With week 3 of the new year in the books, I have to say that it was the best one so far. I was able to reconnect with two people I hadn’t been in touch with since before Christmas, and both ended up bringing a little work my way. So while I didn’t get a whole lot done on my own to-do list, I was able to help out a friend.

It’s so nice to be able to have the flexibility in my schedule to be able to just drop everything when someone needs my help. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m really not happy unless I’m helping someone else meet their goals. Usually when that happens, I get re-inspired to meet my own as well, so it’s a win-win all the way around. :)

I did get out on Friday to take some pictures in the country. Not too many though because while I noticed lots of scenery and subjects I would’ve loved to capture, there was still a lot of ice built up on the sides of the road and I was a little nervous about pulling off. My son was with me because he had the day off work, and we were able to map out a couple of possible routes for nice scenic bike rides once the weather gets better.

I also haven’t posted any of Friday’s pictures yet so last week’s photo posts are:

Morning Solitude
Up Close and Prickly
Through The Red Branches
Frosty Morning Revisited
A Wintry Afternoon
Reflections in the Pond

And life at The Acorn Stash blog has been really quiet too, with just one post last week:

When Creativity is Like Parenting.

I also started reading a really good book on the topic of networking. It’s called Networking Like a Pro: Turning Contacts into Connections and I’m really learning a lot from it. That prompted me to spend a little more time this week on both Twitter and Facebook than I have in ages. I’m not very good at the whole social thing, so I’m really enjoying learning ways that even an introvert like me can improve my networking skills. (Here’s a link to the author’s Facebook page if you want more info. In the interests of keeping this blog non-commercial, I’m not linking to the book itself.)

After last week’s post, Storyteller commented that she often spends more time nagging herself about what she didn’t get done than congratulating herself for what she did accomplish. I found myself agreeing that I do the same thing, and so this week I’m not going to moan about what is still left on my list to do. Instead I’m going to stop here, and feel good about all the things I did do and make a promise to myself to be happy this week, and get even more done.

What about you… do you celebrate your accomplishments or beat yourself up because you should be doing more? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Have a great week!

This week I have to say I wasn’t as productive as I’d intended to be. I kind of overdid it on my exercising this week it took two days for me to recover from that. I can see that I really do have a long ways to go if I’m going to make that triathlon in July. :)

On the posting front, I did make a post here every day except Friday because that was my first day feeling energetic enough to get some writing done, and so spent the day putting together the most recent issue of The Acorn Stash Newsletter. I still have to create the cover for it, and post the table of contents over on the blog, but the issue itself is ready for download.

This week’s photo posts included:

Scenes From the Path
Raindrops on Maples
Around the Lift Lock
My Afternoon Stroll
Sunday Sunset
and Sittin’ on the Dock

I also posted three new wallpapers with quotes on happiness. My favourite of the bunch is this one:

Happiness is like jam. You can’t spread even a little without getting some on yourself. ~ Anonymous

I’m thinking this week that I might add a few new ones without any quotes that are based on my own photos. What do you think?

And that’s unfortunately about all I got done. From the list I posted last Sunday I still have to set up a blog for the fitness stuff, and get started on the weekly Squidoo lenses. Those two tasks will head the list for the coming week, along with the usual photo posts and articles. I’m planning on heading out of town for at least one day this week to do some “country” photos. I’ve seen a few amazing shots of fence lines and snowy fields in my blog travels this week that have inspired to me to go out and capture something other than water and park paths.

Here’s to another amazing week. What do you plan to get done this week?

Now that the first week of the year is officially over, it’s time to reflect a bit on how it went and what that portends for the rest of the year. I wrote out a lot of goals and plans before the year started, and as usual, I’m off to a slower start that I wanted. But I’m not at a complete standstill, so there’s still hope for me! :)

I’ve fallen in love with doing photography stuff… almost to the point where I have to remind myself that I’m a writer first and foremost. So this week my focus was more on writing than it was on pictures. I missed two days of posting, and where once I would have stressed over it and tried to double up another day, I just let it go knowing that there are lots of days left to do more than one post if it’s warranted. Today is shaping up to be one of those days. :)

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new online this week:

On HelenaRitchie.com

Photo posts:

Rails and Trails
It’s Monday
Going With the Flow – where I also talk a bit about how one of my major goals this year is to live more in the flow instead of trying to structure each and every moment.
Urban Sunrise

More wordy posts:

Thank You post for December Commenters

On TheAcornStash.com

A new article – When Not Making a New Year’s Resolution Can Be a Good Thing

A new announcement about the Self Improvement Giveaway that I’m participating in. I’m giving away a free report on self-sabotage and how to overcome it. The giveaway is going on until the 19th of this month and you can check it out here if you’re interested: Self Improvement Giveaway (that’s an affiliate link)

A new free wallpaper you can download – This one includes a quote from Abraham Lincoln on success. (not my photo)

I also started up a new tips-style newsletter that sends out a short email every few days with success tips, quotes, and free stuff like wallpapers and reports.

On the health front, another of my major goals this year is to get healthy and compete in a sprint-distance triathlon this summer. When I told my doctor this, he actually laughed at me. So where I was mildly determined to do it before, I’m super-determined to get there this year and not only compete but finish in the top 10 for my age group. And of course, I’ll be blogging about the whole experience.

And that’s my week that was. :)

On the horizon for the upcoming week are a new full issue of The Acorn Stash on the 15th, a new blog for my fitness exploits, and of course more photo posts here, and more articles. I’m also taking part in Tiffany Dow’s challenge to build a squidoo lens a week for 52 weeks. I’m a week late starting but I’ll catch up somewhere along the line. :)

Have an awesome week! And may you accomplish everything you set out to do this week. :)