Under Construction - Refocusing!

Lost... disoriented.. wandering.. confused... unfocused.. did I mention lost?

So far this year has been a year of confusion; a sorting out of things. I sit here today attempting to find the focus that normally drives my existence. My life has changed- not in a bad way- just changed.

*Family-

The children have moved on leaving my husband and I to wander how we managed before they arrived. Homestead dynamics change when there are fewer hands on deck.

*Work-

My husband and I work different shifts which often means we aren't home at the same time. Basic home duties are trying to rotate around odd hours.

*Home-

While we still homestead, we are faced with the challenge of scaling down and figuring out what fits the two of us instead of the five or more of us. Gardens, livestock, and land management are in limbo as we try to gage our resources.

*Time-

Yes, it seems I would have more time, but that's really a misconception. With less hands to help with the work, there is less time. Any amount of free time I find is being used to clean out and declutter as much as possible.. except:

*Study-

Since crazy runs in my family, I decided to register for my holistic health and nutrition license which means time needed for study before the exam. This takes me away from the declutter focus I was on.

Basically- it's chaos around here, but, here's the jist. The homestead, blog, and person are 'under construction'. There will be brainstorming, creative chaosing, and all out overhauling! While the blog is still something I want to do, it really needs some clean up (along with everything else).

For the next month or two, my focus will be intently on my exam. After that, the homestead gets a face lift, the clutter gets moved out, and the blog gets a redesign!

Let's see how this goes :)

Achievable Goals? Are there any?

To grow my own food- loose weight- get off my medication- raise my own meat- be sustainable; self- sufficient- to be thin- to look like -- to be better!!!!


We have all heard them; many of us have 'set' them- goals. Some we have achieved; many we have been deceived by- most have broken our hearts, and a few have been destroyed by them. When I ask people about setting goals the answers all brought me to a realization... we are probably thinking too big.


Why is it we look so far and so wide for the bigger and better whatever? Can we downsize it a bit to create a reality we can work in? I believe we can. Setting a big goal isn't inherently harmful, as long as we realize that it is the 'big picture'. With in that big picture can be smaller goals leading up to where we want to be.


Example: Say I want to grow my own food. That is a fairly large goal (big picture). The smaller goals leading up to that might be to start a small garden plot with simple veggies (maybe a salad garden); my next goal might be to raise a small flock of hens for eggs. Letting our goals build on each other without adding another until we find comfort in the success of the first lends us to more achievable outcomes... success.


Last week my participants received a paper filled with various shaped hearts. Large hearts were there for the 'big picture' goals; smaller were the steps leading up to the big picture. While the exercise may sound tedious.. the smaller hearts are the ones we focus on.. and many found success already this week.


'I drank more water'...'replaced one soda with water'.. walked on my breaks at work... spent more time with my child.. ate a veggie with each meal..


Confession: I am terrible at small goals! My mind is always focusing on the 'romantic notion of big things'. This week's small goals have been a challenge to keep my eyes on, however, I am seeing good progress in myself.


What about you?


Are you a big goal or small goal person? Do you find success in your approach?

Deafening Silence

Is it just me, or is silence deafening? My mind is constantly boggled lately by not only how silent my house has become, but how deafening it can be. Kinda like my little blog- I know.

Last month found me losing my mind as the schedule I set proved to be a bigger challenge than expected. This month is slightly less chaotic; slightly. Honestly, the chaos brings a bit of balance to the end of day deafening silence.  How does one manage the looming quiet that comes at the end of the day in an empty house?

She decides to expand her education.

I decided deafening silence could be filled with books, quizzes, tests, and certification processing. Doesn't that sounds like a great way to fill the void? This week I registered myself to bypass completing another degree and just get my certifications in fitness for special populations and as a nutritionist; I have been working in and studying about this for years- just as well dive right in and do it!

Please bear with me as I go geek- potentially sharing insights and irritations- as I study my way through the certification reviews and, hopefully, complete the process rather quickly.

Anyone else out there trying to fill the deafening silence with chaos?