Go!

Congratulations!!!  I know that you were praying long and hard for that change and it finally happened for you.  I'm so happy that your day finally arrived!  Well, I've been thinking long and hard about my goals.   A couple of people have even questioned me about posting them.  I'm finally being held accountable and I'm loving it.

In my last post, I promised to post some of my goals for 2011.  So here are my 1st qtr 2011 goals.  1).  Start working out at least 3 x's/wk.  Really, I'd like to do it 4x's/wk, but at least 3.   2). Attend a cooking show or a cooking class.  3).  Write a song for Shae and compose the music.  Shae is a friend of mine, who lives in Houston.  She's been asking me to write for her for ages.  I always promised that I would, but never had the confidence to work on the music.  I've never doubted that I was capable of writing the song, I've just  never been certain about my ability as a musician. Nevertheless, I will not only attempt this task, I'll complete it this year.   All of these goals must be completed by March 31, 2011.  Then, it will be time to set new goals for the second qtr.

I am very excited about completing the goals cited.  I have never admitted my insecurities in front of such a large audience.  Still, I know this will sound very cliche, but it is very liberating.  2011 cannot be a fruitless year.  We've gotta move forward.  If we're asking people to follow us on this journey, then we've gotta start catching some dreams.  We start small.  We crawl, but we do eventually walk.  So no, I'm not about to scale Mt Everest, but a year from now, I may be packing up my mountain climbing gear.  So...on your mark.  Get set.  Go!

On to the Next One

Goals truly are the key and you're so right, we would set them and then months later talk about them with no progression.  2011 is will be much better.  I'm very excited about our blog and I hope that others will be motivated to not only chase after their dreams but catch them.  I will continue to ponder my goals for 2011 and post them closer to New Year's. 

Today is the last day at my current job and I will be starting a new job on Monday.  As I am closing the chapter of this phase of life, I can't help but think back to when the chapter began.  I was so excited about my new job and I vowed to go into this job differently than I had gone to any of my other jobs.  I worked really hard and I was able to learn a lot.  Of course, as time progressed, I became discontent and to be honest I was annoying myself by how much I was complaining about the job.  Though I loved the people, I felt that I was no longer growing and it was time for me to move on.  Well, as I was complaining, I didn't realize just how God was orchestrating my life.  He knew that I would need the skills I developed at this job in order for me to go to the next job.  In the same manner of the chapter that's closing, I will enter this new chapter totally different than the previous trusting God enough to know that He is always in control and He always knows best.  In this new chapter, I will be better than ever!

So, in the words of Jay-Z, "On to the next one!" 

~ Tonya

Daphne's Decree

Well Tonya, I guess it is a good time to start talking about what we want to accomplish in 2011.  I can't say that I know exactly what I want to accomplish yet, but I have begun thinking about it.  It feels good to say that 2010 wasn't fruitless.  We got the blog up and running this year.  I'm very proud of that.  In the past we've made countless goals, but never made a step towards them.  Most times, we quit before we ever got started, so I'm proud of our baby.  Now what about 2011...

I'm going to think a little more about that.  It's mandatory that I come up with something, so that procrastination won't get the best of me on this one.  I love, love, love progression and I'm just as passionate about the hate that I have for stagnation.  I wanna be certain that I set a goal that I am committed to.   I've actually mentioned setting my goals in a past post, I just never got around to doing it.  Here's the plan, my next post will contain my goals for next yr.  This way everyone can begin holding me accountable.  Also, I may adopt additional goals once the year is underway.  Still, it will always be mandatory that I accomplish the goals that I set on this site.  So it's official and IT IS SO ORDERED!!!

Procrastination at it's best....or maybe not

Ok! Seriously!  I can't believe it has been 2 weeks since I posted.  As you can see the schedule didn't happen.  LOL!  I have to agree with you that procrastination is a disease and we both need a cure.  Like you, I literally fight myself to start.  Once I've started I can flow but it's the initial first step.  Hopefully, a cure will soon be found for that "Procrastinationitis". 

Now back to the schedule!

No, no, no!  I haven't created a schedule.  Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself because I know exactly what I need to do and choose not to do it - keyword being choose.  In everything, we have a choice.  Though each morning the Lord allows us to awake, we have to choose to get out of the bed and from there the day begins and ends with choices being made.  Fortunately, I think for the both of us we've made good choices (for the most part).  We graduated from high school, graduated from college, and found and maintained "good jobs".  So why is it when it comes to improving our personal lives, i.e. curing procrastination, pursuing our dreams, becoming more organized, our choices are not the best.  Drives me crazy because we know what we have to do! 

