by Deborah Globus
The last two weeks have been all about assessing.
I hadn’t planned it that way.
It just kinda snuck in, took up residency and won’t be on its way until it’s run its course. A little like the flu but less unpleasant, though just as unexpected.
I shouldn’t be surprised, though. Assessment is the first step in many of my practices.
I hadn’t planned it that way.
It just kinda snuck in, took up residency and won’t be on its way until it’s run its course. A little like the flu but less unpleasant, though just as unexpected.
I shouldn’t be surprised, though. Assessment is the first step in many of my practices.
In circle we begin with check-in and in the Virtual Business Retreat I teach (coming ‘round again in May) we spend our first day doing an authentic assessment of where we are in our businesses and in our lives. Even in journaling I’ll often begin my entries with a description of the weather, both inside and out, to put myself into context.
Here’s the form this particular assessment is taking:
Here’s the form this particular assessment is taking:
- A review of my To Doodle book. (A little background: my To Doodle book is the place I capture all my to do lists and organization classes and calls. It isn’t called a “To Do” book because that’s unappealing. Instead I rely on my love of semantics, and my awareness that visual stimulation and doodling work for me and voila! A To Doodle book!)
- A trip to Staples and Barnes & Noble. Staples was for research and to resupply my Post-It Note stash with new colors and sizes. The trip to Barnes & Noble was based on another practice I use in figuring out where I’m at. (You can read about that below in this month’s ritual!)
- A prompt in the 40 Days project on FB (a gathering of folks from all different walks of life exploring willingness during this Lenten period) which asks “Are you willing to pause and assess?”
- The movement towards consolidation. I keep upwards of 7 (count ‘em, SEVEN) different notebooks, each for a different kind of work. My journal, a sketch pad for mandalas, that To Doodle book I told you about. Not to mention the ones I use to bring written pieces to a finished product.
This week, something said "it’s too much!" I feel called to bring it all together.
I asked on FB to see what others are doing and I got some interesting ideas.
I’ve decided to follow my intuition and stick with my leather-bound, lined journal.
I’ve decided I want finished pieces to start there. Mandalas and collages can be easily added (if I’m careful and use a really sharp cutter I can take out two pages in my journal and use double sided tape to add in the artsy pages!) Ahhh, consolidation.
I still have my date book, and the notebooks I’ve dedicated to the YA novel that’s been in the works for 6 years, but I’ve cut down my notebooks by better than half!
In order to make good choices on how to use my time and precious energy going forward it’s important to assess where I are and where I’ve been. When you pause and assess, what’s it look like from where you are?
I asked on FB to see what others are doing and I got some interesting ideas.
I’ve decided to follow my intuition and stick with my leather-bound, lined journal.
I’ve decided I want finished pieces to start there. Mandalas and collages can be easily added (if I’m careful and use a really sharp cutter I can take out two pages in my journal and use double sided tape to add in the artsy pages!) Ahhh, consolidation.
I still have my date book, and the notebooks I’ve dedicated to the YA novel that’s been in the works for 6 years, but I’ve cut down my notebooks by better than half!
In order to make good choices on how to use my time and precious energy going forward it’s important to assess where I are and where I’ve been. When you pause and assess, what’s it look like from where you are?
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