Building Confidence On Past Accomplishments

Have you thought these words before?

"I'm just not capable!" or a similiar, "I can't do it. I don't know how."

Oh yes, I have! That's when I review the good things I've already accomplished. Most with no idea how to start either. It helps me realize if I could do it before, I can do it again.

What's the "it"? Let's look at that sentence expanded. If I could figure out how to start a project and succeed, even through frustration and cluelessness, then I can figure out how to be creative and succeed again.

Lately, I've been struggling with writing time and focus. I've been overcommitted in a new job and heavy volunteerism, family needs with varying individuals either sick or injured, and some sad moments when we lost two beloved pets in the last month. I started allowing my mind to spin into all the needs in the next few months from money to product for speaking events to travel. I started the self-talk off on the wrong foot. I allowed myself to say, "I don't have a clue, how am I supposed to do this?" Spiral down.

It was like being in the middle of a meteor shower. Not watching it, being IN it. My brain just fritzed out on me with all those flying space bodies.

This morning I woke up praying. Praying from my dreams and my sleep. Wow! I really think it has something to do with Romans 8:26-27 where we are told that when we don't know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit will do it for us.

So right now I've stopped everything. I've made a list of all those meteors so they are out of the space between my ears and landed the moon for a short time while I refuel and reset my fritzed out systems.

One of the little niggly meteors that bugged me was I didn't have a good list of the free lance I'd been doing. I didn't even know how much I'd done because it was not on my radar for tracking. Yet it's important in this publishing world to show your work.

I decided to take a few minutes and round up all the free lance articles I'd written in the last two years and compile them into one document. Now I can keep records and referrals. I feel just a tad bit better.

If getting a list, working each item on the list, and filing it for reference helps me refocus, then I am less stressed. Lessening the stress helps me settle into what needs to be done. Not just reminding myself, but encouraging myself with past accomplishments clears the fritzed systems and prepares me for a take-off.

How to track free lance work we've done? At one point I started a spread sheet. Another was a file in the computer. But some of the work is online and some is in print. Hmm, what to do?

I felt that I'd done the beginnings of a good plan. I had a file on my computer, a physical file, and a spreadsheet. I'm going to add a link of each online article in one document and store that document in both the physical file and the computer file. The spreadsheet needs to be updated with articles sold. I'll move that spreadsheet into the computer file so everything is in one place. At the end of each month, I can print out the spreadsheet and add it to the physical file for taxes. Hmm. Better already.

Once I began to feel confident in a small area, I could move to a bigger area. It's all building blocks with confidence.

I also realized that some of the work was for the same publishing outlet. As an example, I didn't keep the live link for the Christian Fiction Online Magazine. I'd kept my version that I submitted, but no proof of the actual published version. So I simply went back to the archives and began copying the link into my document like this:

http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/feb-09-buzz_acfw.html

http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/mar-09-buzz_acfw.html

Confidence definitely comes from realizing we can do again because we've done before.

Have you experienced this sense of "I can't..." lately?

How do you regain confidence and refocus after your system has fritzed?

Angie
Now coaching confidence and courage. Visit http://www.MyGemOfWisdom.com for more information

Becca By The Book by Laura Jensen Walker

Angie's Take: Confidence! This little character has confidence oozing out of her from the many adventures and pitfalls she's experienced. One thing I'd suggest for people who want to learn the skill of courage and confidence is to read about those who have it. It helps you imagine a little what it's like to act or speak with it. I like Becca, the main character, a lot for her willingness to keep trying new things, new experiences, and explore life. Her journey is exciting and fun, full of special moments. I think you'll enjoy Becca By the Book for the perky prose and fast paced story telling.

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Becca By The Book
Zondervan (January 1, 2010)
by
Laura Jensen Walker


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Jensen Walker is an award-winning writer, popular speaker, and breast-cancer survivor who loves to touch readers and audiences with the healing power of laughter.

Born in Racine, Wisconsin (home of Western Printing and Johnson’s Wax—maker of your favorite floor care products) Laura moved to Phoenix, Arizona when she was in high school. But not being a fan of blazing heat and knowing that Uncle Sam was looking for a few good women, she enlisted in the United States Air Force shortly after graduation and spent the next five years flying a typewriter through Europe.

Her lifelong dream of writing fiction came true in Spring 2005 with the release of her first chick lit novel, Dreaming in Black & White which won the Contemporary Fiction Book of the Year from American Christian Fiction Writers. Her sophomore novel, Dreaming in Technicolor was published in Fall 2005.

