Boost of Self-Confidence

I spent most of today updating some older resumes with information about the employment I have enjoyed over the past eight (8) years.   The best par of my day was that in searching through the old resumes on my computer I came across an exercise done around 2003.
At an employment workshop I had attended we were told to just list skills we felt we had gained through life experiences, volunteer opportunities or former employment that could be of benefit to a business or another person.    At that time I managed to list almost two pages worth of various office, management, accounting and technical skills along with a list of personal services I had performed since high school, and did not even include the skills needed to be a wife and mother.
It was interesting to review the skills I had listed,  It brought to mind the many people I have had the pleasure to work with over the years.  I thought about the things I  learned from them and even more about the things they  learned from me, along with the many ways I added value to the businesses.
I remembered several positions where I had been hired for my varied skills, asked to reorganize the office,  set-up a new accounting system,  create and implement new tracking systems and develop effective office procedures.  Later, after the systems, forms and procedures were working efficiently and running almost automatically, I was asked to then train someone else, whom they believed they could pay less, to run the office as I had been.  I remember laughing months and years later when I found out that it had sometimes taken two (in one case-three) people to replace me in order to keep everything running as smoothly as when I left.   
I recalled two positions where I worked for several months as a temporary employee and then ended up training my replacement, because the temp agency insisted the company I was working for would have to pay a full year salary as a finders fee in order for me to be continue past the original contract date.   Both companies, I found out later, ended up hiring two people to accomplish the work I had been regularly completing, and in the long run ended up spending even more than if they had retained my services.
Finally, I reflected on my current employment, which I have been informed will be ending soon.
What skills had I used effectively and often?  Which skills had I offered to use for the benefit of the company which were not utilized?  What ideas did I offer which I later saw someone else implement and then be praised for?  What services did I offer which they said they want me to perform but then hired someone else to do at twice what they were paying me?  What skills did I use or things did I do that no one really knew I had done?  What choices did I make to improve my self personally? What new skills did I learn or refine during this time?
As I finished updating the skill list for the day I decided I was pretty  awesome.  The fear  I would not be able to find new employment or a way to support my family as I need to diminished.   I felt confident the future will take care of itself if I just relax and keep moving forward steadily.
I encourage you to take a few minutes (or more) to take an account of  your own talents and skills.  I am certain you will find you too have forgotten how awesome and wonderful  you really are.  I know it...do you?

Lifetime Learners

Our lesson in one of our Sunday church classes was on the importance of continuing to learn throughout our lifetime.  As I listened to the encouragement of the teacher I couldn't help but think of some of those in my life that taught the importance of continually reading and learning, no matter how old or what y our circumstances.

My Grandma Ivie was an example to me of someone who sought all kinds of learning.  As a young lady she taught school, so education was always important to her.  What I remember about her was that she was always wanting to know more, about anything or everything she could.  Living on a fixed income, grandma didn't have a lot of money to buy fancy books, but she always made sure she purchased the readers digest each month.  You could always find copies of the two or three most recent editions on her porch reading stand during the summer or on her bedside table in the winter.   This precious storehouse of knowledge was not just tossed but stored in boxes and sacks in the room beyond the kitchen.  I believe, even in her late 90s grandma went a month without her monthly issue of knowledge.  As we grew we realized  no matter what subject we were learning in school, grandma knew all about it and had interesting facts our teachers had never thought of sharing.  If any of us ever needed an idea for a report, essay or other school paper we could depend on grandma to find one or more copies of the Readers Digest that would have information on a topic of interest.   I wonder how many of us grandchildren still depend on that small little magazine to enlighten, educate,  make one ponder or enjoy a moment of laughter each month.

I thought also of my Grandfather Pugh.  Even at 98  years of age, you could be sure that he would find time to sit down and read .each day  He had an old stuffed armchair he would sit in as he read.  The table next to him always contained a stack of books he was in the middle of reading.  Grandpa rarely read a book cover to cover.  He would read, take notes, and then often set it aside and come back to it hours or days later with a new perspective and/or questions to find answers to.  Although he read and studied many church books, he was also well versed in the classics.  He could tell the story of almost any classic we were studying in school, explaining not only plot and characters, but the emotions of the characters that were often overlooked or too hastily passed over in discussions.  I used to think grandpa had the most wonderful library upstairs.  He had an entire wall covered with bookcases full of books he had read, and two more glass front bookcases that held well worn editions, and a few first editions, and collections of college textbooks, reference books and school books.  While it sometimes seemed like a mess to grandma and I, grandpa knew where every book belonged.  He always knew if someone borrowed a book, and if  asked if he had a particular book or one containing a specific story, it would take him only a few minutes to hand you exactly what  was asked for (or needed).

