Post Script to "Leaving the Farm"

I have rethought the farm exodus proposed in my March 27th post. In light of my deep conviction that it isn't always what we are doing but how or how much we are doing it that is the problem.
A recurring theme for me is balAnce. It isn't difficult to accept that we can have too much of a bad thing; as a matter of fact I prefer to have none at all. But you can have too much of good thing too. For example,too much chocolate and not enough exercise and you will gain weight (as unfair as it sounds you must believe me - I have empirical evidence threatening to spill over my waistband.)

I find the little Farmville game relaxing and a little relaxation is a good thing (key word - little). The better opportunity for personal growth is to learn to balAnce work and relaxation in effective quantities. Finish a post, write a speech and reward myself with a few minutes of "farming". I have decided to reactivate the farm (however the island, the yovillage and the mytownship shall remain history). Will I really manage my time and not ride that virtual tractor into oblivion? The answer will be obvious in the future activity or lack there of on this blog. Is there anything you might address with the greater challenge of balancing rather than just eliminating it from your routine? ....uh you can leave a post....my crops are almost ready.............

Nuh-uh Who Said?

If you were an only child you probably didn't hear this statement until your first play date or first day of kindergarten. If you had siblings then you heard it as soon as all of you learned to talk. Child one declares "I am going to ___" (fill in the blank with any task a child might attempt). Child one is met by a chorus of "Nuh-uh Who Said?" Which is sibling slang for "Who gave you permission to think you could attempt said feat?" Child one then must confirm that the permission was given by Mommy, Daddy, Babysitter etc.

In grade school student one states her goal and must divuldge the teacher who granted approval to proceed; in college a Professor or Dean provides this key. Finally, adulthood - she's sitting in the board room delivering the presentation in which countless hours have been invested and her peers demand "Who authorized this approach? Did you include approved copies of the final draft in the presentation packet?" Which is grown up speak for "Nuh-uh Who Said?"

In the Bruce Cockburn song "Pacing the Cage" there is a great line "I've proved who I am so many times the magnetic strip's worn thin." We learn to seek approval from others and provide these credentials repeatedly upon demand. Do we also learn to choose this temporary and often fickle approval over the quiet confidence gained through self-approval and acceptance?

Maybe not. But, if you find yourself worried more about what others think than what you know about yourself then you are like me, and I have a challenge for you. The next time you have an idea followed by self-doubt ("nuh-uh who said?") then outloud reply "I did! So shut up, sit down and hang on because this train is leaving the station and I am not looking back!"

Leaving the Farm

A dear and trusted confidant provided a friendly nudge for me this evening (thank you Ms. W - you have no idea how timely you are.) She reminded me that it is almost May and the Blond has not produced a blog for April! (Hmm can't be a writer if you don't write sweetie).

I am ashamed to admit that since my last blog post I have achieved Master Farmer status on Farmville (a time wasting devil application available through facebook). As a matter of fact I won a yellow School Bus Tractor that plows nine fields at a time AND earned the mastery of grapes sign. Why? you may ask...I have been hiding. I preferred the controllable busyness of Farmville to the risky and uncontrollable potential for accomplishment in the real world.

How many times have you been really busy but didn't seem to get anything accomplished? It is easy to confuse activity with accomplishment. It's more comfortable to busy ourselves with things we can control rather than getting down to business, sticking our necks out and risking failure. I really believe the key to a life of greatness is in doing the things that are easy to do but easier not to do and doing them every stinking day. For me this is making myself write to gain the experience and develop the discipline of putting my thoughts into words each day. It means realizing that people kind enough to take the time to read my blog are not judges on the pulitzer committee so stop riding that virtual tractor and get on with it.

Success is the persistent and consistent pursuit of a worthwhile goal or dream. It's like quitting smoking. If you tried to quit smoking for life, the task seems insurmountable and so you buy one more carton of cigs and decide to quit another day. However you can choose to breathe smoke free for one minute and then another minute and another until you have quit for an hour, then a day, and now four years for me.

Now I am not suggesting we eliminate every activity that does not catapult us into the next level of achievement. But you can make choices that advance you toward your goal on a consistent basis. If you are like me you probably have a "Farmville" of your own. What keeps you busy rather than getting down to business? Just maybe it's your time to leave the Farm too!