Last week, this week, and plans for 2017!

This is the last Roots & Branches blog post for 2016! I am a bit taken aback by that thought! I’ve been regular-ish with this blog since April and my reboot of it. I will be better in 2017. Unless you tell me otherwise, I see this being a blog on planning and goals and action steps in 2017. This will include bullet journal spreads because the Bullet Journal is my lifeline. I will be as open and honest in 2017 as I have this year about what works and what doesn’t. When the SYSTEM is fine but I haven’t done the work, I’ll be honest about that as well.

Last week, I spent a great deal of time rehearsing music for Christmas Eve services. They were great and the Choir sounded wonderful and my solo went well.

In and around that, I have been doing a great deal of planning for 2017. As I shared with you last week, my word for 2017 is REVITALIZE. I finally made a page for it, which will be the first page in my 2017 Bullet Journal. All the other words which were in contention are placed around it since I feel that they are all connected. I hope you like it. (I got the paper from freeprintables.net, it is called forest.)

I made planning pages for my blogs and my brand-new e-mail newsletter. One of my goals for this week is to brainstorm content for all three of those. I also continued work on breaking down big goals into smaller action steps. More of that this week.

I hope you are having wonderful holidays. Next week, I will have a review of December and a review of 2016, as much as I have records of since I didn’t start to recover my soul until April.

If you have any topics you would like to see covered next year, please let me know that!

Have a terrific week! My next post will be in 2017!  Happy New Year!

Bright Blessings   – Cedar

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

and my new page for my new business venture:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

and – drum roll please – at my new Author page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Wolfsinger-1538605939498546/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

Bullet Journal Spread and Planning and Word for 2017

This is not a Bullet Journal discussion week. Before I get to the meat of this week’s post, however, I want to show off my spread for this week. I might have gone overboard just a bit on the washi tape and stickers. But – but – Christmas!!

This month, I’ve been working on goal setting and planning for 2017.  Saturday, I did something I’ve done for several years. I chose a single word for 2017. The process I used on Saturday was totally different, and a very powerful and profound experience for me.  I used an exercise from Kim Job at sublimereflection.com.  First, I looked at a list of words Kim provided. I circled a couple of them, adding them to the list of words I already had been considering. I wrote down my best five possible words. Then I got to the part of the exercise that was game-changing. I looked up each of my words on Thesaurus.com. If any of the synonyms resonated with me, I wrote them down. When I had finished looking up my original list, I took the synonyms I liked and looked them up as well. The word I finally chose was actually a synonym of a synonym.

My word for 2017 is (drum roll please!) – revitalize.

Any of the words I started with would have been fine words for the year. Kim’s exercise led me to find what I consider the perfect word for me for 2017.

I have some goals written out. When I review them this week and next week, I have my word for 2017 and can consider how my goals connect with that word.

I hope your celebrations are full of Light, Music, Comfort, and Joy!!

Have a terrific week!

Bright Blessings   – Cedar

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

and my new page for my new business venture:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

and at my Author page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Wolfsinger-1538605939498546/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

12.12.2016 -- Eighth and final week of Bullet Journal Reboot

This is Week 8 of my Bullet Journal reboot. I am still loving it!

What worked?

Everything. 

What didn’t work/was annoying?

Nothing.

What did I change?

My new weekly spread is still awesome. I love it, and I will be using it again.

My trackers are working well. I may make another for 2017, not sure yet.

The weekly task list is working. I am not able to overschedule this way. I like it. Even if I change up my weekly spreads in 2017, I will definitely keep the limited space for tasks for each day.

Wrap and Map is working well. Making a time to review my day is very valuable and I’m sure will help me remember much more than I have been.

I suspect that any new spread I do may well have a Dutch door because I love it!

What will I change?

Nothing.

This is the final week of reporting on my Bullet Journal Reboot. 

I think I will use the next two weeks to talk about planning for 2017 since that is a big part of my work this month.

I’m not sure what to do in the new year. I love the Bullet Journal and am not planning on exploring any other options. I can still check in every week about my Bullet Journal, but I’m afraid you might get bored with that.

