Self-Discipline

Self-Discipline. After my posting about drift a friend of mine made the comment, "Drifting is easier than the discipline it takes to be focused and goal-minded." This got me to thinking about self-discipline. When we are younger our discipline is controlled by our parents and teachers. Even the discipline of most work is controlled by our bosses. There comes a time when discipline is all up to you. So what allows some of us to be better at this than others?  One of my favorite bloggers, Gretchen Rubin talks about being an abstainer vs. a moderator. I fall into the abstainer category. It is easier for me to say no to the chips at the Mexican Restaurant, than to allow myself to get started with just one. It's a losing battle after that. In fact Leonardo da Vinci said, "It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end." I find though, that self-discipline is something I have to continually monitor. Left to its own devices it's usually not too successful. What about you?

Wabi Sabi

Wabi Sabi. What a fun word to say! It is actually Japanese and has to do with the beauty of imperfection. Now to some perfection is a non-issue, however if you are like me perfection has always played some role in your life. Even in elementary school it bothered me to have to write on a piece of wrinkled notebook paper that some class monitor had haphazardly passed out to me. As a classroom teacher I could never quite wrap my brain around the kid who turned in messy work that didn't bother him in the least. But, this quest for perfection is impossible and ultimately leads to disappointment. That's why I was so excited to happen upon wabi sabi. Here was an entire movement around embracing the imperfections of the world. Rather than looking at something slightly marred as less than, it could be held up as weathered, unique and special. I have always been drawn toward objects that are not mass produced. I'd much rather have an original piece of pottery in my home than something from the local department store. I now keep wabi sabi in mind when I notice the natural wear and tear of life. In fact I'm even using a little wabi sabi when I look in the mirror. How about you?

The Perfect

The perfect. Voltaire, the French philosopher, has been attributed with the saying, "Don't allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good." I wish this was something I had learned long ago in my life. It is easy to discount the good you have accomplished by comparing it to what could have been. Sometimes we don't acknowledge the level of effort required for the good. Sometimes we don't celebrate the good as good enough. I am reminded  of this when I think about a wise second grader back when I began my teaching career in Cedar Hill. I had made Christmas ornaments for each child in my class and I was hanging them onto our tree. I was actually not too pleased at how the lettering had turned out and was expressing my discontent to my student. Her reply has stuck with me for over thirty years. She simply  and sincerely replied, "Well they're good enough for kids." She was correct. They had been made with love by her teacher and that was enough for her. Whether they were perfect or not didn't really matter. Don't let your enemy be the perfect.

Comfort Zones

Comfort zones. What is it about comfort zones? I guess it's the whole comfort thing. We all like to be comfortable. We like the comfort of knowing people when we socialize. We like the comfort of familiar food that brings back childhood memories. We like the comfort of traditions, religious practices, and what we don't have to work too hard to achieve. So why should there be anything wrong with comfort zones? Is it better to aspire toward uncomfortable zones? As much as I like the familiar, I have found that I have rarely regretted pushing myself outside of my own comfort zone. It may not always have been pleasant or successful, but I have always benefited from it. Pushing myself away from comfort every now and then is a good thing. Now I don't recommend living in a constant state of discomfort just to facilitate growth. Rather look for opportunities to try something a little uncomfortable to you. How have you grown by going outside of your comfort zone?

Paradigm Shift

Paradigm shift. Many years ago I attended a staff development training about paradigm shifts in education. The word was actually new to me, as well as the concept. A paradigm is basically your idea about how something should be done. As a result of that training my whole perspective on teaching changed. I started questioning why I was teaching the way that I did. The reality was that I had basically always done it that way. That year my teaching partner and I challenged ourselves to look at things differently and to try new ways of teaching. It was a pretty amazing year. As I thought back about paradigm shifts, I started to look at it from the point of view of my current life. I began to wonder if I was living my life based on how I'd always lived it?  It got me to wondering if maybe I should shake up a paradigm or two in my life?  Maybe I should give a little more thought to the why behind my actions?  How about you; have you ever experienced a paradigm shift?

