Oh my goodness! It feels good to be back! Now, I know some of your are thinking, “Carrie, we just heard from you like a gazillion times during ReFoReMo!” True, true. But I haven’t been back to this Carrie On…Together blog since the end of 2015. ReFoReMo kept me pretty busy!
As I refocus my goals, I’ll offer one bonus post per month here on the Carrie On… blog to help us achieve balance (or at least get closer to it!) If you are looking for the new ReFoReMo home, you’ll find it at www.reforemo.com. But I figured as wrapped up as we get in the many varied craft building opportunities that are out there, we certainly shouldn’t forget about life in general, right? So, let’s get on with it!
As I refocus my goals, I’ll offer one bonus post per month here on the Carrie On… blog to help us achieve balance (or at least get closer to it!) If you are looking for the new ReFoReMo home, you’ll find it at www.reforemo.com. But I figured as wrapped up as we get in the many varied craft building opportunities that are out there, we certainly shouldn’t forget about life in general, right? So, let’s get on with it!
Breaking the Code
When it comes to new opportunities and working with people, I’ve held myself accountable to a pretty strict code for as long as I can remember. It equates to just a few words:
"Be accountable, dependable, dedicated, helpful, hard working, and available. Go above and beyond."
Some of this dates back to the dawn of my teaching career, where so much of what I did was in the public eye. All the time. Even at the grocery store or while out with my husband… There were my students and their parents. And my code pounded through my mind.
"Be accountable, dependable, dedicated, helpful, hard-working, and available. Go above and beyond."
One word was missing from my code: Human. A human is flawed. A human makes mistakes. A human has a regular life, too. Because I had not accepted this into my code, I attempted to live the life of a super human, or in other words, a work-a-holic. While I still want to give 200% on every task, I am just now realizing that I can’t always do that, and everyone will be just fine if I only give 100%. (Or maybe even 75% every now and then.)
So, why am I telling you this? Well, besides the fact that I always wear my feelings on my sleeve, I have committed to change, and I hope you’ll consider it, too. I’m focusing on a word that is helping me breathe: boundaries. Because of my code, I’ve had a hard time stopping when something isn’t finished. Which means, I stay up way too late.
I found myself an accountability partner who struggles with the same issue. When 10:30 rolls around, I am supposed to be in bed, with no screens until 7 am. Without sleep, who can function? In the morning, my partner and I send an emoji to show our results. And of course, provide support when the going gets tough. I’m happy to say that I am making progress. Instead of 1:00 or 2:00 am bedtimes, I am getting better at heeding my need for rest. Perhaps an accountability partner might help you with a personal goal, too? Without taking care of ourselves, it is hard to make headway with our creative goals. Step by step, I am evaluating where I need to set better boundaries.
If you’re already great at setting boundaries, please share your ideas. Or if you are just starting to exercise them, tell me:
Where would you like to draw boundaries? What are you doing to uphold them?
I’d also love to hear your code. What words drive you?
Where would you like to draw boundaries? What are you doing to uphold them?
I’d also love to hear your code. What words drive you?
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