Are the last 90 days so different?
I find it quite amazing that I’ve got to 43 years old and never realised that “the last 90 days” are like New Years Eve but back to front.
I’ve never noticed before that October seems to birth a whole population of people that are suddenly thinking, “oh sh*t, I’ve almost wasted another year, I better pull my finger out!”. What can I get done in 90 days that I committed to starting/doing on January 1st?
In reality, it’s just another 90 days so why does this last 3 months seem to have the power to kick people up the proverbial butt and start taking action?
90 days – the doorway to consequence?
There’s no denying it, October provides a palpable change in energy. The colder and darker mornings. Magical, dew covered cobwebs and the “smell of winter” hanging in the air. Suddenly the Summer seems a lifetime ago and we become anchored in to thoughts of Halloween, October half term and Christmas!
Closely following the exciting thoughts of “trick or treat”, Christmas parties and 1 litre bottles of our favourite tipple for £10, is that voice that says, “you’re not really where you wanted to be when you started this year”. We felt so SURE that THIS year would be the year.
Absolutely committed to improving our health/relationships/body/business/work-life balance on 1st January. We even wrote some actual goals down and identified action steps.
So why are you 90 days away from the end of the year – in exactly the same place?
Truthfully? It’s because you are trying to create a new reality being the same person. And that’s just not going to work. You are where you are, right now, because of the person you have been every, single day. Your current reality is the “consequence” of your daily (mostly unconscious) thoughts, which in turn lead to the daily actions/non actions.
In order to create a brand new reality in any area of your life, you simply have to understand and commit to becoming LESS of the “rehearsed” you and createa new you.
The “final” 90 days is like the last bell
Ever witnessed (or been part of) the throng of people that bombard the bar at last orders? The fear of being in the pub for another hour or so with no drink? It’s positively unbearable.
How about reaching the end of yet another year and having the miserable and potentially devastating realisation that you are in exactly the same place as you were last year. And the year before and maybe, just maybe, the decade before? Only now you are another year OLDER and there is a crushing realisation that you have even LESS time to make those changes that you’ve been talking about, for what seems like an eternity.
What do you feel?
We are spurred in to action by EMOTION. Every single goal/desire/dream you have is built on a foundation of an emotion/feeling you want in your life.
So what emotion is stirring you in to acting in this last 90 days? Is it shame? Embarrassment? Fear? Desperation? Anger? Frustration? Unfortunately, for many, these kind of negative emotions are the basis for taking action. This negative push to motivation can absolutely work but it’s not something I recommend for the long term.
Swap motivation for inspiration
When we can stop beating up on ourselves and CHOOSE to become inspired by a new vision for our reality that’s when the magic happens. Instead of getting bogged down by everything we need to DO to get what we want, we can DECIDE to be excited by what this new version of our life feels like.
Exactly how will our life be different when we get fitter and healthier? Make more money? Have amazing relationships? Qualify in something that lights us up? Move to the other side of the world?
Being inspired by the IMPACT of making these changes that seem so daunting, is key to your commitment.
Be attached to consequence
If more people understood that life is a GIFT, not a guarantee, there would more people living the life they WANT rather than existing in the one that they have unconsciously created.
The tomorrow you’re planning? That may not come. Your life can change in a split second and whilst my wish for you is that this is a positive experience, horrible stuff happens. And if that happened to you, how would you feel about the life you have lived up until now? What you’ve achieved? The impact and influence you’ve had?
You are the artist of your life. You have the paintbrush in your hand and every thing you do (or don’t do) is another brushstroke on the canvas of your life. Right now, it may seem like one streak of colour but over time, that becomes an ingrained part of your life. I ask you, be conscious of the picture that you are painting.