Laura’s third novel, Reconstructing Natalie, chosen as the Women of Faith Novel of the Year for 2006, is the funny and poignant story of a young, single woman who gets breast cancer and how her life is reconstructed as a result. This book was born out of Laura’s cancer speaking engagements where she started meeting younger and younger women stricken with this disease—some whose husbands had left them, and others who wondered what breast cancer would do to their dating life. She wanted to write a novel that would give voice to those women. Something real. And honest. And funny.

Because although cancer isn’t funny, humor is healing.

To learn more about Laura’s latest novels, please check out her Books page.

A popular speaker and teacher at writing conferences, Laura has also been a guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows around the country including the ABC Weekend News, The 700 Club, and The Jay Thomas Morning Show.

She lives in Northern California with her Renaissance-man husband Michael, and Gracie, their piano playing dog.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Sales clerk, barista, telemarketer, sign waver...

At twenty-five, free-spirited Becca Daniels is still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up. What Becca doesn’t want to be is bored. She craves the rush of a new experience, whether it’s an extreme sport, a shocking hair color, or a new guy. That’s why she quit her bookstore job, used her last bit of credit to go skydiving, and broke her leg.

And that’s why, grounded and grumpy, Becca bristles when teased by friends for being commitment-phobic. In response, Becca issues an outrageous wager—that she can sustain a three-month or twenty-five date relationship with the next guy who asks her out. When the guy turns out to be “churchy” Ben—definitely not Becca’s type—she gamely embarks on a hilarious series of dates that plunge her purple-haired, free-speaking, commitment-phobic self into the alien world of church potlucks and prayer meetings.

This irrepressible Getaway Girl will have you cheering her on as she “suffers” through her dates, gains perspective on her life’s purpose, and ultimately begins her greatest adventure of all.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Becca By The Book, go HERE

Clear Direction Breeds Confidence

But where do we get that clear direction?

In the deep winter, the fog lies low over the valley. Sometimes it feels as if we are walking aimlessly through that cold, bone-chilling fog. The moisture freezes on everything around.

Montana Hoar Frost (frozen fog.)

We feel ourselves freezing up, not sure we can continue through the barren, icy land until the sun shines again. But there's a glow, just noticeable. A blurry sign of hope.

Our step picks up, we forget the burning in our fingertips, and lean into the direction of the glow. Warmth, comfort, safety. It draws us in and we go in that direction without wavering.

Once inside, warm and protected, we can look out a window and see something we hadn't before. The marvel of sparkling crystals everywhere. The creativity and beauty is breathtaking. But all we could see in the fear, was the need to get to where we were going.

Let me challenge all of us today to take a look around us for that spectacular beauty while we are in it. Allow it to spark the desire to wonder in amazement. Such unique formations. A new ice sculpture in each branch, plant, and weed.

Then realize when you get to safety, that you did get to safety by putting one foot in front of the other. It's stunning to see the footsteps leading to where we belong in a straight line.  Clear direction came from looking for the hope, the dim glow diffused in the frosty air.

Celebrate each time you have the chance to walk in the freezing fog because it offers persistence even as we find creative surprises. Then look back and see the accomplishment of resiliency and survival. These are confidence builders. Celebrate coming out of the fog with new knowledge!  Confidence is built on overcoming difficulty when your eyes are locked on hope.

Angie
http://www.MyGemOfWisdom.com
If I may be of service to you in confidence coaching, please contact me through my website. It will be my joy to help you discover the glow of hope.

Changing Our Self-Talk-is it possible?

One lovely reader mentioned that she was just set. That she couldn't change how she was because of her age. She'd always struggled with negative self-talk and couldn't change that about herself.

I wonder what you all think. Is that true? If someone truly desires to change, can they?

It got me to thinking about addictions. Is it possible that negative self-talk is more of an addiction than a bad habit?

Oooh, I really want to hear what you all think of this concept: Poor or negative self-talk as an addiction...


(In my book, Battle Your Pirates and Win! I have a chapter that's represented by the garnet. One of the garnet's most used utility is as the grit on sandpaper. Go figure, but it's true! So I wrote about sandblasting out those old scripts that replay in your brain and how to do get rid of them. I'm waiting on response from publishers still on the book, but the jewelry line that helps financially support the Sanctuary of Hope orphan homes is already available at http://www.MyGemofWisdom.com 

and the garnet pendant can be purchased individually if you'd like a beautiful piece to help you remember to sandblast out those negative thoughts.) 



