This picture shows exactly what I want my life to by like in 2017. Spend time with my wonderful family and write! So let's see, here is part of what I wrote back in December when I chose Simplify for my one-word resolution:
"So my one word resolution for 2017 is Simplify. I want to simplify my life, enjoy the little things, read more, enjoy time with my family more and stop trying to do it all.
I want to clean out the debris that is cluttering my desk, my store, my closet, and yes, my brain. I want to clean out, so to speak, manage to "spring clean" myself and my surroundings. I am hoping that this does not mean I clean up and then cannot find anything at all as has happened in the past. I plan to simplify what I do and stop trying to do everything and accept some help when I need it. I plan to simplify my writing and go back to what I love - long hand. I know that seems odd since you are reading my blog on a computer of some kind, but when I write a book or story, I need time for my brain and fingers to sync and often with a computer keyboard that syncing just seems hard to do. So back to my pen and paper style, that allows me to think at the same time. Eventually it will make it to the laptop but not until I have the first draft.
I don't plan to just simplify my writing, I want to simplify my whole life so I can truly enjoy it. I hope I am successful but if not I will not beat myself up. Life can be hard enough without that. So let me hear what your one word resolution or your multi-word
resolutions are for 2017. And if you have any wonderful tips to share with me on ways to simplify my life, by all means please pass those along. I am going to need them!!
Can't wait to hear from you all."
And how am I actually doing? That is a very good question. I have made myself stick more to a schedule with my writing. At the same time, I do cut it off some nights to just spend time with my husband. We work together five days a week at our business, but that's not the same as spending time together. I try to make more time for just being with him.
(I wrote this early last week as we were going to be busy celebrating our 31st wedding anniversary! When I think about the length of 31 years, it amazes me! I am the "luckiest girl in the world.")
It's harder to make time for my daughter as she is out of the house and living her own life most of the time. We try to have dinner with her at least once a week so we can all catch up and we talk on the phone. We are so fortunate to have her and lucky that we talk so much to each other and that she also enjoys spending time with us.
As for my things, my house, the store, the closets.... I am working on them. We are remodeling the store. New paint, carpet, wood floor and exterior signs coming soon. The prep is killing us, but it's good to get rid of some of the debris that's been hanging out for the 27ish years that it's been accumulating. Hope the hard work makes a good difference. As for my house, I am working on it. Slowly, I usually find other things that I would rather be doing, but I feel like I am going in the right direction at least. I really appreciate all the wonderful encouragement I received last week after my spot in the Triangle Reads section of Sunday's News&Observer! A big thank you to Teresa Leonard to asking me to participate.
How is your resolution or year working out? Do you feel like you are heading in the right direction? Any tips to make life easier for us busy people? Hope to hear from you soon!
It's that favorite time of year for most of us! Between Thanksgiving and Christmas and
on into New Years, we are all in festive moods, ready to spend time with our family
and friends. This time of year also bring memories of Holidays past. We seem to turn back to the childhood traditions that we loved when we were growing up. In my family we bake the same cookies, make the same time-tested and delicious recipes for our big meals, and never forget those traditions like movies on Christmas Day. This time of year can also lead us to turn the attention to our inner selves to think back over our year and assess what we did and where we went and the relationships we have.
I always like to read a book with a Christmas theme and had picked out a good one from what I hear - "A Lowcountry Christmas" by Mary Alice Monroe. I wanted a pick-me-up and this heartwarming story and the author's lovely writing style seemed to fit the ticket perfectly. Unfortunately this year for too many reasons to mention, I failed to even do that. In fact, I seemed to have failed to read much at all. I could blame this on my writing, but I am not sure that is the complete reason.
Our lives are constantly being challenged with electronic devices. Yes, we can read our
book on our Kindles, Nooks and whatnot, but that is not what I am talking about. I seem
to find myself online in some form or fashion and neglecting the very thing that I champion and work hard to be a part of - being an author. I write books, I am part of a book club, I usually read a couple of books a month. I blog for heavens sake about books! The point being that what is so mesmerizing that I am not reading as much -that darned internet. I am spending so much time trying to learn my craft, learn how to connect with my readers and other writers and yes, just having fun, that I am not writing or reading nearly enough.
So my one word resolution for 2017 is Simplify. I want to simplify my life, enjoy the
little things, read more, enjoy time with my family more and stop trying to do it all.
I want to clean out the debris that is cluttering my desk, my store, my closet, and yes,
my brain. I want to clean out, so to speak, manage to "spring clean" myself and my
surroundings. I am hoping that this does not mean I clean up and then cannot find anything at all as has happened in the past. I plan to simplify what I do and stop trying to do everything and accept some help when I need it. I plan to simplify my writing and go back to what I love - long hand. I know that seems odd since you are reading my blog on a computer of some kind, but when I write a book or story, I need time for my brain and
fingers to sync and often with a computer keyboard that syncing just seems hard to do. So back to my pen and paper style, that allows me to think at the same time. Eventually it will make it to the laptop but not until I have the first draft.
I don't plan to just simplify my writing, I want to simplify my whole life so I can truly enjoy it. I hope I am successful but if not I will not beat myself up. Life can be hard enough without that. So let me hear what your one word resolution or your multi-word
resolutions are for 2017. And if you have any wonderful tips to share with me on ways to simplify my life, by all means please pass those along. I am going to need them!!
Can't wait to hear from you all.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,
Patty
