Is 2023 laughing at your plans?

 

Another month, my friends. Let's all shake our heads. It's another new month. If I thought the three Covid years went by in a blur, what is there to say about the speed with which this year is passing? That's where June's #monthlymotivation comes in, because looking at the events of 2023, this may be where I'm meant to be, but this sure isn't where I planned to be.

Yep. I had plans, y'all. PLANS. Plans for my health, plans for my writing, plans for places to be and people to see. So far, 2023 has mocked them all.

But, okay. Time for some deep breaths and just a smidgen of faith. Meant to be or not, this is where things are. Let's be real: the alternative could be a lot worse. So, while I'm feeling behind on my hopes for this year, right here isn't so bad. And, while I wait to see if my vision is going to continue to have issues, I can not only get plenty of writing in, but also have fun along the way.

How is 2023 going for you? Are the months rushing by like a bullet train? What's the one thing you could complete right now to feel at peace?

February Fresh Starts.

Hello, my friends. How is the new month treating you so far? January was a month of appointments here at Chez Munder, and it felt quite hectic. And, since February has fewer days, hopefully the demands will be less. Is that wishful thinking? 

But, as Dr. Edie so often tells us, our results in every endeavor are all about our thoughts and what we speak into being. Sometimes, that truth is harder to accept than others. But February means love is in the air and good times (and plenty of chocolate!) are ahead for us all.

What's your word of the year for 2023?

Or, maybe I should ask, do you pick a word for the year? Do you like the idea of one short, meaningful word to help guide your through the weeks and months to come? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. And that's some of the story behind my 2023 word of the year.

Happy 2023, friends! How is it treating you three days in? Are you full of blissful excitement, eager for the fun ahead? Or are you more like me, one foot in 2023 and one foot still dragging through the end of 2022? I'm asking a lot of questions, I know. Ha! That's another part of the story behind my 2023 word of the year.

My word for 2023, my compass direction for this new year, my guiding hope, is Simplify. Because, heaven help me, if there's a way to not only complicate something, but over-complicate it, I'll find that way. Anything you can come with: a system, a routine, a process, a planner page. A list. Give me the chance, and I will find a way to make sure I work on it while I'm standing on my head while juggling with my feet. And frankly, my dears. I'm tired of adding additional hoops to jump through. 

Wish me luck with my search to simplify this year, and let me know what your word for 2023 is. We can cheer each other on.

November's #monthlymotivation

 

For whatever reason, this quote about mental health has been the easiest for me to hold on to. I hope it resonates with you.

As we dive into November, I keep hearing Benedict Cumberbatch's voice in my head saying: "We're In The Endgame Now." Yeah. there's that. lol.

How do you feel as we move closer to the end of yet another year?

October's #monthlymotivation

 Hello and happy, happy Fall, my friends. Let's have all of us October, November, and December lovers stand and cheer while we wave goodbye to the hot temps of summer and welcome the changing of the leaves, crisp and cool nights, and early morning frost. You can tell I'm prejudiced, can't you?

In my defense, the last two months have been a lot. We've had plumbing repairs, car repairs, elderly parent stuff on both sides, including an assortment of nerve-wracking falls and hospital visits. (Side note and brief PSA: let's all, no matter our ages, start working on our muscle strength and balance now. I mean it. Can you stand on one leg? Can you stand on one leg and kick it out in front of you while keeping your balance? Try it. Let me know how you do. I'll cheer you on.)

Add in 3 entire households in our extended families all down with COVID, including elderly parents which required more hospital visits, and that's all pre-hurricane and family in the path of Hurricane Ian. It may have been a relaxing summer for some, but I'm tired, y'all. We are grateful everything and everyone is fine, and if you or your family have been impacted by Ian, know we are thinking of you. The true toll of the devastation hasn't begun to be documented.

There's been some good parts, too. We found a new to us, 100-acre area to hike and explore. We've put off buying another car for at least another 5 months, Auto Gods, willing. And I attended the Book Finishers Bootcamp by Rhonda Douglas (@resilientwriters) which, truly, was amazing!

