——————————-

30 Habits That Will Change Your Life by Shari Storm

Today I read, with great interest, Oscar Del Ben’s post, “30 Habits That Will Change Your Life.” I nodded my head at each and every one of them. Then I slammed my laptop shut in frustration: Clearly, it was written by a man with no kids.

NO WAY can a mother even attempt to achieve any of those things. I mean, when would I feed the kids, take them to their dance lessons or, oh, I don’t know … talk with them?

But the article sat on my mind and sat on my mind.

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

Good. Next step.

Time to think about what to call your blog.  Naming your blog may feel akin to naming your children.  Because, in reality, your blog is going to feel like a child, or more like an infant for a long time as you nuture it, dress it up in different outfits, put it in timeout, and so on.  So, for me, it took a while to find the right name.  Here is what I took into consideration:

First, I did not want my own personal parent-given name to be a part of the title.  Other people may think differently about this, especially people who may be running their own business and want their names “out there” and everywhere.  I felt a bit more protective of my name.  I wanted a “handle” or nickname or pseudonym, both for fun and for a tad bit more privacy.  Of course, if I make it big, the privacy part is gone no matter what the blog is called.

Also, I thought about the topic of my blog — motherhood stuff — and wanted that to somehow be represented in the title.  But in a way that said “me.”

I thought about search engines.  What would my readers be searching for?  And how would the name of my blog lead them to my articles.

After I thought about those things, I googled my name ideas to see what came up.  You should do this, because one time I googled “Freckle Face Boy” to show Ty that boys can, indeed, have freckles and PORN came up.  I clicked off of the results as soon as I could.  Ty asked, “Mommy, were there pictures on that page that bothered you?”  Uh, ya think?

So, all of that to say, google your ideas and be sure you are not inadvertently leading your potential readers into some sort of bold sin.

Then, “cross your fingers and hope to die and stick 1000 needles in your eye” that NO ONE out there was as clever as you and picked your name already.  After you confirm that you can “own” your name, then BUY IT.  I do so recommend purchasing  your URL and owning it.  It feels more official, it’s cheap, you don’t have to have “wordpress” or “blogspot” before the .com in your address.  This, of course, is all about your own persnoal preferences, but I say, DO IT.

That goes hand in hand with the idea of hosting your blog.  Now, I am not talking about serving it beer and nachos during the big saturday college football game (Go Cougs!).  I am talking about having a service that you PAY to maintain and “host” your blog — rather than a free blog site.  I admit it, though, that I turned to el-husband for this one.  He knows all about this stuff and researched it.  So, we do host our blog with a fantastic service called GO DADDY.  They are available 24/7 for questions, set up, trouble shooting, and so forth.  They walked me through (I should say, DAVE, because he set this up for me… ) getting my URL to magically transform before my eyes into a WORPRESS  blog and they also waved their wands and I got email through my blog that comes into my outlook inbox.  They are miracle workers, they are.

There are a lot of good hosts out there.  And it is worth the small fees you pay to have the person on the phone to call when you cannot figure out how to make something work.  Unless you love to cry.  Then, go with the free service.

Next Steps: Design — Free or not that Free and What Do You Put in Your Sidebar?

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

For me, I will take anywhere that is not my house.  I’m thinking like down the street in someone else’s house while they are away would probably re-charge me.  But, to be true to my own question, I will say that my dream vacation is a toss up between Italy and Greece.  I’ve never been to either, but I have wanted to go to Greece ever since a college buddy told me about his adventures in Greece one of which involved another friend winding up in the back of some local’s truck and driving off into the darkness after … well… indulging in the local greek beers a tad too much. Of course, that isn’t why I want to go there. He also described the beaches and the food.  And Italy… oh please just get me to Florence where I can feed he English -Teacher-Nerd-Esque part of me by walking where Dante walked.  That and the gelato. And the art.  And the countryside.  I will stop now.

How about you?

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

Here are the words that came to some of us this past week.  Thank you all for journeying with me to find our ONE LITTLE WORD.  A double thank you to those who posted a comment revealing your word to me, to everyone. If you think about the idea that people out there are putting these words in front of themselves this year, then I think we can all have a sense of HOPE for 2010.  I know that I do.

P.S.  I will be checking back our journey with our one little word later this year.

