My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY10

Celebrating Freedom

#10DBC #freedomplan

Celebrating Freedom

Today is the last day of Natalie's 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge.

Here I am on the last day of the challenge. Today, I will talk of the journey to freedom.

When I started the challenge I just took it up to see what it felt like on this journey. It was perfect timing as I had not written anything on my blog since February'16. Seven long months with no blog. I wanted to test the waters, writing a few words every day once again.

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 10

My Journey

It has been a fantastic journey, discovering new things with each challenge.

Challenge Day 1 – Finding Focus led me to find ‘fear of acceptance’ and ‘lack of discipline’ holding me back from living the life I want to.

Challenge Day 2 – Discovering your Why led me to identify I belong to freedom and freedom to me. I identified the path of sustainability with the fear of failure cannot be lived and that it is possible anytime, anywhere and anyhow.

Challenge Day 3 – Creating a vision for future that I can conceive, believe and achieve.

Challenge Day 4 – Unlocking your super powers led me to find the fact that I cherished freedom, enthusiasm for things new and individuality.

Challenge Day 5 – Setting yourself up for Success led me to find the reason why I burned out, lacked focus and motivation to work. Burning the midnight oil, not enough sleep was not setting me up for success. I have begun to make a conscious effort in using the Pomodoro technique introduced by Natalie.

Challenge Day 6 – Finding your Tribe made me realize that a tribe will help me hold. I need to find one to collaborate with.

Challenge Day 7 – Beating Procrastination and overwhelm made me realize the importance of taking action even if it is imperfect. No one is born perfect. Life is a journey from imperfection to perfection.

Challenge Day 8 – Choosing your adventure helped find ‘me’ and that I should be part of the freedom lifestyle.

Challenge Day 9 – Location independence showed me how I could work at any location besides home and enjoy at the same time, with a little bit of faith, action, perseverance, patience and time.

The Experience

The challenge helped me reflect on various aspects – some hidden and others known. I enjoyed facing every challenge where the day 7 challenge threw me off balance where it took me time to identify the fact that even an imperfect step is a step towards perfection that I was not willing to take. Pointing at the fear of failure.

Finally, I did take the step. The challenge was like removing leaves on the cabbage and what it takes to live a freedom lifestyle and enjoy it.

My Favourite challenge and Why

Challenge Day 8 – Choosing your adventure was my favorite. It helped ‘find me’ so that I could live a sustainable life I discovered on day 2 of the challenge.

My Takeaway from the Challenge

A little bit of faith, action, perseverance, patience and time will make my dream of a sustainable living come true. I want the people in my tribe to know that it is possible anytime, anywhere and anyhow.

Next Step

Where do I go from here? Letting go of the challenge is important, for this is where I step into the real world without fear and with discipline. Find and collaborate with a tribe and write my blog every day. If I slip, I have the challenge blogs to remind me what I once committed.

A word of Thanks to Natalie Sisson, who was my inspiration all throughout. I must mention a special thanks to all bloggers in the challenge as they were a source of inspiration. I look forward to a new me, with a zeal.

Thank you once again for the challenge, Natalie.

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY9

 Work Location Freedom

Today’s challenge is to imagine a month-long working holiday in Portugal (or any other dream destination) and the way to balance adventure and work while on this holiday.

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 9

I have not visited Lisbon, Portugal. This challenge gives me a chance to daydream and visit this vibrant, cosmopolitan city, with beautiful sunny climate, and sites, magnificent landmarks, museums, hotels, viewpoints where the ‘old’ merges into the ‘new’.

Balancing work and adventure will seem difficult in such a beautiful city. The nightlife is rich, enjoy joyful music and lively atmosphere at the clubs. However, it is possible.

I could plan some weekdays, to enjoy the lively, bustling city and the shopping centers in the day time. Working in the evening and night time in the cafes will let me enjoy some Belém custard tarts, Cinnamon and sugar sprinkled pastries.

Work hours can be interrupted with short trips in the city to absorb the smell of fresh seafood or the fiery sunsets from some of the famous viewpoints like São Pedro de Alcântara and São Jorge Castle.

Work will be wrapped up in the morning and afternoon to enjoy the nightlife on weekends. Castles and beaches can be enjoyed in the daytime by planning work in the evening. I could enjoy wine tasting at the vineyards.

