Lessons

I am constantly learning. I took 2 vacation days last week from work. I went stir crazy. Had not made any real plans, had no structure. The 4 days off were not all that enjoyable because of this. I learned that I NEED structure. I need to plan out my days. And I will take that lesson to heart. I've learned, hopefully. Relaxation is good and necessary, yes, but productivity is oh so important to me as well.

I have not been sleeping well at all this week. Monday night, I was basically awake by 2am and tossed and turned til 5am when the alarm went off. Tuesday night, I couldn't fall asleep til about midnight, and last night, I was up several times. I think I will drink sleepy time tea tonight and go to bed when I get tired. Something has to work.

Tomorrow evening is a very special class chat for my Artist Empowerment Class and I am so excited. This week has been full of amazingness! I think that trend will continue!

Guilt

I don't feel like I have been very productive for several days. I have a couple journals in the works that I haven't been able to finish for one reason or another. I don't have finished products to show for my time. And, I have sat idle. Yep, me. The queen of busy. I have sat, doing nothing. Well, thinking about how I should be making stuff. But physically still. That's good right? I mean, it can be. It can be good to sit and be still. Unless you let the guilt creep in, like I have.

This evening, after work, I will be more mindful of the guilt. Not to let it win, but to find a balance. A balance where I'm not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. A balance where I'm smoothly creating, and I'm enjoying it. Not just a production machine.

That's my plan. What monster do you deal with?

Time Grew

Last night, I had an amazingly productive evening. I finished many little steps in prep for the craft show. One thing I've noticed about myself (for awhile now) is that I am energetic and very gung-ho... right up until the last couple steps of something. I am productive, more productive than ever, until the end. Then I drop it off... I get bored, I get excited about something else, and I move on.

So, last night, I didn't make a list. I just looked around, at my house in total disarray with pieces for the show everywhere. And I started a box. I packed everything that was ready for the show in that box. I looked at piles. Saw photos that were already bagged that I just needed to seal. Ok. I sealed those and put them in the box. Saw other photos waiting to be matted and bagged. So I did that, and placed them in the box. I had some journals that only need end papers put in. So they are stacked, and ready for me to tackle them today.

An interesting thing happened while I was doing my show prep. I started cleaning up some areas in my house. Not as a distraction, and not taking me away from my productivity... it's like time grew and I had more and more. It was very odd. I feel the main shift comes from all the soul-searching and re-prioritizing that I've been doing.

I know where my focus is, and time is growing for me to do it. Pretty amazing! I hope you discover wonderful, exciting, and surprising things today...

Productivity is Good

The week is going pretty well. Got a lot of journal prep work done on Sunday, and yesterday I cut and folded the signatures for 4 journals. This evening, I will sew some. And I'll probably be doing that at a friend's house. I've missed her like mad, but I need to get these journals done, so I can multitask :-).

If all goes well, I will have many new journals to list by the end of the week. I should also be able to list more photos and possibly more greeting cards.

Yesterday evening was obviously a time for me to connect with loved ones. I talked with my Dad, my step-mom, two old friends (one online, and one on the phone), and I had a long talk with my youngest son. It was a good night.

I think at some point this week, I'll write out a list of goals. A self check-in. Yes, I will definitely do that...