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

And it is my own fault.

My word kept banging on my door… and I kept denying it. 

Which is ironic, because my word is OPENNESS!

This word is about the SCARIEST word in the world for type-A, control freaky, organizational-nuts like myself.  There are a lot of unknowns in my life right now and if I had my way I would orchestrate it all… every detail unfolding in some master plan to rule the world (insert eville laugh here…).  But, I don’t think that is gonna happen… not for lack of trying, mind you.  I could organize the entire to/from school carpool for next Fall (yes…September…) right now, today, and send it out to everyone. But I am pretty sure my friends and neighbors would send in the men with the white coats… I mean, there is planning and then there is trying to be a demi-god.

I have to admit, at first I was holding out for a different word.  “That is NOT my word,” I kept saying.  But, alas, it IS my word. I have never really thought of myself as a closed-off person.  But, with so much up in the air for my family in 2010, I think I need a reminder to hold my sense of control loosely, to remember there is more out there then what I can personally anticipate. So, OPENNESS is about letting go of control, and trusting that the path is clear of obstacles (well, at least “too many” obstacles) and to let my heart, my God, and the universe lead me to all that goodness waiting for me and us.  I don’t really have much of a map, and I guess I don’t need one… well, at least that is what “openness” is trying to convince me of, anyway.

Okay.  So.  I am OPEN to whatever comes. Openness has an inherent quality of TRUST, of FAITH, of CONFIDENCE, and of HOPE to it.  I think I can live with that.

Here are a few definitions that hit home:

1.  Generous, liberal, or bounteous

2.  Unguarded by an opponent

3.  Free of navigational hazards

4. To render accessible to knowledge, enlightenment, sympathy, etc.

5. To unfold or expand, as a blossom, so as to reveal the interior

I really feel that 2010 is going to be an incredible year.  But, I have no idea how that is going to manifest.  So, I am open.  Let’s see what happens.

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

Since I am married, my wagon is hitched to my husband’s.  So, I thought Dave should also get a chance to comment on the idea of ONE LITTLE WORD — from a man’s persepctive.  So, here it is….

—————————————

In 2009 my word was “traction”.  This worked well for me.  I wanted to stop spinning my wheels,  trying to catch… uh, greener grass somewhere, I guess.  “Traction” meant slowing down and taking some thoughtfull deliberate steps – forward.  Thanks to “traction” I left real estate sales and got back into teaching and coaching (as my wife had first suggested 4 years ago).  Thanks to “traction”, I was able to take the time to fall in love with our new baby daughter this year.  Thanks to “traction”, I’m happier than I was a year ago. 

What’s my new “traction” word for 2010?  

It needed to be something that hit me deep down.  Like that movie “Rudy”.  Something that inspired me and made me cry a little, but in a manly defying- the-odds sort of way.  Something that combined the Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps with the coolness of Johnny Depp… actually, he’s a little feminine.  Maybe Matt Damon.  

I know, I know.   I was really all over the map on this.  I needed to use the lessons from my 2009 word to help me find my 2010 word.  At one point, I thought I had it: Appreciation.  I shared my word with Mamabloo (aka ”my wife”) and she said “ Do you mean “graditude’?  I like it!  You could use some graditude!”  Wait a minute, “graditude” wasn’t what I said…  oh, forget it.  And I kept searching.

So finally, I found it.  My word for 2010 is HOME.

I am not a wordsmith.  Few words actually speak to me.  But this one did. To me home includes family, taking time for myself, feeling good, comfort.  After gaining all that ground in 2009, I want to be sure I know why I am working 60+ hours/week, why I forced myself to change careers, why I do what I do each day.  I am not really after glory or fame (though, those would be nice… I think I will let my wife get all of that).  But I do need to remember the five kids that wait for me each night when I come in the door, the wife who needs a foot rub, the garbage that needs to be taken out… again, and that home is not just my wife’s responsibility.  I play a part, too.  Putting that in front of me this year is just what I need.    

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

On Friday I wrote a post about the New Year and finding that one word to guide yourself through 2010.  Then, things just started pouring in.  As more and more energy came to me from this one post, I discovered more and more people out there looking for, celebrating, and living with their ONE LITTLE WORD.  The notion of seeing your whole life through the intention and awareness of this one word is something pretty amazing.

