Welcome to week 2 of my 6-week D.R.E.A.M.S. series. Last week I shared how determination kept me
from giving up on my dreams when I felt overwhelmed and frustrated. This week’s
topic is resourcefulness, the second
quality that moms need in order to make their dreams come true.
As I made my way through graduate studies, resourcefulness kept me on course just as
determination did. Resourcefulness is defined by Merriam-Webster as the ability to
deal well with new or difficult situations, and to find solutions to problems.
My life was full of problems that I needed to solve
while I worked my way through a painful divorce. I could have easily decided to
take time off from school until my life settled down and felt normal
again. But I knew that I would just be
prolonging the process. Instead I chose
to deal with my difficult situation while I continued working on my graduate
degree.
As a single mother I had double the responsibilities
and half of the help of married moms. I averaged
about 3-4 hours of sleep each night. I was constantly tired, irritable, frustrated
and had very little patience for my children.
I knew that I
wanted to be a better mom. I also knew
that I wouldn’t be able to do well in school and my performance at work would
be affected if I didn’t figure out how to manage my time and responsibilities
more effectively. That’s when resourcefulness showed up to rescue me.
I became resourceful and created a schedule that allowed
me to manage my time more effectively. My new schedule included everything I had to
do on a daily basis. I did grocery shopping immediately after church and cooked
3-4 large meals on Sunday afternoons. I
designated Mondays and Wednesdays for laundry, and everyone became responsible
for putting their own clothes away.
I also created a weekly chores schedule for my children
and explained that Mommy really needed their help around the house. When I got total cooperation and the week ran
smoothly, I rewarded my kids by letting them choose a restaurant where we would
eat on the following Tuesday.
I figured out a way to solve my problem of not having enough
time for my homework and motherly responsibilities. I was getting more sleep and felt
better. At the same time, I created more
opportunities for quality time with my children.
I was determined to stay in school even though my life
was difficult. I used my resourcefulness
muscle and created a routine that supported my dreams. This didn’t happen overnight – I had to be
patient, open-minded, and made a few mistakes along the way.
Now that you know how I turned my difficult situation into
a manageable routine, what steps will you take this week to help you get closer
to your dreams? What situations have
been getting in the way of your dreams?
What solutions can you create to solve these problems? Be creative and think outside of the box for
possible solutions.
If you would like support with this, please send an
email to Erica at gord930@aol.com. I
will schedule a 30-minute complimentary discovery session to brainstorm
solutions and create an action plan.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please share your
comments and/or follow my blog. If you
know someone who would benefit from reading this, please give the gift of
sharing.
Next week’s topic is energy. Until then, believe in the abundance that is
just for you.
Yes mam! I'm a striving toward a more resourceful lifestyle. I can think of what I want to do in my head to make it happen, but putting it into action is so difficult for me. I love how you designated certain days for certain tasks. This is the very think I am trying to do now.
ReplyDeleteThis week, well next week, I'm going to write out a schedule, post it on the fridge and strongly hold to it! This was a great push.
Go, Carica!! You can do it!!
ReplyDelete