Real Food

Real food. I have begun to explore the world of real food. Now I cannot say that I have completely eliminated all processed foods from my diet, but I have greatly reduced the amount I consume. It was reading 100 Days of Real Food  by Lisa Leake that encouraged me to continue on this path to better eating. When you start checking ingredients you would really be surprised at all the added chemicals in our food. The difference between plain Greek yogurt and vanilla yogurt is about ten extra ingredients. The crazy thing is that if you add some fresh raspberries to the plain yogurt it is pretty delicious. The next time you grocery shop take a few minutes to check out the ingredients in the food you are buying.

Excellence

Excellence. Aristotle taught, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." I had the good fortune to work for an amazing principal who encouraged excellence not only from her staff, but from her students as well. We began each day with the words of Zig Ziglar, "We'll see you at the top." These were not just words to us, but the guiding principle of our school. She always reminded us to do more than what was required. We encouraged our students to do the same by putting forth that extra effort each day. Now realistically, it could be quite exhausting to have to always be excellent, however, taking pride in a job well done does bring a level of satisfaction to your life. By making this a part of your daily life it can become a habit; and a good habit at that.

Dad's End Table

Dad's end table. I remember when I used to visit my Dad at his apartment, his living room end table was always covered with books and magazines. He loved to read. Biographies seemed to be his favorite. Time magazine had been a fixture in his life for half a century. Today Dad's end table still holds that same Time magazine, but it sits virtually unread. Age has caught up with him, and his reading days are pretty much over. Now the good thing is, that Dad got to do a lot of reading in his life. He had a great collection of books which he liked to return to time and time again.  In the last few months I've been able to see more and more how my Dad and I are alike. We both love to read, and a gift card to Barnes and Noble trumps the Gap anytime. I've also learned that Dad liked to write as well. He kept short journals of his everyday life and wrote his own autobiography. I'm so glad he did. More than anything I'm happy to be his daughter. I love you Dad!

Future

Future. To quote Abe Lincoln, " The best way to predict your future is to create it." How many of us think of our future as some mysterious realm that we have no control over? How many of us wake up and just see where the day takes us? What if you gave a little more thought to your future and how you wanted it to look? What if you took the steps necessary to assure that future? Now obviously things can happen along the way that we have no control over, but consider all the things we really do control. Our actions, our habits, and our choices are all ours. I'm guilty of not really looking toward the future; rather thinking that the future will take care of its self. I think old Abe probably knew a thing or two about the future he wanted. Although, his final days were out of his control, the choices and plans that he made for his future changed the course of history. How are you planning on creating your future?

Every Day

Every day. Gretchen Rubin, author of Better Than Before,  says, "What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while." This advice has caused me to reflect on my own every day choices. Am I kind? Do I think about how I can be helpful to others? Do I greet the morning with a smile on my face? Do I try to learn something new each day? Are my food choices healthy and have I taken Cooper for a walk? We can live our lives hit or miss; some days doing well and others not so much, however, this is not how I want to live my life. I want my life to have purpose and meaning. I want my life to be about something more than just me. I want to challenge myself to be aware of those every day actions that make the world a better place. How about you and your every day choices?

Margin

Margin. What exactly is margin? Think about a piece of notebook paper. The edges are the margins. Having margins allows for extra room. Things aren't so tight. When you think about having margin in your finances it has to do with not living beyond your means. It has to do with having that extra cushion when something unexpected happens. Actually, you probably do know that it is going to happen eventually, but you just don't know the exact date. It's for this reason you should have a little margin in your budget. Margin also has to do with your time. If you are constantly running late then you might not be allowing enough margin in your day. It has been said that we often over estimate what we can do in a short period of time. Providing for some margin in your day allows not only for relaxation, but also for those unexpected events that pop up. As you think about your life, are you allowing for margin?

Preparation Meets Opportunity

Preparation meets opportunity. In the words of retired sports car racer Bobby Unser, "Success is where preparation and opportunity meet." When you are younger and just starting your career, you have probably spent some time preparing. Whether through college or some type of certification program you are now qualified to do something. All you need now is the opportunity. Through out your career you may continue with preparation for that next big opportunity. But what happens when you retire early and are not quite ready for the traditional retirement life? What do you prepare for next? What opportunities might come your way? Should you continue staying current in your former career field?  Should you formally pursue something new by returning back to school? Should you volunteer?  Should you stretch yourself to learn something new just in case that opportunity presents itself?  Although, I may not be looking for a new career in the traditional sense of the word, I do want to be prepared for the opportunities that come my way. When has preparation met an opportunity in your life?