2011

So!  With all of that said, 2011 is going to be the year of "bettering Tonya" (yes, I just made up a word).  I WILL create my schedule.  I WILL become more organized.  I WILL be more disciplined.  I WILL take steps towards the pursuits I have talked about.  I WON'T be making these same statements in 2012.

~ Tonya

Procrastinationitis

Girl, you gotta have your supplies in order!  You know that I believe in having my supplies in order before I start any new task.  That's what the preachers call  "provision."  These are the things that are gonna help you reach your desired goal.  Gotsta have the supplies!  ...So how close are you to finishing your schedule?

I guess I would be classified as a procrastinator too.  Is that why we're friends, because we share so many of the same good and bad qualities? :)  I've been procrastinating on writing lately.  I love writing on this blog, but you'd never know it based on my actions alone.  Case in point, tonight, I sat on my bed and looked at my keyboard for about 30 minutes straight.  Then, I finally got up and got on to practice.  I stayed on for almost 2 hrs.  I enjoyed myself so much that I didn't really want to get off, but if you'd seen the way that I was eyeing it before my session, you would never guess how much enjoyment I find in playing.  Why do I do that?  I don't have an answer for it.  Maybe, procrastination is a disease.  It has those times when it flares up, but when it subsides, you hardly know it's there.  Procrastinationitis...?  If this is the case, the most ironic thing about this disease is that I have the cure in my possession.  However, I most often opt to deal with the symptoms.  Why, Daphne...why?

Step by Step, Little by Little

Those emotional rollercoasters are no joke!  One day you're up and the next day you're down.  One day you're motivated and the next...well you get it.  I like what you said about having the "umph" so that we can be triumphant. With that said, I'm going to use my "umph" for each step, taking it little by little.  In my previous post, I talked about creating a schedule to help me manage my time.  Well, I'm one step closer to creating that schedule.  Yeah, I know what you're thinking...."is it really that hard to create a schedule???"  Yes it is, when you're a procastinator like me.  So, today, I went to The Container Store to buy a dry ease wall calendar to hang on the wall.  The purpose of this calendar will help me to manage my time at home in terms of housekeeping and even study time.  It will also serve as a reminder of things D and I have going on.  Additionally, I bought a personal calendar that will help me manage my personal time.  I'm hoping that these steps will get my closer to fulfilling my dreams and maybe even help to stay off that emotional rollercoaster.  If I I am organized, I am focused on gettings tasks accomplished, then I won't have time to feel which should help me stay off of that ride....maybe.  However, I do know I'm one step closer!

Ups and Downs

Well, the storm definitely came to me.  This has been a tough week.  It's been mentally and emotionally draining.  I've got to regroup now and regain my balance.  Nothing horrible has happened; it was just a hard week.  Wheww!!!  The expression "emotional rollercoaster" is not an understatement.  During the week, there were times when I'd just want to run away from everything and hide.  What am I hiding from?  I don't even  know.  I just didn't want anyone to be able to find me.  I came home yesterday, after one of these kind of days, and saw a video clip that was hysterical.  It kinda knocked me back into alignment, so I'm ok now.

I haven't mentioned my writing in a while.  One of the things that was always discouraging to me about writing was that I would come up with the tune and lyrics to my songs.  I knew what the music should sound like too, but I couldn't play it and it's very difficult to describe it to a musician.  I've finally arrived at the conclusion that I'll just do the best that I can to play my songs and try to record them on my own.  This way, I'll have somewhat of a rough draft of my songs, so hopefully it'll be easier for someone more skilled to follow my train of thought.

Tonya, I've been thinking on how we each have our own goals.  We all do things differently.  We all have different talents and ambitions.  Still, everyone wants to get to a point in life that feels right.  "If at first you don't succeed, don't give up, but try, try again."  This is so true.  Still, it gets hard to do this at times.  I guess that's one of the reasons why success is so valuable.  You definitely have to have some "umph"  to be triumphant, cause it's not always easy.  Sometimes (as you've read earlier), I get so hype.  I feel like I can conquer the world.  I still think that I can.  It's just that now, I have more than the world to conquer.  I must also subdue myself.

                                                                                                         Daphne

You're Right

You're so right, bff!  We really have to maintain focus and not allow complacency and apathy to deter us from reaching our goals and fulfilling our dreams.  Today more than ever, I know that I have to continue to press towards the mark - the same mark that Paul spoke of in Philippians 3.  How will I get there?  Glad you asked.

