Over the past couple of weeks I’ve had more than my usual share of both. I’ve taken on new responsibilities. I’ve done things like becoming commissioning editor of an audio magazine, accepting a role as contributor for media140, training for the Adidas 5k challenge and becoming part of a top secret project. I’ve also continued existing responsibilities like organising the Cheltenham Social Media Cafe and my regular client work.

Each of these has required me to take responsibility and as such they’ve come with associated risks. I could break some recording equipment, run out of good topic ideas, sprain my ankle or fail in an entirely secret and mostly anonymous way. At times I have questioned the sanity of taking on all of these things – especially as they’ve all come at more or less the same time.

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t imagine for a second that my situation is unusual or more difficult than anyone else’s. But it’s enough to make me worry about some of my new ventures.

Yesterday I went to train at the gym with my personal trainer. She made me run faster than I’ve ever (knowingly) gone before. I started at 9.5km p/hr, and then went up to 10.5. Finally she pushed me up to 11.5km p/hr. After three minutes at that speed she asked me how I was. I couldn’t speak but I was starting to panic so I shook my head, hoping she would drop the speed. Instead she told me “Just do one more minute instead of two”. When I finished the next minute she said, “OK, one more minute and then you can have a four minute break”. By this time I felt really bad. My breathing wasn’t relaxed; my temperature had sky rocketed; a sense of panic was threatening to take over. My trainer kept talking about the wall and how I could keep going through it. Even as she was telling me that my mind could overrule my body inside I was telling myself it was no good, I couldn’t do it. At the same time I really wanted the four minute break. I was desperate for any kind of rest.

I completed the final minute.

Never have I been more grateful for the speed to drop on my treadmill. I leaned on the handrail and gasped for breath for about a minute, wondering if I’d pass out. Actually I was fine. I recovered surprisingly quickly and managed another five minute run (albeit at a slower speed) after my four minute rest period.

It’s a lesson I’ve had to learn time and time again. On this occasion, my trainer put a different spin on it. She told me that:

Even if your body feels like it’s falling apart and can’t go on, you can continue. The ‘wall’ is an illusion. It’s a work of fiction that you just need to bust through.

To do that I should:

Break larger goals down into smaller tasks

And:

Don’t use negative words, even in your mind e.g., instead of saying “I can’t make another five minutes” say “I’ll run for another minute”, or “I’ll run to the next tree”.

It’s good advice. As with a lot of good advice, it’s easier to know than it is to do but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying.

At the gym this morning I started to think about the children that made me want to run. I hate running. At worst, I think of it as evil. At best, I consider it unnecessary. I chose the 5k run because it was a serious challenge for a good cause. Since that cause is my sole reason for doing this I thought I may as well spend some time thinking about the people I want to help to encourage my progress.

I started out remembering my own communication difficulties and thinking about all the children that were born with similar problems. Then I thought about the children who had an even tougher time. I tried to imagine how a child that was deaf and blind would learn to communicate and how it would affect their life. I don’t believe it’s possible to comprehend some of the things people go through but that’s no reason not to think about it or try to help. Human beings are an amazing species. We can cope and adapt and evolve in ways that constantly baffle and astound me. It’s a big thought to hold onto while your feet are hammering into a treadmill but it does a much better job of keeping me going than the awful music they play at the gym!

As I started to get uncomfortably hot and a bit out of breath I thought about how the training would benefit my health. It would be a shame to let my fitness level slide after the charity run, especially if I get a taste for them and decide to do more. So maybe I’ll start running regularly and add a couple of years to my life? Imagine getting to 100 and still feeling sprightly (albeit with some new knees I expect). When people ask how you did it you can tell them, “it all started when I decided to raise money for charity”.

I wouldn’t have started running just to benefit my health but to help other people, sure, why not? Lots of overweight people struggle to find the willpower to diet consistently but often they will agree to do it for charity. Maybe they’ll volunteer to do a 5k challenge like the one I’m doing and they have to get fit and lose weight for that, or they’ll get sponsored just to give up donuts or something. So they lose weight, get fitter and help their chosen charity at the same time.

It seems strange that we can get so motivated to help others and yet we’d never do these things just to help ourselves. Not that I’m complaining! If you can help others and benefit yourself at the same time that’s a double win.