So with this kind of a heritage is it any wonder I enjoy reading (and writing.)? I have been so blessed with wonderful examples of how to continually grow and learn, no matter what my present circumstances may be.  I hope that in some way I can reach a level even close to what they achieved and taught.  I guess, that itself, is part of the lifetime of learning - patience and perseverance.  

The Promise Took a Turn

As I started the new year I promised myself I would do more with my writing this year.  I started the year posting regularly to this blog, and actually did so fairly regularly until April.  I was feeling fairly pleased with myself.  That was the month I attended a writer's conference in the area.

The writer's conference was geared more toward those writing a novel but there was something that happened after the conference.  My promise took a turn in a different direction.   There were a number of authors who had books for sale, some on how or what to write, a number of science fiction, numerous romances, a variety of fantasy and even some scripts/screenplays. What I did not see many of were books for children, although I think there was one table that I thought offered a few. I remember walking away with the question as to why didn't more people write for children?
One of the things I found was that many writers said they had thought about writing for children but they didn't know what children would like, and didn't want to risk the reputations they had built as an author writing fiction for adults.  Another prohibitive factor mentioned was the cost of illustrating  a children's book with 24 or more full color pages, even using freelance illustrators.  

Well, a reputation was not something I was terribly worried about at the time. I had published two self-help books, but had only sold a few to date.  I didn't have reputation or a reader base of hundreds.  What I did have was a feeling that did not go away, that I needed to share what I had already written before worrying about writing more.   I had spent much of 2016 following a prompting to purchase stuffed animals that would go along with a series of stories I had written over the years as my grandchildren were growing up.  Along with the animals, I found myself purchasing two dolls whom I felt were much like the princess and prince in the stories. At the conference I had learned about several websites that offered free or low priced photos that could be used or edited for illustrations and particularly covers.    I had also talked with several authors during lunch that were happy with results they had received via Kindle Direct Publishing. One of the authors in the audience during one of the presentations asked a question about using a presentation program to design the cover and/or front pages of a book.  His question prompted me to search the internet for more information.  In doing so I came across an idea of how to prepare a children's book using a slide presentation program.  The final thing that convinced me publishing my stories might be possible, even on a budget, was that while taking a refresher course in publishing, I found an easy way to combine elements from different photos into a slide presentation.

As the weeks passed, an idea began to move forward and the belief that it was at least worth the effort.  So I began to self-illustrate some of my stories using low-cost purchased backgrounds and images, and adding elements of photos of the animals and dolls I had taken myself.  The next step was to add the text, making minor edits to the stories as they had originally been written and format them into a form that could be repeated.    The final step, for me, was to decide was what the covers should be - something about the particular book or something that would be recognizable from book to book.  I finally decided to use the same cover for each book, but to make each unique by varying the color of the background.   The first of the books about Princess Jelisa was finally published in  July in both print and ebook formats.  .   As  of today I have published 6 of the possible 20 or more stories I have written.

I don't know about you, but for me keeping a promise to myself, has been something I am really excited about.  It may not look like what I anticipated or expected back in January, but too many new year resolutions in the past have disintegrated or been pushed aside by other demands by this time of the year.  So I am anxious to continue my efforts.   I invite you to follow me as I share more of the Princess Jelisa stories and more of my own as well.

A Mini-Vacation

Back in May, our family took what my granddaughter and I call a "mini-vacation".  Usually it has just been Alexandra and I, but this time we got to include the two newest members of our family, Lilly and Jilly.  As usual, it was kind of a spur of the moment, unplanned escape from everyday life.

The two little girls have this exhausting (for me) belief that anytime grandma is not at work she should be doing something with them, especially if  I am off all day.  They don't care if there are dishes or clothes that need washing, if the floor needs to be mopped or vacuumed or the toys put away.  They do care a lot about whether I can take them shopping, to the park, zoo or aquarium, or any other activity they classify for the day as fun.

 Because I needed to use (or lose) some vacation time I had earned, I ended up having Wednesday through Friday off.  Alex and I had some errands that had to be handled and appointments I had already scheduled and Alex needed to work so we kept our plans close to home.  I booked a room at Embassy Suites, a hotel located near the closest shopping mall, within walking distance of Alex's work and less than five minutes from home. for Thursday and Friday evening.    We used Wednesday to shop with both girls, and let them go to Build-A-Bear and make a new soft friend. After dropping Alex off we went to a nearby park where the girls could run, jump and play to get some energy out before going home for naps, dinner and a little house cleaning, and packing for the coming days.

