Dreamers know that which gets measured gets done

We used to be really good at it.  We'd set our goals for the week together.  We'd have a plan in place.  We measured to see how we were doing at achieving said goals.

Ah, but that was in the past.

Maybe I'm just being a bit hard on us.  It could simply be that we have so much on plate right now.


Let's see...

• We have a sail boat to sell
• We have a wedding to plan and organize in 11 days
• We have two teens to organize
• We have all the companies he works for
• We have our own estimates as of late
• We have my blogs...plural and all the social marketing surrounding all of that
• We have a dog, two cats, and a house to maintain
• We have my companies that I work for with the many many many deadlines
• We have the novels I'm working on and trying to finish

And there's more that I don't even want to think about yet.  Suffice it to say...we're busy.

Now, don't get me wrong...we have never been more focused or busier.  We ran an estimate on Saturday and won the job.  Sam has a house to side with his crew.  It will be about a week of work.  It should be finished just before the wedding.  And we have another door and window estimate we're waiting to hear back on.  We are running specials through Angie's List, Facebook, and Kudzu.  We are on top of things.

My blog has never been in such high demand.  I have companies contacting me about advertising all the time.  I have companies offering me money to write about them.  I have all kinds of great partnerships that are leading to more opportunities that are leading to money.  I couldn't be happier.

Still, if we hope to get further ahead, we have to have a plan.  So, as I've been offered opportunities by varying companies to promote their various products, I have been blessed to have a new book cross my path.

It's written by Cameron Herold.  He was one of the driving forces behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK? .  In his book Double Double, he talks about setting three year goals in order to double your business in three years of less.  He offers some handy techniques and while this post is dangerously close to becoming a review, simply know that the book inspired me.

My perfect book right now would be something along the lines of how to manufacture time or work twenty-three hours a day to accomplish all my goals.  Being sleepy and giving in the the call of sleep has been working against me some.


Still, Sam and I will be working on our goals.  We're going to implement some of the strategies recommended in the book.  We're going to press on and get it done.  And because the book encourages us to share the plan with everyone as a way to force us to work on it, I guess I'll be doing that, too.

I guess it's my hope that by doing it, not only will we be moving in the right direction to achieve our goals, but we may be inspiring other dreamers to get working on some of theirs, too.  How's your year shaping up?  Achieved any good goals lately?  Inspire me, too.

Dreamers are DIYers

The other day, we painted the doors.

It was a project that needed to be done and has been a long time coming.  We installed several new doors about a year and a half ago.  They were on sale and we found enough to make a dent in our door upgrade project.  It's incredibly costly to replace all the doors in a house.  You never realize how many doors you have until you start figuring out the costs to replace them.

So, these doors come primed, but they simply seem to attract dirt.  Strange, because none of us ever actually look dirty.  And that's why they need to be painted.  We go with high gloss white.  It's so easy to clean up and it matches the molding we aspire to next.  Oh, we're big dreamers.

All I know is that we managed to get the exterior garage door, closet door, hall door, bathroom door and back door painted.  Whew.  The fact the air conditioner was once again on the fritz didn't help anything.  I was seriously contemplating climbing in the fridge for a few minutes.  The only reason I didn't, besides fear of death, was that it was going to take too much effort to clear enough space for me.

And because we hate painting, it started off as a team project.  Then Sam told me that I could finish since he had hung them.  It was a valid argument.  Even when I reminded him what a lousy painter I was, he still didn't back down.

Sam: Know how much I hate painting?  I don't even care if you drip on the doors.  I can't paint another door.

Oh, but he caved for me.  I collapsed on the floor at his feet in front of the fan at one point.

me: My hand hurts.  And my wrist hurts.  And I'm hot. And I'm hungry.

Without saying a word, he got up and painted the frame of the bathroom.  I peeked and saw him starting.  Then I laid back down to recuperate.  That was only the halfway point.

Sam: Okay, I painted the frame and the front.  You do the back and the back door.  Then we're done.

These are the ways I know I'm loved.  He helps me out.  All the time.  He cleans more around the house.  He even says the words.