No surprise to those who know and love me, I have an ability to complicate the shit out of the simplest things. The Bootcamp cut through so much of my mental and emotional clutter around my writing. So much so, I finished the rewrites of both my upcoming release, A Halloween Tail, currently available for pre-order, and a holiday submission. Even more shocking, I've made a point of actively celebrating those successes rather than beating myself up for not being as productive as I was pre-vision loss as I tend to do. I may also have some logic gaps, be kind.

My October enthusiasm is tempered by the awareness this month is shaping up to be just as busy as the last two, leaving only 11 days out of 31 to work on my next writing project. But, while my social media posting may suffer, my ability to prioritize my writing over just about anything else, has grown. That's a win in my book. I'll celebrate by jumping into a pile of freshly raked leaves this weekend. And yes, November and December come with all their own holiday baggage, but in the end, I'm focusing on the wise words of Clarissa G. I hope you will, as well.

Another month, my friends. Another month.

 

July #monthlymotivation

 

This quote seems to fit my mood this month. Are you excited for another new quarter or are you dreading the fast-approaching end of another year? While it's easy to grumble at our lack of progress and the Viking funeral we gave to last month's plans, I hope we are open to excitement and what's happening in our present moment. Every day is a miracle, and so are we.

What are you smiling at today?

June #monthlymotivation!

 

Well, that quote doesn't exactly scream enthusiastic productivity, does it? But, to be fair, it does reflect my current state of mind and my feeling of barely treading water as I continue to try and swim against the current. And right now, it's one hell of a strong current.

What the quote does do is offer hope. Hope that no matter how tired, no matter what the dumptruck of life has unloaded on us, that, no matter how slow we go, we will still get there in the end. I needed to hear that. How about you?

May's #monthlymotivation

 Hey there, friends. Welcome to the last full week in May. And yes, I'm just now posting my #monthlymotivation. Does that tell you all you need to know?

We took the first week of this month off-line to do some major yard work chez Munder, and somehow, rather like my nagging dose of sciatica, things haven't settled down since then. And as several of you have shared with me, we aren't alone. What was the deal with this month?

There's a plethora of places we can point a finger at: global events, national events, too much negative input including--yep, I confess--some of the audio from the Depp/Heard trial. Toss in some family situations, the new symbol that appeared on my computer task bar after the last update, and the absolutely brutal struggle I'm mentally having with my current WIP and my mental and emotional rollercoaster is having one heck of a good time while dragging me behind the ride.

 But none of that needs to matter. It's what we do next. The choices we make on where to put our attention in the next 5 minutes. It's easy to get lost in the weeds of looking for all the reasons why. But, do they ever change anything? Isn't it more helpful to decide what's the next, best thing we can do in the next 5 minutes to help us feel like we are making progress, no matter how slow?

How was your emotional rollercoaster in this merry month of May, and where are you choosing to put your attention? If you're uncomfortable sharing publicly, just shoot me an email and I'll be happy to cheer you on.

The power of data. We aren't robots. We are human. It's okay.

 

April's motivation is both an oldie and a goodie. You've seen this posted here before, and, as things turn out, you'll probably see it posted again. It's a reminder I struggle to keep front and center and a lesson I strive to learn. We are not robots. We are human. We ebb. We flow. Either state of being is okay and both are necessary to our well-being.

This reminder is needed on my end because Q2 is here, and if I thought Q1 zipped on by, well. heh. I can only hold on as the merry-go-round kicks off and drags me along behind. My grip is tentative and sweaty. One leg on and one leg dangling precariously off the side. I need a little boost. How about you?

Hopefully, you're able to join me in a bit of data crunching. It's easy to think, oh, I got nothing done. But is that really true? Yes, my big writing project is still laughing hysterically at my Q1 plan, but there was a whole lot of accomplished in the first three months of 2022 and I'm going to celebrate. 

The thing is, when I review data from 2021, 2020, and even toss 2019 into the mix, I'm left wondering why I'm so surprised Q1 felt off. Data, my friends, data. When I look back at my plans and reviews for the last three years my Q1 targets are always overly optimistic. Soon or later you'd think I'd get a clue. We are human. We ebb. We flow. Either state of being is okay. 

