Pressing the 'Reset Button' - Renovating Italy

INSPIRATION

White noise and the ‘Reset’ button.

At this time of year the online white noise becomes almost unbearable, ‘set goals’ – ‘choose your word for the year’ – buy buy buy – competing, selling stuff, networking, it’s all so ‘driven’ and I am giving myself permission to opt out, to press the ‘Reset Button’ as one of my favorites online Cerries Mooney shared recently.

The idea of a ‘Reset Button’ really resonated with me, thanks Cerries I love your outlook on life.

The ‘Reset Button’

All around me I see others sharing big plans for the future, posting about workshops and webinars and eBooks, and I am yet to achieve all my goals.

I find that I could research forever and never take a step forward, that I’ve been ‘writing a book’ for ten years but don’t have a first chapter completed. That I’ve been going round in circles chasing my tail.

Luckily my darling husband tells it straight, he is always the one to remind me of all that I have achieved, of all that I have to share and he doesn’t listen to my excuses.

I have decided to push the ‘Reset Button’ and it feels good!

Sam and I have been working together each night to ‘create’ next year. I’m getting back to basics, back to posting here, back to sharing.

I’m feeling that it’s time to return to our roots, to rediscover the dream we created moving here, to nurture our health, to simplify, to connect with friends and to share the joy I find in the Simple Life we are living.

This last year I’ve been away from the blog, I’ve been finding it hard to write, to share, to create, for a number of reasons.

The ‘white noise’ took over and I got lost in the online world of creating a business, posting to social media, trying to figure out Instagram (nope I don’t have a mobile phone), subscribing to so many ‘experts’ in the hope of creating an income.

I’ve been driven by the thought of making some moola, feeling driven to find a way to contribute financially to our life here.

It wasn’t until our trip to Genova that I saw how far I’d drifted.Save

My dear friend Di Mackey reminded me in her gentle way, (she and I tend to have a million ideas with little action lol).

And so … it’s begun. And it is time.”

Time to press RESET!

Thanks for listening

Save

and the gang x

27 replies

Donna says:
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Hi, Lisa, I found your website and blog after watching the House Hunters International episode where you and your family were featured. You’ve come a long way! Congratulations! I haven’t read through all of your blogs so I may be making comments out of turn. But maybe my thoughts and comments will be useful in some way. Writing has been a large part of the careers that I’ve had (teacher, high tech consultant, lawyer).

To get started on a book or major paper, here are some of the tricks that have helped me.

1. Describe in detail someone who would most want to read my book/paper including their age, gender, life circumstances, interests, etc. Knowing the audience for my writing helps me understand how and what to say and keep it focused.

2. For me, writing is easier if I have a detailed outline. I create that by writing down every idea I have about the book in point form … brainstorming with myself. I write on those little yellow stickies, one per idea, to just quickly capture everything I can think of.

3. I then place those stickies on a window or a wall and group them into similar topics.

4. From there, I can see themes developing that become chapters and eventually I have a pretty good outline.

5. With the outline to work from, I make appointments in my calendar to set aside writing time. It might be every day or 2-3 times a week and usually only for an hour. At the appointed time to write, I review the outline and write about the topic that most appeals to me at that moment. The idea of picking something easy and appealing is to get started which is for me the hardest part.

6. I find it too easy to get mired in going back over what I’ve already written trying to edit and perfect it. That’s a waste of time in the early stages. I remind myself that the writing times (see step #5) are for writing new material not going over what I’ve already written. Even in rough form, a great way to get feed back on what I’ve written so far is to ask someone to read a draft and to be honest about what they think. You have friends and acquaintances all over via your blog. I’d bet many of them would be interested and willing to read over a chapter and give you some honest feedback (me included).

So that’s my two cents’ worth. Happy writing! Cheers, Donna

P.S. Love what you’ve done for you and your family in moving to Italy. Your beautiful place is now on my bucket list for a visit. Just occurred to me that your place would be awesome for a writer wanting peace and quiet to work on a book. A few years ago I googled “writer’s retreat” and found a place in Ireland. That might be something to promote in your property’s description.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Donna, wow thanks so much and the idea of just using the writing time for actual writing is a winner for me. I tend to set time then sort, rehash, check and recheck during that time rather than just writing.
  
  Our Valley Pellice would be the ideal place for a peaceful retreat, actually I was just working on our site to add some of the sights here in Bobbio Pellice. Thanks for so many wonderful ideas and a great ‘push’ for me to get on with writing.
  
