Connect the Dots

Dot-to-dot. Connect the dots. As a kid, you probably spent time pouring over a page with numbered dots scattered around in what seemed like a random method. If we started at Dot One, drew a line to Dot 2, and continued in the same method, eventually the lines we use to connect the dots would form a picture.

But ‘connecting the dots’ isn’t just a puzzle game for kids. It is also used as an idiom in life. When we don’t fully understand a situation, we are told to ‘connect the dots’. In other words, we need to start at the beginning, move to the next point, and start following the dots until we finally understand what is taking place – or rather, a figurative picture begins to form. 

Creating a plan for your simple life may be as simple as creating your own Connect the Dots game. Listen in and start at Dot #1. You may just discover you are creating a one-of-a-kind masterpiece instead of a simple game for kids.

Transcript

Dot-to-dot. Connect the dots. As a kid, you probably spent time pouring over a page with numbered dots scattered around in what seemed like a random method. If we started at Dot One, drew a line to Dot 2, and continued in the same method, eventually the lines we use to connect the dots would form a picture.

Trying to track down the history of this game has been as confusing as seeing a Dot-to-Dot image without first drawing the lines. There is a possibility the concept dates back to the 1500s and could be attributed to the Flemish and Renaissance artist Pieter Brueghel – but so far, it hasn’t been substantiated. 

But long before the dot-to-dot game was created, people have been ‘connecting the dots’ – a cave painting done over 17,000 years ago in Lascaux, France possibly depicts the constellation of Taurus. 

But ‘connecting the dots’ isn’t just for constellations, or a puzzle game for kids. It is also used as an idiom in life. When we don’t fully understand a situation, we are told to ‘connect the dots’. In other words, we need to start at the beginning, move to the next point, and start following the dots until we finally understand what is taking place – or rather, a figurative picture begins to form. 

When I first decided I needed to simplify my lifestyle, I knew what I wanted it to look like, but wasn’t quite sure exactly how to get from Dot One to a completed picture. So, I essentially designed my own personal dot-to-dot game.  Using my mental image of the best possible life for me, I began numbering my dots. Dot One was to remove any unnecessary busyness in my day-to-day schedule. The next Dot led me to getting a better grip on my finances. From there, I added dots – such as cooking meals at home, growing a garden, facing my fear of the pressure canner, and learning how to weave and spin, just to name a few. 

Over time, my dots began to form the image of a life that was comfortable and brought contentment and joy to my days. With careful planning and attention to each dot, I can now focus on the things that are important to me and erase the dots that try to distort the image of how I see my Simple Life. 

Connecting the dots in life is relatively easy. It just takes a little bit of time to determine what the dots are, and how to connect them. Here are a few tips you can use:

The first thing you should do is to start with a bit of self-reflection. Settle in for a quiet hour with a notebook and pen and start making notes. Identify what it is you truly want out of your simple life. Is it more time? Financial Security? Getting an education? Realizing a dream or pursuing a passion? Write them all down. 

You should also make notes of any goals you have, career aspirations, and if there are any relationships with others you want to cultivate or improve. Your introspection should cover any and all areas of your life that you feel needs to be included in your simple life. 

Next, it’s time to take one of the items on your list and turn it into a Connect the Dots game. Just like each Connect the Dots puzzle has a single finished picture, and each dot in that puzzle is identified by a number or letter, your puzzle should have a finished look and each dot should have a name. 

For instance, your finished picture may be Financial Security. To ‘draw’ it, you need a series of dots that will connect. The first dot may be determining where you stand financially. Are you deep in debt? Did you recently encounter a serious financial setback? Long before you gain control of your finances, you need to know where you stand. 

The next dot would be creating a budget, which would connect to creating an income and expense spreadsheet. To finish the picture you would need to include other dots such as a plan to pay off your debt, finding areas to cut expenses, and possibly even a dot that helps you to boost your income. 

For each area in your proposed simple life, create a Dot to Dot puzzle. Oh. And just so you know, another name for this is Goal Setting and Actions Steps – but doesn’t it just sound more appealing if you are making a game out of it?

Now you need to get your figurative pen out to draw a line from dot to dot. In reality, the pen is your plan on how you want to proceed. Although each dot has a simple name, such as ‘Budget’, you now need to break down each of those dots into action steps. 

For instance, if you are creating a budget, you need a list of where your money is coming from (income, dividends, gifts, etc.) and where it is going (mortgage, utilities, insurance, and all those expenses).

One of the most important tips I can give you is to stay flexible. Do you remember that dot-to-dot game you did as a kid, and the final picture turned out to be a bear? Well, real bears aren’t all straight lines and angles. In real life, they have curves and contours. It’s the same thing with real life. It may sound easy to draw a straight line from Dot A to Dot B, but the reality is between those two dots are a lot of obstacles, potholes, and sticker bushes. It’s important to stay flexible – know when the line is straight, curve it around the potholes and over the obstacles, and get your weedwhacker to clear out the sticker bushes.

Another tip is to Get Help if you Get Stuck – no matter what goal we are striving to meet, sometimes we just need a helping hand. If that’s the case, find someone who is knowledgeable about your goal and ask for advice or help. One way we get stuck is hitting a plateau, and losing the oomph we need to keep going. If that’s the case, look for an Accountability Partner. This is someone who either has similar goals or has their own goals and is running into the same obstacle. By talking with them on a regular basis, you can brainstorm ideas on how to keep moving forward, ways to climb over the obstacles – or even ‘borrow’ a bit of weedwhacker string to mow those sticker weeds down.

And always, ALWAYS celebrate your progress. Even if all you have done is gotten your Connect the Dots game out and have completed the first connection, celebrate at least in a small way. With each accomplishment, up the ante on the celebration.

For instance, I don’t much care for processed candy, but I do have a weakness for Caramel M&M’s. And I have a passion for fiber arts. for my first celebratory item, I might buy a small package of M&M’s. For the second celebration, I may add 10 to 15 minutes to my Afternoon Teatime (this comes in handy when I need to finish a row on a crocheted craft project or the book I’m reading is just begging for me to read one more chapter!) When I reach the half-way point, I might splurge on a skein or two of yarn or add an extra hour one day for doing something I really enjoy. And once my entire picture has been completed – or rather, my goal has been met – then I really celebrate, and that’s usually treating a friend to lunch. I mean, after all, a celebration is so much more fun when you share it with a friend!

And one last important thing to consider. Always be mindful of what you are trying to accomplish. Don’t look at it as a dreaded task, even if some of the steps you need to take aren’t as pleasant as you would prefer. Take your time. Relax. Take breaks when you need to. Don’t sweat the setbacks, and you are going to have those, no matter what your goal is. Keep a Journey Journal, and write down what you are working on, how you feel about it, your thoughts, and attitude towards it. Make a note of your setbacks and how you were able to overcome them. And definitely keep a record of your successes!

Are you ready to redesign your lifestyle? Are you tired of being so busy with things that aren’t important that you are missing out on the things that matter the most to you? Maybe it’s time for you to get your own personal dot-to-dot game out or start designing a new one. 

You may just discover you are creating a one-of-a-kind masterpiece instead of a simple game for kids.

If you want to learn more about living a Simple Life, just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, please consider supporting the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!

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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.