Angie

Where does self-talk come from?

Just too good of a question to pass up! I posted a couple of days ago some questions about confidence. In doing the interviews and asking some of these important questions, I find that we return to the element of self-talk.

Photography by DylanWymanphotography.com located in Missoula, MT 

One reader comment suggested it's all about the parents. Now on one level, I agree that parents can really influence our self-talk. The voice we hear inside that helps us learn to value ourself. But on the other hand, how does that explain those overcomers who achieve great things even though they come from extreme backgrounds?

So my question for discussion today is: Where does self-talk come from?

Secondarily: If it comes from our parents originally, why are some people from negative parents able to overcome what others aren't?

Jump on in! Your thoughts and ideas just might make it into the pages of Courageous Beauty!
Angie
http://www.MyGemOfWisdom.com

The Male Factor by Shaunti Feldhahn

Angie's Take: I'm really enjoying this insightful book. It does take a bit of determination to get through the first 2 chapters because they are the scientific and resume', if you will, set up for the book. Without them, the reader would question the viability of the information. So yes, read them. Then dive into the real meat of the book by learning about the "unwritten" rules of the workplace. Ironically, I can see now where I've done well and why I've sometimes not been as successful as I've wanted to be. Should you read this book? YES! I don't care if you are working outside the home in an office setting or from your home using phone and internet, this will help you professionally manage your professional and personal relationships with men. We all need that! I hope Shaunti will release the Female Factor for those wonderful men in our lives. But as I hear men say often, they just want the bullet points. Now I understand why. I also LOVED learning the difference in how men are able to focus versus how women focus. So, so helpful!


What's it about?
A startling and confidential exploration of what men privately think about the words and actions of women in the workplace, based on nationwide surveys and confidential interviews with more than 3,000 men, ranging from corporate CEOs to factory workers.

Summary:  

Many talented women today risk undermining their careers without realizing it, simply because they don’t understand how they are perceived by their male colleagues and customers.
In What Men really Think, best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn reveals the inner reality behind men’s views — the unspoken expectations that no man would dare to publicly acknowledge, and no woman would learn from an HR department. These revelations include:

• Men’s unwritten ‘rules’ of the workplace
• How men perceive workplace emotion
• What common situations with female colleagues most frustrate men-- and why
• Why revealing clothing can sabotage a woman’s effectiveness
• Why some men think flextime is fine, but equal compensation for it is not

What Men Really Think equips women with the information they need to make informed decisions and compete on a level playing field.

Author Bio:

Shaunti Feldhahn is a nationally syndicated columnist and the bestselling author of For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men and For Men Only, which together sold one million copies. She holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard, worked on Wall Street and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Purchase the book online:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307457721&ref=externallink_wbp_extraordinary_sec_0817_01

 This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Do you question confidence?

Yesterday I was asked to suggest some questions on the topic of confidence for a Toastmaster meeting that my new friend, Sasha, had on her schedule. I started thinking about what I wanted to know for the book I'm writing and then thought about perceptions people have concerning confidence and courage.

That brought up my curious nature. (I'm sure those who know me are rolling their eyes about now because I happen to be a VERY curious person who will research just because I want to know something and then research what I learned from it.)

So I began to wonder (here's where you jump in, friends) what do people think about confidence and/or courage?

Are there opinions, perceptions, or even facts that are heavily ingrained?

Here's a few I wonder. Feel free to answer some, any, or add your own to this discussion.

If you could learn anything about how to be a confident person, what would it be?

If confidence is gained by learning from mistakes, is there any mistake you would still prefer never to have made?

What are you most confident about and how did you gain that sense of confidence?

When you see someone who exudes confidence, what do you actually see that makes you believe they are confident?

When you see someone who is timid, what do you see?

Is confidence an area that matters to you or do you have a different important value? (Oh yes, please share it.)

Are you confident in one area or a confident person all around? Which do you think is more common?

Is there a dream or goal left unconquered? What would make it important enough to go for it? Would that take courage or confidence?

Add your own or come answer those already here :-) You never know, your thoughts might end up in my book!

