Come Alive and Stay Wild! (Or, How a Missing FedEx and Crazy Hair Put Me Back on Track)
I was out with my girlfriends a few weeks ago, doing what we do. Eating. Talking. Planning. Shopping. Crafting. You know how we do.
So it wasn’t unusual when we hit up the craft store(s). That’s when the Bestie, the Seester and I parted ways to each conquer our own areas. We rallied at the checkout and I was reminded, by the incredibly huge bin of impulse-buy-me-now Ty Beanie stuffies, of how, for a while, I bought a new one each month and related it back to writing, social media, and marketing.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Come Alive and Stay Wild!
The Seester suggested I get a new one, seeing as how I’m relaunching the blog, being a published author and whatnot. Except *gasp* *gulp*. She held up a, a … I can’t say it. No, wait. Yes. You must know. A glittery unicorn. Unicorn. With glitter. I mean … just. NO.
I had to explain to her how I don’t do unicorns. Like, ever. (Cue Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together.”) But then, like a bad Taylor Swift lifestyle report, I turned around and there he was. This cute little lionicorn. At least, that’s what I call it him. For realz. But that… that horn. Ugh. Suck it up, girl. He ain’t that ugly.
Really, it was the crazy hair that got me.
So, this little crazy-haired lionicorn thing that adopted me at the third craft store of the day became my bag buddy and found his way to work with me the next day. I told my friend Knitting Nancy (okay, I know. She doesn’t knit, she crochets. But that sounds less poetic.) all about it and she named him. Right there. On the spot.
“His name is Wild.”
And I had to agree with her.
But wait, there’s more.
I mean, of course there is. ‘Cause I can tell y’all about the cute lionicorn Wild, but is that really the end of the story? If you have to ask, it’s like you don’t know me at all.
Cue the intro music.
I may have also indulged in a little Labor Day Happy Planner online sales event. And, long story short–Ha! Like I could do that! I tried to tell a short story once, but since I was speaking and not typing I couldn’t edit myself so this SS, as I like to identify them, came out in waves of interruptions and misdirections and … Oh. Right. The planner story. Sorry. #rabbithole
Well, I ordered some great Happy Planner gear to start the next year with, but it never arrived. Even when FedEx said it would. So I called and spoke to a woman named Iris. I remember her name because that’s the name of my cat. [Sidenote, y’all: Pray for Iris (the cat, not the person. Although the person may appreciate prayers, too. I dunno.). My Iris Cat is in a downhill health slide and I’m not certain what else to do as we’ve been to the vet three times in two months. Also, Thanksgiving is coming up and we all know my beloved felines tend to go Home on Thanksgiving weekend. Oops. That was another rabbit hole, wasn’t it? And my name’s not Peter Cottontail.]
SO.HAPPY PLANNER UPDATE: Iris the Person issued a second shipment with the apology that my first Planner was on backorder so she instead sent one of her personal favorites and hoped I would enjoy it.
GUESS. WHAT.
The cover states “STAY WILD.” Folks, I can’t make this stuff up! I mean, I could. But I don’t have to. Because it really happened!
Frankly, My Dear . . . Come Alive and Stay Wild!
And the last corner of this triangle of a story is that during the Girlfriends Outing (see Paragraph One above for details), we were also talking about our words/phrases/taglines for next year. Oh, don’t you pooh-pooh me (Yes, I know I spelled it like the bear, not the dung. That was on purpose!). You all know that each year a mantra of sorts finds it way to each of us as our yearly focus. The Seester has hers. The Bestie has options.
For this year, I chose Come Alive. But I chose it late in the year, and did little with it. Except what I did, how I took it to heart, what it means to me (complete with Hugh Jackman singing in The Greatest Showman); I want to keep it going. It’s not just a yearly mantra. It’s me. But what to add to it?
I had nothing. Nothing. Until Wild. And Happy Planners. And then, like a glorious Snickers bar collision with a glass of milk. Like thunder that answers the lightning. Like powdered sugar on a beignet, I have my mantra for 2020.
Come Alive and Stay Wild.
Betcha didn’t see that one coming, didya?
And with that, I present to you, the relaunching of Frankly, My Dear . . . the blog.
Would you like to win a $25 gift card to Michaels Arts & Crafts to buy your own Happy Planner? Leave a comment and tell me what your favorite friendship moments look like. [$25 Gift Card to Michaels will be awarded to one random winner from all qualified entry comments on or before October 5, 2019. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email to claim prize, or prize will be forfeited and another winner selected.]
With a wild heart and a planning page, Come alive. Stay wild. And always, Savor the journey. ~M.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
P.S.: Check out this official video from Fox Entertainment to see Hugh Jackson sing “Come Alive” in The Greatest Showman.
Ohhhmagosh. This thing happened. I got this email, and I swear to you, the sweet tea poured and the heavens sang. Wanna know what it was? The Happy Planner is looking for new Squad Members. #trustory!