If you have any ideas about what you would like me to address in January and after, I’d love to hear from you. This blog has been for me, certainly, but it is also for you. If there is anything that would help you and it is within my power to do it, I would love to.

Have a terrific week!

Bright Blessings   – Cedar

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

and my new page for my new business venture:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

and – drum roll please – at my new Author page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Wolfsinger-1538605939498546/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

Week 7 Bullet Journal Reboot

This is Week 7 of my Bullet Journal reboot. I am still loving it!

What worked?

Everything. 

What didn’t work/was annoying?

Nothing.

What did I change?

My new weekly spread was awesome. I love it, and I will be using it again this week. The strategy of only having four lines for tasks worked well – except for the day when one task I thought would require four hours required eight instead!

I created two trackers last week. I liked them, I liked using them, they were very good for me. I changed one up a bit.

The weekly task list worked very well. Again, I overscheduled a bit, however, I had a high fatigue week, which did make a difference. I believe the concept to be sound and I expect to be able to improve how I use it.

Wrap and Map was wonderful. Making a time to review my day was very valuable and I’m sure will help me remember much more than I have been.

I am still deliriously thrilled with my Dutch Door.

What will I change?

Nothing.

November

--I finished NaNoWriMo with 70763 words and wrote every day. I won the badge!

--I completed this Blog every week.

 --On my Wordcrafter Blog, I posted the following NaNoWriMo Pep Talks (which also went on a forum on the NaNoWriMo site) – four in week 1; three in week 2; three in week 3; three in week 4; and one in week 5.

 --I hosted four Write-Ins at the local library.

 --I participated in eight of my region’s Online Write-Ins.

 --I also kept up with my bullet journal, and got more and more creative with it.

Goals for December

Assessing 2016 and planning for 2017

--I started one online planning class on the first of December.

--A second class starts today.

Preparing My 2017 Bullet Journal

--I have a list of collections and spreads to look at for January.

--I am waiting for the results of the two planning classes to determine EXACTLY what will go in the 2017 Bullet Journal.

Closing out my 2016 Word Count Spreadsheet

--I have a few additional ways I want to see the information I’ve already recorded.

Building my 2017 Word Count Spreadsheet

--I have some ideas about making more categories and placeholders for next year

--If the additional ways of displaying information work out, I will build that in.

Making a few gifts

--I have a few Christmas gifts I want to make, and the other day I found a whole stash of the materials to make things!!

Learning Music for Christmas Eve

--I must make every rehearsal from now until Christmas, so I have time to learn the music. Most years, there is a mix of new pieces and those we have sung before (this will be my 10^th or 11^th Christmas at this Fellowship). This year EVERY PIECE IS NEW.

--I will be attending and performing in both services we have on Christmas Eve, which I have done for many years. I expect that will be more taxing this year than it has been in the past. I don’t care!

I hope your December will be wonderful, full of small joys and wonderful celebrations. Have a great week and I’ll be back to report next week.

Bright Blessings   – Cedar

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

and my new page for my new business venture:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

and – drum roll please – at my new Author page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Wolfsinger-1538605939498546/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

Week 6 of Bullet Journal Reboot -- 11.28.2016

This is Week 6 of using my Bullet Journal again. I am loving it more and more each day.

What worked?

Everything. 

What didn’t work/was annoying?

Nothing.

What did I change?

Nothing.

What will I change?

Oh, My Goodness!  I have joined several Facebook groups for Bullet Journaling. Besides being some of the nicest, most caring, and most creative folks, they are willing and eager to share their ideas. I have also poked around on the Internet. I am SO EXCITED – I made a totally different weekly spread AND it has a Dutch Door. (There will be photos!)

Recently, through my Bullet Journal, I have re-discovered my creativity for areas other than writing. I don’t draw and I don’t do fancy lettering (although I am thinking of poking at free resources on the Internet to change that). However, I can use stickers and pull pieces of different spreads together to make them work for me.

This is the first page of my new spread:

One of the reasons I went to a spread with less room to list tasks every day is something I have discussed on this blog before I tend to over schedule my days. This spread only has four lines for tasks per day, making it less likely that I will overschedule since I WON’T make a task that says “Do all the things!”

