I used to believe that I wasn’t good at math. I even perpetuated the common narrative inspired by the question, “How will I ever use this in real life?” In retrospect I realize that I was wrong. Now I find that numbers and math can be a powerful clarity tool for my coaching clients and a formidable strategy for mindfulness. At times it may seem that self-care, and personal and professional development means adding more to our already overflowing plates. This can cause something that was meant to make us feel better begin to feel more like work. So, what if we reframed how we think about addition? Instead of adding more energy draining things to our infinite to-do lists, what if we added things like rest, stillness, and nothingness, or play, fun, and delight. How might it feel to add more things and relationships that energize us and add value in return? Here are some strategies to consider for how you might use the other areas of arithmetic as tools for mindfulness. Subtract. In her book, The Body is Not an Apology, Sonya Renee Taylor shares Four Pillars of Practice, the first of which is Taking Out Toxicity as a form of radical self-love. This might look like limiting or eliminating time spent watching the news, doom scrolling on social media, or dwelling in environments that are teeming with literal and figurative toxins. What toxic things, people, or practices will you remove from your environment? Divide. Think about tasks or goals that are beginning to feel too big to manage on your own. Division for leaders of businesses or households might look like delegating responsibilities to others who find joy in doing the things that you dread. It can also look like scaffolding, which means breaking things down into smaller and more manageable steps. What will you scaffold or delegate to divide the big things in your personal and professional life? Multiply. Use systems, structures, and automation to multiply yourself. I love using my client relationship management system (CRM) to create templates and activate workflows that go out automatically to follow up with clients. Instead of spending my days drafting and responding to multiple emails to remind clients about due dates for invoices that need to be paid, or questionnaires that need to be completed, my time is freed up to focus on other work in my business and life. You can also multiply your simple pleasures. I find pure delight in multiplying my plants. A broken vine or fallen leaf is not the end. I place them in water to sprout new roots then plant them in a flower pot with nutrient rich soil. It is the beginning of new life for another plant that I will nurture and grow in my home. What will you put in place to multiply yourself, or the simple pleasures that bring you joy? This week I challenge you to apply one of the four operations of arithmetic to your business or life. Consider how you might add, subtract, divide, or multiply something to enhance your mental and emotional wellbeing through the practice of mindful mathematics. Manifestation Affirmations I am dividing my responsibilities to liberate my energy. I am multiplying the simple pleasures that bring me joy. I am adding rest, stillness, and nothingness to my infinite to-do lists.
Master Your Mindset to Manifest a Life You Love. Most Sincerely, Monica Marie Jones Your Soul Journey Guide