|
What's Your Gift In 2010? |
|
Dear Friends of Balancing Act, 
If you've gotten stacks of fundraising letters like I have, this headline has an all-too-familiar ring.
But wait. This isn't a solicitation for money. It's a question inspired by a book I read over the holidays: Mira Kirshenbaum's The Gift Of A Year.
In it, she encourages readers to find one thing that they've parked on the back burner and revive it in the year ahead, as a gift to themselves.
Depending on resources and passions, the gift could be anything from a bubble bath to an African safari. After a little hand-wringing (was this supposed to be easy?), I chose my long-neglected love of reading poetry.
What's your gift to yourself in 2010? I hope you choose one that makes your heart sing.
Pat |
|
|
"All Sides" of the New Year
Pat had fun being the first guest in 2010 on "All Sides With Ann Fisher," call-in radio show January 4 on Columbus' local NPR station, WOSU Radio.
Feng Shui Yourself. Assess whether your activities, relationships and the way you spend your time are moving you forward in the way you want to go, or are holding you back. Then keep them or let them go.
Schedule Fun. Block out time for fun on your calendar as you would any other top priority. Because fun is a top priority.
Journal Your Pluses. Give yourself credit for the positives you achieve every day. Write them in a journal, especially if you're in a rejection-rich period like a job search.
Be Gentle With Yourself. If you're grieving a loss, cut yourself some slack. Give yourself permission to cancel an activity to attend to the important work of grieving, and accept that the grief experience is different for everyone.
Focus On The Positive. When you're pursuing goals, motivate yourself by imaging how you'll feel when you've achieved the goal rather than focusing on the pain involved in getting there. Set interim steps and rewards.
Mix It Up. To get the creative juices flowing, vary your activities, do the opposite of your usual routine, and try a different creative space, apart from your usual workspace. |
 Here's a trick for the paper planner crowd. Want to know how much time you generally took last year for yourself? your family? your work? your friends? your spiritual life? your community?
Pick a couple of representative weeks, grab a fistful of highlighters - a color for each of the key categories in your life - and take a quick inventory. See any patterns? If some areas look out of whack to you, there's nothing like a brand new year to make adjustments as you schedule. |
|
Discovering who were are... 
There's no one better than author Anne Lamott ("Bird by Bird" and other greats) to take a slightly different angle on an old question like finding out who we are. In a savvy piece for Oprah Magazine, she concludes that the real issue is "to gently stop being who we aren't."
For a well-written thought-provoker, particularly for women, check out her thoughts on how a messy life can lead to the most poignant self-discovery.
|
Leash Law No. 13: Coming Clean
There's a reason plastic organizing boxes are on sale in January. It's therapeutic to leave the holiday season with a clean sweep, de-cluttering all the extra stuff, all the bangles and pine needles and fake snow. A fresh new year is about to begin. Rush the season with a spring wreath on the front door. |
Humor Column Highs...
Bombeck Judge, HumorPress Award
Pat's been named a judge for the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition.
Winners will be announced April 14 at the Erma Bombeck Conference in Dayton. Click here to see what good company she's in.
Also, she's been selected as a semi-finalist in the most recent "America's Funniest Humor!" Writing Contest, sponsored by HumorPress.com, for her November column,"I'm Just Not Ready For 30."
| |
|
|
|
|
Thumbs Up,
Sales Brisk for
"The Dog" |
 |
Online sellers report they're running short of copies as The Dog, just off the virtual book tour, is getting great reviews. More books are on the way to Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. Meanwhile, books are available on Pat's website where they can even be autographed with a personal message.
Here's what reviewers and book bloggers are saying:
Jen's Book Talk: (Rated 5/5): "The Dog had me laughing the whole time I was reading...."
"Prepare yourself for one long laugh...."
****************************
SAVE THE DATE
Sat., Feb. 13
2 p.m. Borders Books
Kenny Rd., Columbus
Love Me...
A writing workshop for dog-lovers
***********************
Pat's on
"Ask The Experts"
Call-In
On Wednesday, January 13 Pat will be on Integrity Coach Susan Ireland's "Ask The Experts" Talk Show from 12:30 to 1 p.m., taking call-ins on the topic: "Don't Let The Dog Eat Your Planner: How Humor and Laughter Can Fuel Your Resilience and Integrity in 2010." Click here to register.
BOOKING NOW FOR SPRING
Pat's taking bookings now for life balance speeches and workshops, writing workshops, and laughter programs, all described on her website. |
 |
|
|