It's easy to think I'm always going to be my best self. I'm always going to work to my maximum capacity. What's hard is accepting I'm not. And I won't.  It's okay. But, knowing my ability to forget this simple truth, I'm adding it as a reminder to my December calendar so that next year, I'll give my schedule a bit more margin and see how that feels.

Have you recognized your own cycle of ebb and flow? Do you work with that cycle or do you still struggle? How was your Q1 of 2022?

 

March! #monthlymotivation

And, yes! Did I try a lot in February! 😉

Happy March, my friends. Can you believe it? Hopefully, your February was a bit more eventful than mine. I could give you all kinds of story, but I didn't do the work and it shows in my results. Were there good reasons for the lack of focus? Probably. But all emotions and excuses aside, I made decisions to do things other than what I had planned.

Like my writing. I have a lovely writing schedule for 2022, and it's a good thing there's wiggle room. Because the majority of the month  was spent battling when it came time to do the work. There's only so much flailing about and not getting down to business one can do in a 28 day month and still expect to hit the target.

But, rather than beating myself up or shaming myself for my lack of progress, it's time to work with my brain and thank it for wanting to protect me from my writing (the apparent modern equivalent to immediate, flaming death), and ask it to instead, figure out a way to get these new scenes written and this novel complete. 

Because, just like Cara said*, if I try to finish these scenes and don't succeed, all it means is I tried to finish these scenes. I'm not a bad person. I'm not a failure. I'm not the worst writer, ever. It doesn't mean I will never finish another book in my entire lifetime or no one will ever want to read another one of my books again. It simply means I didn't finish this book, this time, and it's time to get back to work.

You hear that brain? We can save the threat of immediate, flaming death for the reviews.

So, there's my February in a nutshell. I tried to do something and my brain offered me all kinds of unhelpful thoughts in an effort to keep me safe. What did your brain do for you?

And, if you want to learn more about Cara Harvey, you can find her @aPurposeDrivenMom across the web and pick up her new book, The 15 Minute Formula, wherever books are sold.

*Earworm time! Anyone else get hit with the "Just like Ronnie said" earworm when reading this post? Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aJvIFK9-xk

 

February's #MonthlyMotivation

 Happy Tuesday, my friends. How does this 1st of February find you? Almost everyone I chat with tells me that January sprinted by them, they can't believe it's February, and other variations on the theme. As for myself? I haven't yet found my rhythm for this new year. I'm poking at this and prodding at that, but I'm still juggling a basket full of unexpected appointments and responsibilities and there's no ease to my days. 

Yet.

It'll happen. Oh, yes. It'll happen. I have faith.

All lot of my unease is my own perception of time and events. I understand this logically. Emotionally? Eh. Always another story. When I planned out my Q1 I had scheduled myself to work on my writing 13 days in January. My gut feeling prior to my monthly review was I didn't hit even half that amount. Reality? I actually worked on my writing 11 days. That's only two less than what I had calculated I had time for. Go me!!

But, the perception of a rushed and unproductive month is hard to shake. Time to pull out some dance music and do a little celebration boogie. You don't have to watch. It isn't pretty. What it will do is send me into February with a bit more energy and enthusiasm for the all-too short month ahead.

How did your January go? And, what do you expect in your February? 

January's #monthlymotivation

 

Happy 1st week of 2022! How is it treating you so far? Are you being kind to yourself? Have you dived in to your plans with guns a'blazing? Either is great. You, my friends, you do what works for you. Me? I have a confession to make. Come closer and I'll whisper it to you. Ready?

I'm not starting my new year just yet. 

Yep. You heard me. Despite all the New Year/New You messaging coming at us from all angles, I'm holding back a bit. Am I hanging out in a 2021 limbo? A purgatory? No. Not really. I just have so many appointments and commitments this week that I've cut myself a whole lot of slack.

I had the best of intentions and more than a handful of plans, but, in the end, I just decided to chill. I knew going in that parts of this week would be erratic and other parts pretty emotionally stressful. Knowing that, why would I make things anymore complicated than I had to?

