Sincerely, Just Do It: How to Make Time for You in a Hectic World

What would you do with your life if you had time and space?

Yesterday, I made time to print out photos of our family for my toddler to flip through in a photo album. She loves to look at pictures taken of herself doing things that she loves. Who doesn't? As I went through my iPhoto catalog from last year, I was struck that I had not only document my daughter's life, but my own.  I could see the ebb and flow of my own creative energy, most of it food related. Most new mothers tend to pass on stories of sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and stress. I won't say that isn't true, but the key to balancing a healthy life is to make time to connect to your passion. I have three tips on how I have found time to write a non-fiction book, two children stories, rewrite a novel (that I've been working on fa-ever, I know), time to sew, and make lots of good food for the family. 

Announcing Big News: We've got Baby #2 En Route!

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It has been months of silence at Modern Girl Style, but all for good reason! The most exciting reason is that my husband and I found out on New's Year Day that we were pregnant with our second baby! What a way to kick the year off! Talk about Making Plans in 2013! Did I ever mention how much I love baby toes?!

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I'm now in my second trimester and I think I've managed to have every single cold, flu, and illness out there. No Joke! My immune system has been down, but my spirits are up. These little set-backs only serve the purpose to slow me down and enjoy being home with my first beautiful baby girl, Makena, and to consider what the future might look like. Actually, I have no idea what life will be like with two awesome babies-and I try to not think about it too much because I just want it to be what it is.

Making Plans in 2013!

 

Since my last post, a new year has rolled in. It's 2013 and I couldn't be more please to have a fresh start.   I spent most of December and the start of January sick. I couldn't write. I couldn't sew. I could only read. One blog that I have fallen in love with again is Jessica Swift's blog. She offered, for only $15, a PDF download to help set your goals and intentions for 2013.

In between coughs, I took time to complete the intention kit and it was an amazing experience. It's still not too late to grab this, sit at a desk, and think about what you want to do this year.

Doing the kit, I realized that writing was a priority for me this year. It will mean less blogging and being media social, for at least a couple of months, in order to get my novel ready to share with the world. If I can offer one tidbit of encouragement to you for the start of your year is this: 

 Get your values organized so that your actions will create the life you want.

Gratitude

I had a tremendous writing breakthrough during NaNoWri Month. December struck my family hard. My husband got sick and then I did. As we were both almost over it, my husband nearly broke his ankle and is now on crutches! My daughter finally caught sniffles and an extremely mild cough, but it was hectic. Nothing really completely stopped us until yesterday with the news if the Newtown massacre. Our hearts grieved watching the news break. I turned the TV off not wanting to be caught in the drama, perhaps thinking that turning the news off would turn it off in our hearts, but it didn't. At a certain point, our family crawled in bed and just held each other. We are do blessed for what we have. I haven't made art in months and I sat down tonight realizing that to make a beautiful picture is very important to the world. There isn't enough beauty in the world. My art making was put on the back burner after my agent passed on a children's book idea I had. I thought that making art was a waste and frivolous. Tonight I rediscovered that art is never frivolous. It consoles the heart and inspires one to be brave enough to journey forward. My heart and prayers go to families that lost loved ones in Newtown. My humble drawing is a tribute to the memories that last longer than things. Love is never lost.

It's No Secret...I'm Chasing Stars!

It's no secret. I want to share my life with you. I can finally admit, or understand, that I'm a perfectionist. It isn't a good thing and it does show up in my life in strange ways. I'm not nutso-crazy about my clothes being perfectly ironed, but I am nutty about my creative projects being completed close to perfection. This isn't good. I self-sabotage the completion of projects because I can't stand looking at something that isn't done the way I intended it to be. (Sidenote: I made that Fall Jacket! And it came out awful! LOL! So that is why I never posted the final result! I had a really good laugh over it once I was done-and this is real progression on my party) Perfectionism has wrecked havoc on my writing career! I write and hide it away. Do you do this in your life? It's kind of funny a blogger does this! At some point, a girl has to decide to change her life.  In order for me to reach the stars of my destiny, dear readers, I will be in hibernation for the next month as I do NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

 

I have taken several steps to change and break that perfectionist streak. I have a deadline for my novel-that is big news! I did something else that makes me gasp to see that I'm changing---I hired a babysitter from a sign I found posted at a nearby park. But, the lord works in answering prayers! It turns out that the babysitter that now watches our toddler is AMAZING! She speaks French (tres chic!) and loves to play. I couldn't feel more blessed that life is working with me to accomplish this life dream. I am taking the greatest risk in my life by finally working and being who I am in this moment. I am not limited by memories of the past. I am only in this moment. I might not be perfect, but-heck-who is? I can only be myself and let it shine.

 

 I will try to update occasionally through the month, but that really isn't a promise. Please follow me on twitter where I can post quick notes! Most of all, thanks to every reader that has been at Modern Girl Style and continues to follow all of my misadventures!