This is photo of the second page of my new spread:

As you can see, I made a list of the things I want to get done this week. Each night, when I do my Wrap and Map (wrapping up the day and mapping out the next day), I will put a few tasks on the next day’s spread. I think this is a good plan and I am happy with the concept. I don’t know if it will be effective – I’ll try and report next week!

Last night, when I turned off my electronics and picked up my BuJo, I realized that I have some things I do every day that I want to see in front of me to remind me to do them and then give me the satisfaction of knowing I have done them and checked them off. There was no place to do that in the new spread. OOPS!

Then I remembered seeing spreads with what they call a Dutch Door – and I made one!

This morning, after I did my Journaling, I found these little stars and decided to use them instead of check marks or coloring in the boxes.

 On the other side of the Dutch Door, I made an “Unlisted Tasks Done” column. I have the two inside columns blank. I may fill them as the week goes on and I think of what might work on them. At this moment, I can’t think of anything.

General accountability:

This is the last week of NaNoWriMo. I have written every day. I hit 50K on November 18^th. I am still writing. I still have my eye on that badge generated by the NaNo site for writing every day. I want it. We’ll see if I can do that this year. I also decided I needed a new goal to motivate me to get to Wednesday in style – I am now shooting for 70K.

I will do an assessment of November and goals for December next week. I hope this week brings you joy and many creative outlets!

Bright Blessings   – Cedar

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

and my new page for my new business venture:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

and – drum roll please – at my new Author page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Wolfsinger-1538605939498546/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

Week 5 of Bullet Journal as my Portable Calendar

This is the fifth week that I have used my Bullet Journal for my portable calendar. I love it.

What worked?

Everything. 

What didn’t work/was annoying?

Nothing.

What did I change?

Nothing.

What will I change?

I have been poking at new weekly spreads. I won’t change that THIS WEEK. However, I have marked out some time on Thanksgiving Day to play with the new spreads and see if I will change that up NEXT WEEK.

General accountability:

This is the fourth week of NaNoWriMo. I have written every day. I hit 50K a few days ago. I am still writing. However, the pressure is off, and that’s good a good thing. I still have my eye on that badge generated by the NaNo site that is the badge you get for writing every day. I want it. We’ll see if I can do that this year.

If you are in the USA, have a Happy Thanksgiving and travel safely. I hope you have a productive week! If you are participating in NaNoWriMo – write prolifically and HAVE FUN!!

Bright Blessings   – Cedar

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

and my new page for my new business venture:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

and – drum roll please – at my new Author page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Wolfsinger-1538605939498546/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian

Week 4 of the Bullet Journal as portable calendar

This is the fourth week that I have used my Bullet Journal for my portable calendar. I love it.

What worked?

Everything. 

What didn’t work/was annoying?

Nothing.

What did I change?

Nothing.

What will I change?

I put a few pieces of paper behind my December monthly calendar. This way I have a place to put brain dumps for what I want to do next month.

General accountability:

Today starts the third week of NaNoWriMo. I have written every day. I am eight days ahead of the target word count. I’m very glad because today I woke up with a cold – stuffy head, crunchy lungs, coughing… and I expect I will go down for a nap after I post this blog. I plan to write today, and I will.  If I don’t write as much as I have been, my cushion will see me through.

I have created a Thread on the Writing Groups and Clubs Forum on the NaNoWriMo site. It is entitled “Pom-poms and Pep Talks”. It takes much less time than cutting and pasting into direct NaNoMails for 40 people.

I hope you have a productive week! If you are participating in NaNoWriMo – write prolifically and HAVE FUN!!

Bright Blessings   – Cedar

You can find me on Facebook on my personal page: 

https://www.facebook.com/cedarwolfsinger?fref=ts

And my company page:

https://www.facebook.com/CedarsProofreadingAndEditing/

and my new page for my new business venture:

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleOwingsChristian/

and – drum roll please – at my new Author page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Cedar-Wolfsinger-1538605939498546/

I am also on Twitter:

@michelle owings-chri

LinkedIn profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-owings-christian-bbb7278

branded.me:

https://branded.me/michelleowings-christian