When the Plan Isn’t Coming Together
It’s the first of September. Holiday season is creeping up fast. I’m tempted to look back at how much I haven’t accomplished in the last 8 months; the plan I’ve failed to make or launch, but I torch that idea as it forms. It’s a fast road to a downward spiral of beating myself up instead of recognizing how far I’ve come.
As a small business owner, I think there’s a tendency to set my bar excessively high when it comes to expectations for myself. Too often, I’m faced with a broad spectrum of projects, and massive frustration when I don’t even know where to begin.
Those are the times I have to step back, breathe, and remind myself to use the decluttering method. In other words, I have to pick a spot and start working my way through instead of staring at the entire mess, overwhelmed with frustration over how I’ll ever wade through it all.
Pick a Starting Place, Any Starting Place
In this case, I need to pick one of the many projects I have on my Trello 
board, set due dates, and get moving. I’ve succeeded in reaching my latest goal of having blogs scheduled at least 3 weeks in advance. I was stuck at 2 for a long time, but if I flip the switch, I can give myself credit, instead for managing to stay at least 2 weeks ahead for the last few months. In fact, it was when I did recognize my accomplishment that I was able to break the plateau and reach my next goal.
Goal setting, I’ve found, is the same for work as it is for life. When I want to release weight, I have to avoid the urge to beat myself up for missing goals, or worse, going backwards. When I’m patient and loving with myself, my progress is remarkable. I’ve done the same with projects over the years.
Positive Reinforcement for Positive Results
When I give myself a few attagirls for what I’ve done, I am inspired and motivated to do more. Conversely, when I bemoan the fact I’ve missed too many goals, or have yet to start one of the many projects on my list, I stagnate, getting nothing done.
My brain dries up and topics are elusive. Those I’m able to forcibly drag from the bowels of my mind are dull, boring, and unwilling to form without a great deal of effort. As one who typically sits down at the computer and spews out 1000 words or more in about 15 minutes, it’s frustrating to say the least. The worst part is, I do it to myself!
I make a thousand excuses for my procrastination and self-defeating behavior knowing full well I’m the only one who can truly reverse the cycle. It’s not even that writing or editing comes hard to me. Quite the contrary. Once I get started, I tune out the rest of the world for hours on end.
Willing to Start With Nothing
At least with my blogs, I’ve learned to start typing even if I haven’t a single 
idea in my head. This post started exactly like that. I set the title as “TBD”, put my fingers on the keys and did a brain dump. The kitties on the desk, the pot of chili I made and put in my freezer in single servings, the week ahead, the blogs I’ve written. It doesn’t matter what hits the page during those dumps. It will all be erased anyway once an idea hits and I let the words flow as they will.
Writing the last couple of sentences has set off neon lights in my brain. If I want to make my projects a priority, I need to put fingers to keys. Instead of spewing words, I need to add due dates to my Trello board. Figure out intervals and days when I don’t typically get anything done due to other priorities, and hold myself accountable.
It’s a system I’ve used over and over; to finish a draft, schedule blog posts, and especially for client work. Again I have to remind myself I’m my most important client. How quickly and easily I lose sight of my own worth and importance.
Creating New Habits to Improve My Life
In the last 2 years I’ve established some kick-ass health habits. I was reminded recently how the health of my business and my personal health are intimately entwined. When I’m physically healthy, I have more energy to devote to my business. My brain works better and I’m able to weather long stints at the computer without negatively impacting my personal well-being.
By the same token, when I’m completing projects or working on the marketing for my business, I feel energized and vital. I’m meeting professional goals, am mentally alert, and functioning on all 8 cylinders. The engine that drives my entrepreneurial race car is purring like a jungle cat after a good meal.
Recovering My Equilibrium
I know I’m not alone in fighting these personal battles, nor in neglecting my
health on one level or another. I’ve learned it isn’t about hitting the mark every time. Instead, it’s about learning to recognize when I’ve slid a little too far in one direction or the other and doing the work to get back in balance.
If I’ve eaten poorly for a couple of days, driving my weight and blood pressure up, I know I have to clean up my act and get back to eating what fuels me instead of fouling my parts. If I’ve missed deadlines or failed to set any, and hyperfocus on my lack of progress, it’s time to set some deadlines and do everything in my power to ensure I meet them, no matter what.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
It isn’t complicated. The internal gauges are there. They need to be re-calibrated at times, read at others. Ignoring them doesn’t change the fact my balance is off and it’s affecting my life in both subtle and overt ways. Even health issues which have thrown me for a loop the last few months are directly connected to everything I’ve avoided; everything I’ve shoved aside without a plan.
Sometimes, I need a real thwack to wake up and see what I’m doing to myself, usually by failing to plan or act. My fail-safe is, and always will be my writing. I’m brutally honest with myself both here and in my “eyes only” documents. I tell myself what’s broken so I can figure out how to fix it.
Today, it’s clearly my lack of a plan. I’ve wandered off course over the last couple of months but it’s time to pick up my road map, add a few more lines, and get on with this journey. I’ll share my progress in upcoming posts, and believe me, there will be progress from here on out!
About the Author
Sheri Conaway is a writer, blogger, ghostwriter, and an advocate for cats and mental health. Sheri 
believes in the Laws of Attraction, but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful and help entrepreneurs touch the souls of their readers and clients so they can increase their impact and their income. If you’d like to have her write for you, please visit her Hire Me page for more information. You can also find her on Facebook Sheri Levenstein-Conaway Author. And check out her new group, Putting Your Whole Heart Forward.
Be sure to watch this space for news of the upcoming release of ” Rebuilding After Suicide”.
