Friday Clarity

Friday is my new day for creative thinking and doing; as Grandma Earth Teacher I am led to make things that are a gift to the Earth in some way, sustainable, and with a message. Also, I need to prepare for the next week of after-school time: A calm flow with some repeatable fun learning and ongoing fall projects.

And this is the yin time of the waxing crescent moon, a phase of growth, when I am planting my intentions and caring for them. I'll take time to discern and create clarity.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Achievement Habit":

2. Nurture my intentions

3. Create clarity

4. Projects for the week

5. My Synergy Project - boy teamwork

1. Read "The Achievement Habit":

I'm reading from this book by Bernard Roth (2015), subtitled "Stop Wishing, Start Doing, and Take Command of Your Life". This is a book about "design thinking", applied to achieving goals in your life. It's due, so I'm going to skim and sum up the last chapters:

Chapter 8 is Self Image by Design. One section is about self-image, and how evolves and changes. This is about the Authentic me - the integrated me - changing my self-image and my behaviors to match. I can explore and expand the boundaries of my self-image by asking "Who am I in terms what I do?" and "Who am I in terms of my being?".

He lists out a Truth Process:

1. Think of an issue I want to be rid of, like my writer imposter syndrome, and think of a physical object to represent it, like Mary Oliver.
2. Close my eyes and imagine it (the issue, as embodied)  being a few feet in front of me; make an inventory of its physical properties - size, color, texture, temperature, smells and sounds...
3. Recall the last time this issue occurred, and then go back in time to find the first time it occurred. (Repeat the inventory to see if it has now changed.)
4. Now recall all the things I am sure are correct about this issue - the Truth. (Repeat the inventory to see if it has now changed.)
5. Now look at any things that might be incorrect. (Repeat the inventory to see if it has now changed.)
6. Recall how my body feels when I experience this issue; my body positions and physical reactions. (Repeat the inventory to see if it has now changed.)
7. Recall all the emotional states I go through, sensations and feelings I have with this issue - the actual experience, not my ideas about it. (Repeat the inventory to see if it has now changed.)
8. Tell myself about what I get by keeping this issue in my life - the Truth.
9. Now imagine being upset by this issue, then being NOT upset. Repeat about 5 times.
10. Now imagine a whiteboard in front of me and write down all the things and the people that are keeping this issue in my life. (Repeat the inventory to see if it has now changed.)
11. Now imagine erasing everything that is no longer relevant off the whiteboard, then pushing the whole thing off a cliff.
12. Imagine myself at my favorite beach or creek, doing what I enjoy most. 

Though I did this in a very truncated way, I still ended with an understanding that the only thing keeping this imposter syndrome alive is me. My father and Mary Oliver have no say. And all I get from it is a childish need for reassurance.

2. Nurture my intentions:

During the waxing crescent moon I'm in a yin phase of growth, planting my intentions and caring for them. Today I will look at again at the intentions I set at the New Moon, and plan a symbolic way to care for each one:

1. Practice a simpler daily flow: Reduce my expectations for the week.
2. Create synergy with my teams: Make a new synergy plan for teamwork.
3. Develop new renewal rituals and holistic habits, and inner synergy for my priorities: Perhaps, listen to QEW business meeting while I work in my garden?

3. Create clarity:

Every month in the yin time of the waxing crescent moon, I look at my level of clarity. A lack of clarity causes stress, inaction, a scattered focus, relationship difficulties, and confusion for my teams. Clarity helps me to focus, to communicate better, to take action, to feel energized. 

Today I will think about areas I might need to find clarity in:

• My mission in life
• My current priorities
• My health goals
• My responsibilities and self-expectations
• My projects and themes
• My financial plan
• My relationships

Journal: These things seem unclear - 

What do I want to paint next with watercolor? What do Want to sew? 

How can I grow my connection with Aldo?

How can I improve my savings?

So the next step is to sit with these thoughts and brainstorm a way forward.

4. Projects for the week:

The projects I see as priorities now are:

1. For my substack: Better photos and watercolor illustrations
2. Craftivism and nature projects: ECEF banners, hang butterflies in my trees
3. House and practical fix-it projects: Hall doors, canvas roof
4. Sharing skill and fall projects: Drawing with Aldo, Birds with Arthur
5. Christmas gifts: Sewing, painting, crafts

Art projects:

• F: Sew a dove
• Sat: Finish dove + Bathroom door
• Sun: Start runes + hang butterflies + set up ofrenda
• M: Wood-burning: runes + cutting board for Denise
• T: Wood-burning + Tombstone
• W: ECEF banners + Tombstone
• Th: Watercolor (?) + Bat cave?

Kid Projects:

• F: Aldo day: Toy store; drawing supplies
• T: Artie Day: Nature walk + Tombstone: Glue skull on and paint eyes, wings, R.I.P.    
• W: Aldo Day: Drawing + Tombstone + Reading cards + $ chores     
• Th: Both Boys Day: Day of Dead book + Ofrenda - new paper banners? sugar skull?
• F: Aldo day: Finish bat cave?

5. My Synergy Project - boy teamwork:

Twice a week I consider how I am creating synergy with my family, developing trust relationships, and realistic expectations. Today I will design a plan for how to communicate my vision for kid projects and chore expectations, and what to delegate.

• Set sacred time for drawing and draw with Aldo - possible sources - Make him his own drawing box.
• Bring binoculars every Tuesday and a bird book - take time to look for names of birds and write them down.
• Talk about Halloween pockets - no toys, just projects?
• Make visual chore list or cards for Aldo