Not a lot has been happening this week. The list has become a bit stagnated. I guess I could get to work on some of the less exciting ones (fixing towel racks and drains and backing up files), but how boring.
I have done some work towards some goals… kind of. I ordered seeds for my Organic Garden—which has since been modified to my organic container garden since we probably won’t be moving to a house any time soon. I’ll be planting arugula, corn, peppers, strawberries and tomatoes. We’ll see if they make it to bear fruit. I have gotten some of my containers lined up, but still need to figure out what to buy for some of the bigger plants.
Two of my goals regarding teaching may actually be assignments in my class. I have to do 10 lesson plans with a unit theme, and I am considering either doing creative nonfiction (number 7) or finding a book I would want to do a unit on (number 83). Neither would be complete until May, but each lesson plan will be a step toward the goal where I am killing multiple birds with one stone—a goal, an assignment, a future usable plan.
I’ll likely be doing some baking that will fill in at least one goal this weekend, and I’ve written a thank you so I could write about that as well. February is almost here so I’ll have to find another hike and another new recipe to try.
In short, it may be kind of quiet around here, but I’m always working towards my 100 to dos!
Showing posts with label behind the scenes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label behind the scenes. Show all posts
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Fear of Failure Keeps Me at #98
One of the things that I’ve learned already, just from making this list, is it’s funny how easily I get excited about projects that involve writing… and how no one really shares my enthusiasm. It’s not that I don’t have people around me that are totally awesome and supportive—it’s that I don’t have any people around me that are as wrapped up in the world of writing as I am.
Also, I just love a good project. If it involves writing, even better, but any kind of creative fun (usually found on the internet) is a bit like crack to me. I.just.can’t.stop. But, when you’re at a project alone—it’s easier to quit, easier to forget about, easier to get bored with the premise. So, I’m going to have to really work hard on keeping this project a part of my life in 2007.
I’ve been stuck on my 100 things list. Stuck at 98. Only two more and I would finish, but I’m stalling for time. Or, perhaps more accurately, I’m just plain old stalling. I have a habit of not finishing things. Of discarding things that don’t turn out the way I want. I have an exaggerated fear of failure—a fear so exaggerated that it’s kept me from doing things I’ve wanted to do. This isn’t okay. So, a lot of things on my list address fear—and doing something in spite of that fear.
I guess in the next two weeks I am on the search for two meaningful things to round up my list. Two things that really mean something. Or, maybe I’m just stalling—afraid of the 100 possible ways to fail in 2007. Either way, I’m trying to move forward. I will have a list of 100 before 2007. It’s important to me. I’ve got to make it a priority instead of excusing lurking behind it.
If you’ve started a list, or wanted to start one but haven’t been able to bring yourself to do it… why are you holding back? What are your hang-ups? And by looking at those, do you see something in yourself that you can address in your list?
Also, I just love a good project. If it involves writing, even better, but any kind of creative fun (usually found on the internet) is a bit like crack to me. I.just.can’t.stop. But, when you’re at a project alone—it’s easier to quit, easier to forget about, easier to get bored with the premise. So, I’m going to have to really work hard on keeping this project a part of my life in 2007.
I’ve been stuck on my 100 things list. Stuck at 98. Only two more and I would finish, but I’m stalling for time. Or, perhaps more accurately, I’m just plain old stalling. I have a habit of not finishing things. Of discarding things that don’t turn out the way I want. I have an exaggerated fear of failure—a fear so exaggerated that it’s kept me from doing things I’ve wanted to do. This isn’t okay. So, a lot of things on my list address fear—and doing something in spite of that fear.
I guess in the next two weeks I am on the search for two meaningful things to round up my list. Two things that really mean something. Or, maybe I’m just stalling—afraid of the 100 possible ways to fail in 2007. Either way, I’m trying to move forward. I will have a list of 100 before 2007. It’s important to me. I’ve got to make it a priority instead of excusing lurking behind it.