I think that may be our biggest accomplishment of all.  He would never say 'I love you.'  He feared being so vulnerable and exposed.  He had been disappointed before by so many other females.

Then there's me.

I made it safe.  I gave him security.  I love him unconditionally.  It makes all the difference in the world.

So when he leaves for work and I walk over and throw myself in his arms, he is no longer afraid to respond.

me: I love you.  Have a great day, baby.

Sam: I love you back.  You, too.

I'm just going to sit back and revel in all the positive changes for a moment.  Tell me all the good things in your life.  Happiness is meant to be shared.

I keep using this word

Bliss.

That's the word.

I am euphoric. I'm trying to remember the last time I was this happy, this relaxed, this myself.

Nope. I've got nothing.

I realized it Monday afternoon. Sam came home while I was finishing up some work on the computer. I hadn't planned on him being home yet. I wanted to get to the library, check out some books on marketing and online business. I have a lot to learn. And I don't have a lot of time to make it happen.

Time flies.

In the past, I would have stayed home because Sam was there. I would have thought about what I wanted to do, but simply not done it because I felt that I needed to be there for Sam...at his beck and call.

Not any more.

Now I am comfortable going and doing what I need to do. It's a good thing I went, too. I discovered that the library would have been closed tomorrow. Can you imagine how out of my mind I would have been if I lost that much time? Yeah. It could have been ugly.

So, I'm ready to work today. I'm ready to get making money. I'm ready. I think that's the best part...feeling prepared.

I exercised. I cleaned. I wrote.

I'm on top of things.

Bliss.

I'm learning

I have to tell you, I've only been out of my job for a few days, but it has already been a big learning experience. Huge. And I can tell it's only going to get bigger.

First, I can completely understand why Sam needs my help. He worked until almost 9pm on Friday. Normally, I would have been going crazy wondering where he was and when he was coming home. Not an issue. I always know where he is now. He keeps in touch. And I'm at the house providing a valuable service.

Or I'm out and about providing a valuable service.

Friday, I worked on writing my articles. This is true. I completed ten of the nineteen that day. I also ran around for Sam. He asked that I pick up checks from two of the companies that he works for and make the bank run since the guys would be cashing their checks. No problem. Mostly.

So, I ran to Fort Mill first. It's about a twenty minute drive from the house over the border in South Carolina. I found prime parking on Main Street and sauntered into the office only to realize that it is where my spa used to be.

*sniffle*

My spa is gone! That's okay. I don't have money to spend on it at the moment, but I had big dreams of going there at some point on one of my magical days working from home. Yes, I was dying to have a pedicure there. Or maybe another body wrap. Or...a facial.

Now, I pick up checks. It's almost as good. Either way I leave relaxed and smiling, right?

Then I drove to the other location just outside of uptown Charlotte. It was a good forty minute drive. I was supposed to pick up some checks, drop off a check and some invoices so that there would be more future checks. And it didn't quite go as planned.

There was only one small check, a repayment from money that shouldn't have been taken to begin with. Long story. Bad bookkeeping by them. And by Sam. Now that I'm on the bookkeeping and using my new love, Quickbooks, we should be fine from here on out. A little too fine. My prediction is that they are going to hate me for my accuracies.

Oh, and while I was there, they gave me some jobs for Sam to complete during this week. And some windows. Seriously. I hauled my first set of windows. It was only two and a half round. Still, I felt very professional. I'm the big helper.

I headed to the grocery store and the bank. I headed home to write some more. It was a lovely night. And we were in bed early.

Then Saturday, more writing. I had to make my deadline. I finished the last nine articles and sent them at 4pm. After that I was toast and couldn't quite motivate to do anything else the rest of the night. As it was, Sam had spent the day on the couch in pain. But since I'm not sure he's ready for me to share all those gory details, that little tidbit will have to suffice for now.

That brings me to Sunday. After we spent the morning at the Urgent Care...the man has to be in working condition...we were home around lunch time. That's when I decided to sit down and work on inputting the last of the year's invoices. It feels good to be organized and together.

Ah, but that's when I realized it.