I know. I know. Past!Chrissy would have dived in anyway and tried to white-knuckle her way through it all. But hey, this old dog has learned a few new tricks.

I hope, how ever your 2022 has started, that you are feeling rested and recharged for the adventures ahead. What are you looking forward to in 2022?

#MonthlyMotivation - it's all about the moderation

 

Happy December, my friends. We've made it through 2021 (almost). I chose this month's motivation with deliberation as it fits my mood going forward into a new year. I've spent so much of my life trying to get more done in less time, juggle all my glass and rubber balls (thank you, Gary Keller- so sorry I ignored your advice), and alternated between a mix of a "the heck with it" attitude and one centered on "do all the things". I didn't get very far.

2021 has been a year of tough love. Both with myself, and those around me. There's nothing like a pandemic to force one to examine and set boundaries of a personal kind. If you are interested, I've narrowed my stance down to the same I hold for everything else in life: we are all entitled to our own views, and I'll respect yours - as long as you allow me the same courtesy. But, pandemics aside, my embrace of "all da hustle" left me feeling panicked, defeated, discouraged, and damn tired.

Yet, 2021 was an amazing year for my writing productivity. How? Blinders and a whole lot of mindset work as offered by Pahla B., Dr. Edie W., Clarissa Guillen, and Christina Oman, to name a few amazing thought leaders. While each of them have their own life area they focus on, they all share the belief that our thoughts create our feelings, which drives our actions, which leads to our results. Links to learn more about them are available on my Links of Interest page and I hope you check them out.

Despite thinking that by focusing on one thing at a time I was falling behind, it's the moderation mentality that has allowed me to rewrite, re-edit, and republish two short stories and five novellas in twelve months. (Let's pause for the patented Chrissy dorky fist pump. It's okay, you can join in. You ready? *pump* Go me!)

2022 is looming large and, I admit I'm nervous. What comes next? Can I keep going and achieve most, if not all, of the cool things I desire? My biggest, over-arching goal is to live a life of joy, energy, and enthusiasm, and by taking each day at a pace I can manage, no matter what other accomplishments comes my way, that's the star I'm shooting for.

How are you feeling as we wind up another year? What has made a difference in your life? If you don't want to share online, just shoot me an email at chrissymunder@yahoo.com. I'd love to hear how you are doing.

November's Monthly Motivation

 Welcome November! My fingers are crossed this quote will hold true, because my October feels like it (I?) was a hot mess. I can laugh when I say that, because the first two weeks were amazing and then the couple were... hard.

Do you ever have that thing where you get stuck or are waiting on something else and can't seem to move forward until that one thing is done? That was my October.

And dang it! It's still not complete. But, I'm not going to carry those thoughts into my November. This month is all ease and flow, my friends. Ease and flow.

How are you feeling as we slide into a new month?

October's Monthly Motivation.

 

And, while I'm no Daniel Craig, nor a United States Navy Seal, I was pretty damn smooth this past month. Heh.

Yes, my October monthly motivation is posted a little later than usual, but hey! It's been one of those quarters. Celebrate with me, my friends. I just completed the last of my Q3 projects and my Q4 and month of October can officially begin. Yay!

After I pass out for a few days.

Wow. That's about all I can say. Wow. September was an amazing month for me productivity-wise, and funnily enough, it's because I made a supreme effort to slow down and work on one thing at a time. All that other stuff clawing at my ankles and needing to get done? They are still there. And still clawing. But my industrial-strength blinders really proved this month's motivational quote true.

So yay! Deep breaths. Then it's time for my Q3 review, my Q4/monthly planning, and I'll be diving in once again. I hope you had a good start to your October and are enjoying the slide into the Fall season. Have you made the switch from multi-tasking yet? it's one of those things you have to try to decide if it makes a difference. How does it work for you if you have?

Time keeps on slipping...

 Last month of the 3rd Quarter! Man, time flies. I'm starting September off with a much better feeling than I had at the beginning of August. Due, in no small part, to my hacking and winnowing down my projects and priorities down to a very nubby nub. What can I say? I love to over-estimate ALL THE THINGS I can (not) get done.