If you’ve started a list, or wanted to start one but haven’t been able to bring yourself to do it… why are you holding back? What are your hang-ups? And by looking at those, do you see something in yourself that you can address in your list?
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
New Year's Resolutions On Crack
I was talking to a good friend of mine about this project. She expressed doubt she could come up with 100 things—and if she could they’d be small things.
YES!
For me, that’s the point. I suppose for anyone who writes a list, the point of the list has to be of their own making. So, for me the point is getting small things done. Not even small exciting things, just things I either normally wouldn’t do or things I always put off.
Personally, I have a hard time getting done everything I want to get done. And there are things I really should do that I put off indefinitely. I am a seasoned procrastinator. The point of this list for me is twofold: list everything I want to accomplish (I mean, who doesn’t love a list?) and then set about accomplishing small, seemingly unimportant things. By having a list of specific goals, I am more likely to achieve or participate in these things.
For me, the point of the list is not to live this amazingly wild and crazy carpe diem life, it’s about becoming more efficient, more productive and getting in the habit of doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done. I need to do this. It’s one of those adult skills that comes in really handy. And, the only way to change the way you do something in your life, is to slowly work towards changing your life. Diets don’t work and New Year’s Resolutions don’t work not just because they’re an abstract idea that isn’t really achievable on a more practical plane, but also because they aren’t permanent. In order to live a healthier existence and lose weight, you have to do it for the rest of your life not for a couple months. Otherwise, the weight comes back and the sense of failure sets in.
I think of my list like steps towards my goal of being more productive and not being afraid to do things I want to do. Each item on that list is set forth to improve my life in some way—whether its as important as helping a nonprofit organization or as small as backing up my computer files—each thing is a step in a better direction.
So, do you have some things you’d like to improve in your life? A few New Year’s Resolutions—break it down into 100 steps to complete in 365 days. As this friend said, “it’s like your New Year’s Resolutions on crack.” And, perhaps it is. But, it’s some really good crack.
YES!
For me, that’s the point. I suppose for anyone who writes a list, the point of the list has to be of their own making. So, for me the point is getting small things done. Not even small exciting things, just things I either normally wouldn’t do or things I always put off.
Personally, I have a hard time getting done everything I want to get done. And there are things I really should do that I put off indefinitely. I am a seasoned procrastinator. The point of this list for me is twofold: list everything I want to accomplish (I mean, who doesn’t love a list?) and then set about accomplishing small, seemingly unimportant things. By having a list of specific goals, I am more likely to achieve or participate in these things.
For me, the point of the list is not to live this amazingly wild and crazy carpe diem life, it’s about becoming more efficient, more productive and getting in the habit of doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done. I need to do this. It’s one of those adult skills that comes in really handy. And, the only way to change the way you do something in your life, is to slowly work towards changing your life. Diets don’t work and New Year’s Resolutions don’t work not just because they’re an abstract idea that isn’t really achievable on a more practical plane, but also because they aren’t permanent. In order to live a healthier existence and lose weight, you have to do it for the rest of your life not for a couple months. Otherwise, the weight comes back and the sense of failure sets in.
I think of my list like steps towards my goal of being more productive and not being afraid to do things I want to do. Each item on that list is set forth to improve my life in some way—whether its as important as helping a nonprofit organization or as small as backing up my computer files—each thing is a step in a better direction.
So, do you have some things you’d like to improve in your life? A few New Year’s Resolutions—break it down into 100 steps to complete in 365 days. As this friend said, “it’s like your New Year’s Resolutions on crack.” And, perhaps it is. But, it’s some really good crack.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Introduction
In Henry David Thoreau's Walden, Thoreau wrote "All men want, not something to do with, but something to do, or rather something to be." I can't help but agree with Henry on this one. I am ready to do something.
I have managed to live my life using up very little output unless I was good and motivated. In this life, motivation is not something I have a lot of. Not that I haven't worked hard, I have, but the effort to produce something to the best of my ability was not always there. I do not feel I have given my all to some greatness, but I am feeling more and more like I need to and I should at this point in my life. If you can't work towards something at 24, when can you?
