Take life in stride

Its a whirlwind of action these days. With the incoming holidays, stress from work, daily tasks in relation to my children, and just getting my everyday to-do list done... I find myself being stretched thin. I also find my time management skills in need of honing.
In the next couple of weeks, I'll be training towards a position in leadership. I've come to terms with the need to fulfill a short term goal of staying at my retail job, and in so doing, I'll need to build up that pay check to keep my other goals in focus. I have no desire to stay in retail for a full career. Someone has to do it, just not me.
I'm also preparing for a long distance trip back to my friends and family in Florida. Almost a year has passed since I've had the comfort of being around people I love and trust so strongly. Besides, its also a chance to see a childhood friend graduating college, another good friend should have her baby by then, and being reuniting with a college friend that I hold in the highest regards. My excitement cannot be contained. Its certainly shining out in other aspects of my life.
This week, I get to deal with a 48 hour work week, Thanksgiving Day plans, and somewhere in between these, finishing my little projects. I doubt I'll find much time for me, but if I can just make it through....
I have another Shoplet review I'm working on for you guys.

I'm working on potty training my daughter. She loves her potty chair, but loves running around naked from the waist-down more. I'm beginning to wonder if she's going to be more difficult than her brothers after all.

There's a story that has been trapped in my head for too long. Being a creative writer at heart, I can't keep it locked up anymore. So every chance I get, I write it down. Then later I type it up. It may never be printed or sold. Maybe no one else will ever read it. But I have to get it written, nonetheless.
So what am I really getting at? 
My mother used to remind me quite often, "Don't lose yourself." I'm so-and-so's wife, mother to (insert child's name here), and so on. But who am I on my own? I'm a woman who goes by both her names. Who has many talents that mean nothing in the working world. I can weld, use pretty much every tool in my dads collection, build chopper-style bicycles, ride motorcycles, drive stick and automatic, spin a tale that is so unbelievable you have to believe, speed read, and kill almost everything I try to grow. Am I proud of these accomplishments? Most definitely... okay not the killing plants one. There isn't anything I can't do when I set my mind to it. So why are there days when I feel useless or as if I have nothing to offer? Partly because I have lived with someone who takes the time to put me down for everything I haven't done instead of recognizing what I do daily. Partly because, despite my best efforts, I don't seem to achieve too many of my ultimate goals. I see my failures in a stronger light than I do my completions. Let's be honest though, we are our worst critics. We put ourselves down needlessly. A dear friend of mine has been reminding me of this lately.

So what goals am I setting for myself now? To put out a more positive outlook. Instead of seeing the negative first, I'm going to search for the positive. Instead of saying yes to every request, I'm going to learn to say no. And instead of feeling rushed to finish everything for everyone, its time to manage what time I have a little better. Priorities will be made again. Even if it means going back to making lists.
Take everyday in stride, folks. And look for those positive things, no matter how small.