Trends

Trends. Did you know that there are actually trends in fences?  Apparently the latest trend is wood and wrought iron. Who knew? As I sit here looking at my wooden  fence, it is starting to pale right before my very eyes. Even though, it did just receive a new coat of stain and is looking quite spiffy. Now, it's not that I have anything against trends. Actually, they can be quite fun. It's just that I can't help but wonder if it's more a conspiracy to make us always want the next new thing and never be satisfied. We are constantly keeping up with the Jones. I live in a sixteen year old house, which back in 1999 was quite trendy. Two years ago we did a few "upgrades" around the place. But now my two year old upgrades are even out of style according to the latest trends. It's a never ending battle I suppose. So what's a person to do? Continue sinking money into the next new thing? Dip into the retirement fund to make sure the popcorn ceilings have been eliminated? Well to be honest, we just had to replace our air conditioning units, so I don't see any new trends in my near future. However, "cool" air never goes out of style. What are your thoughts about trends?

Cooper's Toys

Cooper's toys. When my daughter was growing up, I never allowed her to have toys strewn throughout the house. Now she was allowed to play with her toys where ever she wanted, it was just that when she was through, she needed to put them back where they belonged. Now before you completely jump all over me for being overly strict, I came by this quite honestly from my mother, who kept a very clean and tidy home. However, I have noticed when it comes to Cooper, I seem to have a whole new set of standards. Perhaps it is because he doesn't know how to put up his toys, or maybe because he is constantly playing and always needs a toy to be easily accessible? Or maybe, if truth be known, I'm a big softy when it comes to him. Actually, he can do very little wrong in my eyes. Now in his defense, he really is a great little guy, and very well behaved. He even earned his Canine Good Citizen Award from the AKC. The way I look at it, Cooper has actually been good training for my new grandchild who will join the family around Thanksgiving.

Remarkable

Remarkable. The definition of remarkable according to author and blogger Seth Godin is, "If people talk about what you're doing, it's remarkable, by definition." Are you remarkable? Is your life remarkable? Sometimes we can find remarkable in the ordinary. A friend of mine named Paula was remarkable. She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother who according to her family thought she was pretty special. She also was one of the founders of an organization called Orphan Outreach. Paula was able to travel around the world reaching out to orphans and helping them to find families and homes. This is something that she began later in her life and something she was quite passionate about. The smile on her face when surrounded by these precious children told the whole story. Paula passed away this last week quite unexpectantly and too soon. But what a remarkable difference and legacy did she leave on this world. Sometimes we think we have to be a movie star or an award winning author to be remarkable. Paula showed this not to be true. People are talking about Paula and her remarkable life. What are you doing to make your own life remarkable? Here's more 

about Orphan Outreach if you are interested in learning more about Paula's efforts. 

Podcasts

Podcasts. Do you ever listen to podcasts? I wanted to recommend a few. Happier with Gretchen Rubin and her sister Elizabeth Craft gives tips about how to live a happier life. It's fun to listen to the two sisters comparing notes as they appear to be total opposites. Simple Life Together features Dan and Vanessa Hayes. She's a professional organizer and together they are building a life around the values they have chosen for their family. They give advice and inspiration about building a simpler life. If you need financial motivation then Dave Ramsey is your man. Although, I can't say I follow his advice completely to the letter, he can help you get your financial house in order. Ted Talks are really interesting and inspiring if you are open to hearing different points of view. I usually listen to podcasts when I'm getting ready in the morning, when I'm doing house related tasks or when I'm cooking dinner in the evening. By listening to podcasts I'm always learning something new and this ties into my post about being a Life-Long Learner. If you haven't given them a chance yet, I encourage you to try out a few. If you are already a listener what podcasts do you recommend?

Callings

Callings. Jeff Goins, author of  The Art of Work, points out that ,"Your calling is not a job. It is your entire life." Now it is easy to focus in on your career as your calling. As a teacher I was in what was considered a noble profession. I was in the trenches making a difference every day. So what happens once you retire from teaching? Your life suddenly becomes your own, and you find yourself reflecting on the new meaning of your life. You wonder, if teaching was your calling, what is your new calling? Do you only get one calling in life,  and once it is over, it's over? I like to think about calling more in the way that Goins describes it. If we look at it this way we realize that we have many callings in our life. Wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, volunteer and soon to be grandmother can all describe me. In this stage of my life my role as daughter has taken a more prominent role as I find myself assisting my aging parents. Come November I will be able to experience being a grandmother for the first time. I've also embraced my love of writing, and am spending more time expressing myself through this blog. As I look over the last six years of retirement, I can't help but smile. The gift of time has allowed me to embrace many callings, and I do feel that I'm still making a difference in this world.

