virtual book tour

Please also visit my heartfelt post about the Power of Forgiveness at Tina’s Book Reviews.

Remember how I was going to have a disciplined December? I didn’t. There are so many areas in which I feel I need to pull up the proverbial bootstraps as the new year rolls in. I agree with all the people who say making resolutions isn’t a good habit, since they lead to defeat. Goal-making is the better way.

But looking at all that I would like to see happen in January against what is stacked up for me there already (packing up to move back to China, and the continuation of the virtual book tour), it’s hard not to be just the teensiest bit overwhelmed (or to start hyperventilating). I’m aware of a weakness I encounter every time the task looks insurmountable: I freeze. The key, I know, is to take baby steps.

As I reflect on the old year, and in particular this last month, it feels as if the chaos is winning. So you’ll have to wait until next week to see how I plan to keep sane in the midst of it–even conquer it.

Here’s how I did on my goals for this month:

Take control of my personal routine – Well, I did manage to get up earlier and spend more time in my devotional life. To call it regular, however, would be seriously stretching things. I need to work on one key ingredient: going to bed on time.
Regroup in the homeschool department – Readers of this blog probably saw this coming long before I did, but the change needed here was mental, and I think I’m there. I need to pare down. After all, when we first move back to Asia, we’ll be living temporarily in Hong Kong before we take up residence in our home in China. JavaMan will precede us to arrange for our apartment and have our stored belongings moved in.
The blog tour is going well, and for my first one, I think I can count it a success–not that it’s over yet. There is a lot of work yet to do. I’ve had to make some mental adjustments here, too.

This is definitely a helpful exercise, because while I feel like a bit of a failure this month, when I look at what I set out to do and see what I actually did, I can see my successes too.

How are you wrapping up the old year? Did you accomplish your goals?

I’m not feeling so great about my goals this week. I tend to think I can do everything, and the simple truth is I just can’t. I stayed up late and woke up early, and homeschool was anything but structured, all as a result of the work for my novel launch. Granted, this is not something that happens every day around here, and something to get excited about–if I could find a minute to do that in!

All of that is to say that I didn’t hit the target on all of my goals this week, but I did make some progress.

Here are the goals I’m working on:

I was up twice this week at 6:00 and had my morning routine underway. I did not exercise. Something I have yet to mention here is I injured my shoulder during our vacation. (Seeing the chiropractor and then the doctor and then having an ultrasound were some of the events that turned the previous week upside down). The diagnosis was as good as it could be. It was not any of the things that anyone suspected it might be (a break, a dislocation, a sprain, a strain or a tear). It is simply bruised and inflamed and needs rest. That’s okay, I didn’t need my right arm anyway! Seriously, though, I’m very grateful it was nothing worse. My range of motion is returning and my sleep is less disrupted by pain than it was. Even though we’re traveling this week, things can only be calmer than they were last week, and I should be able to have some kind of a normal schedule. Now that my shoulder’s feeling better, I’ll add some exercise.
I’m going to make a determined effort to go to bed on time for a change because for me that’s key to starting the day right.
Regroup in the homeschooling department and come up with a plan for what we’ll study until we leave Canada. I honestly haven’t done much about this except think about it, and fret a little. Ultimately, I realize that if my kids focused on the old-fashioned three R’s for the entire school year, they’d still be fine at the end of the year. I just feel like what we’ll lose out on is all the things we love the most (history, science, read-alouds). I know we’ll figure it out, and I keep telling myself it’s just a season.
I still have some work to do to schedule more dates for my virtual book tour, but it’s coming along. Click on the link to the right to join in! More than one of the reviewers is hosting a giveaway. You could be the lucky winner!

How about you? Are you on track?

December 3 in 30 Wrap-up

Disciplined December: Week 1 Check-in