I confess, I’m a self-improvement junkie. I’d venture a guess that you are too if you’re reading this site. I’m always looking for ways to create more balance, health and harmony in my life. After all, that is what I have built my business around. I jumped on chia seed bandwagon, started juicing, and experiment with a variety of holistic remedies when I find myself with a scratchy throat.
But the most profound changes in my mind, mood and body have not come from decreasing gluten, dairy or sugar or hopping on my yoga mat more often (though all those are beneficial). While meditating and journaling at the end of the year, three themes kept surfacing for me and I knew immediately that I’d experience a shift if I were able to eliminate, or at least minimize them.
Letting negative people suck my energy
Just as the cold and flu bug spreads with veracity, I have no doubt you can “catch a mood.” Energy is a powerful currency and it shapes our attitudes, health and the course of our days. The tones of the people, products and messages we surround ourselves with have a profound effect on every aspect of our lives.
Obviously there may be coworkers, customers (or even family members) that are Debbie Downers, that you still have to interact with, so it’s important to recognize that, set boundaries, and shield yourself from their energy.
Saying I’m too busy
How many conversations have you had where your innocuous “How are you?” was immediately followed by, “Oh, I’ve been CRAZY busy!” What follows is a litany of their endless commitments and activities, which have resulted in overscheduling and exhaustion. Crazy, indeed.
Busyness is a badge of honor these days. Keeping up with the Jones is no longer just about the car in the driveway, but the packed schedules and the constant iPhone reminders of the next appointment or activity.
It’s also an addiction. The busier I am, the less I have to look at what is REALLY going on in my life. Addictions distract us, numb us and keep us from our priorities.
If I had a quarter for every client who claimed they want to improve their health or lose weight, but just couldn’t find the time for exercise, well, I’d be a wealthy gal.
I made a conscious decision NOT to be too busy and am trying to release that language from my vocabulary. It’s a choice, and one that I have worked toward for over two decades. That doesn’t mean I’m not busy. What it means is that I’ve chosen to leave more white space in my life, evaluate commitments before accepting, and keep my priorities forefront in my life. I stop and think before saying YES! This has opened the path for more serendipity, spontaneity and a chance to move through the world in a more heartfelt and authentic way.
Allowing uncertainty to create fear or anxiety
This one is a daily challenge for me. I come from a long line of worriers. Living in faith not fear has been the most impactful change I have made this year and has permeated all areas of my life. Most of the time what I’m worried about never comes to fruition anyway, and then I have wasted precious energy for no reason. If you want to create a transformational shift, begin creating a faith filled mindset and release fear and you will manifest greater peace in your mind, your body and your world.
These three simple, but not easy, changes have made a vast difference in my life. But like daily exercise, it’s a continual journey, not a destination.
And each day is another chance to choose.