To ensure productivity and efficiency, I would keep all my laptop, apps, tools, emails, Wi-Fi connectivity. I can ensure one blog post each day, composing emails, a few quick calls on Skype if required.

As a freelancer, location freedom calls for a right mix of work and leisure. What is your dream destination? How would you balance your life?

#10DBC #freedomplan

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY8

Choosing an Adventure/ Fun

Today’s challenge is about having fun. I read the blog post challenge in the evening, by then the day has passed.

However, I will talk about my fun adventure on Wednesday when I let down my hair, played with my kid, spent time with my husband (rarely get to do that) and relaxed. I call this adventure as it is not in my nature to ‘let go of things’ easily.

My kid has just started to go to school and he is anxious about everything. So, I wanted him to relax since it was a holiday. Me and my husband took turns to make sure he felt loved, and enjoyed doing his homework – coloring and scribbling.

We enjoyed watching a movie with him – ‘Cars’, as he loves cars. It has been just family time for all of us. We went for a one hour long walk in the neighborhood. My husband, then put him to sleep late in the evening, after supper, while I took a short nap.

We relaxed with a personal facial session followed by a short chit chat session. We rarely get to do this. Our faces were covered with the face mask. It was relaxing and our faces felt soft.

I got everything ready for the next day at school – uniform and bag, while my husband watched his favorite shows on TV. We relaxed with a cup of tea. My husband dozed off to sleep.

I began writing my challenge Day 7 post to beat procrastination and overwhelm by taking action, even if it is imperfect. After completing the post, I was inspired to write another one ‘Time management technique for Freelancers’ inspired by Natalie Sisson’s Pomodoro session in the same challenge.

#10DBC #freedomplan

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 8

The adventure helped ‘find me’ and hope to make it part of my lifestyle. You too can find yourself by choosing an adventure or having fun – go out and play, enjoy, and relax. If you do not have fun every day, try to make it part of your lifestyle and write about it.

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY7

Take Action, Even If It Is Imperfect

Today’s challenge is to pick one imperfect action and what would it be like if it is done every day.

Natalie talks of Procrastination and Overwhelm being two sides of a coin. I procrastinate and am overwhelmed at the same time, sometimes. Because of the overload of work, I fear getting down to business and procrastinate the task that looks humongous to me, just like that big giant coming down on me.

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 7

#10DBC #freedomplan

Procrastination and overwhelm have cost me a lot in life and yet I am afraid to face them. Today, I wish to do something about them. 'Take Action, Even If It Is Imperfect', because some action is better than no action.

I have been procrastinating my blog writing on a daily basis. Because I feel overwhelmed about what I write, stopped writing for about 11 years. I was a regular blogger on ‘Rediffiland’ till 2005 and have begun writing again in 2016.

This is going to be my imperfect task – Blogging, imperfect to perfection. Like they say, ‘success lies ahead of fear’.

‘Imperfect or I-m-perfect Action’, read it the way you like, but the point is to take action and stop procrastinating. Perfection paralyses action, imperfection makes you exercise to reach that ultimate goal of perfection. Each time you raise the bar, it still seems unreachable.

I intend to discipline myself to use the Pomodoro Technique so that I can work on my imperfect action every day to achieve the freedom lifestyle I often dream of.

I will devote time, clear doubts, set the right intention, a positive attitude, and connect within to write that imperfect piece every day.

Think about your imperfect action and set the stage for action, you will soon be there, where you belong.

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY6

#10DBC #freedomplan

Finding My Tribe Challenge

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 6

This is a difficult challenge – ‘to find a tribe of my own’. What do I mean by that?

I mean everyone who helps and supports you in your endeavor to achieve the freedom lifestyle. It could be someone you admire. I have been my own strength. My family is my strength.

I do not have any mentors yet. However, I have enrolled for a few emails from NeilPatel (Quicksprout), Darren Rowse (Problogger), Jitendra Vaswani (BloggersIdeas) and Natalie Sisson (suitcaseentrepreneur).

Natalie’s challenge encouraged me to write my blog. I created the blog page long ago, however, did not write anything. The challenge has pushed me to create time to write at least one blog a day. I will try to get two blogs a day (a challenge for me!).

