<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Raising American Girls &#187; writing</title>
	<atom:link href="http://raisingamericangirls.com/tag/writing/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://raisingamericangirls.com</link>
	<description>Thoughts, Fun and Ideas for Raising YOUR American Girl</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:57:23 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>750 Words</title>
		<link>http://raisingamericangirls.com/2010/04/750-words/</link>
		<comments>http://raisingamericangirls.com/2010/04/750-words/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:00:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>LisaMarie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fun Finds or Facts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LM Musings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[monkey mind]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://raisingamericangirls.com/?p=983</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I don&#8217;t know about you but sometimes I find it very difficult to focus.  As a Mom, Wife, Business Owner, etc&#8230; I suffer greatly from what Zen calls &#8220;the monkey mind&#8221;.  My brain won&#8217;t stop talking and jumps quickly from thought to thought as a monkey jumps from tree to tree.  I hate it when [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I don&#8217;t know about you but sometimes I find it very difficult to focus.  As a Mom, Wife, Business Owner, etc&#8230; I suffer greatly from what Zen calls &#8220;the monkey mind&#8221;.  My brain won&#8217;t stop talking and jumps quickly from thought to thought as a monkey jumps from tree to tree.  I hate it when I wake up a few hours before my alarm clock as I know that I will absolutely not be able to go back to sleep &#8211; my mind starts going through everything that needs to be completed that day.  And I am sure that compared to some of you I have it easy.  I work from home and only have one child&#8217;s schedule to manage.  I am absolutely in awe of my sister who has two jobs and three children &#8211; my brain would explode.</p>
<p>I thought I would share something that has been helping me start my day with a clear head and tame my monkey mind.  Now when I wake up in the morning (even if it is two hours before my alarm clock) the first thing I do is log on to <a href="http://www.750words.com" target="_blank">750words.com</a>.  This website is such a simple concept but I can&#8217;t tell you how much better the start of my day has become.  <a href="http://www.750words.com" target="_blank">750 words</a> is a very simple web interface (see the image below).  It includes your name, the date and a big flashing cursor and all you do is start to type.  Type anything &#8211; everything that is running around in my head gets dumped on to that page.  Sometimes I write my grocery shopping list, sometimes I outline an idea that just popped in to my head while I was in the shower, sometimes I consider and issue or problem I would like to resolve&#8230; anything.  When you have typed <a href="http://www.750words.com" target="_blank">750 words</a> a little message pops up and lets you know.</p>
<p><a style="text-decoration: none;" href="http://raisingamericangirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Screen-shot-2010-04-05-at-5.07.33-PM.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-987" title="750 words" src="http://raisingamericangirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Screen-shot-2010-04-05-at-5.07.33-PM-300x103.png" alt="750 words" width="300" height="103" /></a></p>
<p>It is truly amazing how much this simple exercise clears my head and prepares to tackle the day.</p>
<p>They also have included some fun and interesting features.  When you have completed a few days of your brain dump you can log in and get a view in to your subconscious <img src='http://raisingamericangirls.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' />   The system will use some secret ninja techniques to provide you with some feedback about what your writing may really mean.  Of course you need to view it all with a grain of salt but it is still fascinating to scroll through.</p>
<p><a href="http://raisingamericangirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Screen-shot-2010-04-05-at-5.08.26-PM.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-988" title="750 words2" src="http://raisingamericangirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Screen-shot-2010-04-05-at-5.08.26-PM-300x209.png" alt="" width="300" height="209" /></a></p>
<p>All in all a great tool to help anyone tame a monkey mind and get a great start to crazy days.  I&#8217;d love to hear of any fun and exciting tools that you guys use to get yourself going in the morning.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://raisingamericangirls.com/2010/04/750-words/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

