“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
My partner once told me, “If you can get it done in two minutes or less, do it now!”
I am keen on procrastinating. I can talk up all of the benefits in one long breath, in an effort to get someone to understand why I do it. I use the excuses, “It’s when I produce my best work”, “I don’t feel called to do it until there’s a tangible due date”, “I don’t write well until I feel the pressure of a deadline”, etc. You or someone you know may be using similar phrases to excuse an ingrained pattern of behavior that has been fed and fed over the years; but, when I heard this, it made me think about how many things I put off to do later that can be accomplished in a matter of minutes, maybe even seconds, and kick start my productivity, efficiency, and tasking.
Perspective is a funny and rather beautiful concept.
“Make Your Bed”, by retired United States Navy admiral, William McRaven talks about the power of setting the tone for your day and seeking your first accomplishment within the first five minutes, making your bed! It doesn’t have to be tucked in precisely, but it will serve to be both aesthetically pleasing and goal-oriented. Hey! You have just accomplished your first task of the day, and most likely have done it before your lips touched your first cup of coffee. OK… maybe that’s asking a little too much, but you’re picking up what I’m putting down! McRaven uses each chapter to go deeper on small changes you can make in your lifestyle to start shifting your mindset with little things that can change your life, and maybe the world.
Those who believe in the power of habit utilize their time in effective ways in order to mainstream the things they really care about. If we want to dive in and figure out how to lead more healthy, sustainable, and rich lives; the most essential piece of the puzzle is self-discovery. You must begin to change the way your think.
Here are a few things to consider when moving towards those changes
- What does it for YOU?
- What rituals in your day make it all SETTLE
- Discovering personal authenticity and purpose requires clarity of the mind
- How strong is your dependence on instant gratification
- What has become more challenging, dependence or independence
Think and maybe even journal about a few of these things to discover what kind of life you want to lead
5 ideas to get you started on loving your new morning routine!
- Pause for meditation – Allowing a brief pause in your day to reset and focus on your intentions and gratitude for the day can allow the exhausting to-do lists and tasks in your calendar to fall away. Meditation can show itself in many forms and can last as little as one minute or as long as you want, once you have trained your mind. I find guided meditations extremely helpful to allow my free thoughts to come and go as I make room to feel my emotional well-being and body scan to see where I am holding tension. This can take place in a variety of places; all of which work wonderfully! Some days it looks like five minutes after a hectic workday in my car (in silence) before I go inside to my sweet family, some days on my balcony as the sun comes up, some days in the high school gym that I coach volleyball at, and sometimes right before bed.
- Schedule routine self-care – This can be as simple as a hot bath after a long day, a regular massage, attending yoga or a kickboxing class, or attending a paint and sip with an old colleague, family member, or friend. These small acts of kindness to yourself reaffirm that you count too! We work so hard and care for so many people throughout the day, it’s important to graciously thank yourself and continue on.
- Embrace a positive affirmation for the day – Write it on your mirror in lipstick, on a notecard to tuck into your wallet, on a post-it note to place in your car, or on your computer desk; wherever you look most!
- Remember what is REALLY important – Step away from your social media apps, your work email, your LinkedIn account, whatever may be taking up a lot of space in your brain, and re-center on what’s really important to you: your FAMILY, your children, your partner, your fur babies, your entrepreneurial spirit, your wellness, your spirituality, and your body!
- Nourish yourself – Everything is affected by the foods we put into our bodies. As continued gut health research comes out, in combination with what we already know about the risks of eating unhealthy foods, it should come as no surprise that what we put in our bodies affects our whole system, including our psychology! From our energy levels, mood, interactions with others, the appearance of our skin, etc., the impacts of the nutrition we put in our bodies is VAST. As Dr. Oz says, “Feed your strengths and starve your limitations”.
Humans innately long for genuine community, connections, and KINDNESS that takes place in our neighborhoods, workplaces, in our homes, and at our dinner tables, among many others. In an ever-increasing fashion to be independent and self-sufficient, we need to get back to our roots… loving and taking care of one another!
You can’t pour from an empty cup. Go and fill yours up! And don’t allow taking… until you’re ready.
