A new year brings new plans.
At least it usually happens that way. This year my plans got hijacked.
A large project at the end of 2014 took time I normally spend on planning.
While I love the income, I admit the change in routine has knocked me off center.
January Interrupted
I like starting fresh in January. I had hoped to have a 3-year plan mapped out to move me toward personal writing goals. Nothing’s finalized.
For someone who hates routine but cherishes a plan (of some sort), I had to stop beating myself up over a January interrupted.
- So what if the plan takes shape in February – or March
- Why can’t February be the new January?
I’ll share what I’ve been bantering about in my brain. Feel free to share your thoughts.
Blog Mania
Currently, I have four blogs.
- My business site – Simply stated business
- My health care site – Simply stated health care
- My cancer awareness site – Why 60 miles
- This personal blog – MillerCathy: A Baby Boomer’s Second Life
My business site has an alphabetic journey through business communication going on that I feel good about.
- It is an A to Z theme on business communication
- It reduced the number of posts from weekly to biweekly
- It reenergized my writing (I was getting a bit burned out)
Blog #2 and #3 have gone silent. I’m struggling with what I want to do about them.
- I’ve thought about rebranding my business writing and health care site into one
- I’ve though about dropping my health care site altogether
I’m saddest about my Why 60 Miles site.
The inspiration came from my participation in the 3-Day, 60 Mile Walk for the Cure, which I started in 2003.
I had fun creating My Old Lady Walking store. Sales of merchandise appear to indicate I am in the minority.
I’ve been surprised how difficult it has been to get others to share their story. It could be there are simply too many of these types of blogs out there.
Like so many writers, I have several books in progress. I started one as a journal of this event but I decided I want more from the experience.
It has been such a huge part of my life. I want to explore the why behind the experience.
Focus
See why I need a plan?
- As usual, my business plan’s in place
- However, my personal plans are scattered
- I need specific goals/targets
After all, like I always say, the best thing about plans is you can always change them.
I think I’m in a late-life crisis. Okay, crisis is too strong a word.
So I am taking February (and possibly part of March) to get back to transitioning to personal writing projects. I want to resurrect Why 60 Miles. I want to have fun.
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Live…Laugh…Love
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Too many of my clients aver they don’t plan because they don’t always follow it. Of course, it also means they never meet the goals they verbally express (and which I record) and then declare at the end of the year they have… until I remind them of what they said and when. Eventually they learn- planning is a b…h, but it sets the brain in motion to see what is connected, gets the team (assuming one exists) on board, and sets primary setpoints which will monitor (and, in my less than humble opinion) goad one towards progress.
And, no, it makes no difference if you start in January or September. After all, some of use have FOUR new years- and any one will do. The trick is to start- now… and follow through.
Thanks for the pep talk, Roy. 😉 As you said, the planning for me is more about getting my brain kicked into gear. I like the structure but then it would be no fun if I couldn’t change it. 😉
Wow, Cathy. have you been peeking into my chaotic brain? Early Spring Cleaning, throwing out long-held hopes and plans (painful) and forging new paths into different arenas. Definitely carving time and attention to some personal wants. It is a trying time….. wrapping up a long career by finding the right audience and proper venue for accumulated knowledge and skills and putting them into a workable strategy for the future. You are a great role model for simplifying the mental chaos. Thanks for the inspiration!
Great minds, Jan. 😉 I’m glad to hear this helped. Now if it can just do the same with me, we’ll both be happy. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your story, Jan.
A couple weeks ago a chef told me cauliflower is the new kale, and if that’s possible there’s no reason February can’t be the new January.
Have you thought of merging the 60-Mile blog with your personal blog? There may be more overlap there than with Simply State Health Care, and you can always crosspost some cancer awareness posts there when it feels appropriate.
My own personal blog hasn’t been updated in weeks. My next post may well be about making time to do what needs to be done.
I actually moved the 3_Day posts from this blog to Why 60 Miles. I was thinking of eventually making Why 60 Miles a different revenue stream. On the other hand, I want to keep the millercathy (since there was no prayer of getting the domain, cathymiller) and have it be more open to writing about whatever strikes my fancy.
My thought on simply stated health care was it being another category in in my business writing/communication site – simplifying health care – in line with simplifying communication. Plus, it’s my niche so it may attract potential clients. I admit, I am probably leaning toward letting it go.
I’m on the fence about both. I appreciate your input, Paula. Can you tell I’m confused? 🙂
Who told us the January was the first month of the year? Oh I suppose it’s because of salsa celebrations, which makes sort of sense except this winter solstice is never in January. I’d be all for the new year starting in February March April or May.
As far as multiple blogs go, you’re singing my song and I don’t have a solution either. It’s interesting to notice what I’m willing to let go of and what I’m not – it seems like there’s information there too. In the meantime I’ll keep planning because it makes me feel semi-organized, and all continue to not beat upon myself when the plans t do not come to fruition.
Anne, you so totally nailed my feeling – there is information in the blogs I’m willing to let go and the ones I’m not. Thanks for sharing your perspective. 🙂