3 Keys to Managing Your Life
Last night I was deciding if I should skip a post today as I have much to do for my three careers that are all moving ahead at once, and I’d rather they not leave me behind.
I poked around some of the closets and back rooms here at eduClaytion to see if I had left any partially written drafts lying around. Then I spied my site stats and saw this hilarious search bomb.
“dear clay morgan: stop checking your stats and go work on your proposal”
Love that and knew instantly who delivered those necessary words. Lately, my writing accountability machine has been Leanne Shirtliffe a.k.a. Ironic Mom.
A good accountability partner will scare you a bit. Like this.
Accountability isn’t just about keeping us from screwing up or motivating someone who is lazy. Accountability is about focus.
We first have to be honest and realistic about our responsibilities. Life is full! Here’s some of my current career obligations off the top of my head.
- Teach classes year round for 3 colleges on 4-5 different campuses.
- Manage growing number of speaking obligations which sometimes require major preparation and/or travel.
- Keep PopTeacher (educational consultant hat) going and growing as opportunities continue to develop.
- Finish book proposal and sample chapters (ASAP) and then write the rest of the thing.
- Keep blog going which includes interacting with awesome community. *waves hi to awesome community!*
- Maintain social media presence as networking is critical to creating opportunities for myself and others.
That’s a good smattering. All these things are in addition to the critical elements of family needs and personal sanity time (workout, sleep, read, etc…). Now let’s follow my own advice from above.
- Be honest–Sure, delusion is the ultimate weapon, but you won’t benefit from pretending you aren’t busy or your life isn’t full. Don’t deceive yourself when you list the things you are required to do.
- Be realistic–Is this schedule sustainable? If I catch myself complaining about how busy I am all the time I have to reevaluate. Note that telling people you are busy is realism; complaining about it all the time means you are off center. That’s not healthy. Make like a rocket and shuttle the excess to propel yourself forward.
- Focus–I struggle with bouncing from one thing to the next and losing full effectiveness in each area. So rather than tell you I’m a time management wizard and here’s how to make your life work, I’m asking a question. Who keeps you accountable?
Get with someone who will both push and understand you, a big-hearted person with a pom-pom in one hand and metal ruler in the other. Look at your lives honestly and realistically. Then determine to help each other stay focused. Strive and celebrate together. Then do it all over again.
There is no one-size-fits-all template here, so don’t bother looking for a guru’s book to solve your life. Some of those books contain great advice, but only you and those close to you will know what works best across your entire life.
Are you being honest and realistic about your obligations?
Who keeps you accountable?
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Life. Culture. Education.
Life as Pop Culture Professor Clay Morgan
In The Matrix, Morpheus tells Neo he can take the blue pill and go on believing whatever he wants to believe. Or he can take the red pill to stay in Wonderland and find out how deep the rabbit hole goes.
This is a red pill type site that provides information in an entertaining way. It’s about clear thinking and good writing. It’s about finding meaning amidst the absurd. It’s about humor and truth.
I’m a writer / speaker who teaches history and political courses at a couple of local colleges. Where is local, you say? Well, that would be Wonderland of course.
On topics ranging from pop culture to the meaning of life, my brain’s always poppin’. Take the red pill and unplug.
EduClaytion 
My husband. We’re both busy academics, so we keep each other in check. Also, my Twitter “family.”
Good combo. Very important to have the spouse on board.
Enjoyed Blog this morning….so true, so many people don’t take accountability, responsibility for their own lives, each one of us, it’s up to us..and a great thing is also surround yourself with someone/people that can support you.
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts Deborah. Nice to see you here!
Gene Lempp and I just started working together on accountability. I always have great intentions, but I need a swift kick in the @$$ every once in a while. Good advice Clay. Oh, and good luck on your Pitt gig.
That’s great Kerry. Gene’s a good guy. We all need that kick. And thanks on the Pitt tip.
Great stuff. Now if I could find someone to keep me accountable. I tend to be that for others but lack it in my own life. My schedule gets all crazy and then I work myself sick. I take a few days off and the start all over again.