Recently, I came across Mariah Coz (Femtrepreneur) who is an inspiration as she has helped women become entrepreneurs in a true sense of the word. I wish to help many people be entrepreneurs.

I have many ideas, discuss them with my better half but do not implement them for the lack of knowledge. However, I will work on it, gain knowledge and begin implementing, no more procrastination.

If I met them in person, I would probably ask for their success mantra (I am catching on slowly). I hope I find my answers someday, somehow, someway. Until then, find your tribe of people who inspire and encourage you each day of your life and achieve all that you wish for.

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY6

#10DBC #freedomplan

Finding My Tribe Challenge

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 6

This is a difficult challenge – ‘to find a tribe of my own’. What do I mean by that?

I mean everyone who helps and supports you in your endeavor to achieve the freedom lifestyle. It could be someone you admire. I have been my own strength. My family is my strength.

I do not have any mentors yet. However, I have enrolled for a few emails from NeilPatel (Quicksprout), Darren Rowse (Problogger), Jitendra Vaswani (BloggersIdeas) and Natalie Sisson (suitcaseentrepreneur).

Natalie’s challenge encouraged me to write my blog. I created the blog page long ago, however, did not write anything. The challenge has pushed me to create time to write at least one blog a day. I will try to get two blogs a day (a challenge for me!).

Recently, I came across Mariah Coz (Femtrepreneur) who is an inspiration as she has helped women become entrepreneurs in a true sense of the word. I wish to help many people be entrepreneurs.

I have many ideas, discuss them with my better half but do not implement them for the lack of knowledge. However, I will work on it, gain knowledge and begin implementing, no more procrastination.

If I met them in person, I would probably ask for their success mantra (I am catching on slowly). I hope I find my answers someday, somehow, someway. Until then, find your tribe of people who inspire and encourage you each day of your life and achieve all that you wish for.

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY5

#10DBC #freedomplan

My Daily Success Plan – Setting Up For Success

Today is day 5 of the challenge & I totally agree with Natalie about working in the kitchen or living room. Setting up a separate space, that is clean, clear is very important to get your focus. Creating short productive sessions will benefit and set me up for success.

I have often burned out, lost focus, motivation to work due to the workload and working late in the night, not getting enough sleep or no sleep at all.

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 5

Coming back to the challenge of creating a daily success plan for a perfect day to improve productivity and efficiency. This is something I need to do more often along with the Pomodoro technique.

Here is my perfect day to improve efficiency and productivity.

According to the perfect day in my life - it begins by waking up early to get some morning exercise and my children ready for school. I create my to-do list after checking my emails. Plan my Pomodoro sessions for the day until lunch time and complete the urgent assignments.

In the evening, after dinner, I can do another Pomodoro session before bed time. This way I can plan my day for tomorrow, squeeze in time for the daily blog posts. Get the sleep I need most to be more focused. I can dive into the day as planned, ready to face the challenges.

I am sure just like me, you have never heard of Pomodoro sessions, working shorter sessions will definitely keep me motivated and not burn me out. This will help me achieve the success I am looking for.

This is my well-planned day to be efficient and productive. Do you have a success plan? Tell me if you use any other technique that makes you more efficient.

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY4

#10DBC #freedomplan

Unlocking My Super Powers

Today is Day4 of the challenge, and here I am thinking about what Natalie said – ‘I have super powers’. I do not believe in anything but the supernatural, so may be its natural to possess some super powers. Takes me back to the days when I read and watched – Superman. It reminded me of a dialogue that rings a bell – ‘With power, come responsibilities’.

Today’s challenge is difficult. Yes, I have powers and with that I have the responsibility to put them to use. Natalie goes on to explain, it set me to think - what is it that I like doing, what am I good at.

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 4

I have never thought that I was good at anything in particular. I do things as they come, that makes me very flexible, though I do not like change, but I adapt. I bounce back, if I am sad, or doubtful about anything. I asked my husband and family members, what they think I am really good at.

Here is a table I drew:

I Am Good At	Enjoy Doing	Others Think I Am Good At
Experimenting things	Reading / Writing	Cooking
Cooking	Dancing	Give good explanations
Research	Cooking	Research
Listening & Helping others	Helping others	Finding solutions
	Motivational talk	Motivational talk

I traced down three things of ‘what I am good at’, ‘I enjoy doing’ and ‘what others think I am good at’.

