Connecting to Real Life

Just a little personal thoughts to help you get to know me. And maybe a little marketing thrown in the mix as well?

This all came about from Tiffany Dow’s comments about putting yourself out there and personalizing your blog. I love most of the things Tiffany teaches. Even though she can be a little (lot) tough, I know she is doing it because she loves us all and wants us to succeed.

So, here we go……

I am a very private person by nature. I tend to hide my personal side a lot like the wild raccoon hiding in this picture. Many of you probably don’t know I am  a member of the Sandwich generation. I have been the sole caregiver for my mother who suffered a stroke over 7 years ago, leaving her totally disabled.  Even though I have 8 siblings (yeah, I know lots of stories here), she lives with me since I was not employed at the time she had her stroke. And most of my brothers and sisters live in other states from me.

I also have my youngest of three sons along with his girl and their daughter living with us. And I care for my sister’s kids after school while she is temporarily apart from them and their father is working long hours at a j.o.b.

So needless to say my days are filled with joy and sadness, work and play, frustration and triumphs. And I am embracing it with open arms and heart. I lost my father just 6 months before my mom had her stroke so I know how fast things can change.  I know my mom won’t be with me forever and eventually my son will get a place of his own.

My two older sons have, the oldest just recently moving across the country to start a new life with his wife 🙁 and the middle son is several miles away with his wife and our new grandson.

I spend my days reading books, coloring and painting with my granddaughter, filling the needs of my mom, helping her eat and dress. I cook (which I love most days), I clean. I chauffeur, I shop, I teach, I discipline. And all the other normal everyday things a family does.  And don’t forget playing fetch and tug of war with my Alaskan Malamute, Genni and miniature beagle, Cassie.

Oh, and I live in the country so there are those chores as well such as feeding chickens and helping build fence. And then there is my ghostwriting and freelance writing business . . . whoa.

My days are full. But so is my heart.

I don’t tell you how busy my days are so you will feel sorry for me. I love being busy. Yeah some days it is a little overwhelming. But that’s ok. I know I can sound off and vent to my best friend, my husband of over 32 years. And he just smiles, gives me a hug and says the right things to make everything alright again.

One way I have found to do all the tasks I do is to ask for help when I need it. I do this in not only my personal life but in my business as well.

For example, if I am setting up a new blog, I will outsource the set-up, the graphics (even though I can do these things myself) and some of the other menial tasks. My priority to me is the writing and connecting with you, my followers.

In my personal life I have had to learn to ask for help with caregiving when I needed time for other things, like my work. And this year with the goals and actions I have made for my business, I will be needing even more help.

So I guess what I am trying to say is just as in life, your business may be pulling you in many directions. We all have commitments, problems, joys and frustrations.  You  just have to sit down and create a master plan for everything.  Decide what you want, get rid of what you don’t (if you can and if you can’t find a way to work with it). Break that master plan down in small chunks to work on every day.Fit in 20 minutes here while dinner is cooking. or work on your business while your kids or grand kids are napping.

Do this in your personal life to if you need to. Write down all your doctor’s appointments, play time, time for taking care of you and anything else you need to to get yourself organized and still have fun in life. Whatever you do, don’t work yourself to a frenzy.

Fit in time to take care of you and to get the rest you need to function well. I know if I don’t get 7 or eight hours of sleep I don’t function well. And I am an early riser so I get a lot accomplished before the house comes to life.