#FMF Next

I participate in Five Minute Friday. Set the timer for 5 minutes and freewrite with the word provided. Find the link up here.

Set the timer and GO!

As I read the information about the prompt this week on the site I immediately thought of my work with Emily P. Freeman’s book The Next Right Thing. If you follow my blog, you know I love this book and have been reflecting through it since the beginning of the month. Each chapter is highlight by Emily on Instagram.

The idea of #mynextrightthing has been on my mind for quite awhile. It is a decision making process that makes sense especially in the sense of overwhelm. I can figure out what to do next, even if it is little like take a shower, or make a sandwich, or breath. I have been through trauma that had me feeling like I was trying to make it through the minute, not the day. I don’t remember exactly when I found the podcast The Next Right Thing but I know that it spoke to me. Emily’s voice is amazing if you haven’t listened to her either. I am thankful Emily is in my life this way.

There are lots of circumstances in this world that do not make sense to me. I used to be able to make a decision pretty quickly. This was at a time where my perception was that “Everything was gonna work out.” I have made some decisions which led to more obstacles as time went on and now I second guess as to if I will make the wrong decision. I have people relying on me and cannot afford to make any more mistakes than I have to. I will continue to make mistakes but try to be as informed as possible!

My next right thing right now is to keep writing. I will interact with my writing people this morning and my family this afternoon. Another next thing is to be open to opportunities and appreciate the moments I am in. The amount of next right things I get to choose are not guaranteed.

If you have not read Emily’s book I urge you to get a copy. It will be given as a gift from me several times this year! You can find it here.

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April 19, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Emily P Freeman, Five Minute Friday, FMF, MYNEXTRIGHTTHING, MywritingTags: emilypfreeman, fiveminutefriday, FMF, MYNEXTRIGHTTHING, writingprompt 3 Comments

#FMF LACK

Every Friday I participate in the FiveOnFriday challenge. You can link here.

I set the timer for 5 minutes and write:

What do I lack? Currently, I feel I lack peace and direction, but I am working on it. I am so reflective that I always know where I am emotionally lacking I just don’t always know how to fix it so I put my head down and focus on the task or obsession that I am engaged in at the moment. Now it is writing. I want to be the best I can be. I read about it. I do it . I try to find mentors to help me IRL or in the pages of books and blogs. I have my Emily P Freeman book about decision making which is helping tremendously.

I do lack directions of what I want to do. The amount of obstacles and out of nowhere hits have been I want to be at home. I want to write all the time. I know it is not a bad thing for a writer to have a day job. I like most of the people I work with and I do like the work that is required in my actual job description. I am reframing it at the moment to get more out of it personally as well. It works for the job aspect but is more fulfilling. I am coaching myself and streamlining my processes to be more consistent and that helps everyone.

I do not lack in love. The relationship I have with my husband is awesome and as perfect as it can be. It really is fairy tale like.

The relationships I have with all my children are unique to them and I love them dearly and would do anything for any of the 4.

The friendships I have IRL and online are strong. I nurture the ones that are mutually life giving and make me happy. I am looking forward to storyaday May next month when there is group writing every day and there is daily interaction with other writers. THAT makes me giddy.

Happy Writing Everyone!

April 12, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Coaching, Five Minute Friday, FMF, Slice of Life, Writing Challenge, Writing Group, Writing Prompt, WritingLifeTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 3 Comments

#FMF Offer

I participate in Five Minute Friday. Set the timer for 5 minutes and freewrite with the word provided. Find the link up here.

Set the timer and GO!

I offer myself to the world and subject myself to rejection or acceptance.

I offer my writing to publishers.

I offer my writing to my blog readers.

I offer my writing to other readers and critique partners.

I offer bids to people to connect with them. (If you don’t know what I am referring to here is an article)

I offer extensions of friendship.

I offer words to the world and some are rehearsed and some are not.

I offer honest feedback and advice to my friends and coworkers when they ask for it.

I have learned to protect myself as I often do not think as others do. I am “no nonsense” as a colleague put it. I would rather be respected than liked – 360 days out of the year that is.

I recognize people do things different ways and that is ok. I just don’t want them to try to impose their thinking on me if we aren’t friends or I didn’t ask. I do not ask questions I do not want the answers to.

