Finding a way

I know that if I need to solve a problem, the best thing for me is to examine it from all sides and then walk away. Let it fester. I do this with problems. With assignments. With any issue that I need to find a solution to. Examine it. Look it over from every possible angle. Then walk away and just let it settle. My mind does something when I do that and I generally come up with a reasonable solution. Sometimes I don't, but most times I do.

After writing last night's post, I walked away and stopped thinking about it. When I woke this morning, I had an idea and a motivation. Hey, it works for me.

I had been viewing these different roads I have to travel as different. As if they were going in different directions and taking me to different destinations. They are not. They are all leading to the life I ultimately want to live. So here it is. I want to live on the mainland, where we own a house and an RV. I want to teach college and have summers/breaks off so we can travel in the RV. I want to visit the country, and the people I know who live all over it, with my dogs and Hubby. So see all roads lead to that destination.

In order to live this dream, I must complete my Ph.D. and get a job. That is one road.

I want to be healthy and in shape to get the most out of this dream. That is another road.

I want to do well at work so that I will get good references when needed, also because I always want to do my best. That is the last road.

But not really different roads at all. Just different parts of the journey. As with a real road trip, there are different parts to it. You need to know where you are going to stop for food, rest, or fun. You need to know how far you can get in a day, week, month, etc. There are different parts to every journey and this one is no different.

So it's a matter of switching my thinking. I will no longer view working out as taking away from time to write. I will view it as a part of the journey to writing. By working out I stimulate my thinking which generally leads to some good writing. It is all related and not different roads at all.

So with that all in mind, I now face the blank canvas of spring break. So rather than viewing these things as different roads I must travel, I will view them as one road with many stops.

The plan for this week:

• Get a draft of my prospectus in no later than Monday
• Have the discussions for my classes done no later than Tuesday
• Work on the assignments for both classes and get them finished by the end of the week.
• Crossfit every day. 
• Walking the dogs every day.
• Strict paleo for the week
• Plan out the rest of the year for school. 

Boom, done. Not so hard. Oh yes, I will be having lunch with a friend sometime during the week and that will not be paleo. Oh well. Yes, I'm going to Crossfit every day because I will be spending the majority of my day sitting on my butt right here. I will get plenty of rest and recovery.

Feeling much more positive and purposeful now that I have thought it through. Know where I want to be and have a good idea on how to get there. Now, some work before Crossfit.