Angie

http://www.MyGemOfWisdom.com

Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson

Angie's Take:

Looking for the perfect romantic comedy for your Christian reading group or personal reading pleasure? Look no further than Fools Rush In, where Tex-Mex meets Italian for a boot scoot'n good time! Something I am enjoying is the character, Bella, as she gains confidence. Janice Thompson does a good job of being in Bella's head so we can see her self-talk. Such an important part of our personal growth and something we all manage to mess up from time to time. Great reminding concept from a light hearted comedy novel. 

Here's a synopsis: 

Bella Rossi may be nearing thirty, but her life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian-turned-Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business, Bella is determined not to let them down. She quickly books a "Boot Scoot'n" wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch—she knows nothing about country music because her family only listens to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Where will she find a DJ on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his Keith Urban?

When a misunderstanding leads her to the DJ (and man) of her dreams, things start falling into place. But with a family like hers, nothing is guaranteed.

Can the perfect Texan wedding survive a pizza-making uncle with mob ties, an aunt who is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and a massive delivery of 80 cowboy boots? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding? Book one in the Weddings by Bella series, Fools Rush In is fun, fresh, and full of surprises. Readers will love the flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex, and the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.

Here's what several readers had to say about the book:

REVIEWER: Carly
Carlybird’s Home
http://carlybirdshome.blogspot.com/

Do you need a laugh? I mean a really good laugh? Then you need to read Fools Rush In. This has got to be one of the funniest books I have ever read, perhaps even the funniest. The concept of these two very different cultures coming together is priceless. The author has obviously spent a lot of time with very large Italian families because she knows all of their funny little nuances, and I love that.

The characters in this story are so delightful and I loved all the different personalities that just seemed to blend well together without feeling contrived. I especially liked Guido; he was a great source of humor and hope. The story was fun and fast paced, but still had a good flow to it. It never felt rushed nor did it drag at any point.

At the heart of this very funny book is Bella, a young woman who has a lot of fears and insecurities. As she embarks on the challenge of running her family’s wedding planning business, she must learn to trust God for everything. That is a simple truth that we all need to hear as much as possible. I am so glad that Fools Rush In is the first in the Weddings by Bella series. I hope the author is hard at work on the next book because I am so excited to read it. Fools Rush In was such a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know what to expect, but I have to say, this book is a delight. I can’t recommend this book strongly enough. It will make you laugh and make you think. You will be glad you read it. I know I am.


From Author Trish Perry:

Mamma mia, let's escape! Let's fall in love! Let's eat chicken parmesan, fettuccini alfredo, and Bubba's down-home barbeque without gaining a pound. It's all possible when we hang out with Bella Rossi in Fools Rush In. Janice Thompson's first installment in the Weddings by Bella series is a fun, welcome distraction from life's boredom and stress. You'll fall for Bella's DJ even faster than she does. And you'll root for the Rossi and Neeley families as they break down cultural barriers and rush toward each other, arms wide open. No fools, they! - Trish Perry (www.trishperry.com)

From Ane Mulligan, editor, Novel Journey

“Janice Thompson is a master storyteller who draws her readers into the tale along with the characters. From page one of Fools Rush In, I felt as if I were Bella’s best friend, sitting down with her over cups of Italian cappuccino while she told me the latest happenings in her zany family. One of my top picks for 2009, Fools Rush In earns a permanent place in my library.”

Author Bio:
Janice Thompson, who has authored over fifty books for the Christian market, lives in the Houston area and is thrilled to speak to local reading groups and/or women's groups. You will find a copy of the book's discussion questions here: http://www.bakerbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/FoolsRushInDiscussionQuestions.pdf

MORE INFO ABOUT THE BOOK:

Book Trailer (YouTube): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TufSwOeXuoU

To read the first two chapters of the book online:http://www.revellbooks.com/Media/MediaManager/Excerpt_9780800733421.pdf

Romantic Times Spotlight:http://www.rtbookreviews.com/stage/authors_spotprev.php?id=605

Janice's Website: www.janiceathompson (to purchase an autographed copy of the book)

Buy Fools Rush in at amazon.com here:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800733428/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=08AVC0VFEXKRNQTXT7DR&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

• FOOLS RUSH IN
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800733428

Gain Confidence Through Curiosity

Are you a curious person? Curious like a child who investigates grains of sand or tiny bugs?

Oh I am!

How does that relate to confidence? Well, it makes a person have to do a lot of problem solving, lol. Yes, I've wandered into some interesting territory.

Seriously though, I think as adults, we've hog-tied ourselves by putting curiosity in the realm of childhood. Or even developing a fear like the old wives tale that curiosity killed the cat so we aren't willing to step outside of our box to challenge ourselves.

