Category: Writing

a writer.

6/3/2023

"One more question...what is your dream job?"

"I really want to be a writer."

Today, I had the privilege of sharing with a college class of educators preparing to go into Special Education Administration.

We had talked about school improvement, and priorities in Special Education programming, and working with staff members, parents, and students. We had talked about a healthy work-home balance, philosophies and beliefs, and a Multi-Tiered System of Supports.

At the very end, one of the class members asked me what my dream job would be and absolutely without hesitation, I said, "I really want to be a writer."

It just rolled off of my tongue.

I didn't think about it or ponder or consider other possibilities -- I just said it very clearly and matter-of-factly, "I really want to be a writer."

Yet, I haven't blogged in almost a year.

I've not published a book in almost a year.

And you know -- that's okay.

I do really want to be a writer.

But for now, in this season of life, I'll continue to collect knowledge, life experiences, and family memories. And someday in the future, I'll use these quips of information to share with the world when I write another book and publish this blog more regularly.

Trying to be present in my current season here in the farmhouse,
Hannah

❤️🏡❤️

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one line a day.

12/31/2020

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Over Christmas break, I spent some time researching some intentional journaling ideas for 2021.

One of the ideas I found all over Pinterest was doing a "one line a day" journal.

The basic premise is that you write down ONE line in a journal each day of the year.

Some ideas for this type of journaling might be writing down one sentence:

that describes the highlight of your day
a task you completed each day
something you're thankful for each day
a short description of your day

Here are a few examples that I borrowed from Pinterest. They're not mine, but how adorable are they?

I think I'll try to do a one-sentence description of each day...like a journal chronicling our 2021.

I'd love to somehow tie it to my word-of-the-year for 2021 -- discipline.

I decided to make a printable template to write on each day as part of my evening routine.

Feel free to grab one HERE.

I'd love to see what everyone comes up with for your "one line a day" at the end of January!

Happy almost 2021 from the Farmhouse, friends,
Hannah

♥️🏡❤️

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done.

6/12/2020

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After reading Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin, I did some reflection on the concept of "monitoring".

Rubin talks about the large impact that monitoring makes on habit formation. She also talks about the fact that people never remember things accurately if they're not monitoring.

Statistically speaking, people almost always report less food than they actually ate in a day's time, if they didn't write it down.

People also almost always report MORE exercise if they haven't actually tracked their movement.

I had found extra motivation by keeping track of the books I read in 2020 through the Goodreads Reading Challenge, so I was interested to see how this might transfer over to my other desired habits.

I decided to start tracking all of the goals I was working towards and see if I made more progress when I was monitoring.

Sure enough, Gretchen Rubin was right.

I started to track everything using a simple app called Done.

Done is a simple platform where you type in your goals (either building a habit or breaking a habit), add the specific details, and track your progress.

Some of the newest habits I am tracking this summer are:

Drink 80 oz of water daily.
Write & mail at least one thank you card weekly.
Walk or Run 2 miles daily.
Write 1,000 words on my book (sad to say I have recently BROKEN my streak for this one!)

In the last few weeks, when I haven't felt like walking or drinking all of my water, this app has kept me on track.

Checkmarks on a scratch piece of paper could do the job, too.

The point isn't the WAY you're tracking, it's that you make the effort to track.

Tracking every day leads to streaks in certain habits.

Streaks in certain habits leads to extra motivation to keep that streak going.

I'm adding a new habit to my tracking list today -- blogging once a week.

One week down. ✅

Monitoring my habits here in the farmhouse,
Hannah

♥️?♥️

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write.

4/10/2020

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I've just finished reading a book about writing.

It was written by Anne Lamott.

Anne Lamott's writing style captures me. She is funny and witty and raw.

I had a few of her other books on my "to read" list before picking up Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life...Hallelujah Anyway and Small Victories to name a few. However, a friend mentioned Bird by Bird in casual conversation one day and I decided to download the audiobook that afternoon.

The book is basically the written version of the writing class Lamott teaches.

I've always felt the pull to write.

Blog posts,
song lyrics,
short stories,
poetry,
letters,
and someday -- a novel.

So this is me committing to this idea in writing...to you.

I want to write a novel.

I've dreamed about it since high school. When I was teaching third graders about the writing process and helping them learn to become better writers, in the back of my mind, I was always composing my own stories.

I have started so many times.

I get through a few chapters or get through developing a character or two, and I kind of fall off of the wagon and halt the process.

Six months later, I start again.

This cycle has been going on for almost twenty years now and it's time to break the cycle.

In addition to Bird by Bird, I'm also reading Jon Acuff's book, Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done.

And so, that's what I'm doing.

I'm breaking the cycle.

I'm finishing the book, one writing session at a time.

I'm giving myself the gift of done.

And hopefully, giving the world (or at the very least, my daughters) some sort of written gift in the process.

Typing away here at the farmhouse,
Hannah

♥️?♥️

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weekly.

12/26/2019

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In 2017, I started this blog when we bought the farmhouse.

I so enjoyed sharing with my readers the transformation of certain rooms, as we moved in, painted, and even added a bathroom upstairs.

I loved to share parenting stories, marriage joys & struggles, and decorating ideas.

There were some weeks during the last year and a half that I was blogging every single day.

Every. Single. Day.

And yet, when I opened the blog today...my last post was in June. JUNE.

That's SIX months ago.

SIX WHOLE MONTHS.

I'll be the first to admit that the first semester of this school year has been a bit of a challenge.

I'm still learning to navigate all of the requirements of my new position (yes...almost 18 months in).

Harlee Girl has started junior high this year,
Claire Bear is in fifth grade,
and Mattie Moo is in kindergarten.

This school year has come with its own set of challenges for the girls...which of course, have affected us as parents, as well.

However, a few days ago, I wrote a blog post to share as a guest writer on our minister's blog.

And it sparked something in me.

I realized how much I had missed sharing in this way.

Blogging feeds my soul.

So in 2020, I'm committing to a weekly blog post.

Not only to pour into my readers' lives...but for myself.

Happy Last-Week-of-the-Decade, friends.

Love from the Farmhouse,
Hannah

❤️🏡❤️

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a writer.

one line a day.

done.

write.

weekly.

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