Tuesday Problem-Solving

Tuesday is my receptivity day of the week, when I look at my social and emotional self and make an effort to shift my perspectives around how I view and treat the people in my life.

We are in the First Quarter Moon phase, one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. The First Quarter is yang, a time to take decisive and smart action on my intentions; a time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities. I use this October quarter moon's energy to simplify and hone down my life.

Agenda: 

1. Read "The Achievement Habit"

2. My anger journal

3. Teamwork plan

4. Full effort for clearing

1. Read "The Achievement Habit":

I'm finishing 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 10 is Make Achievement Your Habit. "I take the view that life is basically a problem-solving activity, and you can learn to make both the process and the results better." He goes on to say that problems are good for you, and it works best if you reframe problems as opportunities; as "gifts that provide vehicles for the natural development of our life-giving forces."

Chapter 3, on "Getting Unstuck" talks about how to reframe a problem to get clear about what I really want to accomplish, and open to new solution ideas. Then I can create a prototype - a trial balloon- which can be a conversation, written draft, or physical model - and try it out.

2. My anger journal:

I've been reading the Anger Book every Tuesday and I've reached a chapter on problem solving. I'd certainly love to carry forward the idea of problems as opportunities, and using design theory, reframing, and prototypes as a way to solve my interpersonal problems.

Last week I brainstormed about the ongoing problem we have with "hiding"of my stuff, and I listed some possible solutions. When I think about this problem as an opportunity, I see it fits in to my big goal of simplifying and organizing. This week I'd like to try clearing better space for "my stuff", and make it super easy for us to put things away properly.

What about the problem of getting tired and snippy at the boys? Perhaps that's an opportunity to take better care of myself - eat protein, drink water, take a little walk... because I love them so much!

3. Teamwork plans and visuals:

Once a week I'd like to consider how I am creating synergy with my teams, developing trust relationships, and realistic expectations. Today I will design a plan for how to communicate my vision for projects, expectations, and what to delegate.

• Clerk Gathering: Send a prototype schedule with my rationale and some options
• Halloween decorations: Make a visual project list - ghosts, tombstones, and (next week) jack o'lanterns, spiders, lights?, cookies.
• Drawing with Aldo: locate a new sketch book, and start to test pens and draw faces

4. Full effort for clearing:

Full effort requires attention; you remember your intentions - what it is you want to do and your deepest reasons why - and also notice your emotions, energy, challenges, etc. I'm thinking today about full effort for clearing.

My intention:

I intend to clear our home of excess, find clarity on what is most important to keep, and create a well-ordered and peaceful sanctuary for those I love, so that we have room to receive what we really need, and find what we already have.

This week I'm working in the jar cabinet and the studio cabinet: Goal- create space, sort, relabel. Here's my plan:

• T: Jar cabinet deep dive: Clear out most of the jars into a box and send queries to those who might need them. Take it one box at a time: sort, discard, relabel.
• W: Garden - palette, etc.
• Th: Sort plastic bags                                                       
• F: Sort legos and markers
• Sat: Refrigerator + Studio cabinet: Sort and label one shelf at a time  
• Sun: In-basket, papers, books     
• M: Deep dive in toy bin
• T: Recycling + plastic bags