Balance over Imbalance

I was reading in The Prosperous Writer (a weekly newsletter I receive from Christina Katz, Writer Mama) about her recent 'shake up' with balance in her life. She moved recently which we all know can really unsettle your sense of well-being.
I experienced a similar life shaking event last month - I went from a full-time employee, 9 to 5, no flexibility, to freelance work with complete flexibility in my schedule. The beauty of making my own time schedule ran smack into my desire to regain my night owl tendencies and come and go as I please from my place of employment - home.
The first week I went on a cruise...not a good start for setting a new work schedule. I came home from the cruise with the Norovirus, so the second week of post employment was spent in quarantine. I accomplished a fair amount of work because I didn't feel like doing anything else.
The third week should have been the charm. But alas, I had developed no discipline in my schedule. Since I felt like it, I went to the gym in the middle of the day, went shopping, and ran errands whenever I felt like it. The need for a set time schedule finally beat its way into my head because of looming deadlines and the panic they can create.
I'm happy to say I am getting the hang of this freelance schedule. Instead of trying to work a little on many projects in one day, I am dedicating my daily schedule to one or two major writing assignments and taking a day off now and then to refuel. Today I completed a writing school assignment that was two weeks overdue and updated my resume and created a job description for an exciting potential new part-time position that will leave time for my writing.
Does a little shake up in your life's balance get your attention? It did mine. What do they say? Don't waste the pain!

In Transition

On February 19 I worked my last day at Orphan Helpers and began my freelance life. One day later I went on a cruise! Timing just seemed right. Cruise, of course, was booked months in advance. Never ceases to amaze me how God arranges things so perfectly!

Keith and I swam with the dolphins at Dolphin Cay at Atlantis, Paradise Island. After my swim and foot push across the lagoon, I stood in knee-deep water petting a dolphin and singing "I can see clearly now the rain is gone..." with our Bahamian Dolphin trainer. What a cool day that was! Here I was in a wetsuit in 80+ degrees, up close and personal with a dolphin.

Up close to such amazingly intelligent and beautiful creatures as Cosmo and Cherie made me re-experience the wonder of creation. The day was stunning, the dolphins were breathtaking and all was right with the world. This was the break I needed.

Back home for a few weeks now, I'm beginning to adjust to my freer lifestyle. At first I was taking on too many projects no matter how much I was being paid. I realized I was working at high pressure assignments that were great teaching tools, but wouldn't pay the bills to any extent. I need to set priorities. Not just using money as a criteria, but how to do this?

Easy enough question to answer. I'd been hit with the solution all week in different teachings and media. I need to start my day with God. Concentrated time reading the Bible and listening to what He has to say to me about the direction I should follow each day.

This will be a great way to build some word count too. I'll just choose a journal and get busy in the morning.....

Will report results in a few days!

Blessings to All,

Cathy

Demand Studios

I finished my first article for Demand Studios today. Found this employer through Christianpf.com. Contributor Jonathon posted 5 legitimate work at home writing sites he had actually worked for.
The learning curve for this freelance group has been extremely steep so far. Once I get the hang of one type of article, I will continue in that vein until it is almost wrote before signing up for another type of article.
First article submitted? "Good Opening Sentences for Cover Letters." A natural!