When you are self-employed, weekends aren't sacred. You work when there's work. You work all you can. You work to build work and make more work. And that's what we do. We'll have plenty of time for rest and relaxation this winter when work slows down for him. If I'm doing things right, it will never slow down for me.

Fingers crossed!

And I'll be living my dream in the winter months, a combination of remodeling our house and sailing the Caribbean. Doesn't sound half bad, does it?

All I know is that I'm happy. Monday is a whole new day, the first full week of my whole new life. Let's make it special.

Living the dream takes practice

I'm really sucking at it, so far. Really I am.

I had a plan. The day was going to be so productive. Really it was.

Only as we all know...my plans don't always quite work out as I intended. Dammit.

And so here I am struggling to get it together.

I've been struggling with a headache that has only grown worse. I need to break down and take something, but I'm not a pill popper. Not even ibuprofen.

My day started out behind. I slept in until 7am. It felt decadent.

I had celebrated and relaxed the night before. Instead of working on the blogs, I worked on Sam's business and did a bunch of invoicing. I worked on organizing him. And it's obvious that I'm nowhere near done. We're going to have to implement a computer program. I can feel it. And I'm not looking forward to it. These accounting programs don't run on their own. I'll be spending ridiculous amounts of time implementing them and inputting data. Dammit dammit dammit.

Once we're done, however, life will be easier. Ah, but for now...

So, the morning was a blur between me getting my Suddenly Single Journey post online and throwing in a load of laundry, getting ready for my meeting at 10am, and then the errands I had to run. Next thing you know, it's after noon and I'm headed home to do more work...not for me.

I paid the taxes. I organized the office some more. I ate. (I'll always have time for that.) I decided to catch up on my social media while I prepared to participate in the social marketing seminar at 2pm. So, I talked to Sahaja. And I talked to Rachel. And I had some messages that others want to talk.

Sam called. I had to take it. It was a minor interruption that cemented my belief that we need to get these invoices on computer. We had to check to make sure he wasn't overpaid by one of the companies. Doesn't look like it. That's good. I hate paying money back.

The day is growing late and I feel like I have accomplished...NOTHING. Well, nothing for me. I have yet to write any articles. Oh, and I have 19 due on Saturday. I have yet to work on any novels. And I need to get them finished and published...FAST!

And I'm supposed to be building up Rentable Me. I haven't so much as opened the email today.

*sigh*

There's a chance that I'm being too hard on myself. I do have that tendency. At the same time, I can't afford to be complacent. I can't afford to waste a minute.

Sam has given me a precious gift: the ability to stay home and write. Now, I just have to make the time to do it. It's not going to be easy....at least not as easy as I thought. When I look around, I see so many things that need doing. And I want them all done RIGHT NOW. I slacked off on the cleaning when Sam and I were on the outs. I have a lot of catching up to do.

Wish me luck.

Ummm, and if any of you work from home...want to give me some pointers? (Ahem...Jolene and Becky...)

I got the job

Yup.

I walked into the interview. I wasn't stressed or scared or worried or nervous. I wanted it. I knew I could do it...whatever 'it' was. And I seem to have nailed it.

Maybe it's because I have a rather impressive writing resume. Maybe it's because I'm confident in my writing abilities. Maybe it's because Sam is confident in my writing abilities, too.

Sam: When it comes to writing, I have absolute faith in you. You are very talented.

So before I had even left the interview, I was being offered the position. And it started last night. Well, the training started last night. The actual job won't start until next week.

I'm going to be working some pretty crazy hours. That's what happens when you are interviewing business people in Australia. Guess I'll adapt. And I'll learn to say things like...g'day, mate! Or, I'll just be myself and that will have to be enough.

After this week of training, I will only be working three nights a week. And after three weeks of proving myself, I'll be able to work from home.

There it is: my dream in a nutshell. I get to work from home soon enough.

And if I make the kind of money they are telling me I will...well, I can retire my day job. I can concentrate my efforts on my writing. I can work on my marketing efforts.

Know what?

I can do this.

I believe it. It seems like I have been ready for this for so long. It seems like my entire life has been building to this. It seems like life is turning around, like luck is on my side, like I really can live my dream.

Keep your fingers crossed. I'm chasing my dreams here. I hope you are, too.