My life – all out of focus

I’m having a hard time focusing on pretty much anything lately. I’ve always been one to start a project and then another and another and never finish any of them. I don’t have commitment issues; I think I just have too many options.

Maybe my issue lies in the fact that I’m perfectly right and left brained. I am so balanced between the two that my SAT scores were identical in math and comprehension. When I start working on a right brained activity, my left side feels all neglected and jumps in with a new idea. My internal conversations are full of creative rationalizing.

There was a short time in my life when I wasn’t so scattered – when I was in the Air Force. One of the best things about being enlisted was that I had one career code. There were several jobs in that code that I could do, but I had focus and a clear line of progression in my career. I was able to learn one subject and master it because I was forced to focus. Since I got out of the military some 13 year ago, I have struggled with the fact that there’s a big world out there and I shouldn’t limit myself to just one career or hobby.

While I do believe that broadening my horizons isn’t necessarily a bad thing, there is a tipping point to where it can be too overwhelming.  I think I’ve reached that tipping point. So, I’m going to write down everything I’m working on right now. I’m going to put it all out in the public view. Maybe this will give me some accountability? Who knows, but seeing it all on paper does make it all very real.

Here goes:

1. Finishing my master’s degree
2. Writing and illustrating a children’s book (as part of said master’s degree)
3. Owning an online store, Whimsy Girls
4. Marketing/advertising Whimsy Girls and trying to make some solid profits
5. Designing and sewing a princess dress for my daughter without a pattern, from scraps
6. Creating a jewelry line
7. Finishing that oil painting I started before Ava was born – she’s 4 now
8. Finishing up Ava’s baby book – or rather, starting the book
9. Trying to lose 20 lbs
10. Trying to find my place in my new job
11. Managing all of the bills in our house
12. Building a blog to get some of these thoughts out of my head and to find some kindred spirits

And some other items on my list for good measure:

1. Nurture existing friendships
2. Make new, solid friendships (I cut ties with a lot of bad mojo last year)
3. Be a good wife
4. Be a good mom

I’m sure I forgot something, but that’s a pretty long list. And I focus on ALL of these things every day. I’m sure I’m not alone because most women I know are juggling fools like I am. But I’m afraid that at some point, something’s going to give and it all may fall apart. I make lists (see above) and most of my lists have sub lists and then I lose the list and have to start over. I’m just a mess.

So my question to you, dear reader, is how do you manage the clutter in your life and prioritize everything you want to do? Especially when you want to do everything? A little help, please?