Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

It's been one of those ready-fire-aim years where I've started before I'm ready, leaped before I've looked, and flown entirely by the seat of my pants.  But for all intents and purposes, that was what was required.

I've learned that nothing really goes the way I think it's going to go. The best I can do is prepare as much as possible and then take action.

Some things can only be learned along the way.  I can study those who have attempted similar stretches of the imagination.  But there's nothing quite like first hand experience to give me the confidence or humiliation necessary for me to be able to master whatever the next step may be.

The good news is big, bold steps are not required in the course corrections I am charting these days.  Baby steps are really the only way I can navigate the tsunami of change that each new step ushers in.

I have held some BHAGs (Big Harry Audacious Goals) closely for many years without making any real progress.  Part of the reason is I had no system of accountability.  The other part is I told myself I'd have more time later.

Then it occurred to me that I might never have any more time in the future than I have right now to write another book, launch a couple of different websites, learn how to prepare healthy meals, straighten my teeth, or connect with those who matter to me.

If I can't manage the time I have right now, how will I manage more later?  I think the universe in its infinite wisdom is always giving us opportunities cleverly disguised as challenges.

My challenge at the beginning of the year was to write 500 words a day for 30 days.  If I couldn't write 500 words a day, how did I expect to write another book?

Next came B-school.  I knew if I wanted to have a successful online presence, I needed to learn from someone who already does.  Throughout my life, I have learned to go to the source.  I've never regretted a single dollar I've spent on my education.  This was no exception.

Because of B-school I realized I needed to change my website, my blogs, just about everything pertaining to my business plan.  This prompted the move to Wordpress and the general reconfiguring of my blogs.

I decided posts like this one are best suited for my blog at www.pennyplautz.com.   I'm calling these my Stories of a Lifetime. One blog post at a time. If you would be so kind as to click here and follow me by adding your email to the bottom right hand of the page, you will continue to get these posts emailed to you hot off the press.  Not to mention a few extra goodies.

To recap, here are the steps.

• #1 - Click here.  This will take you to www.pennyplautz.com.  This will have the same content as you get here but with pictures and audio and video to come soon.
• #2 - Click Follow at the bottom right hand of the page and add your email address.
•  #3 - Each time I publish a new post, you'll get it in your Inbox.
• #4 - That's it!

As for Midlife MacGyver, I've got some brand new material that I'm planning to roll out, one baby step at a time.  I hope that you will stay with me during this adventure as well.  The steps to signing up for this are the same as above except you'll click here and click the follow bottom on that page.

Right now the two pages look alike, so don't worry that you have signed up twice. They will eventually be two very different sites, but for now, I wanted to make sure I didn't lose any information or followers in the transition.  You can always opt out at any time.

I want to shift the focus more to the issues that specifically arise at midlife and make it a little more informative and provide you with questions, answers, options, but mainly inspiration so that you can truly make the most of midlife.

Which leads me to the third big shake up of 2014.  This is probably the most challenging of all because it requires an enormous amount of planning, resolve, and delayed gratification on my part.  I'm changing the way I eat and cutting out most of the foods I hold most dear... namely pasta, sugar, flour, and wheat.

After a visit to a functional medicine doctor and about 20 different blood tests, I'm now taking more supplements than most body builders.  I've sworn off the stuff that makes me feel fat and fuzzy for the most part.

As a former fitness professional and wellness consultant, I simply couldn't accept what was happening with my body as inevitable once I reached a certain age.  So, the first part of the Midlife MacGyver blog I'm going to address is Body Confidence at Midlife.  I wrote a book called Body Confidence in 2007.  Now I want to take that a step further.

Some other areas I'll include are Mating and Dating at Midlife, What (Not) To Wear at Midlife, Making Meaning at Midlife, RelationShifts, Money Matters, and Downloads From the Divine just to name a few.  Most of these areas will not be ready right away.  Patience, grasshopper.

I'm inviting guest bloggers to join me.  If this is your area of expertise, please let me know.

I want Midlife MacGyver to be a community where we all have something to contribute and learn.  I hope to bring back many new ideas and resources from the Blogher conference I'll be attending in two weeks.

But for now, I simply wanted to let you in on the big plans so you know what all the moving and shaking is about.  I hope you'll continue to read and be an essential part of the Midlife MacGyver tribe.

What about you?  What are your BHAGs?  Share if you dare below.