Being honest with me

Remember my one word goal for 2011?  If not, and you've got some time on your hands, feel free to go scan that post.  The gist of it, though, is that rather than setting a making a resolution for the New Year, I'd simply set a motto to live by.  My guiding concept for this year is "be."

I want to be present and focused and in everything I'm doing.  I must say that eight months ago I didn't foresee the life I'd have right now.  I thought I'd be "being" in a whole different way.  As I took a few minutes to reflect on this the other night, what I originally thought of as failing in my goal I realized wasn't. 


I hadn't reflected on how I was following my guiding principle since April.  However, I did write a little blurb about my passion for writing just a few months ago.  That's definitely a hat I wear (the not-yet-published-writer hat!) and when it's on I certainly want to be in that moment as well.  So, more on that in a minute.

First the overall guiding concept and how I'm not failing at it.  I think it's important to share this part too. 

Not quite four months ago I became one of the appointment Ombudsmen for my husband's command.  The short definition of this volunteer position is that I act as the first line for families who have questions, concerns, emergencies, bad days, good days - all of that!  I relay information from the command to the families and back to the command.  I also keep up "general maintenance" of my families - providing information about goings-on around town, patrolling social media for OPSEC issues, and keeping morale up as best I can. 

I'm good at this job and I enjoy it.  It wasn't on my plate in December when I considered my goals for 2011.  I was thinking I'd be writing, playing with the kids, eating well - things like that.  So, with my major focus of Ombudsmaning (I'm not sure that's a real verb, but I like to use it as one) I thought I was not fulfilling my ambitions for this year. 

I'm so glad I took the time to consider it more.  When I asked myself, "Am I being intentional?  Am I being present?" the answer to both questions was a surprised, "Yes."

There are times as an Ombudsman that I have to close out my kids and focus on a phone call so that I can give that person my full attention, get the facts clear, and give them the privacy they deserve.  There are some days when I have to do this a lot. 

There are also days when I don't get many phone calls at all and I can play games, go for walks, read, laugh and cuddle with the kids.  And when I'm doing those things, I'm fully with my children. 

So, the guiding concept is a great one and one that I am still living by.  (yay!)  And that brings us to writing...A few months ago I talked about working on writing goals this summer - in the midst of all the other things that fill my life.  And today I learned about a writing competition that I'm going to submit a story to! 

The deadline is only a few weeks away, but I think that's exactly what I need.  There's no time to put it on the back burner.  The other catchy thing is that it's supposed to be a fiction story and I've never written fiction before, but I already have an idea that I came up with in the shower, where I do some of my best writing!  So, tonight, I'm going to sign off here and type that idea up and start drafting and redrafting. 

Now, that's being intentional and present!  WOO HOO! 

How about you?  Have you reflected on your resolutions, goals, and guiding principles?  Maybe you're doing better than you thought.  Maybe you need to get back on the saddle.  But you don't know unless you can be honest, be present and intentional, and just be!