As we approach the midpoint of the year it is a powerful time to revisit the promises and plans that you made with yourself to see what needs to be revised and refined. As I was developing my customized approach to coaching five years ago, I created several strategies and practices to keep myself on track. I wanted to model that it was possible to live the harmonized life that I was supporting my clients in designing.
I’m noticing that it’s time to revisit these to see if they are still feasible for this new season of my life where my business is beginning to grow exponentially. Just as we refresh and repair our homes, yards, and closets when seasons change, we must also look at what practices need attention in our personal and professional lives.
Here are some strategies to support you as you refresh and repair what needs to be tended to in this season of your life.
Pace Your Projects. If you follow my work closely, you may notice that these Monday messages have been arriving in the evening over the last few weeks. This is a direct effect of an uptick in business which led me to abandoning my practice of Designating My Days. Mondays used to be reserved just for writing, but in order to meet the current demand for my services, I’ve had to add Monday to the days that I am open for business. This has alerted me that I need to pace my projects in a way that still allows for ample time and space for my core value of creativity. Pay attention to how many projects you can focus on in a given day, week, or month without compromising your commitment to other important things and people in your life. Set a limit so that all you’ve dedicated yourself to can get the best of you. Most importantly, make sure you’ve set aside time for you.
Frenzy to Flow. There’s an activity that I got from the book The Four Pivots that I love to facilitate for my clients. It has them look at their daily activities and assess them on a spectrum from feelings of frenzy to feelings of flow. When I initially did this activity myself, I was excited to celebrate how much flow there was in my life. When I did it again recently, I noticed a shift more toward frenzy. This was a clear indicator that it was time for me to slow down and create plans for how I might disrupt my attachment to frenzy and get back into flow.
Consider Your Capacity. Open space on your calendar doesn’t mean you are actually available. Think about the ingredients that make the perfect recipe for your wellness. It might include things like positive social interaction with friends and loved ones, rest and sleep, time in nature, think time, planning time, and time for reflection. We don’t always schedule these things, so it’s easy to forget to make time for them when business and life begin to get busy. Before you say "Yes" to that next request, think about all of the things you need to show up as your best self. If those things are not getting the attention that they deserve, you may not have the mental, physical, or emotional capacity to honor the requests, no matter what your calendar conveys.
This week I challenge you to examine your current practices and identify where there is room for a refresh or a repair to enhance your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.
Manifestation Affirmations
I am pacing my projects.
I am disrupting the frenzy and free falling into flow.
I am considering my capacity before saying yes to requests.