And I’m over here like Donkey in Shrek, screaming “Pick me! Pick me!” And as I’m trying to wrap my head around the application, I decide music is the way to soothe the soul (or at least drown out the pleading taps coming from my own fingertips as I type out why I’m a good selection for the Squad) so I say, “Hey, Echo. Play music.” And, #truestory again, she/it says, “Here’s a song you might like.” And I hear “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” You know what I’m gonna say to that, right? *Insert Southern-Belle-Bohemian-Hurricane nod of approval here!*
Frankly, My Dear . . . : That One Time I Crafted a New Envelope System
So I’m trying to impress them with my amazing creations and my. mind. goes. blank. I have written blogs and shared Instagram photos, tweets, and endless Facebook posts about my loveneedaddiction for Happy Planners since my first recipe for Hobbes, my #NOLA-inspired Creole Meatloaf, and even using the blank calendar pages to storyboard my novel-in-progress. (Which, btw, is coming along quite nicely in the rewrite stage. thankyouforasking.) But right now, oh-the-pressure of coming up with that one ahh-mazing idea and submitting it in time to be considered but I have so many other things to do like clean house and make dinner and do the work and the coffee and the budget and the cat love and writers conference prep pack and and and . . .
Ah. Mental click and the light comes on.
Stop. Breathe. Focus. Use what you already have.
Well, I think it’s quite evident I already have enough to create some great pages.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Happy Planner #SquadGoals: Getting Started
I parked myself at my big-enough-to-work table and spread out all the Happy love I could muster. Oh, and this is just for the daily planner. This doesn’t include my essential oils planner, my recipe planner, my novel planner, or my writing conference planners. Yes, plural. I have a writers conference planner from 2017 and a writers conference planner for 2018.
All of which you can scope out by searching for them here on the blog and my other social media sites. [Shameless self promo, what can ya do?]
Wait. What was that? Prepping for the annual writers conference? Why, yes. What kind of planning does that take? Oh, I’m so glad you asked. You got your story writing. You got your schedule. You got your journal. You got your packing list, to do list, coffee appointment list, travel itinerary list. Ohsomanythings. And then of course there’s the money, honey.
So it’s a good thing I created an envelope system to keep my funds organized, yah?
Frankly, My Dear . . .: My Happy Planner- A New Envelope System
With some blank cards, washi tape, paper clips and HP stickers all tucked into a Happy Planner organizer tote, This Girl is ready to go places.
But wait! There’s more! I can track it all with my budget pages, too. Remember this awesome Budget Inspiration Dashboard? I love the ability to keep stickee notes on it, and move it to the current month. It keeps me focused, on track, and aware of my spending.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : My Happy Planner Budget Dashboard
That little turtle sticker is there to remind me that “slow and steady wins the race.” I don’t need to pay off everything all at once, or buy everything the first moment I see it. I just need to know I can do all things, with God, with a budget, and with a plan.
Who knew a Happy Planner addiction could keep me so fiscally responsible?
I have plenty of other Happy Planner creations in the works, and I’ll be sharing them with you more regularly. For now, I wish you many pages and tons of stickers.
With an open planner and lots of plans,
Happy Planning.
~Molly Jo
Whether you do it yourself, for yourself, for others, or have others do it for you, social media is a great tool to connect you with the world.
But we all know it can take up a bit of time. [I guess that’s why they call it “management”.]
Now, I’m not exactly an expert, but I’m also not-not one either. In my ventures with social media, there are a few things I’ve learned that make it easier.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Presents for Your Social Media Manager
Scheduling is prob’ly the first thing you need to manage. I recommend a scheduling app like Hootsuite. Hootsuite gives you a variety of options, from posting to all your sites at the same time, to scheduling them separately, to working with a team of contributors. With a range of prices from free to professional (read: not free), and somewhere in between, there are a lot of great reasons to give a year’s subscription to your favorite media ninja.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Hootsuite for Social Media Management
Another calendaring “app” I recommend is the old fashioned paper and pen system. You know my love for Happy Planners, yes? I have one exclusively for the use of tracking which posts are on which sites, who’s contributing to Frankly, My Dear . . . , and what’s coming up that I need to pay attention to (contests, celebration day, speaking engagements).
Frankly, My Dear . . . : My Blogging Planner
A camera comes in handy, not just for the writer, but for the social media manager as well. Let’s say y’all happen to be at a Christmas party together and one of you hates social media and so has hired the other to do it. Party A wants to take a picture of Party B in their Coolest Ugly Christmas Sweater at the Party C. Y’all best make sure your smart phone has the new awesome camera, or you have a digital at your side. You can also use an instant film camera, and take a smart phone photo of your print photo for a double shot of photographic greatness. If you do this, I recommend a middle-grade camera. Something you can have fun with and trust to give you decent pics. [Dear Santa, the Fujifilm Instax in Pomegranate Red is looking rather delicious. Just sayin’.]
