My Dream

Dreams are often motivators and often obstacles. I think we are afraid of setting goals and admitting to dreams because then it seems that we are committed to them. And if we achieve them, what do we do next? Are we to set a new dream or are we stuck with that one? My old dream used to be to run the world. No, not exactly, but close. I wanted to be in a position to help anyone with anything. My current dream is to live life without worrying. To be able to travel when I want, to do what I want, and to help where I want. Basically, I want to live a life where money isn’t an issue, ever.

My dream is directly tied to my why. So closely that in fact they are the same. I want to live a life free from worry. Worries about finances, about travel, about giving, about helping. I want to do all these things with abandon. I want to change the world, I want to help people. So I want to dive a little deeper into my dream. I’m going to address some of the questions in John Maxwell’s Put Your Dream to the Test.

Is my dream really my dream?

Do I clearly see my dream?

Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?

Does my dream compel me to follow it?

Do I have a strategy to reach my dream?

Have I included the people I need to realize my dream?

Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?

Am I moving closer to my dream?

Does working toward my dream bring satisfaction?

Does my dream benefit others?

So, I clearly seem my dream as being able to help people. I do believe this is a clear dream with factors within my control. I know I don’t just need money to achieve my dream, but it will be a huge step in beginning to live a life without worry. I long for a life free from worry and am actively taking steps towards that. My faith in God and in His plan are growing stronger every day and knowing and trusting in Him to make my path straight is a huge burden lifted.

My current strategy is to continue to place faith in God and to only worry about the things I can control. And I’m realizing there aren't a whole lot of things that need worrying about. My marriage is great, my kids are amazing, I have a solid house, enough money to life on, and great friendships.

My excuses are not particularly strong. Of course, that is why they are excuses. I’m not sure I can do this, but man, I really want to go down trying. I’m learning how to do this and I am making time to do this. And if by pursuing Young Living as a business to achieve this dream, I become “that person” to strangers, then that is ok. Because one day, I hope, they will see my dream in action. And that will make it all worth it. 

Excuses or Opportunities?

Excuses are hard to talk about. They are hard to admit and even harder to overcome. Excuses surround our life and they are constantly In our way. A few of my life business building excuses are:

·         I don’t know how to do this.

·         I don’t want to be “that” person.

·         I’m not sure I can do this.

·         Do I want to make the time?

As I think about these excuses, I realize that these four excuses surround almost everything I do. From being  a parent, to working full-time, to training for Ragnar, to building a business. Sometimes things just fall into my lap and they work out. Such was Young Living. I intended to try oils and see what happened. I liked them. I wanted to try more. I want to share. Here I am. Last month I got a check for sharing that was about $300. For sharing, for not working very hard, for spreading my good news about Young Living Oils.

I like to share how the oils help in my life. I like to use them around other people. I like to diffuse them whenever I have people over. Yes, I use peppermint for my headaches. I put lemon, lavender, and peppermint on my kids when the wind blows allergens around. I diffuse cedarwood when I sleep. But the real success stories come from the things I least expect. When I use Grow and Friends together at an event and make a new friend. When I use Faith on my wrists at church and feel my faith grow. When I am able to use oils to make someone feel better, sometimes physically (TummyGize on my son) or emotionally (Stress Away on a stressed friend).

When I think about the excuses I have, I try to remind myself of the times I’ve overcome them. When I found a way to train for my Ragnar Race despite working full-time. The way that my husband was able to support me in that 100%. The way the weather held and there was always a safe place for me to run. The way my teammates all came together to complete the goal. And I know I can do it again. In whatever I set out to do. 

I'm choosing to transform excuses into opportunities. To take these 'weaknesses' and make them into strengths. To learn how to do something, and to do it. 

My Why

I really enjoy working when I can work with people on a daily basis. I like to share, both in person and in writing and I like to help people. Young Living is an opportunity for me to do both! In addition, I can do this work from anywhere. As an army wife, I need flexibility. Flexibility in time, location, and hours. I need to be able to drop everything and move. I need to be able to work from the car as we drive cross country. I need to be able to throw myself into work when my husband is gone and times are rough. As a mom, I want more freedom. I want to be able to volunteer in the classroom, attend sporting events, and take the summers “off” to hang by the pool and to be there when they come home from school. I want my time to count and I want to work hard so I can play hard.

