A Different Spin on Consistency

I’m Baaaaacckk! Well, I was never really gone. It just looked like I was MIA over here at my blog home. But, believe me when I say that I’ve been representing Degrees of Maternity around these here online waves.  And, it’s so ironic that the next to the last blog post on this site is entitled “Consistent Work in Your Success Story.”

Quite ironic, indeed. Because one might think that I haven’t been very consistent in contributing to my success story if he or she was to look at this blog site and see that I haven’t posted any content since July 10th. And no, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. This is true. I haven’t posted anything here since that day. But . . . 

. . . here’s the deal. What would you say to the fact that I’m still making some ground toward my success story; it’s just that you’re not seeing the fruit of it over here at my blogging abode? Does making contributions in other spaces and places than this blog site count toward the overall success of Degrees of Maternity?

Well, the above questions are definitely up for discussion. And just so you know, I’m living out the answers to those questions in real time.

So, to answer the questions, here’s what I did —

I had to take some deeply thoughtful and soul-searching sessions on what it means to be “consistent” in doing things that contribute to one’s success story. And, I think that I have a little more insight into the matter after evaluating what my mission-driven purpose is in what I’ve been assigned to do in this period of my life.

I’ve had to reprogram my thinking away from the idea that success ONLY looks like posting short form content on a platform or platforms 2 to 3 times a day, posting long form content 1 to 2 times a week, being at the beck-and-call of any electronic device that will get a phone call, email message, comment, or text to someone within the hour . . . and you probably get the picture I’m trying to paint.

I had a one-track focus when looking at consistency. Now, however, I know that there’s more to being busy than just being busy for busyness’ sake. The type of busy matters.

Now, don’t get me wrong. If the above works for your efforts and what you’re trying to do, that’s great. But for me, I can’t be in multiple places at one time, because I’m a one-woman show. So, I’m learning to be more strategic for (dare I say, selfish) where I spend my energy and make the most impact. Sometimes, strategy calls for me to step out of places where I’ve religiously frequented to answer the call where I’m most needed at any given time.

I think the problem I used to have is that I would segment, or divide my online presence into certain roles, like blogger and tutor and author and administrator and resource content creator; then, I would think that I failed if I didn’t show up in those roles every week — multiple times a week. 

But I’ve since learned to view myself as a whole person and to understand that my impact is measured by the sum of contributions made in the various places that I frequent. And, there will inevitably be times that I need to put some things to the side (not away, just to the side) to concentrate my efforts where I’m needed most. 

And, that’s okay. The consistency I want to emulate from here on out comes from a place of showing up every day in some way to affect people’s lives for the better.

And that might mean that I step away from blogging for a bit to do that. But, don’t get it twisted. My blogging space is always home. My comfy abode that makes room for me — no matter how long I stay away. I’ll always know that “there is no place like home” and that “home is where the heart is.” Homey clichés, I know. But, they’re true for me. My blogging space is my hub for everything I do. It’s H – O – M – E.

So, you’ll see me here from time to time. No need to be concerned about that. And when I do come home, I’ll have something good to share with you. Some “success story”-like things are definitely going on, and I’ll be stoked to tell you details as they develop. Just know that my plan is to consistently show up for the mission I’ve been assigned for the time.

Hint . . . hint . . . the current mission has everything to do with youth and their learning journeys.

And while my summer reading program has closed out, tutoring is revving up. (There’s always something consistently going on.) Furthermore, I just started a membership club for youth. So, I’d say that I’m being pretty consistent in my success story. Because . . . success to me looks like blessing the lives of others, where I leave a lasting positive mark that follows them throughout their lifetimes and helps guide them to a path leading to their own success stories.

Please just keep this in mind: the consistency leading to success looks like you showing up for yourself and others in the way that is most beneficial to both YOU and the other party. It looks like doing meaningful work to YOU and being a consistent presence in the lives of those who need you most.

Try daily to make a positive impact the best you can, wholeheartedly doing what you can do, and doing it with what you’ve got. That’s my version of consistency in the success story.

You can count on me to be around . . . somewhere . . . somehow. It just may not always be over here. So, to keep up with what I’m doing in those other places and spaces, please subscribe to my monthly newsletter that gets distributed every fourth Sunday of the month. I’ll let you know what’s going on over there, especially when I don’t always get to spill the juicy beans over here.

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I’d love to be more consistent on this blog, but we’ll see. I’ll be where I’m needed the most (for such a time as this) and where I can make the greatest impact with the limited resources I possess.

Until we meet again . . .