Or are we too busy putting ourselves down to move forward?
Here’s another question…
Will we ever be exactly where we want to be in life?
I hope not.
As we reach goals, our aspirations should change and increase.
We should always want more and better for ourselves.
Even if we have all the money that we can ever need, goals to positively impact our family and communities should get bigger.
Change and growth is normal, so be okay with growing into yourself!
Be okay with never being exactly where and who you want to be.
Be okay with a lifetime commitment to moving in the right direction – even if that means taking a rest or a side step.
Acknowledge where you have come from.
And give your permission to grow into yourself.
Feeling Stuck with Achieving or Setting Goals?
If you are a woman and are feeling stuck, I invite you to schedule a free brainstorming sessions with Life Coach Margaret. Schedule your call now.
Not ready to chat? Grab a notebook and write. We have two notebooks you can purchase to get those thought out of your head. Get out large handmade notebook or our smaller spiral notebook today.
I am grateful for being patience and compassionate.
I have a son with autism. There are many challenges that come with being a caregiver for a child with disabilities, but I am grateful to be wise enough to know that he is a Blessing to me.
God is The Exceedingly Merciful (Ar-Rahim) and being a caregiver for my son is a mercy.
God is The Provider (Ar-Razzaq) and I have been provided an endless opportunities of good deeds as a caregiver.
I believe that caring for a child with a disability is test. If I continue to approach this test with faith, kindness, patience, and compassion, I may be earning my key to Paradise.
Can reframing your hardship make you more grateful?
What Hardship Can You Reframe?
Is there any hardship that you are or have experienced that you have or can reframe to be a Blessing? Grab a notebook and explore this idea. Share in the comments, if you are comfortable doing so.
Who else loves shopping for stationery supplies? Notebooks and filler paper? Pens and pencils? Post-it Notes and index cards? Some of the simple pleasures in life.
As a DV survivor and a Life Coach, I know how important it is to get your thoughts out. I also know how a good to-do list can motivate action and improve self-accountability.
With my appreciation for stationery and my desire to see women who have experienced domestic violence LIVE – and not just survive – after DV, I decided to launch a series of tools to assist. The first tool being our handmade notebook.
A Quick Behind the Scene
Check out this quick video showing how we make our Not Mad. Motivated. Handmade Notebook. We print our lines and covers, we punch the holes and bind it all together. [Please excuse my son’s music at the end of the video💜]
Sal’s Branch Trail at Umstead State Park in Raleigh, NC
You cannot buy your children’s happiness.
The nice clothes…
The new shoes…
The video games…
These things are not what the best memories are made off.
The best memories come from the walks in the park, the late night talks and the silly faces.
The best memories come from cooking together, late night drives to no where, and feeling valued.
Your children don’t care about your job. They don’t care about how much money you make. They care about you attentively listening when they speak.
Friday night movie night… exploring new and old favorite places… a small investment for a joyful return.
Go Outside and Play!
Your job is important but not more important than your family (or your health). Close your laptop, put away your phone, and go outside!
Look who we found crossing the bridge!My son thought this was so kind of cactus Are my sons really that far away?I love a good Panorama. How did I do?A few pictures from our visit to William B. Umstead State Park.
Go for a walk around the neighborhood or a local park! Grab the basketball and play a game of HORSE! Get out in the yard and finally trim those trees.
Get out and enjoy life. You deserve it!
Reflecting on a Good Day
Too often we get stuck on “the bad”. Let’s make an habit of sitting and reflecting on the good.
Grab a notebook [get a Not Mad. Motivated. Notebook here – our handmade notebook will be available April 15, 2022], a pen or pencil, and write about a good experience that you had today. Did you learn anything from that experience? What can you commit to doing to make sure that you are not leaving joy “on the table”?
I recently finished a five-session, 1:1 writing to heal program with Writing Coach Shamina Williams of Life Lines Professional Services. First, if you have never taken some kind of writing class – for fun, to jump start your creativity, or to help in your healing – I highly recommend you give it a try. (I will write more about my experience in a future post.)
In one of our sessions, Coach Shamina challenged me to create a list of ten goals for me to work to achieve before the year is over. As a young student, writing my goals or my “to-do” lists was an important self-accountability tool. There was a sense of excitement and accomplishment in checking off each task!
How do you reward yourself for achieving goals you have set for yourself?
However, sometime while adulting, I neglected the habit of making lists. There was a time when I experienced being ridiculed for “relying” on a list. Lists were spoken about as a character flaw or weakness. But the truth is, I was stronger with my lists. I was more focused and more driven. I was more . . . well. . . more me. Creating a list of goals is like having an accountability partner – especially if you share your list with other. So hold me accountable, y’all!!
10 Goals for the Rest 2022
My intention for the list below is to increase my overall happiness and to increase satisfaction with myself.
Improve my worship to The Creator
Pray on time
Read/learn more
Memorize at least 5 Surahs
Lose 25 pounds
Increase physical activity
Reduce sugar intake
Spend more quality time with sons
Movie night
Go new places together
Cook together
Learn together
Replace my social security card
Call SS office for requirements
Get a Passport for me and my sons
Confirm requirements and cost
Get new window treatments
Measure windows
Order windows treatments
Schedule installation
Update my yard and deck
Schedule deck estimate
Contact HOA about rules
Schedule deck installation
Schedule yard estimation
Finish organizing
Keep up the kitchen and living room with daily “reset”
Have and enforce a cleaning schedule
Organize additional space until completed
Create healthy night and morning routines
Be more productive at work
Organize my workspace
Set work goals/priorities for the day/week
What are your short-term goals? Take a screen shot and post this picture with one or two of your goals added. Tag me @notmadmotivated or with #notmadmotivated.
Writing to Set Short-term Goals
There are many reasons to grab a notebook and get to writing. One reason is, that can be made into a very regular habit, to create goals and to-do lists. You can even set rewards for your goals by giving yourself small, yet meaningful gifts once one or a group of goals are accomplished.
Grab a notebook [get a Not Mad. Motivated. Notebook here – our handmade notebook will be available April 15, 2022], a pen or pencil, and write down goals you want to accomplish before the year is over. Focus on one to three during a period of time. As you accomplish one, cross it off your list and add another goal to focus on. If you haven’t crossed off all your goals at the end of the year, that’s okay. Celebrate what you do complete – that is the important part. Also, some goals may never be 100% completed, and instead they are constantly improved upon.