Fierce, sometimes.

My least favorite thing to be is "too busy," and yet I've been way too busy for over a month now. The biggest lesson I've learned in this busy-ness is how crucial it is that I not let it get to this point again. When I am constantly booked, I feel pressured, overwhelmed and stressed beyond my ability to cope in healthy ways. I eat junk, I get irritable, I have insomnia... none of which I want. But without down time to decompress, without free time to connect with my son, my pets, my boyfriend and his son, without unscheduled hours during which I might feel inspired to write, paint or garden.... I'm a cranky mass of mess and stress. My son is too scheduled, too, and I'm wrestling with that. A lot. He has two extracurricular commitments- karate, which meets just twice a week for 45 minutes, and Cub Scouts, which generally has 3 meetings a month plus activities most weekends and we're in "popcorn fundraiser season." Given that I work 9-5, ...

Oh, the signs I've ignored. Signs that usually take the form of  HUGE, FLAILING RED FLAGS. And I've found a way to dismiss or minimize them until the flags eclipse the entire view, and I've no choice but to acknowledge them. But signs of opportunity have appeared as well. The moment I started considering graduate school, I met happy students from the program I was exploring. When I was at my wits' end at a previous job, I got an email with a job offer for a new position that hadn't even existed a month prior. When I decided I wanted to date, I signed up for match.com and was connected with my honey in less than a week, our similarities unbelievable and our compatibility undeniable. Recently I've been asking for signs again- something to guide me in my next step. I'm plenty busy- it's not as if I need "more." But I'm feeling scattered and ineffective, like my efforts are diluted and my true gifts aren't tapped. I've no desire...

Financial freedom is my focus right now. It is important to me to feel "out from under" my financial situation, and to feel more free and confident with my debt management, spending, and saving. That said- I haven't set any concrete plans for this, aside from reducing my grocery budget and keeping it firm (three weeks and going strong!). "Less debt, more saving" isn't exactly a measurable end goal. It's hard to know what's realistic, and none of it sounds especially promising with my current income. I do know I don't want a luxury car. I don't want a bigger house. I don't want designer handbags. I do want a pool membership next summer. I do want play money to take my son to the movies, go grab dinner out on a whim, or get a manicure. I'm more "Target" spending than "Bloomingdale's" spending, and I'm aiming to stay out of Walmart all together. Interestingly though,  money habits are directly re...