I was gung-ho the minute 2014 rolled around to start working on myself. Two seconds later I dropped off that cliff and plateaued. Then something amazing happened Easter weekend. Actually a series of events happened before that, but I didn’t do anything about it until Easter.
I got the creative juices flowing for my blog.
Saturday (the day I got the inspiration like a bolt of lightning), I started writing down every single idea that popped into my head.
By Monday, I had a list of 6 or so possible names for my blog, and I was pinning everything I could find about blogging to a secret board I named “blogging.”
Photo via Pixabay (text added)
By the end of that week, I had a URL and was starting to write blog posts. Less than two weeks later, my blog was live.
So what was my motive for starting a blog like that? So spur of the moment and unlike me?
I had a shallow reason and some fairly decent reasons.
My shallow reason, if you can’t already guess, was to make some money. We had just found out that my sister-in-law and mother-in-law were going to move out of our basement. They were paying rent, so I needed to find a way to make some money. Blogging was one of the first things that came to mind because I didn’t want to leave my girls to work outside of the home.
The other reasons I started blogging were as follows:
- I wanted to change and improve.
- I wanted to write and get better at it.
- I wanted to help others with my knowledge and experience.
So, you see, the positive reasons greatly outweigh the selfish one!
All in all, I’ve learned that starting a blog is not a great way to earn money if you need money ASAP (let’s face it, I still haven’t earned anything and I’ve been doing this for 8 months!). I’ve also learned that we don’t actually need all the money I thought we did.
9 Things that Can Help You to Improve and Intentionally Change
Since starting Humble in a Heartbeat, I have changed and improved, started to hone in on my writing, and helped others.
I changed in 2014 in some really great ways. But I also changed in some really bad ways.
Since I don’t want to discuss the bad ways (at least not today), I will let you in on a secret about how you yourself can improve in great ways.
As I’ve been more intentional about changing and improving since I started my blog, these are the things that have helped me the most:
Timers
I have to set a timer when I’m doing laundry or I might just forget about it until I need clothes again. Ha! Setting a timer is a great way to help me get more done in less time. I really think I better start using a timer when I’m on Pinterest. I could spend 30 minutes or more on there if I’m not careful.
Reminders & Alarms
I used to remember birthdays quite easily, but this past year I think I forgot at least a dozen. Writing down important things on a calendar or a to do list is the best way for me to remember.
Alarms are great when I need to do something on a daily basis, like a money minute. Now when I hear the alarm at 9:50 PM, I know it’s time to quickly think through the day about any transactions that may have taken place and perhaps check on my bank account or budget if needed.
A Blog
If you’ve been a reader since the beginning, you know that I have a TON of things I need to work on. One of those things is getting our finances in order and working on being the best family finance “manager” I can be. It has been extremely beneficial for me to blog about all of the mistakes I’ve made with our finances.
Even though we still don’t have a will, it is always in the back of my mind because I wrote about it on this blog. I know that there are at least some readers who would like to know more, so I will be making time for that (finally!) very soon.
Social Media
If I put something on my blog and then also put it on Facebook or Pinterest, you better believe I am going to be reminded over and over about it. I belong to a lot of group boards on Pinterest where I can pin my blog posts (both past and present). As I go through my pins to decide which ones to pin to which board, I am reminded of all the things I still need to work on in order to be a better mom or wife. Social media can be a powerful way to help you improve.
Support and Accountability
When I tell my husband about something I want to change, he sometimes remembers better than I do! I think the buddy system works wonders for change. When I was on an exercise kick, it was so helpful for him to push me out of bed each morning and exercise alongside him.
Laser Focus
I often wonder what happens to all my time during the day. Many times it slips away from me because I’m taking care of my girls (whether breastfeeding or feeding them). Other times, however, I find myself scrolling through Pinterest or sleeping in. Menial tasks that do little or nothing to help launch you towards your goals (Facebook, cough) should be cut off until you get the important things done.
Commitment
I seem to have a bit of ADD when it comes to blogging. I like to have at least 2 tabs open at once (wordpress and my email). If I am writing and I happen to notice that I have a new email, I stop what I am writing and check it. Do you know what that does for my workflow? It takes me twice as long to get through writing if I’m constantly switching tasks! I need to be more intentional about working on one thing at a time so I can put all my energy into each task.
Motivation
I don’t think there is anything wrong with having a motivator to change. I am motivated to change our money habits because I know that we will have more for our goals if I change. Sometimes, I’m just motivated by chocolate. Aren’t you? :0
Goals with a Plan
Setting goals is only half the battle. You need a plan to make goals come to fruition. When I have a plan to actually complete the task or the thing I want to change, it is much smoother sailing. I need a plan to complete that will!!
What things make improvement and change a little easier to tackle for you?
These are some great tips Charlee! I love the idea of using a timer–why didn’t I think about that sooner?! I try to limit myself with how much time I waste on social media (Pinterest) so setting a timer would be perfect. I also have ADD when it comes to blogging, or just getting things done in general. I’ve been trying to shut out everything else when I sit down to write so that I don’t get distracted. It’s so hard to ignore the notifications on the computer or phone for emails, texts, and alerts.
I really appreciate your feedback, Amanda. Why does everything related to technology have to be so darn addicting?!
Thank you so much Charlee for sharing my money minute post and for these amazing ideas – timer = GENIUS! 🙂
I always like sharing great tips, so thank you!
I use a few of these to increase productivity. It’s essential (especially if you want to get a lot accomplished) that you stop multi-tasking (and that means CLOSING those browser tabs)!
You’ve shared some great tips here Charlee! Thank you.
xoxo
I really think I could learn a TON from you, Jennifer! Thanks, as always, for stopping in.