You are in the leader trap. Besides your wife, you’ll be best served by another leader in ministry, someone who understands the crazy pull of unexpected phone calls and crises. Tough to schedule life for guys like you, but I’m sure you know more about it than me!
You seem to be a person who enjoys being busy, and that’s a good thing! 🙂 I often feel like I’m the one slated to keep everyone else accountable, but I have no one to monitor my own accountability, but me. My husband and children are very encouraging, but can often be heard saying to me “Life is not a race,” or “Enjoy the process.” I’m very spoiled. Sometimes I wish they would push me more.
I do have a hard time sitting around and doing nothing. I’ll at least read or if actually watching TV I like to pick at thoughtless but time-consuming tasks. Sounds like you’ve got the cheerleaders (which is great in the family), now you need the metal ruler!
Sometimes the best encouragement I get is just knowing that someone somewhere is reading what I write. If I know they laughed at one of my clever remarks – that’s like a jolt of writing caffeine.
So true. Being read by others ignites me too. I’ve written in a vacuum my whole life, and the end goal has to be in mind. Thanks for stopping by!
“Psycho Canadian woman attacks Pittsburgh man with barbecue fork because he wasn’t writing.” (a.k.a. How to raise my platform–and change the trajectory of my life–in one single crime…)
Hilarious.
And great.
My accountability peeps are my two writing group gals (Trish and Elena) and Kelly. They crack the whip, pick me up, tell me to do better, and love me even when I find it hard to love myself. You and Chase are my non-fiction, idea-bouncing, feedback-giving friends. All of you make me laugh.
Sometimes I email others what I want to accomplish (you’ve had a couple of those). And deadlines help. But the self-imposed ones are a bit harder.
Now stop reading your comments and go write! [Insert sound of whip cracking]
I think I mentioned somewhere that I’ve never been part of a writing group. Mainly because I’ve never had friends who really write, and I don’t want to chance it with strangers. Ever. I did alright though, and now the internet makes it so much more of a community. And why am I going on here when I have work to do?!
I love this, Clay. As a mom of four that multitasks like mad I can relate to your schedule. I think I’m mostly accountable to myself because I want to do my best for those I care about. One thing that keeps me sane is I remember never to sweat the small stuff.
Lately Leigh (@hopefulleigh) has been my writing accountability partner. We check in with each other every monday. Just knowing she is going to ask makes me do something! I have a great friend (Laura) that meets me to workout everyday. And my husband is always there to cheer on whatever I do. It takes a village! 🙂
I feel really blessed to know all the great people I’ve stumbled upon in the blogging community. God really takes care of me.
I’m excited for you, with all you have going on. Can’t wait to one day stand in line at a bookstore and have you sign a copy of your book for me. 🙂
That’s great that you’ve developed another partner like that. Leigh is a good one. And thanks! Bookstore signings are one of those crazy dreams we all have right? Well, if I make it I will let you skip the line. As long as you do the same for me 😉
If it ever happens for me, you will be on my short list to come to my house for a wine and cheese celebration! Seriously. Wouldn’t that just be freakin’ awesome?
Annie, you beat me to it! I’m so glad that we found each other on Twitter. It’s been such a help/motivation knowing that you’re going to check in on me. I can’t wait until we’re both done with our WIPs!
I hope you’re patient. At the rate I’m going it will take 10 years! LOL Yes, I’m so glad we found each other! Otherwise I’d still be on word one.
That’s great Leigh.
Great post, Clay.
I NEED accountability in a sea of craziness. Leanne and Trish do that for me absolutely. I love your point about being realistic as I often think my schedule is something out of a bad dream. BUT…truth be told…I love it.
Now…watch out for that BBQ fork wielding Canadian woman. We’ll try to restrain her from up here.
I admit I love being busy too. But as you say, we have to be smart. And as for that crazy Canadian I don’t know how safe it is to try to restrain her.
What an excellent reminder. I need to find an accountability partner…immediately. Thanks for the pom-pom…and the ruler.
Great! I hope you find someone. Thanks for reading and commenting. Great to see you here 🙂
OK, for starters – if your careers are able to run ahead of you without your presence then let them have their fun! I mean, sustainable careers are hard to find these days. Most require an actual human being working to get an actual paycheck, but if yours don’t need you right now then let them go wild. That’s what you mean, right?
