“Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn. Work hard, and never give up on your dreams, even when nobody else believes they can come true but you. These are not clichés but real tools you need no matter what you do in life to stay focused on your path.” ~ Phillip Sweet
Back in the summer of 2016, I read the book 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam. She included an exercise in her book that Caroline Ceniza-Levine uses in her workshops to help people to try and figure out “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The exercise is to create a “List of 100 Dreams” where you list 100 activities that you would like to experience throughout your lifetime. According to Ceniza-Levine, this is exercising the “passion muscle” (Vanderkam 42). You may discover after trying some of these activities that they are not quite right for how you want to live your life. And, that’s awesome! You can now use your time pursuing something else that is more worthwhile for you.
As a (mixed-style) multipotentialite questioner, this exercise was right up my alley. I have many interests, and I want to pursue creative endeavors. I separated my list into three categories like Laura Vanderkam: career, travel, and personal/family. I enjoyed creating my List of 100 Dreams which was #19 on my 19 for 2019. Take a look, dear reader (Kat’s List of 100 Dreams)!
In Other News:
#8 Read one book a month for self-improvement. This month I read Stretched Too Thin: How Working Moms Can Lose the Guilt, Work Smarter, and Thrive by Jessica N. Turner. I admit several times this past school year I felt stretched too thin. I purchased this book to get some fresh perspective on how to handle these seasons of busyness that can get overwhelming. Turner had some good suggestions on setting achievable goals, making self-care a priority, and developing solutions on managing your home. I admit that I did not take the time to complete all the exercises after each chapter which are devoted to different areas of your life. However, I did read through the questions and reflected on the ones that seemed more relatable to me and my circumstances. Self-care is definitely an area of my life that needs the most improvement. I feel that other areas in my life will benefit from self-care getting necessary attention.
Well, dear reader, another month has passed. Tomorrow begins a brand new month with new possibilities and opportunities. Dial into your passions and dream big. Happiness!
“Once you stop trying to be someone you are not and doing things that don’t align with your desires and/or your responsibilities, you are better able to thrive in your life.” ~ Jessica N. Turner
Last Sunday, my hubby, Andrew, and I took a road trip to Slidell to attend the HERPS Exotic Reptile and Pet Show at The Harbor Center. These shows happen a few times a year in our surrounding areas, and I have always wanted to go to check out their critters. We are animal lovers and have cared for many pets over the years with a few exotics being part of the mix. I specifically was interested in checking out the hedgehogs (learn about the breeders, touch one, and assess cost to acquire one). I have never had a hedgehog but find them fascinating, so I have joined a couple of Facebook hedgehog groups to learn more about their habits and care requirements. I even follow Mr. Pokee’s page to check out his many adventures with his owner. My guys tagged along because they were just as curious as I was, and there would be lots of snakes.
I had no idea when I went to the show that I would be leaving with one of them. We stopped at the Knockout Exotics table where Andrew spotted a Corn Snake for $25. The snake was born on June 4th where he hatched from an egg. His container had a “pet only” label on it. I inquired about it, and the breeder (Kara) told us that he was born with kinks in his spine which are medically harmless to the snake but not ideal for breeding. That was all my future zoologist needed to hear. Andrew purchased the snake, and with help from Kara, he also purchased a tank, bedding, and a hidey-hole to place inside the tank. With instructions from Kara, we left Slidell and headed back to Hammond. On the drive home, Andrew named his snake George. Before we arrived home, we had to make a quick trip to Petco to buy some frozen pinkies (sold out at the show) to feed George.
Good morning! Today is a most terrific day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the air conditioner is running, and I got Sesame Street stamps from the post office yesterday. Happiness boost! It is also the birthday of one of my dearest friends on the planet…the fabulous Michelle. How fitting that I bought Sesame Street stamps the day before the celebration of her birth! Sesame Street is one of the many popular shows that airs on PBS.
I am definitely headed toward one of the busiest weeks of the summer. The week will consist of health/wellness appointments, work meetings, voice/acting classes, a concert, and my annual scrapbook convention with my girlfriends. What is a girl to do? Celebrate with gratitude! I am so very thankful to have the opportunities to take care of myself, stretch myself (classes), and rejuvenate myself. I am so very thankful for moments to be creative and explore my potential.
which is extremely beneficial when you want to see how you are REALLY spending your time. We all (myself included) like to say we are busy; however, that is a story we like to tell even to ourselves. I found her “three versions of the self” interesting. She describes each version: “The anticipating self is wondering about, planning, and worrying about the future. The experiencing self is in the here and now. The remembering self thinks back to the past” (Vanderkam, 70). The anticipating self sets our intentions or goals while the remembering self reflects on the fruits of our labor. Our experiencing self follows through or falls through with plans, intentions, or goals depending on the circumstances or feelings in the present moment. My experiencing self gets in my way of taking action on a regular basis. It is pals with FEAR and PROCRASTINATION which has robbed me from realizing a few goals or pursuing a couple of dreams. This is my year to COMMIT, so in order to take more action and waste less time, I need to commit to listening less to my experiencing self, plan the task/event, and execute.
No, I am not referring to my nest which is my temporary status at home this week while my hubby and I are on vacation. (Andrew is in Europe with STA.) I am referring to the spare room in my house that will soon become my scrapbook room. It is officially empty of stuff and is in the process of being rejuvenated. Today, the ceiling was repainted. Tomorrow (fingers crossed), the walls will be repainted. Instead of the off-white color which we painted the entire house when we built it 20 years ago, I chose Blue Shock to beautify my space. Crown moulding was purchased over the weekend, and my Daddy is coming over this Friday to help Barry install it. The air vent needs to be replaced, and I’m considering a new light fixture. Once the baseboards, trim, and crown moulding are spruced up, I can move in all my scrapbook supplies. The timing could not be better since I’ll be settling in my new creative digs around the outset of summer break.
Andrew is officially registered to attend Southeastern in the fall. Over the Mardi Gras break, he applied for housing and just this week selected a roommate. Thankfully, Dane is a friend from high school and someone he has known since Pre-K. Andrew also applied and was accepted to the Honors Program and scheduled his orientation for June. In four and a half months, my baby will be officially moving into his dorm and starting his college career.
The Kat Files 