Many times, deep inside of us, we know that our lives would improve a lot, if we could just change some of our habits.
But due to force of habit, all the things on our mind or the stresses of daily life, we keep postponing these changes. Deep down, we know we could change them, and when we don’t, it gets us down. But we’re tired of so much rushing around, trying to be everywhere on time. At the end of the day, everyone is the same. Wherever you look, you see people trying to do everything all at once, just like you… so you carry on…
Sometimes, you’re so fed up that you just want to start over with a clean slate – and then you pluck up some courage and start to think of a ton of cool new ideas. You begin to imagine what it would be like to tell such and such that it is over, to take care of yourself more, to have more time for yourself (just for you), to take that course or trip you always wanted to take… to dedicate yourself to what you always wanted….and you instantly find yourself with a big smile on your face. You feel wonderful just imagining it.
From inside that bubble of happiness, you take a look around, and that brings you back down to earth with a bump. You feel silly for thinking you could change all those things. How can you, if you don’t have time?. And how are you going to stop if everyone keeps running around in such a frenzy?. How many times have you put off those changes, trips and special occasions you want so much just because of not having time?. You may have decided to take the time one day, but deep down, you feel guilty because everyone else has carried on with things, and you feel like the only one who hasn’t. And that’s why you binge on work the day before or after, as if it were the price you have to pay to enjoy that time and feel better.
BUT NOW YOU HAVE A NEW OPPORTUNITY
Sometimes the opportunity comes disguised as a crisis. And yes, obviously there is a crisis. But if you look closely, you can also see that THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
A chance to spend more time with your loved ones, to get those lovely things you do together back, to spend more time on yourself, to do those things you didn’t have time for before, to finish off those things that had been weighing you down so much. To convince you once and for all if this is the life you want to keep living, and if these are the people you want to keep around you. An opportunity to strengthen ties and to let go (if you decide that’s what’s best). A chance to start over, with whatever you want.
Maybe you’ll continue at the same frenzied internal pace for the first few weeks. That’s normal – you’ve been like this for a long time. Maybe you’ve been overwhelmed by all the online activities that have suddenly popped up (especially if you tend to fill your time by signing up for a million things, like I do). But as the days go by, you realize, despite everything, even though you are working from home, the children, etc., YOU HAVE MORE TIME, that TIME you wanted so much.
We are all experiencing this surreal, movie-like situation, which we find hard to understand is even real. But it is, and although in an unexpected way, it is giving most of us that time to think about how we want our life to be when all this is over.
If you are one of the people who want to make all this something that improves your life, I propose a CHALLENGE.
HERE IS THE CHALLENGE, ARE YOU READY?
We can easily find exercises that invite you to imagine what your life would be like in 1, 3 or even 5 years. And they’re effective, I’ve used them myself. What happens is that as we see something as in the distant future, we often find it difficult to maintain the necessary motivation to achieve it, and sometimes we get stuck. If that sounds like you, this could be your perfect challenge.
I got the idea from a book(*) I’m reading. At first I didn’t pay it too much attention, but then when I attempted it, and especially when I wrote it down, I realized how many small changes I could make – even in the current situation – that would make my life, and myself much better. Small actions that I’m in control of and depend on me (and only me). And that is when I decided to share it with you.
How about we focus on the next 3 months – just those weeks, just those days. Choose a quiet place, play your favourite music and start imagining what your life could be like after your best 3 months. Give your imagination free rein; give yourself permission to dream.
- What exactly happened during those days? Did you change your job, partner or appearance?
- Which new habits have you introduced, and which have you replaced? How did you manage to do this?
- How do you feel with all these changes? Do you feel more confident, happier? How is the person you see when you look in the mirror?
- Who are you spending the most and least time with?
- How do you feel personally? And professionally?
- What are you thankful for?
Imagine those three months have already passed. Take some paper and a pencil, look back and start describing the specific actions you took to make it happen. It’s important that you understand that the key is writing it down. What you are going to discover is pure gold, that I am sure you will be able to make the absolute most of.
Nelson Mandela used to say “It always seems impossible until it’s done”.
Do you dare to make it possible?
(*)
Text written by Mari Carmen Ampiée
The challenge questions are from Dean Graziosi in his book, Millionaire Success Habits and instructions of the challenge are inspired by the explanations given by him in the book.
Images by jigsawstocker and Jill Wellington