I started to feel blocked in writing Courageous Beauties. Not good, I have a book due. So I gave in to my curious nature and went word diving. (It's my own term for immersing myself in my two favorite tool books.) I began to latch onto the fascinating twists and turns in the synonyms and nuances of a few definitions. At first I chastised myself for wasting time. And then something happened. I realized my chain of words all led to a pattern. A few new ideas for chapters I hadn't set up popped into my head sparked by a few words I hadn't thought of before diving into my dictionary and thesaurus.

Now I know a non-writer might think word diving a bit, shall we say, dry. Lol, but I get a spark of curiosity and I just can't turn it off. My desire to learn turns on as if it's an unstoppable tank!

Translate it into travel. Do you like to see new places, learn about new people and foods, and make memories? What about mechanics? Do you tear things apart just to see how they work?

When we release our desire to ferret out answers, explore the unknown, and discover fascinating things we gain knowledge. That knowledge opens up new opportunities and abilities. Those new abilities create trust in our self. We know that we can deal with the unknown because we've done it before. The more unknowns you build up over time, the more you trust yourself to handle another new one.

I left that session today much more set in what I needed to write and with a sense of peace about that resolve. Do you know what that is? Confidence. Confidence caused by curiosity. There is a direct correlation in healthy curiosity and a strong self-confidence.

Without that joy in discovery, I'd still be sitting staring at a blank screen. Instead, I laid out the ideas for several more chapters and logged over 1,400 words in between business calls and interruptions.

What do you think?
Does curiosity fuel confidence for you?
Are you willing to release that part of you?
When have you allowed your curiosity to help you build confidence?
Did you know you are never too old to start building confidence?

Why not start now?

Angie
http://www.MyGemOfWisdom.com

The One-Day Way by Chantel Hobbs

Angie's Take: Being a Weight Watcher Ambassador, I believe in taking weight loss one day at a time. I think Chantel has the right idea. I think she also brings out that our relationship to God is the lasting power. I do, however, believe that we lose weight better and keep it off longer when we have a support system. I also understand the scientific difference in men's and women's bodies. It's important to realize that men do get to eat more than women because of the way they are made.


I love that Chantel teaches the basics and then adds explanation. It's very important. She also teaches that changing the way you think is crucial. AND IT IS! She shares excellent pictures of the exercise routines that keep costs very, very low. Another wonderful plus to this book.


Drawbacks: It's for the standard healthy person. Be aware that if you have allergies to peanuts, nuts, or gluten that there aren't substitutes listed and you will have to take that into account. There isn't a group to join for support. Diabetes, Colitis, Crohn's, and any other intestinal and health challenges need to be addressed separately. There just isn't a way to handle those issues in a book this size. They need their own specialized weight loss book due to the issue with nuts and fresh vegetables/fruits. The good news is that by working with your doctor and using this book as a tool, you can manage it with some substitutions.


So do I think this is a good book? Yes. Do I think it will help you learn? Yes. But I also feel it's important to create a support network so the places that are tough are easier to get through with someone walking along the same path. I feel it's very important to set your goals, but no one is self-made or a solo achiever. Join or build a network of friends/counselors that are supporters and that you can support too.


Yes, read this excellent book. Then be sure to take your height, weight, bone structure, health and gender into account in choosing the calorie count per day. Be sure you see your doctor to figure out the correct count for you so you experience less frustration and sense of failure. No one likes to waffle around. With that information in hand, you can succeed with Chantel's plan.

The One-Day Way:

Author Chantel Hobbs breaks the chains of past diet debacles and frees readers from unrealistic goals. She teaches daily fitness tasks that develop into lasting habits. By focusing energy and attention on doing the right things every day, she frees readers to achieve their weight-loss goals one day at a time.

            

I’ve got great news for you: You are about to feel better and look better beginning today! Today is truly a new opportunity for you to reach your weight loss goals. No, you won’t fit into your “skinny jeans” today, but I’m going to show you how each day will get you closer to that goal.

           

Yesterday’s mistakes are gone so let them go. You can’t control tomorrow, so stop worrying about it. Today is your opportunity to lose weight, get strong, and look great. It won’t happen overnight, but you can build a new life by changing your actions immediately and I’m here to show you how to make the changes that will create the new lifestyle you dream of: body, mind, and spirit. Best of all, you will start celebrating right away!

