sometimes Growth does produce the desired effects, sometimes it is only in the attempt that authentic learning takes place. 






Here's to you finding what Lights you UP, what you can Let Go of and that your Growth is empowering and enjoyable.

The real reason for doing what you're doing....

I didn't really feel like going for a walk tonight. I'm short on sleep and I have a lot to get done before I rest tonight. 

That said, I already know the benefits of walking and why I do what I do. Surprisingly it's not about loosing weight, although that's been a nice side effect. Walking is the therapeutic. It gets me out of my head and helps me process my thoughts in positive ways. I feel better after I've walked and so good day or other wise, I stick to my routine because I know it'll make me feel good. 

On days like this, when it would have been easy to fall into an old mindset of, "I'm tired, I'll catch it tomorrow...." Instead I pondered on the greater good, my reason for walking. There are many reasons, but the most important is because I will KNOW it's what my body needs, not my mind. My mind can talk me into and out of just about anything. It's great for analysis and evaluation, not so always so good when it comes to motivation. My mind can be a lazy pig. Given the choice it would rather not make my body move (unless it's golfing, hiking or other fun things). 

So what to do when I don't want to do what I know I should do? I do it anyway. It's taken me a long while to discern what to listen to, what to believe and what to follow. I think it's easy to be on a sort of auto-pilot when it comes to doing things we don't like but we know we should do and in some cases, have to do. Most of the time, in those scenarios, I just want to get whatever it is over with and done, so I can get to the good stuff. I'm still working on that one...

I shared that my previous method was to push myself and that is outdated. It's not productive and in the end, it really depletes my positive outlooks and energetic reserves. There will always be things that I don't necessarily enjoy but have to do. And it's at such moments where I have a small window of opportunity, a quantum choice point of going left, right or staying in the middle. No one way is perfect, yet our entire lives are based on the choices we make in these moments. This is significant because over time we see the results of these choices in action, we experience their after-effects and those shape our reality. It's a very empowering to realize that we have the ability to change the trajectory of our lives through conscious choices and daily action. It may not seem like much at the time, but in long-term vision we see those steps adding up. There's no one else to blame if we aren't living the way we want to live. No one is responsible for our happiness. Anyone can contribute but the truth is that it is up to use to make those choices. 

No matter what I do, I strive to find the good, the inspiration and positive spin, even in the seemingly worst situations. It's not always immediate though eventually it finds me. Notice I'm not always the ones that finds the inspiration, probably because I'm trying to hard and forcing it. That's where walking comes in, that's what I do what I do. Walking is a mind reset for me and something that I've become very fond of. Take tonight for instance. The weather was indecisive and I didn't want to get wet, (instead I got blown down the road! Oh well, that was interesting!)

Without looking for it, inspiration found me through was a fleeting glimpse of a brilliant rainbow. Rainbows are special to me, it's sort of a thing between God, Grandma and myself. It's been my "wink" since I was young. My Gramdma Ruth noted the connection and collected cute little rainbow mementos for me. Most of them are gone but the memories are still bright. I've seen rainbows at various times, seemingly out of nowhere without a drop of rain in the sky... (Yes, I know these are called sun dogs... please allow me to have my spin here!) Of course these are unplanned so I'm always a little surprised and instantly happy when I see one. I know that whatever I'm worried about at the time I see a rainbow, it will be alright. I've been worried about a couple of things ---and though I try to keep things in perspective there's can still be that raw, nagging feeling inside. I've completed the necessary steps so now...I wait and waiting is not easy. As I was walking along, attempting to say upright, I looked up and saw a glistening splash of color against the deep blue northern horizon. I got my confirmation, my "wink" thats what I've been worried about will be fine. 

I know my reason for doing what I'm doing. I don't know the results yet, I don't know when or even if things will pan out, but I don't have to. That's NOT my reason. Instead I shift my focus out and away from my worries and sometimes, like tonight there's an added bonus, a little treat to keep me moving. I'm watching for those now and I greatly appreciate such packages when they arrive. 

I encourage anyone reading this to get very clear on the reasons why you're doing whatever you're doing. While all of us have things to do, I can share it's much easier if we our values are in alignment with our actions. This is when we eventually see results. Is what you are doing positive and productive? Does it allow you to feel accomplished, confident and free? If the answer no, don't worry, just keep asking the questions and then follow where those take you. Pushing ourselves can be what is needed in the moment, but making a habit of that, as motivation may not yield the desired results. Being open, aware and willing to acknowledge those spots that are still in progress and celebrating the tiny moments of successful forward movement are what help build a foundation for positive changes that we're ready to experience. 

I'm not by any means an expert on self-help. I do know that we all have the ability to offer insight and inspiration to others, if we're willing to find it for ourselves. I think that is a key point. We have to know why we are doing what we are doing so that when we do it, we can recognize our efforts, celebrate our success and keep finding our rainbows.