The beginning of this idea and this blog doesn't start somewhere near as intellectual as the words of Thoreau, it instead starts on the pages of Facebook. A note from a friend about making a list of 100 things you wanted to do--and then working towards this list. I doubt this is a new idea, but reading about it at this point in my life made the idea resonate. What do I want to do? And when I figure that out, it's about time I started working towards it.
I began composing a list of 100 things I wanted to do, but most of the things I came up with were either a) beyond my immediate control and b) somewhere in a very distant future. As a procrastination expert, these did not work for me. I need more manageable goals and thus this blog was born.
The first step is to make a list of 100 things I want to do in 2007. They can be as simple as going to the movies alone or as complex as becoming financially stable. The list will be a wide array of goals, activities, and ideas--but the trick will be to work towards accomplishing all of them by December 31st, 2007. I suppose you could call them New Year's Resoultions, but on a less abstract plane. The things I list will be doable, specific things. If I had a goal of losing weight--that should be broken down into specific things I want to accomplish to reach the ideal weight, not simply "lose weight." Goals, to be accomplished, need to be both plausible and achievable in small, identifiable steps. Each number will be a small, identifiable step.
I would like to encourage as many people as possible to join me on this year-long journey. Start a blog, or chart your progress on an already existent blog, get your lists ready for January 1, and then tell the world about your journey towards doing something and in turn, being something.
If you are interested in participating in "100 Ways to Be, 2007", send me an email at bohdilicious31@yahoo.com, or leave a comment. If you're ready to join, leave your blog link and I will create a list of participants and display them on the sidebar. If you have questions or ideas, send them my way as well. I'd love to create a small community of people trying to make a difference for themselves in 2007.
(Note: If you have never blogged before, but would like to, blogger.com has a free blog hosting service and it is really easy--very little internet know-how required!)
I have managed to live my life using up very little output unless I was good and motivated. In this life, motivation is not something I have a lot of. Not that I haven't worked hard, I have, but the effort to produce something to the best of my ability was not always there. I do not feel I have given my all to some greatness, but I am feeling more and more like I need to and I should at this point in my life. If you can't work towards something at 24, when can you?
The beginning of this idea and this blog doesn't start somewhere near as intellectual as the words of Thoreau, it instead starts on the pages of Facebook. A note from a friend about making a list of 100 things you wanted to do--and then working towards this list. I doubt this is a new idea, but reading about it at this point in my life made the idea resonate. What do I want to do? And when I figure that out, it's about time I started working towards it.
I began composing a list of 100 things I wanted to do, but most of the things I came up with were either a) beyond my immediate control and b) somewhere in a very distant future. As a procrastination expert, these did not work for me. I need more manageable goals and thus this blog was born.
The first step is to make a list of 100 things I want to do in 2007. They can be as simple as going to the movies alone or as complex as becoming financially stable. The list will be a wide array of goals, activities, and ideas--but the trick will be to work towards accomplishing all of them by December 31st, 2007. I suppose you could call them New Year's Resoultions, but on a less abstract plane. The things I list will be doable, specific things. If I had a goal of losing weight--that should be broken down into specific things I want to accomplish to reach the ideal weight, not simply "lose weight." Goals, to be accomplished, need to be both plausible and achievable in small, identifiable steps. Each number will be a small, identifiable step.
I would like to encourage as many people as possible to join me on this year-long journey. Start a blog, or chart your progress on an already existent blog, get your lists ready for January 1, and then tell the world about your journey towards doing something and in turn, being something.
If you are interested in participating in "100 Ways to Be, 2007", send me an email at bohdilicious31@yahoo.com, or leave a comment. If you're ready to join, leave your blog link and I will create a list of participants and display them on the sidebar. If you have questions or ideas, send them my way as well. I'd love to create a small community of people trying to make a difference for themselves in 2007.
(Note: If you have never blogged before, but would like to, blogger.com has a free blog hosting service and it is really easy--very little internet know-how required!)
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