Being the ultimate procrastinator and bad steward of my time, I am committing to creating a schedule for myself by Friday.  By doing this, it will help me to better manage my time and I will be able to accomplish more.  One goal is to begin writing more...gotta start that book ;-)  It's also important that I get in good study time.  In everything I want to have balance and I really think the schedule will help. 

I'll keep you upated.....

Brace yourself

Whoo hoo!!!  I'm so excited!!!  I feel like hitting flips and doing toe-touches.  We are finally on the way to fulfilling our dreams.  I looked back over the blog tonight and was like, "Man, we've had 4 posts in the last week.  We're really doing things now."  We really are, but this excitement and burst of energy won't last forever.  It lasts only long enough to get us started.  After that, it takes commitment, determination, and willpower to continue.  We may as well brace ourselves, because a storm is gonna arise.

I don't say that to "rain on our parade."  I just want us to be prepared and I want us to outlast the storm.  Some storms are bigger than others.  Some are sand storms.  They seek to cloud our vision.  Others are wind storms.  They try to blow us off course.  Then, of course, there are thunderstorms.  These are the scariest of all.  The thunder and lightning  strike so loudly that you think life is over.   They shake everything around us, but we can weather the storms.  We've just gotta be prepared for them...so brace yourself.

A New Chapter

Dap!  That's so crazy!  I was thinking about some of the same things in church today.  So many times have I shared countless and countless of ideas on things I would like to do but never pursued it.  Like you, the goals seemed unattainable while at the same time I could see myself operating in those very dreams.  How contradicting is that!  I think I focused too much on what I couldn't do versus what I could and dwelled on what I didn't have forgetting what I did have.  I doubted myself and would talk myself out of the idea before I could begin to lay a foundation.  It's a vicious cycle I've been in for the past 10 years.  Sad, I know.

However, like you, today not only am I turning the page, I'm starting a new chapter.  I was listening to William Murphy's, The Sound cd and there's a song entitled dReam.  One line in this song really hit home, it said, "It's never too late to be who you should have been."  I am holding strong to those words.  I WILL BE WHO I SHOULD HAVE BEEN! 

I will not be the person looking back at life which I would have pursue my dreams.  I know that God has placed these ideas in me for a reason and it's up to me to do what I need to do to be that person God has called me to be.  So, yes!  It's a very exciting time.

2011 - Bring it on!

~Tonya

Turning the page

I hear you, Tonya.  Life has a way of sort of sucking the life right out of you, but I must say that things have been interesting for me lately.  However, if you were to ask me how, I really can't put my finger on it.  It just feels like I'm headed in a new direction. I feel like I'm exploring a new territory.  I am looking at life in a new light, with new eyes.  It's amazing!  Have you ever felt that way?  I mean, I can't even put it into words really and honestly, nothing out of the ordinary has happened.  I just sort of know...

One of the things that I've realized is that I need new goals.  In the past, I just mindlessly blurt out something that I want to accomplish and simply forget about it within a couple of days.  Most of the time, my goal was something that I believed to be impossible anyway.  Still, this time I want to do it differently.  I'm going to think and pray about what I should accomplish.  It'll be something that I'm willing to commit to, then I'll sort of make a public announcement.  Yeah, that's what I'll do.  We're about to embark upon a new year, so there's no better time than right now to start planning for 2011...right?

You know, as I write this, my mind screams," Why try?  You've done this multiple times on numerous occassions and you've failed miserably."  This is true.  I have tablets full of goals that I've never accomplished.  Nevertheless, if I let my past mistakes and failures dictate my life, I'd never move forward.  Furthermore, I wouldn't know what success tastes and smells like.  And despite my many failures, I have had some significant breakthroughs in my life.  So with that said, I'm starting over.  I'm aiming to take on this process differently and hopefully end up with a different outcome.  It's a miracle that I have the courage to admit my past mistakes and start over.  So...I'm turning the page...
                                                                                                              -Daphne-

Wasted Time

It's interesting how much time is wasted.  Knowing that I needed to blog, study the Word, and deep condition my hair, I'm sitting here watching tv.  I've been doing it for the past hour and had no motivation to do anything else.  This is definitely not the way to pursue my big dreams. However, after work, all I want to do is chill. 

I've been thinking on how I can better manage my time.  I'm thinking I should create a schedule - a high level schedule that I can review each day just to stay on track or in corporate terms, stay on target.  I guess I'll add that to my least of to-dos tonight since I can now scratch off blogging.

~Tonya