Stir Yourself Up

Lately I've been thinking about motivation. How I do all I do and how others seem to think I am a one-woman dynamo but really, it's just my way. I'm not really doing anything that others can't do. It's just I have this thing, a weird need to do multiple things at one time (not necessarily literally) and I still don't know yet why I am that way.

The rest of the world does things the normal way - they start something, they finish it, they start a new thing. Yes, they have to sometimes be a parent, spouse and employee all at once and then maybe they throw in one other love of theirs to help keep themselves fulfilled. But that, I think, is what most sane people prefer to handle at once and I think that's great. When I need to chill out, this is what I fall back to doing.

I never claimed to be sane when it came to this compulsion of mine. I do think it is a compulsion but I do not think it is a sickness. It is - again - my way. I get bored easily so multiple things keep me entertained. I do one thing and maybe jump to the next and around I go until one things gets done, actually until right BEFORE one thing gets done, then I go find something else to bring into the mix lest I'm short one thing and suddenly find myself feeling like I have too much time on my hands. Yes. I do feel that. And it's a weird feeling because it's like not being able to breathe suddenly. Not having something to do makes me antsy.

And then there are my down times.

Like the one I just had. There are short ones, which this was, and then are are longer ones. Both are brought on by a need to rejuvenate. If I never took a break, I'd go to work and be on a computer all day. I'd then go home and be on the computer in my email, or writing, or doing stuff for my business all night. Somewhere in there I have to do things with and for the kids and sometimes Mr. T who works a lot himself so he actually doesn't disrupt things too often. Oh, and I have to sleep too. And this is what I do a lot. Until I get tired. I don't really get tired of stuff I am doing. I just need to get away from the computer and when I do that, that means all that other stuff doesn't happen because after all, my business and my networking are online matters. My writing isn't but I still need the computer to write since my hand never moves as fast as my brain.

So for a good week but probably more like 2 weeks, I worked, I went home and maybe did a little more work for my job because I can. But my business email overfloweth. My Twitter friends didn't hear from me for a week for sure. Facebook friends and my business networking groups had to wait. I didn't think about greeting card copy. I didn't think about my book. And I was happy.

"I don't know how you do all you do, Monica," is something I hear a lot. Well, this is how. I know me. I know when I need a break and I take it. I motivate myself. Motivation is a funny thing. If you want to do all those things you want to do, you can't count on motivation to keep coming from others. Sometimes you have to be able to motivate yourself but at the same time, the more you allow yourself to be around and do the things that motivate you, the longer you will probably last. Still, you have to know yourself and listen to yourself and agree to chill out when your body calls for it. Doesn't matter how many voice mail messages you have. And I know that being around certain people and watching certain shows WILL stir something up in me, so I purposely stay away until I hear that call to come back and get moving again.

I hear a whisper of it now. I went back to Twitter and started my usual chatter. "Where have been Monica!" I just needed a little hiatus, that's all. I cleared up my personal email that can get crazy but not nearly as crazy as the business email. That took longer than expected so tonight I will hopefully get the business email. And I will set up an autoresponder so people know not to expect an immediate response because yes, I am busy and I do want to respond but just can't do it right then. I will filter more of the emails too so I see less stuff in my inbox. Just seeing it can give a person agita, you know. I really hate a full emailbox anyway.

Just like daily prayer helps keep you in tune with God and Him speaking to you, doing something for yourself to help you advance in your personal goals every day is a necessity to keep going. Again, I'm compulsive, so I do something nearly every day because I simply must or I can't breathe. But this is how I am able to do it. And I am around others mostly like me. That helps. But each one had to find their own way to keeping the fires burning.

Also, I know what my gifts and talents are. I know as much of my purpose as God has allowed me to understand thus far. And this helps give me fulfillment. I am not able to last too long in anything that makes me unhappy so I have no choice, you see? I have to do what I love and I have to do it all the time or I get REALLY antsy because I feel like I am wasting my time. I am a mother and wife and employee and writer and business owner and if I can do all that, so can you.

Motivate yourself if you think you need it. I just got a tip from a coach whose list I am on. Keep a success journal. Write down every success - big and small - you achieve. When you need a lift, go back to it and remind yourself of what you have accomplished so far. This is one way to motivate and inspire yourself. To me, life is too short and unpredictable to wait for some special time to do something. There will always be something or someone commanding your time. You can't do it all right now and at the same time, but you can work on it a little every day and keep pressing until you get there. Know yourself and what stirs you up.

You can't just be a talker though. You have to be a doer. So go do you!

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