The Road Ahead



This past weekend, my best friend got married. It was a beautiful weekend and a beautiful wedding. I’m so happy for her and her new husband.

This past weekend was also an emotional roller coaster for me for various reasons. Without getting into specifics, I’ll just say that this has lead to a new tab in my Filo. There is a project I’m working on just for myself. I want to keep notes on this project. So where to file the information?

I could put it under “Health,” even though it isn’t directly health related. That is where I have the information now, but I gather that I will eventually have many notes for this project, so I don’t really want to blend it with my list of resistance training circuits and race information. I could put it under “Projects” except that this isn’t a project that will be done in a short amount of time. I’d also like to keep detailed information on this – on my goals and progress and the like – so it really needs more room than my general “Projects” tab would allow (with so many other project lists behind that tab, the information would get lost too easily).

What’s a girl to do?

I have decided to eliminate my “Ideas” tab (at least for now) and put all of that information behind my “Lists” tab. Really, the two sections overlap anyway, so this is the most logical choice. Then, I will create a new tab for my personal project.

What to call it?

I don’t want to label it something so obvious. This is a personal endeavor and should someone see the tab, I don’t necessarily want them to know what it is I have behind there. So I’m simply going to label it “Me.” Someone from our Philofaxy community has done this somewhere along the line (forgive me, I forget who). I don’t quite remember the specifics of the person’s “Me” tab, but I thought this was such a great idea. So often (especially women) have tabs for other people and events – their husbands, their kids, their schedules, their lists. But where’s the tab specifically for her information? Because this is a very personal project, I thought that “Me” was a perfect label, even if it doesn’t say much about what’s behind there. Then again, that is the point.

This project has been a long time coming, something I’ve needed to start for a while. It finally got to the point of real necessity. I am hopeful that everything will come together well and that the outcome will be good. Having made my first step with this project, I’m well underway to getting there. It will take some time and the road may not be easy, but it’s something that needs to be done. I am thankful that I have recognized the need and that I made that first step all by myself.

Here’s to my friends and their new life together and to my personal road ahead. Cheers.

Comments

  1. Good luck :-)
    I think we all sometimes forget that we need to devote as much time and energy to ourselves as we do to everyone and everything else! I enjoyed this post.

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  2. Kanalt, I just want to congratulate you on your personal project, and let you know that even though I might not know the specifics, you have my full support!
    I also agree that many women put others before themselves first, rather than reaching a balance where they themselves are in their priorities as well. So whatever it is you're planning, GO AHEAD!
    Regarding the "Me" tab, I believe it was Laurie who added this new section after reading a blog (galadarling's maybe?).
    Good luck and keep us posted!:D

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  3. Caribbean Princess - thanks! Yes, I agree that we all need to focus on ourselves just as much as we do other people.

    Oni - thank you, too. It's great to know people are behind me, even without knowing the details. ;) I will be sure to do an updated post in the future.

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  4. Here's another woman guilty of putting others (i.e. DH and kids) before herself. For example: I was planning to enroll in an arts class for years, but never did it. There were always plenty of reasons NOT to do it. This summer I (finally) figured that the list of reasons NOT to enroll will go on forever and just jumped on it and did it!
    I love how Flylady puts it: you can't run on an empty tank. If your car is out of gas, you cannot take others (your family) anywhere! Maybe I should put it on the first page of my Filo to look at every day!

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  5. Jotje - I'm sorry it took me so long to publish your comment - my computer was out of commission while we had our house painted...

    Good for you for going out and doing something fun for yourself! I like that quote too - sums it up perfectly.

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  6. Hi kanalt, that was me who put the Me tab in my Filo! Here is my post about it:

    http://www.plannerisms.com/2010/06/filofax-revamp-inspired-by-gala-darling.html

    Just having a section just for me, and whatever inspires me, was such a psychological shift. It reminds me to focus on myself (in a good way!).

    I agree that women often think of other people first. And as the mother of two small children, I do a lot of taking care of other people. Having my Me section reminds me to take care of myself too, emotionally and physically.

    BTW I keep my exercise routine in my Me section, I think I mentioned on my blog post it helps me see exercise as a positive thing to do for ME instead of another task on my list.

    Best of luck to you with your new project!! :)

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  7. Sorry Laurie - I thought it might be you, but I wasn't positive. Thanks for the idea! I'm thinking of moving my "me" section to a new binder all its own - this way I can add all sorts of things. I'll be sure to do a post when I've done that.

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  8. That sounds like a GREAT idea, having an entire ME Filofax!! I might have to do that myself! :)

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