I offer my true self to people…sometimes.

April 5, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMFTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, writingprompt 3 Comments

#FMF Measure

I participate in Five Minute Friday. Set the timer for 5 minutes and freewrite with the word provided. Find the link up here.

Set the timer and GO!

I am measure against other people all the time externally. This past 2 weeks I have been struggling to get anything more published. I am measured against the other submissions that are coming in. There are criteria I am up against as well I am aware of but it doesn’t always take the sting out of the rejection. Gladly, many of the letters came with a little feedback which was encouraging.

Many times in my life I have been in competition with people – sometimes only on their side. Now I mostly measure myself with my own set of agreements – not anyone else’s.

I measure what kind of writer I am by the fact that I write every day. It is not measured by how much I publish or don’t. I am in a community of writers. There are outside measures like critiques, evaluations, and feedback but I don’t always take them to heart.

I am a coach and a teacher which have its own measures and criteria by definition. I guess I measure myself by labels. There are sets of critical attributes of what I believe are the fundamentals of what each of those labels entails. There are also universal attributes for these labels as well.

How do I measure success? In the ACTION. The doing is more impressive to me than the reward or sometimes even the outcome. That is a measure from the outside and a factor I cannot often control.

“What can I control?” has become a mantra for me when in a situation with obstacles. It makes a huge difference to my mindset. I cannot control others – that I know for sure.

March 29, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMFTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, writingprompt 10 Comments

#FMF: Reward

Every Friday I free write for 10 minutes based on the word chosen by Kate from Five Minute Friday.

Today’s word is REWARD. Set the timer for 5 minutes and GO!

Reward is defined as a thing given for service or recognition. I am personally offended most times by rewards or prizes of any kind that are given for an expected or required effort. I am motivated intrinsically.

Are rewards equated with acceptance? Validation? For me? No. For others, I think so.

Rewards for me are the activity or the feeling of accomplishment at the end. I suppose that is a reward by my own definition but not a THING. Rewards are not the tangible material items. I don’t work for STUFF. It is just not my way.

The reward is the to do list checked off. Or the runners high at the end of a trail run.The smile or laugh when I tell a good story to a friend. The joy of the relationship I have with my husband.The fact my jeans fit better after 3 months of IF.

Every day is a reward because I was able to live it.

March 22, 2019March 22, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMFTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 6 Comments

PLACE #FMF #SOLC Day 15

I am participating in the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life challenge. Each day in March teachers from around the country post to their blogs and the Two Writing Teachers website. We read and comment on each other’s posts.

Since it is Friday, it is also time for Kate’s Five Minute Friday Challenge. Today’s word is PLACE. You can read the guest post by author and inspiration Christie Purifoy whose new book PLACEMAKER just released.

In my Google Keep notes I saved the word : Monochopsis: the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place. This word is one I didn’t know existed but feel it is the perfect descriptor for several seasons of my life. I see belonging as a comfort but not always a necessity. My job title is coach. At this school, I am on a teacher contract. I have no evaluative portions of my job which I am grateful for but for some people the lines get blurry.

As a coach my place is to be helpful and a resource. Right now there are obstacles in my building and I am trying to reflect to make my practice better.
Christy Pulfroy said on a podcast I listening to toward the beginning of the month that a placemaker to her was someone who made their place even if you knew you would only be there a short time. She started me thinking of the gifts that place gives us. I suppose in the grand scheme of things everything is temporary.

I feel I am in temporary spaces in several aspects of my life. I am always waiting for the next thing. This idea isn’t all bad but can lead to frustration sometimes.

My place today is at a table with respected coaches I work with and my place in the room is among professional from around the area. The time with these people is limited now that we are in March so I need to be the gift and receive the gifts in this space I will be in today no matter how tired I am. The potential for knowledge and connection is great and I need to recognize that fact.

What comes to mind when you think of the word PLACE?

March 15, 2019 by TammyB Categories: bookrecs, Coaching, Five Minute Friday, FMF, Slice of Life, Writing Exercise, Writing PromptTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, place, solc19 10 Comments

Things I Want More Of #FMF #SOLC Day 8

I am participating in TWO WRITING TEACHERS Slice of Life Challenge for the month of March. It is also Friday and time for FMF (Five Minute Friday) so I am combining efforts here.

