Hey friends

Some Marie Kondo inspired encouragement for you today.  I could have called it The Life Changing WORK of Twelve Days Straight but it doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Before all that though

and February feels a bit the same

But  we’ve made it !

and we’re still making it.

Showing up where our feet are, doing our next right thing and doing so much better than what we give ourselves credit for..

Day 1 ~ WORD Click image to read full post)

So friends I  went ahead and learnt a little something in the last month or so and it was this:

Do anything for twelve days straight and it will make a difference.

Something will change or lift or be discovered or take flight. You’ll get a grip or get an idea or see things clearer. You’ll look better or feel better or maybe your house will too.  Not by some far fangled magic or some secret method but in the simple act of doing the thing consistently, of going through the steps and doing the work.

Surprised even me and I’m not that surprisable.

Day 2 ~ MORNING Click image to read full post)

Despite my extended January brain fog I joined a 12 day  Hope*writers  writing challenge on Instagram. The idea was to use each of the daily prompt words as a launching point to share about my writing life and what I’d like to accomplish this year.

Is that all !

Almost stopped right there.

What writing life? what writing plan? I basically never want to do anything except potter around my house and  I wasn’t even sure I had it in me to complete a sentence. But you know there’s something about a prompt word that just gets me every time.

Day 3 ~DRAFT (Click image to read full post)

Miraculously I ended up writing twelve short posts all about words and writing and this house where I home and hope – you know that enduring, stubborn stuff hope that takes a good beating but just gets up again.

A hope that keeps me looking for possibility and promise in ordinary things, on the most of ordinary of days and around the doorways and corners of this ordinary home.

Day 4 ~ MOOD Click image to read full post)

It was worth the pushing through. It was worth the having a go.

And most things are

Even the smallest of things

Day 5 ~ EDIT (Click image to read full post)

We all have things

• that we want to do more of
• or make a start on
• or get ahead of
• or break the back of

And things

• we love doing but don’t ever make time for
• or that we think we can’t do because they seems way too big and too scary.

It cant hurt to give them a nudge.

Day 6~BRAINSTORM (Click to read full post)

I reckon 12 days of focused attention will work wonders with just about anything its thrown at.

Why 12 days?  Well its long enough that we mean business but short enough to be doable

And there’s something in deciding to do a thing that pushes you forward, that keeps you at it, even on the days you don’t feel like it.

Along side the writing I did twelve days straight in one section of my garden.  Just 20 minutes per day after work. No deep thinking required, no sweating over words, just weeds and dirt and the afternoon air. It was easy to do but there were days when other things could have easily taken over, when the heat could have put me off, but having decided and having started I wanted to finish it. Decision is a great motivator. (You can see the before and afters pics here   and here

Day 7 ~ STUCK (Click to read full post)

So what needs a kickstart or a push along, or a fresh approach or some TLC

It’s  your call – name your mountain or your molehill, choose your time frame – 20 minutes a day, 30 minutes, an hour – it’s up to you. Then choose the time of day – first thing in the morning, straight after lunch, after work  – whatever works for you

and just start.

Day 8 ~ QUOTE Click image to read full post)

It might be 12 days of

• cleaning out a cupboard, clearing a shelf or cleaning off just one flat surface
• going for a run, a bike ride or a walk
• talking up your business on social media
• making over a room, part of a room or maybe a piece of furniture
• reading that book or books that have been sitting on your nightstand forever
• writing in a journal
• organising the pics and making up a photo book
• rescuing a  garden bed
• learning a new language on Duo Lingo

Now there are no rules except to keep going.

And there’s no such thing as too small.

Because progress is progress and forward is forward.

Day 9 ~ INSPIRATION Click image to read full post)

Now if  it’s a more intense, breaking through, pushing yourself type of thing

• an exercise / losing weight kind of thing

• a getting up early to pray or run or learn something knew kind of thing

• or writing twelve freaking posts in a row type of thing

You’ll want to pack it in about half way through, you will wonder why for the love am I doing this. It will seem too intense and too exhausting and who on earth cares anyway.

Ignore all those thoughts and just keep going.

And if it’s a more fun, just for pleasure type thing. Same rule applies – keep going. It’s not silly, it’s not indulgent. It’s important to you so it’s OK to make it a priority.

Day 10 ~ GOAL. (Click image to read full post)

Day 11 ~ FEELING Click image to read full post)

Now don’t leave me wondering – let me know what your up to in the comments below. OR post it on Facebook and tag me in. You’ll find me on Facebook here. Or on Instagram here.

Day 12 ~ PROGRESS (Click image to read full post)

Friends I’ll leave you with easily one of my all time favourite quotes.

Start where you are.

Use what you have

Do what you can

Arthur Ashe

God bless xx