  Much love lisa xx
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Dmitri says:
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I press my reset button every 5 years or so 🙂
Three years ago I left a very comforrtable life in Montreal, Canada to start a new chapter, Italian Chapter of my life 🙂
It’s been hard, but it’s worth it. Good luck with all your projects!!!
Our next project is this: http://www.moreofrome.com
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Looks like your Italian Chapter is in Roma, totally worth it for sure!!!
  Great to meet you, are you in the fb Italian Reflections group?
  ciao ciao lisa
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Di says:
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I never mind you sharing my stuff 🙂 Your visit so inspired me. I love that you’re getting back to basics. You create the most beauty there, making you one of my top 3 inspirations … and the only one writing at the moment. Wishing you and your beautiful family all the very best in 2017.
Much love
Di … from the wilds of snowy Scotland xx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Ahhh it’s a windy road we all travel trying to share our hearts! I’m thinking of you often as you shiver up in the highlands. Stay warm dear friend! Looking forward to your return to sunny Italia, much love to the family x
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Jilly Bennett says:
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Oh Lisa I so hear you on all this. Sometimes it all gets too much and I spend hours doing lots and achieving nothing …

Time for a cuppa tea …..

love Jilly xxx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  YES Exactly, the more I learn about blogging and branding etc the more I need to learn!
  Off to boil the kettle LOL
  much love to you and hope you had a wonderful Christmas xxx
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Susan van der Berg says:
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Thanks for being so honest. I love reading about you, Sam, Carina and Luca. Be yourself is amazing and that is how I experience your blog. Goodluck with the first page of your book. Love to you and your family.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh we miss you here in the Valley Susan, Buon Natale to you and Apie! xx
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Wynne says:
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Yay, a blog post! I like the idea of a “re-set” – a clean slate of sorts, ready to write upon it whatever you see fit. Funny enough, I just yesterday remembered an exercise I used to do to keep myself on track, and I’ll be reinstating it for 2017. It’s incredibly simple, but effective for me, a natural list-maker.

And can I tell you how much I am tickled by the fact that not only did I name Ed, but that you kept that moniker? Love it!!
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh our car was ED from the moment you named him, a perfect fit! I’m hoping he’ll go on to see another year out here. You’ll have to let me know what your exercise is, I’m a list maker as well!! Great minds right! love you lots lisa xx
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  - Wynne says:
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    I’ll email you my list “process.” xo
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Arlene Miller says:
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I was missing your blogs!!! So very happy to know that you’re back!!! “Reset” is an amazing idea and one that I agree with.
Blessings and creativity for you and your family as you welcome in 2017.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Ciao Arlene, I was reading a post from Cerries Mooney (who I just love) and everytime i read one of her posts it’s like she’s just talking to me. A reset is certainly needed here at the moment and it’s a positive way for me to think on it. Much love lisa xx
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Belinda says:
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Lisa you are the only blog I’ve followed for years and never wanted to unsubscribe from!!!
I love your beautiful sharing of a life that’s authentic, inspiring, connected and vulnerable. Keep being you! You really do bring joy to my day when a post goes up.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Belinda xxx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Belinda you just made my day, thanks so much for those kind words it means a lot to me! I’ll think of you every time I go to ‘edit’ life here, keeping it as real as possible and some days it’s VERY real lol xx
  much love and thanks again Lisa xxx
  Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and here’s to a fantastic 2017 x
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Cathy says:
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Lovely to see a post from you Lisa. I hope you and your family have a fantastic Christmas and I wish you well for 2017. I’m pretty sure I have a book in me too, but it is only in an outline form, plus I’m not sure I want to write a book about living in Italy. I might write something else. I realised recently too how important writing to me is, and I haven’t done enough of it this year. So that is one of my aims for 2017. Definitely more writing. All the best xx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  If only I spent less time reading and more time writing Cathy. We had a lovely Christmas break and hope you did as well. Here’s to more writing!!!
  love lisa xx
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Jen Banks says:
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I have missed your updates, adventures etc, but totally understand where you have been, and know how easy it is to go there. My partner uses the saying ‘paralysis by analysis’, and I think it’s a great way of putting how we can get so bogged down in research and planning that we never actually ‘do’.
Much love to you and your family.
Jen x
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Ahhh think that sums me up lol, it’s all in the actual action! Much love to you Jen x
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Nancy Fenstermacher says:
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Lisa & Sam,

Great to hear from you again! Life certainly does have its hills and valleys and I marvel at your courage and strength and love in striving for what you really want! I want to wish you four the nicest of Christmases and a good healthy 2017! We in the US do not know what to expect with Trump coming into power😬😬😬.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Ciao Nancy, hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to 2017. I sometimes feel like all I do is strive, I guess we all feel that way sometimes. Menopause has thrown in a great big fun roller coaster LOL xx lisa
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Ruth says:
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Hi Lisa. Wonderful to read another installment of your blog!
May I make a tiny suggestion regarding your book? Write the last chapter. When you have the finish line in clear sight, everything else feels measurable and possible.

I too have clicked the reset button and checked out of the white noise christmas hype. 🙂

Warmest Regards to the whole family

Mwah xxooxo
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Great thought Ruth, writing a book it tying me in knots. Luckily the Christmas hype in Italy isn’t so bad, it’s more the online for me, I’m just chasing my tail most days. Time for some structure I think. Much love to you xxx
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Barbara says:
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It was lovely to see a post from you today, Lisa! The last I remember was seeing your episode on House Hunters and taping it to show my husband. Your story is so compelling and real. I’m so happy you and your family are settled in and doing well.
Merry Christmas!
B
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh House Hunters was so much fun, five full days of filming just for that one episode. Hope you both enjoyed it, a very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones xx
  lisa and the gang xx
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