When I analyzed – ‘What I am good at’ and ‘Enjoy doing’ I observed the fact that I cherished freedom, enthusiasm for things new and individuality. I guess those are my superpowers, that have led me, where I am today.

Have you identified yours? Think about them and share them with me. 

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY3

#10DBC #freedomplan

#10DBC #freedomplan - The image shows how i wish to laze around and relax knowing fully well that 'I am financially independent'.

A Perfect Day in My Life

According to Natalie Sisson – If your mind can believe and conceive something, it is possible to achieve it.

It seems easier said than done. That’s the difficult part of everything. May be imagining it is easy believing and conceiving it another thing. I am flexible and adapt as the day comes.

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 3.

This exercise asks me to imagine, attract and manifest everything that is possible. Here is a perfect day that I can imagine and want to live, in the next few years.

• • I want to wake up before everyone else in the house. Waking up early in may man’s arms at 6 AM, feel grateful for everything he brings in my life. It is peaceful and calming. 
  • Grab a glass of hot water and get ready for the day ahead.
  • Take a quick shower, get 10 minutes of meditation, and 10 minutes of exercise.
  • Wake up my children and get them ready and send them to school.
  • Have a cup of tea and breakfast. Check emails. Begin writing and completing projects for the day.
  • Get household chores lined up and assigned.
  • Check assignments for the day, assign them to my team.
  • Prepare lunch for the family.
  • Check emails and assignments. Get down to writing and finish assignments until lunch time and till my children are back from school. Attend to them.
  • Put my children to rest in the afternoon or spend time with them having fun and interacting with each other.
  • Get back to my creative work until dinner time.
  • Snuggle up to watch some TV.
  • Take a nice shower and put my children back in bed.
  • Catch up on some emails and assignments. Get back in bed.

I do not think there is anything called 'a perfect day'. This is just an exercise. There will be much more going on in real time. The exercise is just to imagine a perfect day that I can conceive, believe and achieve. 

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY2

Why is freedom & freedom-lifestyle important to me?

My big WHY? Freedom to create and live a life that is inspiring not just to others, but is an inspiration to my children.

It is just about achieving a kind of flexibility that is not found in a 9 – 5 job. The freedom-lifestyle is when I will be financially independent, sustainable and self-sufficient. This freedom plan allows me to choose whatever I want to do the way I want to do it and in the duration I want to do it.

I want the same lifestyle for my family and be able to achieve it for them. I want my children to learn the same self-sufficiency and sustainability. I would like to call it ‘the art of living sustainably’.

I want a life where I can keep money aside, and prioritize my family over everything without a second thought. Where I can let my hair down and love them, spend time with them, laze around with them without thinking about anything. I just want everyone in my family to be happy and self-sufficient. They must be able to take the path of sustainability without fear of failure.

It is my WHY to show them it is possible anytime, anywhere and anyhow. I choose this lifestyle for the freedom it gives me to take care of the small things and some big things. I feel it is more meaningful this way as it gives me a chance to do what I like the best - reading and writing. I belong to freedom, and freedom to me.

This blog post is in response to  Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 2.

My 10Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge – DAY1

Being a writer has some advantages while at the same time there may be disadvantages too. Many of us work from home while those working in the offices think it is pretty relaxing and great to work from home, let me tell you it is not. 

As a writer, I face challenges just like you do in the office at work.

Here is a blogging challenge I have accepted, to see if I can overcome my obstacles in these 10 days. This is the response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 1.

Challenge Day1

• Fear of acceptance

When I come up with topics to write, I fear and am not sure people will actually appreciate what I write. I feel everyone has done this or done that and may not find what I write interesting enough for them to continue.

I have let the fear hold me back for a long time now – 4 years or more because my blog was set up long ago, however, could not get myself to write something.

• Lack of discipline

I began writing on my blog site early 2016. My schedule was tight to write anything more or even think about my blog. I lacked the discipline to write for a long time with gaps.

This week was different, though, I got some time for myself and I came across this challenge. I thought I take it up as it wanted me to focus on my blog and here I am sharing my thoughts.

I hope to complete the 10 Day challenge. I hope this helps!