So, it's been a week or so since my last entry. There have been lots of events taking place and I just didn't have time to jot down my thoughts. Preparing for the holidays has become a mental battle for me. I just can't figure out what I want to do this year. We have our tradition set for New Years every year but, I can't decide what I want Thanksgiving and Christmas to look like this year. Last year I gave up running from family members houses on holidays to staying at my own home. Running around made the holidays too much work and too exhausting. I couldn't enjoy the full festivities of the day because I was leaving to attend the next party by the time I was settled at one spot. Now the question becomes, how do I want to spend my day in my home, with my family?!? Having all the time I could want is just as overwhelming as not having the time I need!
Here's a small update on my life over the last several days. Since we've last visited one another I had to replace the water heater (it finally went out after struggling to heat for 4 months!), had 3 job offers, which I respectfully declined, went on a field trip with one of my daughters' classes, hosted a dinner party for my closest girlfriends and their families, helped an old boss organize office space, added another chapter to the book I have been writing for the past year and started a vision board for my next adventure. This ship is moving with full steam. Stay tuned folks!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Real Housewife of Lawrence
I've been watching one of my favorite series shows "The Real Housewives of....." I watch them all so whichever one happens to be on at the moment, you can be assured that I am tuned in. This particular season of RHOA has really made me look at the shows title and try to figure out how these ladies call themselves "housewives." For the life of me, I can't figure it out. Other than most of them not having the typical 9-5 job, how are they considered housewives? They have maids to clean their homes, chefs to cook their meals, nannies to raise their children and MAYBE a job that requires a few hours out of their day so that their husbands can't say, "I bring home ALL the bacon." That's not what a housewife is all about.
I invite any of the ladies to come to my home for a real day in the life of a housewife. There's no salary for being a wife, you cook, clean and babysit all by yourself and there's even the added bonus of your husband not being a multi-millionaire so you MUST live on and stick to a budget. How's that for reality tv? If I could install cameras for the world to see, I would!
Another tree I must bark up, My youngest daughter (Amanda) had a community service project for school over the past 2 weeks. She had to help out at a local nursing home in Lawerence and document her findiings and experiences. I went along with her for each session and yesterday I was really taken aback when we visited a different facility. We had been in a facilty where the elderly were self sufficient in all the previous visits. Yesterday we were in a unit where the elderly could not do much of anything for themselves. I felt horrible. My grandmother currently resides in a nursing home and I have trouble visiting her for the same reason I had trouble attending these visits with Amanda....I am afraid of getting old. Not in the sense of age, but in the sense of not being able to do things for myself and my family. I have the greatest amount of respect for anyone who is able to care for the elderly. It is not something I can bring myself to do very easily.
In my quest yesterday, I came across a new challenge. I challenge all my readers, as well as myself, to live your best life, especially while you have your youth. Find out what that means to you. Recognize, Analyze and Learn the difference between reality and your perceived self. We all think of ourselves as one way but in reality we are different. Really look at yourself, your family, your day to day activities, your home, your body, your attitude, your network and see where there's room for greatness. If we all look at ourselves, take responsibility for ourselves, our homes, our families etc, we really do have the potential to be superb in every area.
It only takes one person to make a difference, it just takes the right one. I challenge all of you to look at how to become a better you. Once you see, then go and do! Let me know how the results turn out! Remember, the goal is to live YOUR best life. Not by the world's standards or what they tell you is the best life (note....the title of my blog!) but get to the place where you are most peaceful, most comfortable being you, most grateful for the things you've accomplished and acquired. If you need to get a new circle of people, do it. If you need to find another job to be more confident, productive and efficient, do it! Whatever it takes. Nobody can TELL you what this is. It's strictly what you know about yourself (if you're being completely honest about you) and how you feel about what you know. Looking forward to your responses!
Tah-Tah for now,
-T
I invite any of the ladies to come to my home for a real day in the life of a housewife. There's no salary for being a wife, you cook, clean and babysit all by yourself and there's even the added bonus of your husband not being a multi-millionaire so you MUST live on and stick to a budget. How's that for reality tv? If I could install cameras for the world to see, I would!
Another tree I must bark up, My youngest daughter (Amanda) had a community service project for school over the past 2 weeks. She had to help out at a local nursing home in Lawerence and document her findiings and experiences. I went along with her for each session and yesterday I was really taken aback when we visited a different facility. We had been in a facilty where the elderly were self sufficient in all the previous visits. Yesterday we were in a unit where the elderly could not do much of anything for themselves. I felt horrible. My grandmother currently resides in a nursing home and I have trouble visiting her for the same reason I had trouble attending these visits with Amanda....I am afraid of getting old. Not in the sense of age, but in the sense of not being able to do things for myself and my family. I have the greatest amount of respect for anyone who is able to care for the elderly. It is not something I can bring myself to do very easily.