If you’d like to support me on my challenge please visit the donation page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelPictor

If you’d like to share your thoughts about charity challenges or even plug your own event or dire need for sponsorship feel free to comment!

This means that many everyday tasks which cause most people to glaze over their eyes, fall asleep or tear their hair out with anxiety or annoyance are actually enjoyed by the ‘happy’ people. Perhaps you think of them as cartoon characters like Ned Flanders or other fictional creations like Mary Poppins. Maybe you don’t think these people even exist?

That’s because nobody actually says “Okaly doakaly” or “spit spot” but it doesn’t mean they’re not out there! These people are optimists. These people are enthusiastic about life. They get things done. They feel happy most of the time.

Sounds good doesn’t it?

I am not Ned Flanders or Mary Poppins. I am a real person trying to be an optimist and get things done. I used to be more like Moe the bar tender or Mr Banks. Actually scrap the bit about Moe – I don’t need that kind of association! But I was a bit like Mr Banks, plodding along, not seeing the joy in everyday life and set in my ways.

Now I alternate between the two. Some days I’m Mary Poppins and I get lots done. Some days I am Mr Banks and I trundle through my tasks like a reluctant school girl. Most days are Poppins days and I’m glad.

You can’t always choose what happens but you can choose your response and you can also choose to be proactive. Sometimes, like Mr Banks, you might need someone or something to give you a push in the right direction.

If that’s you then start looking for that push right now. What have you got to lose?

Have you ever realised half way through the day that you’re spending a lot of time thinking about and doing things that you don’t really want to be doing? These are the things you do because you should.

I should clean my car out

I should finish the DIY

I should write that blog post

I should finish that book

I often catch myself saying these things in my head. When I want to do something, I normally just do it straight away, or as soon as possible. I don’t use the word ‘should’. Instead, if I think about it, I say “I can’t wait to get home and finish my new book”, or, “I hope the client gets back to me soon so I can start that blog post!”

There is a world of difference between ‘should’ and ‘want’. Life would be a lot easier if we could organise ourselves so that we only do things we want to and there are no ‘shoulds’ in sight! One problem: unless you are an extraordinarily happy, upbeat sort of person you will never get rid of the ‘shoulds’. That’s why for most people a day at work is a bag of mixed blessings. You hated the early start but you loved the weekly catch up meeting. You were depressed by that phone call but you enjoyed learning about saving kittens.

But what about those days when everything is a ‘should’ and you’ve forgotten what it was you ever wanted?

Perhaps it is time to change your career, or take up a new hobby. But before you act, take a little time to reflect and ask yourself some serious questions:

1. Why did you take the job?
2. Have you ever enjoyed it?
3. Is there anything at all you still like or enjoy?
4. If you left, how would you cope financially and what could you do instead?
5. Is it reasonable to do what you want for a career? (I.e. can you make enough money while living your particular dream?)

Sometimes people feel stuck in their career- especially in the midst of a recession and it’s not always possible to quit and follow some crazy dream. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about it. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to find a way to balance out the ‘shoulds’ and the ‘wants’. Maybe you think that’s impossible, but have you really considered the options? We don’t always have to stand still.

It’s reasonable to expect a little rough with your order of smooth but when the rough becomes the main course, not a side, it’s time to rethink!

So what do you want?

I know – we’ve all heard it before. Just because everybody says it doesn’t make it true. But it is true!

Thought you couldn’t pick up a new language? You can! Thought your writing/reading/painting/drawing/maths/science skills were doomed to be terrible? They’re not! Even if you are the worst rugby/tennis/football player ever born, guess what!? You can do better!

If we all set aside a little time and make the commitment we can learn new things and get better at doing stuff. So go and do some stuff!

This time last week I was thinking about being more proactive and worrying about what would happen. I’d been putting the idea of proactivity on hold for months while other events overtook my life. I wanted to get off the bus, I wanted a break and I was scared to seek out new opportunities.

You know what? Last week sucked. This week feels much better.

It’s occurred to me that I basically have two operating speeds. Really fast, and stopped. Yesterday I was flying through chores and getting heaps of praise for my speed and accuracy. Today, well, today is sunny and I feel like a break. I still have work to do but I feel like a break. I think I’ll take a walk.