My current financial goals are to pay for my own oils each and every month. This is my short-term goal and I achieved it last month. If I could only stop at 100PV, I’d be fine most months. But my long-term financial goal is to be Silver. To make between $1,500 and $2,500 a month. To ensure that my family can take a vacation or travel anywhere at a moment’s notice. Being far from family means that plane tickets get expensive and I want to be able to make that trip. So my medium range goal – until I am established as Silver and making that money consistently is to make between $500 and $1,000 a month, so basically reach Executive. That way I can comfortably pay for my oils and have a little extra. Maybe a date night, maybe save for a weekend away. Or maybe just go shopping. Something “extra.”

The extra income, helps to offset the lifestyle that I want. I enjoy running but racing can be expensive. I would love to get back to Cross Fit, but that is also expensive. I’d like to ensure my husband can golf when he wants, perhaps a membership at a country club. We live very comfortably on our current income but I’d like to have extras. To vacation and not worry about money. To just live.

My mantra is: Work hard, play hard. I want to embody that for my children and I want to be able to provide that play hard for my husband. He certainly works hard enough.

Zoo Trip!

We've been members of the Reid Park Zoo since we moved to AZ in late 2012. We love it. Its small and perfect for kids. You can walk the whole thing and see every single animal in less than 3 hours. Its great as a morning trip or an all day event. Bonus? There is a Chick Fil-A two blocks away. On this Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, the kids and I loaded up and headed to the Zoo.

We wandered about for an hour or so, watching the bear stretch, enjoying the crazy sound of monkeys, and having snacks. After a few (hundred) times of asking, "Can we go play in the water now?" I gave in and sent them off to play. We've passed the splash park every time and are usually unprepared for it, or its February. Today I dressed them in their swimsuits and promised it would be our last stop, save for the otters.

The played (the kids and the otters, separately) for at least 30 minutes. I sat near by people watching. I felt bad for all the kids who wanted to play and whose parents didn't want to let them. I thought about the times I had to tell my kids no and vowed that we would not do that again. If it was warm enough, they could wear their suits. If it wasn't, they'd figure it out. It's Arizona, things dry in 30 seconds.

When Abigail couldn't stop shivering, they put on their socks and shoes and then watched the otters play in the water. By the time we got to the car, they were dry. A quick trip to Chick Fil-A and then an almost quiet trip home listening to How to Train Your Dragon, Book 3.

Does life get more perfect than a day with the kids?

If it does, I haven't found out how yet.

Hello Mornings: Week 1

Monday, May 4
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Luke 24:27

All Scripture ultimately points to Jesus and his arrival. To the "proof" of God's plan and will. To show that all things work together for His good and that we must be patient. Spending time in the word is what brings us closer to God and prepares us for Jesus's next arrival. God is good!

Tuesday, May 5
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."
James 4:6

Joseph's family rebuked him and envied his dreams. They were afraid his success would harm them. I think we see this a lot, someone else's dreams affect us when that is not the case. We cannot control what others dream or God's plan for them. We should support them, pray for them, and encourage them. Especially our husband's. I struggle with this at times when instead of completing him, I compete for him. I want the best for my husband because he deserves it, but he needs to listen to what God's plan is and act on it. All I can do is support him. And that's all we can expect from other's. When God has a plan for us, nothing (but our very selves) can stand in our way. And, thankfully, God gives us more grace when we need it.

Wednesday, May 6
Leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:24

God does not want us to be in conflict with others, the Enemy does. God has told us to love one another. Until we can love each other and be reconciled with each other we cannot truly obey and be obedient to Him.

Thursday, May 7
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
Matthew 1:3

Jesus's lineage was imperfect, as is his future. I find this to be told in other parts of the Bible, Romans 3:23 and Romans 5:8. I find it comforting because there are many ways in which I sin and Christ has already paid that debt. As Matthew goes through Jesus's lineage, he starts with Adam, who sinned.

