Is this the new normal?

Ok so issues, I've had a few this year. The latest, a huge water leak under our beautiful stone path that has already netted us a $350 excess water bill plus a $100 leak detector bill. Also today they say they want to test my boy for Celiac's disease. Anyway, I was feeling a bit slack about not doing a newsletter for my e-newsletter clients (there goes the mind again) and I sat down and wrote my latest newsletter. This year, I have been putting things off until my boy is better and I keep saying to myself, "I'll do that when things get back to normal". Then today, in the thinking behind the writing, I thought to myself "What if this is the new normal?". Last year was pretty easy for me. Cruisey, some might say. What if this is going to be my normal for sometime, until I get a new normal, whatever THAT might be? I have to start to adapt to my new normal. Instead of putting things off, I need to work out how I'm going to do what I want and need to do with this new normal.  So over the Easter break, my aim is to make a list of the things I have been putting off and also make a list of action I can take to make sure those things are done.  And maybe I'll put a rough time limit around them to so that I have an aim as to when I would like to have completed them by.  Mmmm, I'm excited at the prospect now of this being my new normal.  It's always nice to have a change and a positive challenge!

Family

Over the weekend, my brother, his wife and one of their daughters came to visit.  For me, I really got so much joy from their visit.  We all get along so well and they are really great people to be around.  When we spend time with extended family , mostly it is my husband's family.  I do love those family get togethers too.  As my parents have both passed away, I guess we don't have the big Christmas celebrations and other family get togethers that my husband's family do.  They also have farms so for them to get away, it means there has to be so much rain that there really is nothing they can do around the farm.  So when they come to visit or when we go to visit with them, it is always fun.  It's the same with my sister and her family as they live in Western Australia.
I love just hanging with family.  My goal of committing to spend positive time with family and friends is the easiest goal I have I think.  To have such great family and friends make it's easy.  Thanks for coming to visit, guys.

More Action

On Saturday, I attended my very first Podcamp.  My accountant (Leiza Cole http://www.askleiza.com.au/ )sent me a copy of a brochure she had on Podcamp for new media enthusiasts.  I have only just taken my business to Leiza and she already understands more about me (knowing that I am interested in new media) than my previous accountant did over about 15 years.

So I enrolled in Podcampgc.  Initially, I guess I saw it as an opportunity to network.  Keeping in mind one of my goals this year is to network once a month, that was my primary goal to fulfill.  I was keen to learn new things also as I have a long term goal to build my own website and host it.  When I enrolled, I had no idea what a Podcamp was.  The spiel said it was an unconference for people who were interested in new media; bloggers, podcasters, people interested in social networking and sharing photos online.  I knew if I went I would be amongst like minded people.

You know sometimes when you attend "training" or seminars, you can get those little butterflies in your tummy?  Not me on Saturday morning.  I had no fears about the day, only excitement.  I love it when that happens.  To me it indicates I'm on the right path.

What I got from Podcamp was amazing.  I learned so much information about all things 'new media'.  When I got home I was keen to start putting all the things I had learned into practice right away.

I also met some fantastic people who I have connected with on Twitter and Facebook and I heard some amazing success stories using new media.

Thank you, Gold Coast City Council, as the Podcamp was FREE!  You can find out more about upcoming free seminars on a range of topics here: http://bit.ly/calendarofeventsgccc.  If you aren't on the Gold Coast, check out your local council or library to see what they offer.  If they don't offer anything, where else could you go in your community to learn and network on something you are passionate about?  Ask around.

Well I guess I can actually give a big tick for my networking goal this month!

A Big Aha Moment

Well today, I was sitting at my creative desk, scrapping my title page for Life Scrap 365 when it happened.  I was busy creating, with a clear mind, and this thought came through to me.  If you have read my previous post you will know that my boy has been (and still is) unwell.  I managed to convince him to attempt to go to school for a few hours today and he went off to school at 11.45.  It looks like his condition is going to be best regulated with mainly diet and exercise.
I am feeling quite drained with lack of sleep for a week and a half, living in a constant state of checking my boy and making him sachets of remedy and administering medication and little or no recharge time for myself. I had been thinking negatively earlier this morning that I hadn't really done anything towards my goals this year (even though I posted previously about my great patience, it has started to wane).  Anyway, there I was creating; blank mind and I suddenly realised that one of my goals this year is to make healthy food and exercise choices.  Well, hello?  What the heck have I just spent a week and a half focused on night and day, 25 hours a day, 8 days a week (slight exaggeration, I know!).  Perhaps if I had of paid more attention to this area earlier, I may not have had to receive the life lesson so harshly.
So again, how do I record that with a picture?  Take a photo of my sick boy-not likely.  I'm thankful for this space to record that I have been working tirelessly and diligently on my goals, even though it wasn't that obvious at first.
Is there a goal you may have been working on tirelessly and diligently that you haven't quite celebrated?  Sigh....I feel regenerated now.  The positive energy has returned!