
A couple months ago, I announced my “retirement” (I use that term loosely!) and spent five weeks preparing for my replacement. During that time, I also entertained out-of-town family, my husband and I sold our home and…[read more]
by CHRIS MADAY SCHMIDT
May 31, 2022
Random Thoughts #allthefeels, Chicken Soup for the Soul, dreams, hopes, leap of faith, retirement Leave a comment
A couple months ago, I announced my “retirement” (I use that term loosely!) and spent five weeks preparing for my replacement. During that time, I also entertained out-of-town family, my husband and I sold our home and…[read more]
April 26, 2022
Random Thoughts acceptance, Cinderella, dreams, fairytales, goals, happily ever after, journey, Prince Charming, stepping stone, trade-off Leave a comment
The less time you spend dreaming up a world of happily ever after, the more time you’ll have to actually live… ~ Abby McDonald
When you achieve a dream or a goal, do you ever consider what comes next? Predictably, in fairytales and modern-day romances, the two love interests ride off into the sunset. Yet what about the “ever-after” part…[read more]
March 22, 2022
Random Thoughts aspirations, Chicken Soup for the Soul, dreams, hiking, Julia Cameron, Kindness Matters, morning pages, princess, published, The Artist’s Way, tiara, Yoga Leave a comment
Once upon a time, a middle-aged wife and mother dreamed of being a princess. But not just any princess: one who often swapped out miles of tulle and a tiara for horse duds and Stetson. Plus, she teaches yoga and guides nature hikes on the side. Yet her biggest aspiration always entailed…[read more]
March 9, 2021
Random Thoughts bucket list, challenge, dreams, journey Leave a comment
I love these types of questions. As someone whose day job and part-time gig (aka the writer’s life) revolves around all things words—such as word counts, both minimum and maximum—I often play little games with myself; e.g., have you ever counted the number of words in any of the blog posts I’ve written over the past several years? Spoiler alert: 168. Even creating a story with 750-800 words stretches me in different ways than writing a 60,000-word manuscript. And that’s because it requires concise word choices sans the “fluff.” In the Bucket List Journey, which I embarked on at the beginning of 2021, one of the 365 questions includes a challenge to identify six words that condense the finite essence of our lives. Non-writers might also enjoy playing along. For me—within the framework of this moment—the six-word sentence that best illustrates a snapshot of my journey can be summed up as Living the life of my dreams.
What six words describe your life today?
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash.
February 16, 2021
Random Thoughts accomplishment, bucket list, dreams, Gay Hendricks, growth, imposter syndrome, insecurity, limiting beliefs, non-traditional student, self-doubt, teacher, writing Leave a comment
In the Bucket List Journey, the author asks: “If you had to teach something, what would you teach?” I’ve considered this question often, first upon graduating from ASU as a non-traditional (aka middle-aged) student, followed by earning extra cash as a substitute teacher, while interning and job hunting. And, lately, as I’ve considered ways to expand my reach as a writer. One topic that I struggle with on a regular basis—imposter syndrome, or self-doubt and insecurity—informs my answer to the question. I would teach others how to break through a mindset of limiting beliefs. My limiting beliefs revolve around #allthings writing. Maybe you wonder if you’re cut out to homeschool your children, manage a team of employees or return to school in your 50s. If so, I encourage you to 1) acknowledge your thoughts, 2) put them into perspective and 3) reframe them by focusing on your accomplishments, reflecting on your growth and realizing that your. Dreams. Matter.
How does imposter syndrome show up for you?
July 31, 2019
change, Happiness, Uncategorized #WorkSmarter, 21 days, abundance, consistency, Derek Hough, dreams, goals, gratitude, habit, James R. Doty, manifestation, monkey mind, negativity, practice, routine, transformation Leave a comment
Words we speak about an experience become the experience.
~ Derek Hough
In my post, “…Part V and thinking SMART,” I review nighttime routines and working smarter. Plus, I promise to reveal the glue that holds it all together: consistency. If you’re not seeing results, crushing your goals or manifesting your dreams, try sticking to a consistent habit, goal or practice until 1) either change occurs or 2) you need to try something new. Oh, and tip #2 that KM gave me at the start of my 45-day challenge? Quit complaining. The hard truth: complaining attracts negativity and misfortune. Don’t believe me? Try this at home (aka everywhere): Wear a rubber band on your wrist, snap it each time you complain and then switch wrists. But attempt to keep it on the same wrist for 21 days and watch what happens. Bonus: incorporate five minutes of focused gratitude into your morning routine. Check out these other resources: James R. Doty, simplemind.eu/how-to-mind-map/examples/goals, zapier.com/blog/smart-goals/.
Are you ready to attract abundance?
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
April 24, 2019
Happiness, Uncategorized, Writing #WorkSmarter, creativity, dreams, enthusiasm, good life, reset, vision 1 Comment
Twenty-one days ago, I pressed the reset button to rewire a few errant thought patterns and get back on track toward the vision I created for myself in February (see “Take your dreams to the next level…”). This included five action items to accomplish each day for three weeks. One reset task comprised writing for at least 21 minutes daily. Some days the time flew by; others it crawled, the latter of which forced me to discover new ways to stimulate my enthusiasm. A daily writing prompt often became the catalyst to unblock my creativity; another day I drafted a blog post. And another I played around with story ideas. More and more I’m finding that there isn’t one “right” way to live the good life. But [doing] something is better than nothing. And because it’s common for life and its myriad demands to pull us away from our goals, we should work smarter—not harder—to be good stewards of our time.
How do you work smarter?
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.