Good Intentions

Good intentions. How often do we have them?  How often do we not follow through on them? We always seem to think we'll have tomorrow. However, the reality is that today is all we know for sure.  Don't put off all those good intentions. Do today what needs to be done. Make the lunch date with the high school friend you keep meaning to get together with; don't put off that phone call or visit because you never know when it will be the last opportunity to do so. All we really have is today. Make it count.

Recipes

Recipes. The other day I spent some time organizing recipes. This was all in an effort to declutter and simplify. I believe it was a pretty successful undertaking. I was able to take random recipes that I had collected over the last year or so and organize them in such a way to know exactly what I had. I used card stock and page protectors, and sorted them by type in a couple of notebooks. I bet you couldn't tell that I'm a retired elementary school teacher! In fact, because of this my husband and I had two really delicious new meals this week; chicken enchiladas and red beans and rice. My next recipe project has to do with making my own cookbook with my favorite recipes from family and friends. I thought I would include a little bit about each person whose recipe I'm featuring. I'm even going to include my Dad's famous burnt Chef Boyardee ravioli, which he served when my mother was in the hospital after having one of my younger sisters. I quickly let him know it tasted like ashes! How do you keep up with all your recipes?

Unsure

Unsure. In yesterday's post about  procrastination my very wise aunt pointed out the fact that she procrastinates when she is unsure about how to do something. I could relate 100%. This blog is a perfect example of that. I had been wanting to start one for over five years, but because I wasn't sure exactly how, I put it off. She also pointed out that really big jobs where she didn't know where to start also resulted in procrastination.I have found this to be true with my decluttering efforts as well.  After downsizing tremendously when we moved my parents to Assisted Living, I realized how accumulations can really overtake our lives. I vowed that I did not want that to be me, however with all my good intentions, I was still overwhelmed with the task and not really sure where to begin. So I started relatively small with a junk drawer, my closet and the guest bedroom. The only problem with doing this is that working at a slower pace may result in a loss of momentum. Sometimes committing to doing the big job all at once helps keep you motivated. I appreciate my aunt's insight and am taking it to heart.

Procrastination

Procrastination. I was in my laundry room today and noticed that the two pairs of capris that I had air dried last week were still hanging there waiting to be ironed. It got me to wondering why we procrastinate? I've gone all week without two pairs of pants that I could have been wearing.  I guess for me procrastinating is all about putting off tasks that I find unpleasant, even though, they can be accomplished in a short period of time. Gretchen Rubin, the author of  Better Than Before, writes about the one minute rule. If something can be accomplished in one minute or less it should be done right away. Now I know it will take longer than a minute to iron my capris, however, this is a good rule of thumb to not allow clutter to take over. What starts out as a simple task quickly gets out of hand. Napoleon Hill says, "Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday." Now I wish I had the cure for procrastination. It seems for me it has just become a bad habit. What about you? 

Routine

Routine. Do you have one? If you are employed full time chances are that you do. However, if you are retired the answer might not be so black and white. Routine for me is something I crave. My days seem more complete with structure. For me the words of Mike Murdock are powerful. "The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine." Now for me productivity is important. I like to feel that I have accomplished something at the end of my day. However, I do know that not everyone feels this way. The words of Amos Bronson Alcott can be equally as powerful. "The less routine the more life." I can see how routine could hold you back. Spontaneity might indeed be the spice of life. So what's a person to do?  Perhaps a little of both. More structure for me, but a healthy dose of the unexpected as well. How about you?

Drift

Drift. Are you drifting through life? By drifting I mean are you moving along in life not actively making decisions about your future? I have been guilty of this. It just seemed easier or safer to drift along and not make any real decisions about the future. Whatever seemed to happen next was the next thing in my life.  Now the interesting thing about this phenomenon is that drifting doesn't automatically result in something bad. However, I can't help but wonder what would happen if you chose the alternative? What if you made more conscious decisions about your life? What if you thought about what you really wanted? What if you considered yourself worthy of a big dream? What if....?