On Purpose: Introduction

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We are all guilty, at one point or another, of letting life happen to us, rather than the other way around. Think about that for a moment: We are so caught up in reacting to the things around us that we forget that we can be proactive & thrive, rather than react & just live. This is EXACTLY the thought behind “Calculated Chaos.” Life is hectic & probably always will be, to one degree or another. BUT, with a little planning & purposefulness, we can make so much more sense of the chaos around us & put to work for us, rather than against us.

Sometime over the past several months, I happened across a blog called “When at Home”, ran by a lovely gal named Kristen &, while I very much enjoy her blog & its corresponding Facebook page, it was her supplemental Facebook group that has really resonated with me. The group is titled “Thrive Intentionally” & is supposed to be a place of support, accountability, & encouragement in setting goals that pertain to intentionally thriving in our lives.

In the group, there are challenges issued throughout each week that help us do just that. Recently, there was a “Meal Planning Monday,” where we were each challenged to plan our week’s meals, so that we knew ahead of time what to expect, rather than reacting to hunger pains minutes before dinner should be on the table. . . Or a challenge that was to “Quit Avoiding,” which involved posting a picture or explaining some task you had been avoiding & making sure to spend at least 15 minutes per day tackling that activity until it was complete. . . Another, still, was to turn off all technology & spend an uninterrupted hour with your children or spouse, giving them your undivided attention. The opportunity here is endless!

Why am I writing about this today? Well, because the principles (as I understand them) behind this group are so closely related to the thought-process I have in regard to what this blog is all about, it seems only fitting that I use this extra burst of inspiration & motivation to put my own spin on this idea. I have done really great over the last few weeks at being more proactive, rather than reactive in things ranging from getting the dishes done to getting out on morning walks. However, one of the main goals I have set for myself pertains to being more consistent with my blogging & I have fallen short. It’s time to pull this all together & expand on the idea, with my own “Reta-twist”. 😉

Each week for the foreseeable future, I am committing to focusing in on two to three goals ON PURPOSE. I will post about the tasks or activities that I am in need of being more calculated (or intentional) about & why I feel I need to pay them more attention. These task might be something seemingly tiny to something that requires a completely different habit or routine to accomplish. Within these weekly posts, I will also give a brief update on how I did the week prior.

Now, I am not deluded, (at least not in this area! Ha!). I know I do not have gobs & gobs of people who read this little piece of the Web that I call “home,” BUT, I do have a few. If you’re one of them, what I am asking of you comes in the form of encouragement & accountability. Leave a comment here, or if you prefer, send me an email (mochamama@calculatedchaos.net), or connect with me on the Calculated Chaos Facebook page. Even if you just “lurke” here & I speak to you outside of the Internet, nonchalantly mention one of my recent goals & ask how I am doing with it. . . Are you picking up what I am laying down here? 😉 Give me your thoughts on what I am sharing & maybe even take these posts as a weekly opportunity to share some of your goals so that I can support you too.

SO, to start off this “On Purpose” series, this week, I am going to keep my goals very simple, so I can focus on just starting (or continuing) a few small, positive habits:

1. I will continue to take my morning walks. They average around two miles & the idea is that I go every day, (taking only Sundays off to rest or sleep in or whatever my little heart desires). I’ve been pretty good at doing this the last several days because I have a fabulous support system in a walking buddy that I have recently met that happens to live in my neighborhood. (Thank you, new friend! ;))We have yet to make it through an entire week, as planned, but we are only a couple of weeks in. This WILL be our week!
2. I will keep up the common areas of the house on a daily basis, (I'm not talking deep cleaning — I mean maintain, honey. MAINTAIN) &, during the week, I will tackle one other household chore I have been avoiding. Now, I could see how this could sound like a “no-brainer” to many, but for those that know me, it is a BIG deal! It is exacerbated by the fact that I am coming out of a depression of sorts & every little thing needs to be done with an extra amount of effort just to get going, or it will not happen at all. (More on that another time, I am sure!)
3. Lastly, I will compose a few more blog posts to share. Whether they are posted over this week, or scheduled for a time in the future is to be determined. BUT, in an effort to be more intentional & post at least three times a week (eventually), I would like to have a few drafts ready to be scheduled so that I can keep that goal (when I get there!) without having to scramble too hard-core in order to keep up.

How am I doing so far? Please take the time to share your thoughts (& maybe even a goal or two you’re focusing on this next week)! (If you're a blogger & have a relevant post, include that link in the comments too! I would love to see what you're up to!) Get a jump-start this weekend, or just plan out your time for during the week. . . I can't wait to share progress next Friday!  😉

Click to read the next post in this series: On Purpose: Progress