January 1st, 2009

Looking Back on 2008

I have spent the last week making sure that I devise a concrete plan for making this year one of the most productive ever. However, there is no way to move forward without figuring out where I have been. It is a daunting task but Michelle over at The Integrated Mother has made me take stock and figure out just where I am and where I want to be by the end of this year.

She asks a few question on here blog and I will answer them below.

What choices did you make? The most important choice that I made was to leave my teaching job to persue my dream of starting my own web design company.  Unfortunately, I also chose to put the business before my family and while I thought staying home would be a great way to bond with them, my round-the-clock focus on my business created a stressful situation much like when I was teaching.

What were you thinking?  I was thinking that I was tired of being asked to put other children ahead of my own while my daughter spent 11 hours a day at a sitter. I was also thinking that for someone with a MST, I was getting a short-end of the salary stick because I was busting my butt and we were still struggling to make ends meet. Unfortunately, I was NOT thinking about how to generate business and while it has been good, I need to focus more on promoting myself.

Who did you learn from? I learned from so many. I learned from Mrs. Flinger who talked to me about setting strict guidelines via contracts so that I never get screwed out of money again. I learned from a great graphic designer named Count who taught me to  demand payment up-front even when I worry that I will lose business. The AA Moms Disney Crew taught me that facing my fears and putting myself out there is not as scary as I had originally thought. My husband taught me that no matter how hard I may fall, I am never a disappointment to those who love me.

January 1st, 2009

Happy New Year! Move Mountains in 2009!

December 29th, 2008

Creating a Plan for 2009

Michelle over at Integrated Mom recently wrote acomparing her life to the mangaled tire on her SUV. Just picturing it is enough to stress anyone out, but when she offered the link to the Wheel of Life by the Coaches Training Institute, I jumped at the chance to see what my life looked like.

And, well, it isn’t pretty.

The Wheel of Life gives you a visual snapshot of different areas of your life and just how satisfied you are in those areas. According to my graph (see above), my life needs work. If you look at the chart below, you will get a better understanding. The higher the percentage in a category te more fullfilled you are in that area of your life.

My life needs some serious work. I am going to spend today and tomorrow mapping out a plan for my life and what I need to do in order to live the life that I want to live.

I have to admit, I am actually a little embarassed by my wheel. I have neglected so much of my life- fun, money, health- it’s kind of sad.

So how will you enter the New Year? What are your plans for 2009? Let me know.