You Are So Far Behind You Can't See Where You Started...

(photo credit spablab)

I thought I was treading water pretty well.  I'd been covering responsibilities for someone else at work for the last ten weeks, and for the most part, I was certain that I was doing a good job at maintaining multiple spinning plates without dropping one.  I was traveling a good bit too, which even when it's "just" an overnight, throws you off your game at the best of times.  I admit that I felt a bit invincible.

But then the cracks started to show last week, and lucky for me I was heading into a five day stretch where I was going taking some time off.  It wasn't until I was grinning like a fool as I landed at my vacation destination that I realized that I had been drowning.  In fact, all the while I thought I was maintaining, I was actually slowing sinking.  And with this newfound perspective, I realized that I had gotten so far behind in everything that I said I wanted to accomplish by this time a few months ago that I was essentially going to have to start all over again.

Don't Panic

After I had a bit of mental meltdown (wailing "why me, why me"?) I came to my senses.  This isn't a time for panic.  It's a perfect time for reflection and creating a new plan.  Although I didn't get a lot of things done that I thought I wanted to get done, I've got 10 weeks more information that I had before, and knowing now when I didn't know then means I can change some strategies to work better. 

And all was not lost- I did manage to make some progress in the right direction on almost every front.  I have to give myself props for that.

Be Flexible

I have new perspective and I have more knowledge.  The best way to use that information now is to re-evaluate what I said I wanted to accomplish.  Guess what?  Turns out there are some pretty big things that I want to change about everything I was thinking, including a complete revamp of the product suite I offer here at ThinkBlot.  I get to do that behind the scenes, and now that I have a bit more "free" time, that should be better than ever.

There is nothing more stifling to creativity than a bunch of rules, and I had a million of them as I traversed the landscape of my world for the last 10 weeks.  Some of them worked, and many of them didn't.  And as if I needed another gentle reminder of what doesn't work, I stumbled across 8 Bad Habits that Crush Your Creativity And Stifle Your Success.

Don't Lose Your Sense of Humor

Sometimes I laugh at the most inappropriate times.  Clients, friends, lawyers have asked me, "What's so funny?" in a very demanding tone.  Laughter became one of my defense mechanisms many years ago, and when things are feeling tense or uncomfortable, I'll laugh.  It helps me relieve my own internal tension, and 99% of the time, I can feel it relax the person across from me or on the other end of the phone. 

I lost my laughter somewhere along the way as my work buried me.  I found myself more short-tempered and impatient, and less willing to accept that other people make mistakes.  I was less pleasant to be around.  I had forgotten that laughter is a universe stress reliever.  I've laughed a lot over the last few days, and it felt fabulous.

Adjust the Starting Line

No matter where I've been for the last three months or so, I am here now.  Here isn't exactly where I wanted to be, but nevertheless, this is it.  Instead of looking at this in a negative light, I choose to see this as a new opportunity.  I have new goals (hopefully better ones).  I have lots of new ideas.  I'm looking forward to seeing what else I can do.  It's a brand new race, and it starts today.

Things are going to start changing here over the next several weeks.  October is my favorite month because there is something about this transition time between fall and the holidays that energizes me.  I'm planning to roll out a new editorial calendar for the blog, as well as a new suite of products.  In addition, I'm going to be promoting a lot of cool people who have grabbed my attention, and hopefully doing a lot more interacting with all of you cool folks who stop by and take the time to throw out a comment or two.

There is no limit on do-overs, no matter the reason that you have to do it.  Are you readjusting anything that you are working on?  Let me know if the comments below!

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[drogers]

This is inspiring
“As a Chaplain in a treatment facility I have had the opportunity to hear many stories from people. I hear many hardships in session as I meet the patients in drug treatment. In many of the stories, often, there is a common refrain. Not only do the stories tend to sound similar but the response of the patients and what they do with it sound the same as well.”
Go to Drug Addiction Treatment: “Our Sober Approach to God” OR http://goo.gl/a26S8 to read more.”