None of that matters because we are sliding into Fall. Or Autumn, as some prefer. This is my favorite season and when good things happen in my life, it's usually during these couple of months. Need proof? Well, October will see some releases coming out. Yay! I'll share details and all the rest as they come to me. But it's exciting to feel I'm making progress again after more than a few stalled years with my writing. The first thing in the morning, bed-making, treadmill, writing ritual, and writing habit has made all the difference. And yes, this is the point where I shake my head and wonder why I fought it for so damn long.

My online presence hasn't been the most consistent. Sorry if you've missed me! It simply is the first thing to go when I start feeling overwhelmed. We'll see how this month plays out. In the meantime, I'm taking this month's motivation to heart. I hope you do as well. Especially when it comes to yourself.

How is your September starting? Are you excited to finish out this quarter?

Hellooooo August!

 

Whooh, baby. How is your August shaping up? This month's motivational quote is a good reminder not to forget what's truly important.

You might have thought, had you caught my "July was awesome!" recap that I'd be sliding into August flush with calm and confidence. Heh. I wish. 

I knew Q3 was going to be busy with a capital B. I knew I *probably* over-booked myself with things to accomplish. I *might* have over-estimated how long a few projects would take. But, I'm going for it anyway. 

That wasn't a decision I made lightly. But, spurring me on is the knowledge I have plans for the 4th quarter of 2021. Big plans. And one big project. To make space for that one big project in Q4, I need to knock these planned items out in Q3 and if I let myself, I'll feel the weight of all that pressure. 

So despite the way my August already feels crushing, I'm focusing on my top priority for the week and then the top priority for each day. Am I struggling to let the rest go? Absolutely. but, I think it will be worth it.

Hopefully you have not overbooked your August, and you are simply chuckling at this poor, misguided soul. But, if you are in the mix right along with me, be sure to make room for some laughter.

Have a good month!

July's #monthlymotivation

 

A very happy July, my friends. Is anyone else freaking-out over how quickly this year has flown? I feel so surprised, and yet, I'm always so surprised. So... why is it a surprise?  Something for me to ponder, I suppose.

This month's motivation is very dear to my heart. It's a lesson that took me years to learn and apply, but one I'm grateful for. Because, yes, my friends, my life is joyous! And it's joyous because I choose it to be so.

A few weeks ago, Mr. Munder and I were at our off-grid cottage taking down some trees. At least, Mr. Munder was taking down the trees, I was playing packhorse and hauling them off, white cane in one hand to find my way and 30 some odd feet of tree limb dragging behind me in the other. One of our neighbor kids came over and she asked me some questions about my sight and lack thereof, and then she told me how sorry she was.

I thanked her, but told her it was okay, my life was joyous even without sight. And, when I think on it, it is. Yes, I haven't driven a car since 2005. Yes, I have changed careers multiple times over the course of the years to accommodate each progression in my sight loss (even though for much of the time I didn't understand that's what I was doing). Yes, I can no longer read print - the one, true constant in my life. Yes, I no longer see the faces of my friends and family. Yes, I can no longer enjoy window shopping and seeing what's new. Yes, I stab myself in the hand with the one knife that somehow is sticking up in the dishwasher every time I empty the darn thing. Yes, I am not the prolific and confident author I once was. Yes, every aspect of my existence requires adaptation as I continue to lose my vision.

But, that's just life. And the only part of this life in my control is how I choose to deal with it.

I choose joy, my friends. I hope you do as well.

June's #MonthlyMotivation

 Hello, my friends! I hope the first of June sees you well and refreshed for another month. This quote is a good one because there is a whole lot of I get-to on my list this month and it's easy to forget that each one is an opportunity for growth, even when I mentally dig in my heels and don't want-to. 

I'm taking a moment to stop and reflect on my lists and feeling grateful that I have the time, tools, and abilities needed to accomplish these items. It doesn't always help me get over the don't wanna's, but it's a start. I know, I know, the next step is taking those have-to's off the list all together. But baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Does changing your have-to list, to a get-to list change your perspective?