In my quest yesterday, I came across a new challenge. I challenge all my readers, as well as myself, to live your best life, especially while you have your youth. Find out what that means to you. Recognize, Analyze and Learn the difference between reality and your perceived self. We all think of ourselves as one way but in reality we are different. Really look at yourself, your family, your day to day activities, your home, your body, your attitude, your network and see where there's room for greatness. If we all look at ourselves, take responsibility for ourselves, our homes, our families etc, we really do have the potential to be superb in every area.
It only takes one person to make a difference, it just takes the right one. I challenge all of you to look at how to become a better you. Once you see, then go and do! Let me know how the results turn out! Remember, the goal is to live YOUR best life. Not by the world's standards or what they tell you is the best life (note....the title of my blog!) but get to the place where you are most peaceful, most comfortable being you, most grateful for the things you've accomplished and acquired. If you need to get a new circle of people, do it. If you need to find another job to be more confident, productive and efficient, do it! Whatever it takes. Nobody can TELL you what this is. It's strictly what you know about yourself (if you're being completely honest about you) and how you feel about what you know. Looking forward to your responses!
Tah-Tah for now,
-T
Friday, October 8, 2010
Friday, HOORAY!
Hello Everyone,
Well, today is the final day to the work week and it's a beauty! Weather is nice, I am well rested and the family got off to school and work with full bellies and a smile on their faces. I got my final paycheck deposited today so I'm praying for much wisdom in rationing it out to bills and whatever else may come up. Hubs is very supportive and believes we will be able to manage just fine. I have to say, I have the same feeling in my gut....but I still get nervous at times. This is something I haven't done in a long time; since my daughters were babies.
Oh well, the agenda for today:
Cheers,
-T
Well, today is the final day to the work week and it's a beauty! Weather is nice, I am well rested and the family got off to school and work with full bellies and a smile on their faces. I got my final paycheck deposited today so I'm praying for much wisdom in rationing it out to bills and whatever else may come up. Hubs is very supportive and believes we will be able to manage just fine. I have to say, I have the same feeling in my gut....but I still get nervous at times. This is something I haven't done in a long time; since my daughters were babies.
Oh well, the agenda for today:
- gym
- eyebrow threading
- hair appt.
- grocery store
- homemade pizza for dinner
- wine and a movie (Redbox! y'all know I'm on a budget!)
Cheers,
-T
Thursday, October 7, 2010
1 week down.....don't know how many more to go!
Okay....so I've made it through my first full week of not working. I'm in my second week and still feel like I'm on a slight "high". I've managed to volunteer to be a chaperone for my daughter's school field trip, setup and attend volunteering community service opportunities for her social studies project and tutor my kids after school and helped them bring their test scores up by two complete grades! WOW...not to mention having dinner completed by 4pm, grocery and laundry done prior to everyone getting home and a house that is spotless!
I don't know how long this "high" will last but I'm telling you, it's something that I have been missing out on. I feel like I am actually contributing to a matter that has a huge payoff....MY LIFE! I choose to be an active participant in it instead of wandering around like a zombie or a robot hooked to a cattle call bell that has to move precisely each time that bell goes off. WTH was I thinking????
Stay tuned...I am certain there will be pitfalls ahead; like when that mortgage is due and it hits me that..."Oh, I can't contribute to that fund anymore....I don't have a job!" sigh...but a good sigh, for now.
Toodles,
-T
I don't know how long this "high" will last but I'm telling you, it's something that I have been missing out on. I feel like I am actually contributing to a matter that has a huge payoff....MY LIFE! I choose to be an active participant in it instead of wandering around like a zombie or a robot hooked to a cattle call bell that has to move precisely each time that bell goes off. WTH was I thinking????
Stay tuned...I am certain there will be pitfalls ahead; like when that mortgage is due and it hits me that..."Oh, I can't contribute to that fund anymore....I don't have a job!" sigh...but a good sigh, for now.
Toodles,
-T
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The reason why...
I know you're probably wondering why I named my page "I did it...for fear they might hate me." Well, here's the explanation. I have spent the majority of my life (until the age of 30) doing what everyone thought I should do because I wanted to be accepted, liked and trusted. I figured if I became the person everyone wanted me to be, then I will accumulate a mass of folks that couldn't resist me! On my quest to stopping this madness, I made some choices that the world, and those that I had been listening to all this time, would consider to be drastic, daring and down right dumb! I quit my job! I had a combined income of $100,000+, two nice cars, a 2,000 square foot home that is fully furnished and decorated to the nine, two blackberry phones with the latest and greatest apps on them, two cell phones for my daughters to include internet, unlimited calls and texts, 4 computers in my home with wireless internet throughout the house, gym membership, a dog, two kids that are actively involved in cheer-leading, dance, track and band, yadda, yadda, yadda. I say all that to say...I quit!
