Themes
I was asked again “How do you have time to do all the stuff you do?”
The idea is simple, the reality is more complicated. I work two jobs, have a buttload of podcasts and write fiction. The way I get things done is to put my time where my interests are. I am not a “goal” person. I don’t have goals. I have themes and they are how I decide how to spend my time. My themes are simple:
- Help people
- Tell stories
- Don’t die
My full-time job is in benefits where I help people get and understand their medical coverage and other things related. I admit it’s a bit of a stretch, but after 20 years in Juvenile Justice, with the last 6 of them being in that field full-time, I have to have a job that offers a career and decent pay. However, I still work part-time in social services at a group home for developmentally disabled adults. It’s not a job you’re going to make money at, but it’s a great side hustle and it helps a population that we don’t think about much.
I’m there a LOT because they have sleeping shifts. Since I live alone and have no significant other, pulling those shifts makes extra cash, gives the clients security, and helps everyone involved. I may complain about not being home, but last night, I helped a client who was FURIOUS with the other staff working calm down and go back to bed at 4 am. That’s the good thing I did last night. That’s what keeps me going.
So, the podcasting and writing are where I tell stories. In order to be good at those things, I need to be well-read, knowledgeable and getting information that I can churn into the stories. So, I read, I listen to podcasts and watch documentaries (NOT reality TV shows) to get more information and see how people construct stories. Wanna write? Ya gotta read. Please listen to my podcast when I post them, if you’re interested, because they are incredibly important to me and I think you’ll like them.
I am back to losing weight and getting back to the gym to keep healthy. I post food things because I enjoy cooking and like to cook healthier. I’m going “non selfie” for a while in order to focus on getting healthier like I did a year or so ago. I also try to THINK positively, as that helps with your health. I may push myself hard, but I know too many people my age who haven’t taken care of themselves and talk endlessly about how the world is falling apart and so on and so on. I embrace the things I love, celebrate the people I care for and am fighting my anxiety to be a better person.
So, how do I get it all done?
I focus on my themes. I push myself to be better. And I don’t waste time on things that aren’t working. If a story or as podcast or a relationship becomes negative or doesn’t work? It doesn’t fit the themes.
What are your themes? How do YOU focus your time?