Come on, my friend. Let’s get started! By opening this book, I’ll show you how to unlock every tool you need to lose weight and get fit —and stay that way for the rest of your life. Success can be yours, what are you waiting for?

            -Chantel

RandomHouse.com:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307458780

Summary

The One-Day Way produces lasting results by taking you back to basics. No more complicated weight-loss strategies. No more expensive diet plans that achieve only temporary results. Instead, you will lose weight and get fit with Chantel Hobbs’s simple, high-energy meal plans and her at-home program for cardio exercise and strength training. She will teach you how to change the way you think, which leads to new actions. Before you know it you will be strong, fit, and healthy. All it takes is doing things differently for twenty-four hours—and then repeating it.

The One-Day Way gives you everything you need to lose weight and get fit in body, mind, and spirit:

• Break free from past dieting defeats
• Learn a realistic, life-changing way to measure success
• Change the way you think so you can change your life
• Translate your dreams into goals, and your goals into lasting achievements
• Get strong with thirty-one simple exercises, no fancy equipment required
• Take advantage of ten ways to eat better while you lose weight

By focusing on food, faith, and fitness, Chantel shows you not only how to lose weight, but how to build the new life you were designed to live. You don’t have to wait any longer. The One-Day Way gives you all the tools for success, starting right now.

Author Bio:

The author of Never Say Diet and The Never Say Diet Personal Fitness Trainer, Chantel Hobbs is a motivational speaker, life coach, personal trainer, marathon runner, wife, and mother of four whose story has been featured on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, the 700 Club, and the covers of People and First magazines. She appears weekly on two fitness-themed radio programs and promotes her One-Day Way Learning System on television. Visit Chantel at ChantelHobbs.com for fitness updates and coaching tips.

Cover art:

   

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Confidence-Get It By Learning Something New

The harder something is to accomplish, the more confidence we gain in the learning. Seems like a simple concept, but is it really?

How are you wired? I'm a language gal. I write, speak, read at a reasonably high level. But put me in a higher level math? Uh uh. Nope, no thank you! I can battle through it. I can confidently manage in business finance. I just hate, hate, hate math and numbers. But I am also a very, very curious soul and I LOVE to learn. So if left in an empty room with nothing but math, I'd master it rather than sit and do nothing.

Yet I'm catching on to the "techie" stuff fairly fast. Why is that? Especially when my husband is more mechanically and mathematically inclined and hates the techno world.

I went to the Verizon store on New Year's Eve. (No, I didn't say I was brilliant, lol.) My purpose was to upgrade my phone to a blackberry, my son's to a better working model, and my husband's phone to a sturdier model (he does HVAC and destroys phones easily. Way too easily.)

Three hours later... sigh ... I walked out with not only all the phones handled amidst the major crowd, but I also had changed around all the business plans and learned how to put my four business emails on my new blackberry. Yes--four. (One for ACFW, one for my classes that I teach and continuing ed for me, one for Full Spirit Magazine, and one for MyGemOfWisdom.com where I sell coaching sessions and jewelry to help support two orphan homes in Kenya.) I love that the blackberry funnels them all into one, yes ONE, email reader. FREEDOM! I feel like I've blown through a ton of email in such a shorter amount of time.

I've spent the last couple of days learning how to use the silly thing! But I noticed a little glimmer of confidence today. I am easily replying to the emails. Not only that, but I'm keeping up with them much faster than if I had to sit at my laptop. What a concept?! Speed and efficiency!

I know there's lots more to learn, but I've even managed to figure out the calendar, getting online (though it's really tiny), and sms/mms (or texting), the set up wizard, changing my font, and my own choice for ring tones. Holy cow!

I still want to learn how to download music for fun, but I'm working with my new business tool with enough confidence that it is a benefit rather than a distraction.

Why did I need it? I need access to GPS, internet, email, and work documents when I'm away from the office. We'll see how it works out in the long run, but so far I'm impressed.

So why did I learn and my hubby not? It's too, too simple... I wanted to. My curiosity and love of learning are actually an asset with new adventures. My husband is solid, steady and prefers things stay rather than change. It's what makes him a stellar HVAC designer. In that way we make a good team.

Sometimes we get all tied up about not knowing how to do something. Really what we need to do is find out how we're wired and work to those strengths. Then if we must have something done and we don't have the ability-- delegate :-D

Trust me, I won't be installing a furnace any time soon and he won't be getting a blackberry.
;-)

Angie