Another: Wow. My respect for you grew about 17 points just learning about all that you’re keeping in the air. Such awesome things, too! Good job, brotha!
Thanks Ellster. I’ve spent enough time in the desert of life to recognize the rain and run with it when it finally comes. I’ll fill some buckets now during the downpour because you never know when it might dry up again. Blessed.
Good points, Clay. I think most successful writers would also be successful carnies because they are talented jugglers. And the online community really helps.
So true. Love the community part too.
I have to admit, I am having a hard time with the juggling.
A) I do not have the world’s most supportive hubby. Somehow, we slipped into a 1940s relationship with a strong division of labor. Man likes meat on table when he gets home. He is NOT understanding when I am in the middle of “doing nothing” on the computer. This is really hard. If I’m not making money doing it, it isn’t viewed as valuable.
B) I am in the middle of changing my writing curriculum for the fall. This is not a small thing and you should see the pile of papers behind me. No. Don’t look. I know I’m not ready to look at it yet. Not yet.
C) I’m planning a bar-mitzvah. This is, in and of itself, a job. I would never have believed it – but it is, and I don’t have a lot of support on this front either. Even trying to keep it simple is difficult. So many things to learn.
D) I’m a kick-ass juggler with a lot of energy, but it’s summer. There are precious few nice days here in Western, NY, and I just can’t miss ’em sitting in front of the computer all day writing my manuscript or blog. Today it is raining, so there are 4 boys in my basement. Soon they will want snacks. Part of my job involves my commitment as a mother. I know other people find a way to balance this better, but I find they either don’t have kids, or they have that supportive spouse you were talking about. Because of the nature of my husband’s work, I am the queen schlepper, shopper, chef, laundry folder, dishwasher. There are things I can let go, but – seriously, when we are out of milk and bread, balance is off.
F) The online community helps a lot – especially the people I can reach via email or phone, but I am feeling unbalanced and I have to pare down for the summer to be more fully present for my life and the things that bring me joy. While I would like to be more prolific like Leanne who seems to give birth to a new blog on a different website daily, I can’t. It’s not my process, and I have to be realistic about that.
Maybe I am feeling down because it is June and it is raining. But on a more serious note, I might be giving up on the whole idea of publishing my manuscript. Maybe this is the moment where I shrug and say, I’m not in Kristen Lamb’s 5%. The pressure to “win” that race is causing me to decompensate. And for what? Will seeing my name on the spine of a book give me greater happiness? External validation? That approval I’ve always wanted from my mother? I think I’ll keep teaching and freelancing for now.
I suppose I’m in the desert right now. But I’m floundering, Lord. A little sign would be nice.
Check your email, Renee. I’m coming for you.
Renee – We all hit that point.
Where we want to give up, because we’re battle weary and tired and lack the energy and motivation to continue.
Where our spouses don’t get us, and it’s easier to capitulate than rock the boat.
So ask yourself the question? Is being published your dream?
If it isn’t, then giving it up isn’t an issue.
But if it is, and you want it, GO FOR IT.
Do not let the inner voice, your husband’s voice, or anyone else’s get in your way.
You are amazing. Your energy is amazing. Your enthusiasm. Your drive.
Sometimes we just need to refuel.
Or have a friend with duct tape to shut up all those doubts chasing around in our heads.
Good thing I have several rolls right here.
Tweet or email me if you need them after Leanne gets finished with you. 🙂
Hang in there! It’s not how fast we run the race. I’m seriously slow as molasses some days. I really get what you are feeling. What matters is that we keep putting one foot in front of the other. (never mind that I have been writing 6 months and only have 560 words on WIP). You need to email me as well! I will be your cheerleader. Follow your heart. Do what you love. Take care of those who love you. You’re an amazing writer, mother, person. 🙂
Oh my lady ~ That post I read of yours this morning was too beautiful for you to consider anything but working out time for your words…
It’s not always easy (or ever easy, really. who uses the term “always” when it comes to easy?) but you have such a voice. It needs to be heard.