I have always been a nut for the power of words, especially the spoken word.  Maya Angelou says that words “hang on the walls”  in our life.  Even the characters in Harry Potter knew the power of words when they refuse to utter Voldemort’s name.  I am careful (well, most of the time) not say anything that I don’t want to speak into exisitence.

So, I am gonna say this.  Let’s do it.  Let’s all find that one word to guide us.

Might I be so bold as to say this, too.  Wait until the kids have been shuffled off to school or the baby is down for a nap.  Grab a cup of coffee or that ice cold Diet Pepsi.  Be sure you have pen and paper – or better yet, a journal.  Then look through some of the links below.    Then, try and get your husband or significant other to join you in picking out his own word.  If you hubbie is anything like mine, there is no chance in getting him to delve into some blogs and websites, but a good ol’conversation may work.  Last year Dave selected TRACTION.   We are in a profoundly different spot than we were last New Year’s.  I have to believe that the intention of this word, TRACTION,  in our life was part of why we are where we are — no more spinning our wheels financially, professionally, familially.

Here is my process.  I write down the words that jump out to me.  Then I let is rest for a bit.  And there is always one (or maybe two) word(s) that nags me to distraction; one word that rises to the top of the list.  Then I spend some time looking at the definition of the word, saying the word, wondering what it means nto me.  Then I just pick it.  This year I am going to try out some of the ideas below to really cement this one little word into my life. 

Click here for some ideas from a whole website (no longer being updated) that dedicated itself to the whole notion of ONE LITTLE WORD.  I warn you, though.  This website will blow you away!  If you click on a word, it will take you to some quotes and even some art projects to inspire you!  Mind blowing, like I  said.

Here is another place to check out. Shutter Sisters  guides photographer with one word each month.  If you love photography — or know someone who does — you must check this site out.

A couple more.  Check out this blog post from Ali Edwards.  There are some embedded links inside this post that will take you deeper and deeper into this idea of one word.   Christine Kane’s blog  provides a great list to get you thinking and click here if you want to go directly to a video describing the switch in thought when you move from a resolution to a word – from “doing” to “being”.  There is also a downloadable worksheet that can take you through the steps of implementing your word into your life.

This week I am going to dedicate myself to finding my word for 2010. 

Words are powerful.  Choose cafefully.  Then open yourself up for what the power that your one little word brings you.

Will you share with me your word?

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

January just is not that way.  I mean, first of all, we are not even ½ way through the school year.  It is cold. We usually have colds. And, it is cloudy.  That big glowing ball is usually a recluse and so am I. I also feel about 46 pounds heavier after eating my way through the holidays.  Ugh. Not the time to pat myself on the back and focus on moving ahead.

Or maybe it is.

Last year my home group leader asked us each to come up with one word to guide our life for 2009.  One word.  Just one.  For someone as verbose as me there was an inherent challenge. But I did it. My one word was “BREATHE”.   As the deep intellectual that I am (ha! ha!), this word was significant for me on many levels.  At the time, I was 6 months pregnant – so breathing had a sorta pratical and literal reality for me,  but also I wanted to breathe in my life (this is the deep part) to look at my family, to remember them, to breathe them in and really SEE them.  And then, I also need to relax.  I am always putting WAY too much pressure on myself to be perfect and to create perfection around me.  That old 80’s expression “going with the flow” might as well be written in a foreign language with some sort of math problem next to it – that is about how much I “get” that concept.  So, breathing became a mantra of flowing, or relaxing, of taking life as it comes – even its imperfections.

I would give myself a solid B- on my year guided by BREATHE.  And I am pleased with my grade.  I’ll take  it (see how I am flowing… see…see..?). I had my holding-my-breath moments and a few that might have looked like I even needed CPR.  But mostly, I think having that one word to guide me, helped me enjoy life just a bit more in 2009.  Nothing like reminding yourself to BREATHE to keep things real, eh? 

I will need a new word for 2010 – perhaps “Wealth” or “Lottery-Winner” would work.  I will have to give it some reflection and let ya’all know.

What word would you come up with the guide your 2010?  Discipline?  Humor? Quiet?  Love? Service?  Receiving?  Giving?  Life?  Post a comment and let me know!

Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.