My New Day Planner

One of my favorite things to do in January is to create my day planner. For three years, I've used a mini-binder, decorated it with inspiring pictures, and divided the contents with colored tabs, but this year I decided to try a full-size planner. 

Thick binders don't work well for me. They take up too much room, and you can't stack anything on them due to their slant. So I bought an inexpensive 1/2" binder with clear plastic sleeves on the outside, a package of colored dividers/folders, a pack of clear sheet protectors, several pretty scrapbook papers, and stickers with inspirational phrases and words.

I mapped out how I wanted the planner organized then I set about to decorating it. Instead of my usual picture collage, I decided to focus on my One Word for the year, which is Peace (you can read Monday's post "One Word 2014" here). This is how it turned out.

In December, I typed up my business plan for 2014. I printed it out, slipped it into a clear sheet protector and inserted it front and center so I can see it first thing. 

My business plan always includes:

A. Books I will plot, write, and revise and a tentative schedule for accomplishing this

B. Promotion (In addition to my usual social media interactions, I'm starting a new web series this year and will launch my newsletter later this summer)

C. Speaking (I've put this on the back burner this year, but other years I've been more active)

D. Continuing Education (what craft books I will study, conferences--if any--I'll attend, memberships to organizations I'll renew) 

E. Freelance (I set modest goals for this)

F. Other (Spend one day of the week writing somewhere other than my home)

I used to include Income/Expenses, but I just throw my receipts in a folder now instead.

After the business plan, colored tabs divide the planner into sections. One section is for my monthly tasks. I jot down any upcoming to-do's on the appropriate page. Another section keeps track of books I've read, books I want to read, and music/art/movies I might want to check out. A section contains logs for different things like my weekly exercise plan. Naturally I have a miscellaneous file. Right now it has several Bible passages I read often. 

A planner should make your life easier. It should be a one-stop place for your information. Many of you will be better served using a digital organizer on your phone, tablet, or computer.

If I don't have hard copies, I lose information. For some reason, digital day-planning doesn't work for me. That's okay. I accepted it and reverted right back to my physical planner.

How do you organize your business life? What works? What doesn't? Please share!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Creating a Beautiful Life

Sometimes in the middle of life not turning out quite how you expected it, you can get bitter. When you get past bitter, you get sad. Then resigned.

You accept it. You don't like it, but life is what it is and everyone else is destined to have what you want while you sit there--forgotten, unworthy, useless.

Have you been there?

Then something else happens. You poke your head up and see blessings you'd overlooked in your laser-like focus on getting what you want. You see little ways the hard times added to your journey, how they provided opportunities you may have overlooked.

And when you get through bitter, sad, and resigned--you might start to believe the dream isn't dead. There will be no logical explanation for this. Life hasn't changed for the better. In fact, it might be worse.

You read passages like Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him," and you get it. You really get it. You know deep down in your soul that He will come through for you. Maybe not the way you originally thought--but He wants good things for you.

And you look around at the random, odd things that have happened to you on the way to achieving your dream, and you see His hand in it all. And you think, yeah, maybe God is smiling at me. Maybe He's giddy about what He has planned. Maybe this dream of mine will come true.

God has created a beautiful life for me. I'm living it now. It is not perfect, but it's perfect for me. I don't always appreciate it. But every day I come to God in prayer and I trust Him. His Word seems new each time I read it.

I've been a lifelong Christian, but until seven years ago, I didn't pray about my nitty-gritty daily needs and worries. Sure, I prayed general prayers. But my writing journey brought me closer to the Lord, and I started reading wonderful non-fiction books about Christianity. They made me realize how important praying is for ALL aspects of my life.

The more specific I get, the less stressed I feel. Beautiful!

If you're in a bitter, sad, resigned season, I feel for you. Really. I know. I've been there--I still go there sometimes. But I hope you'll look up and see the beauty of God's blessings. Pray. That's the key to creating a beautiful life.

What do you take for granted?

(My list could go on and on--our health, home, clothes, paychecks, food, safety...)

Have a terrific day!

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Static Head

Ugh. How is it that I'm a grown woman and still have static head? I don't even have to wear a hat to get this.



It's not as if I'm skipping conditioner, either. Oh, no. I slather it on and apply leave-in conditioner. I drink tons of water and choke down fish oil supplements. My hair? Still an unruly mess.

Maybe it's my brush. I could buy one that claims to cut static.

Or I could rub my head with dryer sheets.

Hmm...

Do you live in a cold climate and deal with static head? How do you combat it?

Have a terrific Wednesday!!

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