Now, we all know media managers don’t live on internet alone. There’s this life-sustaining thing called coffee that makes the world a better place for everyone. An individual Keurig machine, a gift card to Starbucks, or a can of their favorite brand of beans goes a long way in keeping your manager functioning properly.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Merry Christmas with Cafe du Monde
And while you’re at it, throw in a gift card to their favorite eatery or two and you’ll sustain them for at least another round of “Why did you put that online?” – “Because you pay me to” dialogue.
Let’s see, what else. Ah. A plethora of research and photo sites. There’s plenty of free stuff available, but if your topic requires a bit more, subscriptions to photo sharing sites or in-depth informational platforms (think online news articles) are a boost.
But wait. There’s more. Plates. Because no matter how much you give your social media ninja to do, if they’re really good at it, they can heap it high and keep it spinning.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : What’s on Your Plate?
Books, magazines, or gift cards for such, anything that helps with research.
If you really want to spoil your social media person, think break time. A day-vay (one-day vacation), tickets to a movie, an evening out with friends. Let your ninja know they’re more than just your internet poster. Let them know you see them as a person, too.
But you know what you can give your social media manager that would mean the most? Your time. Sit with them, hash out your game plan, and work together. Knowing what you want from them, and that you trust them enough to accomplish your mutual goals, is the whipped cream on the pie. [Ooh. Foodie reference. And I didn’t even try!]
Happy Planner Page: Social Media MoJo
[ctt template=”5″ link=”0Ed22″ via=”yes” ]In my ventures with social media, there are a few things I’ve learned that make it easier.[/ctt]
With a huge cup of coffee and always-typing fingers,
Happy Media-ing!
~Molly Jo
It’s never too soon to have an actual plan for your social media. [Says This Girl who has forgotten to write her blog posts til it’s almost bedtime.] So we’ll just call this part of our “Do I Say, Not As I Do” series, yah? #thankyouverymuch.
I recently shared ideas on daily planning. [Read: Planning is Key.] But what about those special projects like book launches or grand opening parties?
Here are a few ideas to keep you on track. [Note to self: Implement more, implement regularly. Just implement.]
Keep a calendar available and make note of important dates:
Make a list of what you’d like to accomplish. What is your goal for this project, and what steps can take you there? For instance, a successful book launch party includes Author Q&A, trivia with prizes, and perhaps a live reading from the new book. You should map out a time of the event, list the answers, and photograph your prizes ahead of time.
Invite, invite, invite. Remember 3 is The Key? Here’s the same theory. Announce your shindig. Remind people. Toss out one more friendly “hey are you coming?” notice.
Work backwards. That is, set the date and from there set up your To Do’s.
Let’s say your Twitter Party is on July 4th. You can’t always buy red, white, and blue decor in February, so make sure you remember to look over the discount sales after Memorial Day.
Hosting a live event? What will you serve? If you’re preparing the foods yourself, you’ll need time to buy the groceries, cook, and set things out. Make a grocery list and check it twice! You don’t want to run out of Bleu Cheese dressing for your ahh-mazing salads, right?
Get a few eyes on the project.
Ask a trusted friend or colleague to review your plan with you and help fill in some gaps.
Google party plans and check for ideas to add.
If you have projects happening in the New Year, are you already planning for them? If so, how?
Share your project planning ideas in the comments!
Oh how I love this time of year. Christmas-Schmristmas. I’m talking about planning for 2018!
It’s time to shop for the next round of Happy Planners, y’all!
Happy Planning with BEE the Zebra
Soon I’ll be loaded up with planners for social media and speaking schedules, daily to-dos, budgeting, writing, a CENTRAL bible, Jamberry, health goals, DoTERRA, a new blessings tracker, and who knows what else?
Now, I know y’all love Happy Planning as much as I do. What’s not to love? Colorful, creative, organized. It’s everything This scrapbooking, coffee-drinking, cat-loving Girl loves.
This weekend I took a turn at designing a page for the Classic size Planners. We’re all so busy – hence the need for the Planners, duh! – we could use a little reminder of ways to be good to ourselves.
So I created the Be Good Bingo Page. It’s a fun printable you can put in your own Planner (or notebook, or tape to your refrigerator). Before you start the game, choose how you’ll reward yourself and write them on the bottom of the page. Mark off the individual boxes as you accomplish them. You can use colorful pens, stickers, stamps and ink, or washi tape. However your Happy Planning Creative Heart desires! As you complete a bingo, reward yourself!
Here’s a small screenshot:
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Be Good Bingo
There’s also a blank version for you to enter your own items. Whether it takes you a day, a week, or a month to complete your Bingo game, the goals are simple: Enjoy the journey, reward yourself, and have fun!
IMPORTANT NOTE:
To fit the printable in a classic-size Happy Planner,
set to print at 84% sizing, not full size.
