Picked up a random poetry book From the crowded shelf. Quick easy hour read: Delight and wonder. Then, Found…
12 Days of Mindful Tips + Resources: Day 8 “Maids a Milking”
Today is Wednesday, day eight of my twelve day series. Gosh what I am going to do after the last day? I will take suggestions from my faithful subscribers! Hint hint: leave me a comment so I can hear from you!
During the past seven days, we have focused on:
Seven Swans a Swimming = Self-transformation or Making Positive Changes
Six Geese a Laying = 6 Pillars of Self-Esteem (Mission Statement)
Five Golden Rings = Promises/Goals for yourself (SMART Goals) Four = Identifying a Life Line Person
Three French Hens = Heart, Mind, and Soul
Two Turtle Doves = Discovering Needs vs Wants
A Partridge in a Pear Tree = Hope
Now on this eighth day, these maids are milking, completing their daily routine; they do this every day throughout the year. They perform a tedious task. At the same time, because they do this job, others are able to drink the fresh milk the maids collect. They support others with their job.
As a mother, I feel the same way about tasks. Every day my children come home from school and I ask them about their day. I direct Natalie to do her homework, which she often tries to get out of because she is “too hungry” or “too tired” and requests a break (or just complains ridiculously). Every night, my husband comes home from work and never has much to say about his job as a software developer; his job doesn’t change much, but rather he just takes on one project after another. We all eat dinner, watch tv or do our own thing, before getting ready for bed and sleeping to do it all again the next day.
Lately, as I have taken a change of course from teaching to writing professionally, I wonder what significance my work will have for others. Then tonight, I received a message from my dear aunt JoAnn, who has started reading my posts. She told me, “So far what I have read has been very enlightening. Deep and thoughtfully written. Good subject matter. I love what you are doing with this. Anyone could take something from the wisdom of your written word my love.” She reassured me with her kind response. I do have a purpose for writing. Why do I ever doubt myself?
Doubting ourselves seems to be human nature. Doubting ourselves is something we can each over come.
“Eight Maids a Milking” = Finding purpose for each day to meet your long term goals.
“It’s a simple lesson, but most of us fail to find a larger purpose in what we do on a daily basis. We become mired in what we consider the selfish preoccupations of our petty world. We long for more but have trouble finding a way to get there,” says Patty Onderko, from success.com. “How can you elevate yourself and others to achieve a level of self-transcendence?” Onderko offers three useful suggestions
1. “Reconsider your purpose…Think about how your work impacts other people. If you’re a financial adviser, for example, you help people realize their dreams of starting a family or owning a home.”
2. “Appeal to people’s innate desire to do the right thing…. People want to feel that they do certain things because they are good people, not because they’re being compensated to do so.”
3. “Help yourself first…put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. Self-transcendence is not blind devotion to others; rather, it is built on a solid understanding of the self in all its strengths and weaknesses.”
These three steps are exactly the way to self-discovery. If you are in a job you hate, why do you stay? Aren’t there other jobs that perhaps will fill you with more purpose and more happiness? The answer is yes! There are always other options, sometimes you just need help knowing where to look. Prayer, seemingly endless job applications, and lots of patience works tremendously too!
According to author, Z. Hereford, “If we want to reach our goals, have successful relationships and achieve personal peace…[we need to be] able to control [our] emotions or impulses and proceed calmly when faced with difficult or frustrating situations.”
Assignment Day 8
Task #1– I challenge you to look at your list of goals and your mission statement.
a. Make a list of action steps to meet your goal.
“Each day, outline what tasks you need to accomplish to help you achieve your objectives and eventually your goals. Your list of tasks should be realistic enough that you can take care of small, urgent matters that are destined to come up, and specific in their relation to your bigger goals so you continuously move forward professionally and personally,” (Jackson-Jopwell).
b. Remember your SMART goals (specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and timely)? This will further help you decide small tasks to lead you closer to your end goal. Write out your long-term goal, objectives, and specific daily + weekly tasks.
Example– My SMART Goal is to get my memoir published and distributed to others through bookstores, libraries, and marketplaces by the end of May 2019.
Objectives-I will spend one month editing, proofreading, and polishing my manuscript. I will find someone else to read and edit for me so that it will be ready to send to a literary agent and/or publishing company. After one month, I will send the revised manuscript to potential book sellers.
Specific tasks to do-I will spend three hours each day this week editing and revising. Saturday I will go to a copy center and have the manuscript printed. Sunday I will give it to a friend to start editing for me.
Task #2– Now use a calendar app on your phone, or a printed calendar, to schedule your daily tasks. Make sure you add the end goal date. When you can see your tasks leading to the end, you will be much more motivated to meet your goal.
*So if you have a pile of boxes in your living room because you just moved and you have to get it all sorted by yourself, and cleaned up by February 1st, then write on your calendar the number of boxes you will take care of each day. After two or three weeks, schedule a donation company to come and take your unwanted items away for you. Then do it again three weeks later. The more that you can have taken out, the more you find satisfaction in your work.
I will see you back tomorrow for day nine, “Nine Ladies Dancing.”
Of course, I have some other useful resources for you:
1. Bloom daily planners 2019 Calendar Year Day Planner – Passion/Goal Organizer – Monthly and Weekly Dated Agenda Book
2. AT-A-GLANCE 2019 Monthly Wall Calendar, 12″ x 17″, Medium, Wirebound (PM228)
3. Mom’s Plan-It 17 Month 2019 Planning Calendar: Includes Magnetic Hanger
4. Pursuit Goal Journal – A Unique, Down-to-Earth Method for Productivity, Motivation, Mindfulness, and Goal Planning
*Remember, I am an Amazon Affiliate. When you buy one of my suggested items at the links above, you support me at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping!
References:
Hereford, Z. (n.d.). “Patience & Tips on How to Develop It”. Essential Life Skills. Retrieved from https://www.essentiallifeskills.net/patience.html.
Jackson-Joplin, Nina K. N. (2017, November 08). “Not Meeting Your Goals? Try This 4-Step Process”. Fast Company. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/40492223/not-meeting-your-goals-try-this-4-step-process.