Lilly had been begging Cathy for a day alone, so on Thursday, Alex and I took Jilly with us.  Most of the morning was spent shopping for some things Alex needed.  After dropping Alex off, Jilly and I went to Chucky Cheese for lunch.  Being the middle of a school day, there were very few  people there and Jilly had a ball being able to just run around play games and enjoy the rides without anyone holding on to her. When I could finally get her away, we checked into the hotel, where she immediately had to change so we could go swimming. (Is there any other reason to go to a hotel?".  After she tired of  swimming she watched TV and played with her new stuffed animal. until she decided she was "too hungry to wait".  So we walked across the street and the two of us had a dinner at a "big eating store" called Olive Garden.  Once back at the hotel, Jilly put her pajamas on and promptly fell asleep watching a movie while grandma read emails on the computer.  Around 11 pm I had to carry her out to the car so we could pick up Alex.    Thursday morning we went downstairs for the continental breakfast.

After breakfast, we packed up Jilly and went home to switch kids.  Jilly was excited to tell Cathy about her day and have a "mommy day" with her while we took Lilly with us.  Of course the first thing on her fun to do list was swimming with Alex.  Swimming always make everyone hungry, so a trip to Café Rio was in order.  A movie at the big theatre in the mall sounded like a good idea, along with drinks, popcorn and candy.   Alex didn't remember every eating at T.J. Fridays before, so it was a wonderful adventure for her and it was fun sampling some of their appetizers.  By then we were all ready to head back to the hotel for a leisurely night of computer and coloring activities and just lounging in bed.  In the morning I was able to garner about an hour of quiet, uninterrupted writing time before Lilly was awake and demanding attention.  We let Alex sleep a little longer then woke her up to accompany us tot he breakfast buffet downstairs.

I love our mini-vacations.  We don't take them as often as we would like, but they are worth the wait and the months of saving it sometimes involves.   Lilly and Jilly have both been suggesting the past few days that we can go to the big house by the stores and stay overnight in a room again.  They promise to be good.

Look around your own neighborhood for an opportunity to escape.  It doesn't have to be overnight stays.  Recently my daughter took a week off and she and her children found a museum, a fun park, an event or and attraction to go to each day for a week all within a 10 mile radius of their home.  The point is, to get away, enjoy life and relax.

I Risked It

I am super excited this week.  I decided to do something just for me,.  I joined one of the local writing chapters and attended my very first official writing conference.

As of last Wednesday I am officially a member of the Oquirrh Mountain Chapter of the League of Utah Writers.  I missed their monthly meeting last week, but I did attend the Spring Conference -League of Utah Writers on Saturday.  The conference was held at Salt Lake Community College.  Each writer was able to choose one of seven offered classes each hour (five total classes for the afternoon).  There were so many to choose from depending on where one might be in their writing journey, all of which sounded informative.  However, at the end of the day I knew the ones I had chosen were the perfect ones for me right now.

I met a new writer that shared her story and encouragement to just keep writing, even when life is not ideal.  She talked about setting individual goals that work for us, even if they are small, and then evaluating regularly as life changes, either up or down, and that either way is OK.  What matters is that you just keep writing.  While some people have the chance to sit down for days at a time and do nothing but write, for others it may be a challenge to just do a few lines a day and it may even be OK to miss a day.  This writer is definitely someone I would like to know more. 

In another class I found I learned as much from one of the other attendees as I did from the teacher about the joys and challenges of having a book signing.  I also learned some reasons why and why not to be involved in one.  During the discussion, I also learned some obstacles other authors have overcome in promoting their books during events such as Salt Lake Comic Con FanX™ . 

Another class I found interesting had to do with overcoming the tendencies and traits of an introvert as it relates to public speaking and promotion of our writing.  The teacher had a very engaging informative presentation, and I left believing I could do most of the skills he was encouraging us to be open to developing. 

Another class I attended started out with ideas for uncommon ways of promoting our writing.  Because I have to keep up on some changes and developments in technology as part of my daily employment, I was able to follow most of what this teacher was presenting as far as research.  The thing I came away with was the feeling it was OK to use unusual ways of advertising or exposing your work to new readers. 

The final class I chose was on "Finding Your Muse."  The main encouragement I got was to not feel afraid to try different genres or paths in writing.  I also felt more inspired to be totally aware of everything and everyone around me, because you never know where an inspiration, character, scene may come from.  I also felt empowered to take more opportunities to find alone or reflective time to reflect on a story, idea or thoughts about whatever I am writing at the moment. 

These few hours, listening to and sharing thoughts of other writers, and learning about the writing they  have completed or are in the process of working on, was probably as rewarding for me as my sister, Karla, who is a carver, attending a woodcarving show. 

Why Is This So Different?

I have lost count of how many times I have asked myself this question over the past days, weeks and months as I raise the youngest two children in my home.   As a single parent, I already raised my own five children.  Then I chose to take on the care and responsibility for three of my grandchildren.  Now I am starting over by raising two more children.   One might think since I have done it once, the second or third time should be a breeze.  Which, I guess, is why this question comes up so often.  I did it before, so why does it seem so hard? Why is this so different than last time? 