While we all strive to have these things and more, what the world doesn't tell you, is the cost involved in maintaining all these things. Not the monetary costs....but TIME and ENERGY. I would start my day at 4:30am, hitting the gym, come home and walk the dog, cook breakfast, shower, get my girls ready for school, walk them to the bus stop, come home and finish getting myself ready for work, go to work from 8am-5pm, leave work, get home around 6pm, cook dinner on days I wasn't too exhausted; having my family eat between 7-8pm and once a week, go to school afterwards getting home around 10pm. It was exhausting! My home wasn't as clean as it should have been, laundry was always piled up either waiting to be washed or folded and put away. I was always exhausted and spent weekends running around trying to catch up on what I didn't have time to do throughout the week. I didn't help my children with homework because I had no energy by the time I did sit down. We ate out alot!...sometimes all three meals in a day! I was in the gym but steady in my weight because I ate so horribly. And what was the purpose in doing all this? So I could accumulate "things" to show people how happy I am?
Let me share with you the greatest achievement we can have in life....RELATIONSHIPS! If any of you are followers of Christ, you know that He was relational. I am a follower and if I can only get this one thing right, I will be satisfied with only getting this one thing: relationships make the world go round. You have to be able to relate to folks in everything you do. At the gas station, grocery store, on the job, at school, at home, with your family, friends and relatives; even with strangers. I am done looking at obtaining stuff instead of valuing the relationships that I have. Phones, computers, cars, houses aren't worth anything if nobody is looking.
The purpose of this blog is to keep you abreast of how I am going to manage to live on one income and maintain my joy. With all the things I've accumulated and must now let some of those things go, I want to see how "bad" it really is. I have to believe that the "bad" part is not being able to enjoy all the things important to you. I want to raise my children myself. I want to attend all the school events on time. I want to cook down home meals three times a day for my family and myself. I want to have a spotless home to sit in and admire and enjoy. I want to take refuge in the things that matter: family, love and the peace which passeth all understanding. As I go back to the basics, join me on this blog and see the ups and downs of choosing to NOT keep up with the Jones'. I am betting the simpler my life is, the more joy and peace I'll have. Let's watch what happens!
While we all strive to have these things and more, what the world doesn't tell you, is the cost involved in maintaining all these things. Not the monetary costs....but TIME and ENERGY. I would start my day at 4:30am, hitting the gym, come home and walk the dog, cook breakfast, shower, get my girls ready for school, walk them to the bus stop, come home and finish getting myself ready for work, go to work from 8am-5pm, leave work, get home around 6pm, cook dinner on days I wasn't too exhausted; having my family eat between 7-8pm and once a week, go to school afterwards getting home around 10pm. It was exhausting! My home wasn't as clean as it should have been, laundry was always piled up either waiting to be washed or folded and put away. I was always exhausted and spent weekends running around trying to catch up on what I didn't have time to do throughout the week. I didn't help my children with homework because I had no energy by the time I did sit down. We ate out alot!...sometimes all three meals in a day! I was in the gym but steady in my weight because I ate so horribly. And what was the purpose in doing all this? So I could accumulate "things" to show people how happy I am?
Let me share with you the greatest achievement we can have in life....RELATIONSHIPS! If any of you are followers of Christ, you know that He was relational. I am a follower and if I can only get this one thing right, I will be satisfied with only getting this one thing: relationships make the world go round. You have to be able to relate to folks in everything you do. At the gas station, grocery store, on the job, at school, at home, with your family, friends and relatives; even with strangers. I am done looking at obtaining stuff instead of valuing the relationships that I have. Phones, computers, cars, houses aren't worth anything if nobody is looking.
The purpose of this blog is to keep you abreast of how I am going to manage to live on one income and maintain my joy. With all the things I've accumulated and must now let some of those things go, I want to see how "bad" it really is. I have to believe that the "bad" part is not being able to enjoy all the things important to you. I want to raise my children myself. I want to attend all the school events on time. I want to cook down home meals three times a day for my family and myself. I want to have a spotless home to sit in and admire and enjoy. I want to take refuge in the things that matter: family, love and the peace which passeth all understanding. As I go back to the basics, join me on this blog and see the ups and downs of choosing to NOT keep up with the Jones'. I am betting the simpler my life is, the more joy and peace I'll have. Let's watch what happens!
Monday, October 4, 2010
I welcome.....myself!
I have never, ever blogged before and still not sure I even know the true definition of it. I thought this may be something to help me pass the time and share my thoughts, ideas and moments of enlightenment with outside folks. Maybe this could lead to something bigger and better than what I had originally thought.
I recently made a huge decision (which will be the subject of my next blog) that has landed me on this blogging website. Lots of stories and ideas to share with everyone. Hope this does what its intended.....give me peace of mind!
Cheers,
-T
I recently made a huge decision (which will be the subject of my next blog) that has landed me on this blogging website. Lots of stories and ideas to share with everyone. Hope this does what its intended.....give me peace of mind!
Cheers,
-T
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