We ALL ALL ALL struggle with balance no matter our situation. You are so not alone (do you hear the collective groan from the internet? or is that just my moaning?) so at any given moment, shut your eyes and take a deep breath and remember you are in good company.
(or in company with me which isn’t so much good as at least commiserating. or something like that.)
Take it slow. Do one thing at a time (hahahah!) and let the rest be until you can address it. My book is taking me FOREVER to finish it and I consider quitting all the time. All the time.
But I won’t. It’s not about the external validation. It’s about the writing. You’re a writer. That is all.
Now what was that you said about needing a sign??? XOXO
“taking me forever to finish it…” uhhhhh…yeah. probably so if it’s written that poorly. hope you know what I meant 😉
Renee, Your comment brought tears to my eyes because I’ve been there. Hell, I am still there. I so hear what you’re saying and it really is tough when we feel that our dreams must be put on hold for our family. Especially when we can’t point to a concrete date and say, If I work hard then one (or five) years from now, I will be published. This is why following your dream of writing takes so much courage. To pursue it in the face of doubters is tough but once you let their doubts get inside you then it becomes almost insurmountable. But you CAN do it. Reach out to us. We’re here. We support you and we understand. I’ve been feeling my own share of the love lately and it makes you believe. Don’t give up your dreams. Awww, hell. Now I’m crying. Gotta go blow my nose before I pick up my daughter from preschool.
5% are good at recognizing they are struggling and they reach out to their team….which you just did. And thank Leanne for running to get me :D. You can do this. It is about sticking to it even if it isn’t “perfect.” If you can’t write a blog 3X a week, delegate. Ask some of us to contribute guest posts. If your #MyWANA peeps all chipped in, you could be set for the summer.
As far as hubby, see if you can get him to read one of my books and maybe he will see the value in what you are doing. Tell him about that writing team in the UK that used WANA and sold 75,000 books in 5 months….all because they had a great book with a top-notch platform. NY called THEM. It might be he just isn’t seeing the big picture. He isn’t understanding that you are doing work for a wonderful future. My hubby calls me his “early retirement plan” LOL.
We are here for you. I didn’t pick the log-line “We Are Not Alone” just because it was catchy. I believe we have to be a team and love and support each other because this job can be so damn tough and get so little respect. Lean on us and we can help you. Just take it one step at a time and one day at a time ;).
Well, holy Lord, Renee, I think we’re leading parallel lives. Well, minus the bar mitzvah. I struggle with putting laundry away – it’s my mountain, literally. And I fight it. Every dang day.
Honey, I think that writing needs to be something that feeds your soul. YES, we need someone to push us every now and again – to be better, to write more so that we CAN tighten our words and get clear about what we’re trying to express. But, in my humble opinion, it’s much, much harder to do when you’re doing so many other things alone.
My husband works. A lot. Like, 60 hours a week a lot. He’s gone in the dark of morning and home long after the children are in bed. ALL childcare/household care/shopping/cooking/cleaning falls to me and – except for the laundry – it gets done every day. Weekends? What? DH loves his job so much he often goes BACK to work on the weekend, which is fine….except not.
Does it help knowing that there are more of us out here, scrambling to eke out a meagre presence on Twitter or blogsites or whathaveyou? I don’t know how these other bloggers do it, frankly. I just don’t know how they manage to do everything for their families AND be brilliant all the time. You’re a great writer, Renee. And a warm and welcoming presence on the ‘net. Perhaps for now, you can set aside some time three times a week for writing – when the kids are doing their homework or your DH is watching TV or something? Let it be your safe harbour, your “me” time, your bliss. Because the pressure to produce a manuscript is getting you down and I don’t think that guilt and fear are great at guiding our souls.
For the summer, could you commit to writing during those blocks of time – if you get more, then great. If not, let those moments be a gift. If, at summer’s end, you still burn to write your own masterpiece, then changes MUST be made to allow you to do that.
Crap. Am I making ANY sense whatsoever?
