Friday, August 6, 2010

The Six Month No

It has become time to think about the "Six Month No" again.  It's my least favorite ingredient in some ways and my favorite in other ways.  I don't like it because I have to give up things that I like.  It is my favorite because I feel liberated when I finally give myself permission to stop doing some things and I have more time to do what I feel is the most important for that six months.

(The "six month no" is a part of the Thomas Jefferson Education program.  The idea is that every six months every one evaluates the things they are doing.  They decide if they should stop doing something.  It helps to keep us focused and to choose to do things that are no longer productive and helpful for our current situation).

This time around this is what got axed:
  • Writing on four blogs. I only have my private family blog and this one now.
  • On-line BYU classes.  I learned a fabulous amount of history in the last three years though.
  • 4-H Cloverbud Leader.  No sorrow there.
  • Our state's Distance Education Academy.  Lots of reports and testing.  I did enjoy it while we did it.  Great people.  Great resources.  But time to move on.
There's a time for everything though right?  Maybe some day I'll start my classes up again and I'll be able to write for all sorts of blogs and magazines?  For now life is good.  I feel in control again.

Have any of you done a six month no lately?

5 comments:

Angela S said...

I honestly can't remember what the six month no is though I know I've heard of it. It must have been from an old blog. Can you refresh our/my memory?

Being A Mother Who Knows said...

Hi Angela! I've added a definition into my post. Let me know if you don't understand it.

Thanks for asking.
: ) Deanna

Celeste B. said...

We are sorry to see you leave In the TJED Trenches blog. But, I completely understand. I have learned so much from you on the Trenches blog, but your blog here is fabulous...so we can always find you online!

The Six Month No is such an important ingredient! I have done it three times now and although hard to carry out sometimes (I keep wanting to add things back in) my life is so much better having done it.

Christy said...

We are in the middle of a major 6 month purge and 6 month no. But this time around we are trying to decide if we want to ADD anything new. Several things are competing for our attention. Nothing feels quite right, so maybe I'll say no to all of them. I'm liking the simplictic direction we are going in at the moment.

Just Lara said...

Not lately. I started saying NO a year ago and I don't think I've said YES since! Not really since I did say yes to a horse and 4H for my daughter. I will be very happy when that is over in two weeks but I'm glad we did it.

I have also been teaching my little girls to swim every morning in a neighbor's pool but that's only two weeks and will be over soon.

Other than that we don't do anything but Chess club and park day once a week. Along with our home duties and fun that is.

Nothing is better than home and family in my book. Now I just have to talk my children into believing it.

(I did recently say no to blogging and excessive computer time but you already knew that.)