The answer is simple. Everything is different.    My financial situation is different.  My housing situation has changed several times over the years.  The support of family and/or family members is different. Former health and wellness concerns for me and others have been replaced by new medical and counseling needs.   The demands on my time have not remained the same through all the years.   Employment, hours and expectations have not remained constant.  Ways of dealing with stress or discouragement may be managed in a more or less effective manner.  Actions, thoughts and choices may have shifted in their level of priority or importance to me or someone else.   Relationships have certainly changed through out the years.  The expectations of society have changed over time.  Most importantly, no two children are alike, so it impossible for anything or everything to be the same as it used to be.

Last week, as I was looking through some prior journals, I found a passage where I must have asked myself the same question- What is different?   Reviewing the comparisons I made at that time between how things were when I was raising my five children alone and the reality of where I was at while raising three grandchildren was very informative.  I realized that whether I was to compare my present circumstances to thirty or ten years ago I would find a difference in every category.   In those few moments of reading, I felt a peaceful understanding settling in.

It is perfectly fine if what I am going through now, the choices I make and the results are different.   What worked in the past, worked because of the times, the people and the circumstances.  When dealing with different circumstances, people and challenges I was able to be, act and choose in another manner that were the best and most workable at that time.   No doubt, as I shift and reevaluate what is going on now, I will also find what works best in the present moments of life.  By recognizing the differences I can better decide how to use the knowledge, experience and skills I have gained from the differences of the past.  In recognizing the differences, as well as similarities, between the past and now both I and those I love will progress in new, different ways that will be just right, whether perfect or not, under the present circumstances and into the changing future. 
 
Are you feeling like life should be different than it is?  Ask yourself the question.  You may be surprised at the answers that come back. 





 

Finding a Balance

Balance - visit Pixabay.com

This week has been interesting as it has given me the opportunity to take a look at the balance in my life between work and home, especially the balance at home between responsibilities/expectations versus caring for myself and my own needs.  
I feel most of the time my balance between work and home is handled well.  However, one of my managers caught me during a few moments when I had spaced off mentally or blinked without unblinking for a few seconds.  I know it was less than a minute, but it was enough to receive a formal warning from management.  Rather than freaking out about possibly losing my present employment, I have taken time this week to reflect on perceived demands on my time and expectations of others, both at work and home.
I found this picture today, and as I looked at it I appreciated it more and more.  In many ways it is depicts exactly how I feel lately. At first glance what I see is the balance of the stacked pebbles and the initial feeling of peace and relaxation. I feel balanced, things are happening with order and I am in control.    For a short period of time I just enjoyed the moment of calm and feeling of freedom the picture evoked.  Then I noticed the other pebbles nearby, the ones that are not as close in size or included in the choice of pebbles to work with.  There is a fairly flat pebble not too far back which looks as though it may have made a good base, however, as perfect as it appears on the visible surface, the sculptor chose not to use it, just as he chose not to include many of the other numerous rocks nearby. The choice of pebbles in creating the balanced result is like the choices I have to make in finding my own balance. Though something seems like it would add to the value or creation, I can't  include everything.  Have to make choices of what seems will work best together at any given time and leave other things to work on for another time.  Another thing that caught my attention was the water coming toward the shore.  At the moment it does not threaten the balance, but as time goes on it may or may not, depending on the changes in nature, shake or even topple the fragile balance that exists.  This is like the emotions, needs and choices of others in my life  Their moods or choices may threaten whatever balance I build and could come crashing upon me like an ocean wave, disturbing or changing the balance of sleep vs rest, freedom vs responsibilities, time for/with others vs time for own interests.  Like the stones, what I build may remain standing, inspiring someone else in the process or it may be washed away and I will need to rebuild from different materials or a new perspective. 
So I will take this opportunity to look at finding a new balance of responsibilities, work and time for self.   There will be less free play time allowed when I have four children here and more time in teaching them if the toys are not put away properly, it will take them longer to clean up.  Balance may involve putting out some cleaning charts as a reminder to myself of little things I can do in each day.  It will involve a refocus on getting the girls to sleep without grandma so I can have an extra half hour each evening to work on other things (writing, playing the piano or reading) which help me release and handle stress.  
I wish the reason for this reflection had never happened, but I am glad for the opportunity to reevaluate what does and doesn't work for me in keeping life in balance.  I am thankful I have skills and resources I can call upon to help me make choices which will work for me, in my unique circumstances.   
Although you may not have had a recent experience to cause you to reflect on the balance in your life, I encourage you to take the time now to look at how you too can improve the balance(s) in your life.