“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
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.
by Shonda Rhimes, which I loved. I’m a huge fan of children’s literature, so I always read a couple of books per month in that category. I read Paddington: Here and Now by Michael Bond. I adore Paddington Bear and his adventures. When Andrew visited London last year, he brought me back a Paddington Bear figurine which I keep on my bookcase. I completed the Magisterium series by reading The Golden Tower by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. All excellent book choices. You can follow me on 
Since my last post, I have officially turned 50 years of age. My fantastic friends at school started my birthday celebration off with balloons, flowers, lunch, cards, and sweet treats. The next day was the shindig with family and friends from near and far. Son #1’s talented friend Tyler made delicious homemade pizzas for everyone in attendance. My BFF Shelly baked an amazingly scrumptious cake with a bra on top of it. And, my gifted cookie maker friend Darleen made incredibly yummy cookies for me to hand out to my guests. What a delight to celebrate ME surrounded by some of the most awesome people in the world! Although my birthday month will soon be over, my year of 50 has just begun.
In January of 2017, I started listening to Chris Guillebeau’s podcast Side Hustle School. Chris Guillebeau enjoys the freedom that comes with being self-employed and a side hustler. He has written a few books on the subject over the years about his experiences and the experiences of others who prefer to make a living in a nontraditional way. Being my own boss and having more control over my time appeals to me; therefore, when his book was published last year, I decided to read it and see if I could obtain some information that would move me closer to developing my own side hustle.
The Kat Files 