Friday, May 8
the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
Genesis 39:21

Joseph rejected his master's wife simply, I believe, because it was the right thing to do. Because his master had trusted him, he rejected her. Our master, our father, our God trusts us, so why is it that we have such a hard time rejecting the temptation in our life?

Military Spouses

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day and with it come stories of amazing military spouses who do wonderful things for their communities. It is also when the Military Spouse of the Year is announced. I recently read this blog post on military spouses. there are so many different ways military spouses support our Service Members, spouses, families and communities. I think the bigger impact comes in the ways we support each other. Some of my best memories from the past 8 years involve my fellow military spouses:

Like the time you took me to the OB because my husband was deployed. And to the hospital when I was in pre-term labor.

Or the time you brought me dinner or cooked for me because I was so tired, sick, pregnant, stressed.

Or when you dragged me out of the house to experience Europe.

And the time we got lost because I refused to use the GPS.

And the many times we stayed up until midnight crafting and talking.

Or when we decided to cook two weeks worth of meals together to save time later on.

When I cried on your shoulder because I didn’t want you to move.

When you called in tears over deployment orders, again.

And when I needed to borrow a dress for the dining out, or a sweater for work.

Thank you ...

For loving my kids like they are your own.

For telling me to suck it up when I needed to hear it.

For answering the phone no matter what time it is and coming over to help.

For understanding the random emotional outbursts.

For packing up my stuff when I was too distraught to do it.

For sharing your family time with my family.

For the open invitation to holiday meals.

For not letting distance, time zones, months, or even years get in the way of our friendship.

And for so much more. I can’t even scratch the surface of the way you have opened your arms to me each and every time we move. We aren’t friends, we are family. I am so lucky to have you.

It's the Small Things

Friday Night
I had all kinds of plans for Friday night. I worked all week and put off nearly everything that should get done. I rented a movie for the kids and planned to catch up on laundry and cleaning while they watched. The first plan failed. By the time we got home and got the pizza in the oven, it was 5:45. Everyone was tired, there had been tears on the ride home, it was a long week. So, we all changed into our pajamas, and settled down to watch Paddington together. I'm so glad.

My kids have a habit of talking during movies. It drives me insane. But, some of their questions were well founded and really needed an answer. Especially when Declan asked if parents really sent their kids away during the war. Um, oh boy. Yes, I explained to him that parents sent their children away to protect them. And yes, it was scary for the kids and the parents. And yes, they tried to find them afterwards. And yes, I was really glad we don't have to do that right now. And yes, I would always go find them. What a hard conversation to have with a 6 year old! So after lots of snuggles, some great pizza, and half of the movie, they went to bed. Cue my evening plans.

Yeah, I ditched those too. I sat on the couch and washed a few episodes of my latest guilty pleasure, Gossip Girl, thanked my lucky stars I never had to play that dating game and then went to bed, at 9:30pm. Hey, it was a busy week. My ridiculous over-planning can wait until Saturday.

#MayWriteAway

It's May! Time for something new. I've joined Many Kind Regards' Writing Challenge. I'm hoping to write 200 words a day AND 8000 words as part of my book idea. So we'll see. As with any good monthly goal, a plan is required.

Here it goes:

Write 200 words a day.
Keep track on my nifty Excel Spreadsheet. Indicate if its been published somewhere or if it is part of any ongoing project.

I recently stumbled on a list of 365 writing prompts and chose 30 that could work as part of my book. They will help. I'm also blogging, writing for MKR, and freelancing. So this shouldn't be so hard. Right?

(That was only 100 words. Keep going Rebecca.)

So, this month's writing projects will include:

What Rebecca Thinks pieces for MKR
Another freelance article (due May 6th, so better get crakin')
Several pitches for articles
A guest blog post, or two
Figuring out my book plan (maybe narrowing it down to chapter ideas? gasp!)
Writing letters
Newsletter entries
Motivational quips
Short stories with my kids
Journal entries
Collaborative pieces
Marketing material for work
Book reviews
Writing on this blog!

What are you doing to expand your writing this month? Join the challenge!