It’s important to remember, that even with ten twitterfeeds, gazillion blog feeds, copywriting, proofreading and SEO to juggle it may be necessary to have a half hour outdoors. This will give you the fresh air you need to wake up your brain and also give you the opportunity to scream somewhere safely away from colleagues. If you’re in a 9-5 job this may have to be during your lunch break. For lucky freelancers, nip out when the sun is shining!

How do you manage your workflow?

The levels of minimalism that Everett’s achieved may seem quite extreme to a lot of people but the principles behind his lifestyle are worthy and inspiring. I especially liked his real-life examples, each of which demonstrated a particular facet or concept of his minimalist approach.

Yes, that’s right – it’s not just theory! There are loads of tips. Tips about decluttering your home, your commitments, your mind and even your diet. It’s a book you can keep as a reference guide and dip into and I know a lot of people who could really benefit. Do you find yourself complaining about your job every single time a friend asks? Do you dream of travelling but never quite get around to it? Everett’s e-book might be just the spur you need to get things done! Page 30, entitled, ‘When you need to just Jump’ reminded me of a few occasions that cropped up in my own life and it’s a mantra worth repeating. Other tips include ‘un-friending’ (something else I’ve tried and can recommend) and ’stop waiting for the government to fix everything’ which he applies to his home-country of America but actually works in Britain and probably every other country too!

The only aspect that jarred for me was the appearance of a few typos but the messages are good and the techniques are practical and simple so there’s a good chance I’ll get around to employing some of them.

Remember – minimalism is not just a design feature – it’s a way of life! Try it out!
Click here to visit Everett Bogue.

You may remember that before Christmas I had made plans to get my two novels submitted to agents. I even considered sending some out over the Christmas break but of course, this wasn’t to be. Here I am three weeks into the new year and I’ve only just written a draft for my first novel’s synopsis.

Even worse – having briefly rescanned chapter three I think it may need another edit. I have run out of fingers to count how many edits the first novel has been through but such is life.

Anyway. The synopsis is my focus for now and I’ve sent the first draft out to a few close friends and family members for their review. A slow trickle of feedback has begun and immediately the request has paid off. In one fell swoop my sister has made it so much snappier and my Dad has promised to show me his and Mum’s comments when we next meet up. I just hope that all of the suggestions turn out to be good ones and that none of them clash. We shall see.

When I have taken on board the comments I may also post two versions for my readers to compare and contrast. It’s all terribly exciting! I think I might make a start on the synopsis for novel number two. Yes, that’s right, the one I haven’t even edited yet!

I can’t decide if I feel brave or crazy! Maybe that’ll depend on the results? I will keep you updated and if I find any good resources for synopsis writing I will let you know.

Yes, it has been a while since my last blog post. Yes, I have been busy. Again. That’s good though. I really should stop using it as an excuse. In fact, I’d like to be more busy but that’s not the point of my blog post.

For those who follow me on Twitter you’ll already know about my NaNoWriMo success. Last month I wrote 50,000 + words of a novel as well as keeping up with my day job. Even more exciting, a fellow blogger has taken an interest and you can read my second interview about NaNoWriMo here.

I’ve never considered myself to be an ego-maniac. In fact I used to be awful at accepting compliments or personal interest of any kind. Now I am happy to bask in the glory of my unfinished masterpiece, which it turns out is an achievement in itself. Yes I want to get published. Yes I want the royalties and the fame and the intellectual discussions about mywork. I’ve always planned on trying to get a novel (or two, or three) published but I’ve shied away from taking action.

Getting published is a notoriously hard thing to do even if you have a great book. I still don’t know if I have a great book but my taste of notoriety has given me a real craving to reach my goal. My family and friends are supporting me. Even complete strangers are taking an interest. I have the raw materials. Why wouldn’t I take the final step and look for an agent? Apart from postal fees, what do I have to lose?

So that’s a definite yes then. O blimey.

Excuse me – I just scared myself with the enormity of it.

I’d like to ask all the budding novelists and writers out there to keep going. If we don’t value our dreams then who will? Try a NaNo challenge or make your own if you need help building momentum. And feel free to get in touch with tips, questions and of course, compliments!