Hang in, Mama. And call me. I’m usually folding laundry around here…
What can I say, friend? Sometimes a sign is as simple as eight friends showing up to reply to your comment on another friend’s blog. God’s grace is boundless, and it can surely meet you in any desert.
Did I mention my awesome blogging community. Love you guys. Seriously. Renee, you’re my original fryber. Quick story.
Last summer I was thinking about letting the blog go. I had been doing whatever with it for over a year and didn’t know where it was heading. I hadn’t connected with other people since I didn’t understand the complicated philosophy of read other blogs and meet people. *forehead slap* But I wrote because I had to, because it’s in me. I know you know what I mean. Every writer does. My stories needed to be told even if it was to 20 readers.
Then one of my stories got Freshly Pressed and you found me. Then you engaged. Then you got me excited about what I was doing here. Then it started to take off. You were the very first person to do that for me.
I also understand the pull of a higher ed job and writing. Teaching is time consuming. I also have perfectionist tendencies, but I need to follow my advice in this here post and 1. be honest & 2. be realistic. That’s why last fall I made a conscious decision that I wasn’t going to be teacher of the decade. I’m still good, administrators are happy, and students love me, but I decided to put more emphasis on writing and less prep time into courses that I could already teach. It’s a balance, part of what being realistic means to me. Stephen King wrote Carrie (his breakout hit that snagged six figures) on top of a washing machine in a trailer at nights. His day job? Teaching writing at a college.
We all think about giving up on the dream, but those stories are not going to go away. We have to tell them. A great writing mentor told me “do what you have to do because no one is going to understand anyway.” (Spouses often included.) That man found 2 hours a day 5 days a week (40 hrs a month) for 4 years to write. That set off a long and distinguished writing career.
You are fabulous, but I’m not just writing this for you. I’ve been telling myself these things for years and hope that all of you reading this get refueled by the fam. Kristen is dead on: We are not alone.
Wow, cool – I was just talking with some friends about accountability this week and met with my accountability partner last night. It’s a powerful motivating tool, for sure. Great post! Keep up all the great work, Clay!
No doubt. Accountability is key in many areas of life.
Clay, what a great post. Very timely for me. I totally need people to keep me accountable or I can let other tasks get in the way of my writing. Leanne and Elena usually take the sticks to me if I’m behind and Kelly K is fab at boosting me up. I think it’s true we all need to really look at our schedules and prioritize our lives. Standing back and seeing my life objectively has helped me carve out a bit more time here and there, as I weed out unnecessary tasks. (This summer one of them is gardening. I hate it and I think weeds look just as nice as flowers.) 😉
Thanks for the post!
Hang in there Trish! Remember I declared you unrejectable now, so that should help. 🙂
Holy crap you have a lot going on!
Never a dull moment.
Thanks for the reality check and the scary picture of Leanne, definitely don’t want that on my track! If we’re being honest here, I’m not being rational about all my career moves, so I think you’ve pushed me to actually write out a schedule for writing. I promise I’ll do it tomorrow.
Thanks for jumping into the discussion Jess. I have been playing with new ways of managing my time. Maybe I’ll post about it and get some perspectives from all of you. Then we might find some new stuff that works for us individually.
Since I’m single and pretty much a solitary, I find being accountable very difficult. At work I tend to be a real dynamo but at home it’s another story. This post gives me at least a little hope for this Oscar/Felix conundrum of mine.
We are an isolated species. I hope you’ll look for someone to connect with. And (hint hint) Twitter isn’t a bad place to start, at least not for writers.
To My Inner Sanctum (& the “Queen” Kristen Lamb):
Leanne just alerted me to the fact that my comment – my rant – brought a lot of support here at Clay’s place. So I came back to peek. And now I am weeping. Or I was. For real. Because all day there have been signs. Tamara is right. Kelly K at Dances With Chaos showed up on my iPhone with a featured post at Red Dress Society and I started wondering, “Did she just whip that off for me?” And Carl D’Agostino called me tonight. And Leanne emailed. And then Chase. And others did too. Plus my Monkey was awesome. He made me a homemade ICEE and let me use the rest of the blue raspberry flavoring: his favorite.
I wasn’t looking for a pity party, so I apologize for hijacking Clay’s thread.