Honestly, it has been a trying week. There has been a lot going on and I truly appreciate the interaction I have had with bloggers, teachers, writers, and friends.

What do I want more of?

I want more time that is my own and not overshadowed by other people’s stuff.

I want more time to write. Sometimes I want that time to be in a coffee shop or bookstore so I can people watch and overhear conversations.

I want more reading that lasts longer than 10 minutes at a time. I want to fall into more books. I also want to read more for reading sake – not just to get the book done and add it to a numbered list for the year.

I want more time at home as opposed to the car or really anywhere else for that matter!

I want more interaction with my writer tribe (I am doing something about this TODAY) This MORE goes with my word of the year #CONNECT. I also want to connect more with my readers – of the blog and my fiction.

I want more money to do things with my kids and husband. I want to travel more. I want to attend writing conferences.

I want more consistent sleep. I don’t do self care well. I get sleep but it is all over the place throughout the week.

I want more coffee? No…just kidding. I drink A LOT! Come by Sunday and we can have coffee together to talk about the weekend!

Overall, I want more peace. In my heart there is much peace, I just need more of the surrounding molecules to get on board!

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What do you want more of?

March 8, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Mywriting, Slice of Life, Writing Challenge, Writing Exercise, Writing Group, Writing PromptTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, solc19 15 Comments

FMF: JUST

It is Friday! Today is the day I post in response to Kate’s word from Fiveminutefriday.com. It is also part of the challenge #write28days. You can find the landing page for these posts here.

JUST is a word about hidden agendas.

You often hear it to justify a verbal blow.

“It was JUST a question.”

“It was JUST a joke.”

Just is a word used to soften when feelings are hurt – intended or not – but usually, that is a lie. It is used to placate someone or to make them feel better which doesn’t often work.

It is a word to “Keep the peace.”

Just is part of the word JUSTICE. A word of fairness and truth. It is also part of the phrase “Just desserts” when punishment is rightfully given. Justice is served in that aspect I suppose.

I am not sure honestly where I stand about this word – but thoughts are swirling around in my head about it.

What are your thoughts about the word JUST?

February 22, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Write28daysTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, just, Write28days 6 Comments

FMF: Confident

Welcome to Friday! I participate in the Five Minute Friday challenge every week. Kate selects a word and I write for 5 minutes. This also fulfills my #write28days challenge for today!

Timer set…and GO!

As an introvert, I have had to learn extroverted tendencies for my profession. I am required to be “on stage” for students and teachers every day. I am also a presenter. I have NO PROBLEM speaking in front of 250+ people. I do prefer the audience to be people I do not know.

In the professional setting, I am confident. I know my content and my expertise level. I am always learning something new from the people around me. I am a life long learner in the truest sense.

For some reason, I am not able to transfer this confidence into the social aspects of my life. I have to force myself to join in social situations. I do not do small talk well. I force myself into uncomfortable situations. It is a tricky predicament.

As a runner, I was able to place an action I excelled at in the forefront which buffered the social aspects. I can do this with writing in certain circles as well. The writing and running were my shields. This is part of my coping mechanisms.

When or where are you most confident?

What are your shields?

February 15, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Five Minute Friday, FMF, Justlife, Slice of Life, Write28days, Writing Challenge, Writing PromptTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF, Write28days, writingprompt 12 Comments

Build for FMF

It’s Friday! It is time for Kate’s word to inspire my writing today!

I am in the process of building something exciting.

The focus this month through #Write28days is to work through and plan these creative gatherings I have swirling around in my mind.

Serendipity is an amazing concept. I always think of the movie when I say the word and frozen hot chocolate. Podcasts, articles, conversations and people are making their way into my circle of concern that align with this idea.

A name occurred to me today for the gatherings.

The idea of a launch team is on my mind.

The idea of collaboration and using people’s strengths is on my mind.

LIGHT BULBS are turning on ALL OVER THE PLACE!

Today I am blessed with a day of learning with my friends. I will build new connections and deepening bonds.

What are your lightbulbs today?

Are you building something?

February 8, 2019 by TammyB Categories: Coaching, Five Minute Friday, FMF, GatheringsTags: fiveminutefriday, FMF 8 Comments