Over the years I’ve had a complicated relationship with accomplishment. For instance, I had this strange obsession with crossing things off my to-do list. I’ve even gone so far as to write down something I’d already completed, but forgot to add to the list, just so I could check the box next to it. I won’t judge myself too harshly, because obviously it met a need, but over time I felt as though I was becoming a prisoner to my own expectations. This prompted me to take a step back and examine the reward that I was getting from this fixation with finishing. I turned my focus toward the feelings that I was seeking. When I dug down to the root, I realized that what I really wanted to experience was calmness and spaciousness. I felt that I had to get all the obligations out of the way to reduce my anxiety and increase my peace, but this paranoid practice of the ever-growing to-do list was beginning to have the exact opposite effect. This year I’ve decided to release the productivity pressures I’ve put on myself and replace them with ease and flow. Here are a few strategies to support you as you lean into your own version of this powerful and peaceful practice. The One Thing. I’ve started to ask myself, “If you don’t get anything else done today, what is the one thing that must be done?” Once I identify that thing, I give it supreme focus and grant myself grace if I don’t get to all the other things that I hoped to squeeze into a day. This often leads to a delightful outcome. When you finish the one thing, you feel so good that you now have energy that you might not otherwise have had access to that allows you to get to the second or third priority for the day. Giving yourself permission to just focus on the one thing releases the pressure and frees up the emotional capacity that is often poured into worry about doing all the things. What can wait until tomorrow, next week, or next month? Where might you offer yourself some space and grace? Compassionate Communication. The definition of integrity doesn’t end at honoring your word and keeping your promises. The second part of the definition states that if you can’t do what you said you were going to do when you said you would do it, then get in communication with the person to whom you made the commitment. This gives you the option to share the new date or time by which you can realistically deliver, or you can let them know that you overcommitted or overestimated your capacity and can no longer complete the task. In most cases not only will people understand and be grateful for your transparency, but they might also feel some relief for the extension because they too were at or beyond capacity and didn't have the time to review what you were sending. If you communicate early enough in the instance where you are no longer able to complete the task, this gives them time to assign it to someone else. Where is there an opportunity to honestly communicate your capacity to give yourself more space? Rush Reduction. This weekend I delivered a keynote address at a conference in San Francisco, California. Normally I would have flown in right before and flown out right after speaking. This time, I decided to give myself some room to prepare and relax. The night before my morning flight I got a hotel room near the airport so I wouldn’t have to get up extremely early and make the long drive in the dark during hazardous Michigan weather conditions. I stayed in town an extra day after the speaking engagement to decompress instead of turning right around and jumping on another five-hour cross country cross flight. I took the day off after my travels to give myself time to recover from jet lag and adjust to the time zone change. Supreme wellness and joy ensued. How might you reduce the rush around an upcoming event or responsibility to increase ease and flow? This week I invite you to identify opportunities in your schedule and in your life to incorporate ease and flow. Everything doesn’t have to feel so urgent, anxiety-inducing, or rushed. Give yourself the gifts of space and grace. Manifestation Affirmations I am at ease and in flow. I offer opportunities for grace to myself and others. I am giving myself space by focusing on one thing at a time.
Master Your Mindset to Manifest a Life You Love. Most Sincerely, Monica Marie Jones Your Soul Journey Guide
Comments