I read Clay’s blog about focus and realized I am so focused that I have lost my balance. I have been on red-alert, code-red, mayday mayday, “we’re going down with the ship, boys” mode. Which is not like me. I’m the cheerleader. I’m the matchmaker. I’m the happy one. I’m the shimmy and shine girl. Except today. Today I was an old piece of crap computer that went into meltdown mode. So I have not fully rebooted, but I REALLY appreciate all your kind words here today.
Trish: I was already crying when I got to your comment, but when you said you were crying, that really got me going. I never doubted that I have my blogosphere peeps. I just wish that I more than “kinda knew” you. It would have been great to have been able to call someone before the meltdown. But now I have phone numbers. And (*who’s smacking her forehead now?*), I have email addresses. Duh! Why I didn’t reach out, I don’t know. I think I am so rarely in this mode that I just didn’t know who to call. (Ghostbusters!)
Liz: Thank you for the validation about parallel lives minus the bar-mitzvah. I was pretty snottified at that point, and that gave me a snorty giggle.
Clay, my beloved Fryber, I think you hit a few big points for me. First, I spend a lot of time validating others. And I love having that role. It’s a teacher thing, I think. But I have to be a little selfish when it comes to writing. I have to spend less time validating others and a little more time on my own shizz. And why am I trying to recreate the Comp-101 wheel when what I’m doing works? Why am I killing myself? If I keep it simple (K.I.S.S.) then I really am freeing myself up because I can teach that material with my eyes closed.
Okay, I am positively loopy at this point, but I am saying with honest sincerity, I have not felt this much love in a long time. How crazy is that? So the dream isn’t over, and I will continue to work to make the dream of getting my manuscript published a reality.
I shall return next week with the regularly scheduled shimmy and shake, but probably not 3x a week during the summer. I’m thinking I’m following Julie on this one and I’m just going to do one incredibly awesome post a week. For the summer. While I’m planning the bar-mitzvah and trying to enjoy friends and nice weather and hubby.
And Kristen, I’ve got peeps working on guest posts for the fall, so I’ll be set for when I get back to school. I think I just have to get the teaching stuff in order and then the rest of the world will fall back into place. It’s that one extra ball. That one extra ball that ruins an otherwise perfectly good juggling act. 😉
Love to you all. Nite.
Huh. “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.” ~ Proverbs
Thank you,Clay,again. 😀
It seems as though most here are writers and rather driven by it. It’s been incredible to see the frustration of life versus writing and the immediate support of others laid out so sweetly. 😉
Although I enjoy writing, I’m given more to the journaling side of it. The urge to blog or write a book has never spiraled it’s way into my heart to the point of waking with ideas or being driven by one. I do get to the point where I know I will simply implode if my hands aren’t allowed to release what’s been silently building up in my heart or mind. I can relate to Renee. Right now,keeping my writing to myself may be best! I’m a single mom of four and never had a strong support in my spouse. Unfortunately,I’m losing my main supporters in life to cancer. Must return to school and JUGGLE everything else. Sounds really depressing,but the truth is,life is this:unpredictable,hard,stern,funny,sweet,and blessed. We can fall flat on our faces in the hardships or we can stand and walk. Writers choose to walk and grab at moments that they want to hold onto or learn more about;taking inspiration from brief moments of bliss or hell.
Clay,your call for us to focus and be true to ourselves and others so that our true desires and gifts can be realized was wonderful! My kids keep me focused on doing the right thing. I struggle with the accountability part because most people just can’t relate to my current situation. Nobody wants to tell me what I should strive for or release simply because they have no clue how they would feel if in my shoes,yet a voice of reason and clear perspective would ALWAYS be welcome with me! I suppose my main issue at the moment would be timing. When do I act? How long do I wait? What is healthy to wait for or go for? I’m full of ambition and certainly realize that the sky is the limit! 🙂 Just have to figure out when to take that leap. Thanks for that kick in the pants! I see a day of figuring and planning coming my way. As always,any bits of wisdom or encouragement are welcome.
Fantastic! Just fantastic!
Okay Jess:
A day late, I’ll be your cheerleader. Holy moley! You have a lot on your plate! Single mom, four kids. (*falls to knees saying, “I’m not worthy! I’m not worthy!”) How you do that, girl? Seriously, it sounds like you do have your focus right now. The writing is always there. And as long as you have a journal or a place to put your thoughts, then your needs are being met. I, too, have lost many friends to cancer in the last few years and it has been a wake-up call on a gazillion levels. Maybe it’s partly why I feel this internal pressure to get something out there. Because books really do live forever. Kinda. As long as there are readers. Or e-readers. 😉
I am sending you positive vibes, Jess. Today, I can send other people positive vibes again. Because you are groovy. If you would like someone to talk to, send me an email or tweet me with a DM. We can connect. But ony if you want to. I’d like to hear about the things you;d like to do – if you could, if you had the time, the money, and no obstacles.
You are terrific Jess. Love your heart. Knowing about someone’s life isn’t always the same as understanding what they’re going through. You have a ton on your plate. Your honesty will set you on the right path. Kids and school and other painful parts of life collide on what seems to be a mammoth hill. Some days it’s seems like you can’t even breathe. You know where to go with your anxiety, but a key friend or two is definitely necessary.
A while ago I was struggling with some overwhelming things. A very wise lady talked me through some of that, and I believe her advice applies to many of us including you. Her two best ideas were:
1) Hold onto the little pieces of yourself. Never forget who you are. Both success and struggle can strip us of that focus. Her second point was
2) You have everything you need. God’s made sure of that. No matter what we’re dealing with or about to go through, we are equipped. Everything is preparation for the next thing. You have everything you need.
[…] Clay Morgan (EduClaytion) has 3 Keys to Managing Your Life […]
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Thanks,guys! So kind of you to reply. 🙂
Renee,I’d love to connect! Just the thought of talking with someone about my thoughts,fears,and dreams has my mind racing! This is good. Had to laugh as I sat there trying to decipher what the heck “tweet me with a DM” meant! *sheepishly giggles*. If it isn’t Noggin,make-believe,or toddlerized words,I’m clueless! But I will figure out how to track you down,Lady!
Clay,you’re great, and for as long as I can remember,you have always brought calm and laughter to the table of fresh perspective. Thanks for your kind words and great advice! Holding onto pieces of ME is my new lease on life! 🙂 I’m sure it was you that said re-finding ourselves is the best part. ( Or something to that affect.) Good stuff,Dude! 😉
Jess: you can get me at rasjacobsonny (at) gmail (dot) com. We can chat. On the phone even! While we are folding laundry! 😉
Great post and wow! did it generate a lot of writing. You’re a darn good motivator. Hmm, best go get a post ready for my blog…..
I really like the search bomb method of accountability. What a fun way to let someone know that their work matters to you. For myself, I now have so many people counting on me to finish my book (again) that I have to work at taking time away. Great post, Clay.
Pompom one hand metal ruler the other. Get a mirror, too. That way we can be honest with ourselves and be the change we wanted. 🙂
[…] life are holding me accountable. (Thanks Leanne, Elena and Kelly K. Also thanks to Clay’s great post on being honest and accountable with […]
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Who holds me accountable? My spousal equivalent, my critique partner, my #watchwed writing partner, and my #row80 teammates.
Great post!
[…] shared a post on 3 Keys to Managing Your Life.Hah! Like that’s ever gonna happen. […]
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[…] Morgan of Educlaytion posted a piece “3 Keys to Managing Your Life,” in which he wrote about how he works to achieve balance between his professional aspirations, his […]
Mate, I envy your passion, dedication and enthusiasm. I currently have no-one holding me accountable except myself and sometimes I am far too easy on me…
It’s always heartening to read your posts, along with Renee’s and Leanne’s and others to find that push that I need from time to time.
I’m glad to have found such a wonderful community of talented writers and all-round great people. It helps during those times when I wonder whether my blogging/writing is worth it because the answer is always “Yes”. 🙂
No doubt, the encouragement is critical. Writing is always isolated enough and critics are easy to find. Glad you’re part of our circle.