ok. i’m trying something new this week. you see, i’ve got this crazy, inspiring energy right now. it’s not really creative inspiring, like i usually feel. instead, it’s practical/get shit done inspiring.
so i’m gonna ride this wave as long as i can.
last week i talked with a dear friend of mine who has been a kick ass life coach for years. and now she works to help life coaches become better life coaches + start their businesses. she does so much more than that actually, but this is the thing that relates to me right now.
so, we had a skype session and it rocked my socks off.
she knows exactly what i need: a constant kick in the ass. and concrete, practical steps as i move forward and own my life coaching superpowers. hehe.
let me back up actually…
a few days before my skype chat with my friend, i set my alarm for 1:15 am and got up to do a webinar. yep. i got out of bed, grabbed a big mason jar glass of water, and sat down at my computer with my moleskin opened to take notes for an hour and a half. it was fabulous. and crazy. but, fabulous.
as i headed back to bed at 3 am, my mind was spinning. i loved what was being offered at the end of the webinar, but it’s not in the cards for me right now to purchase other kind of training program. plus, i realized something freaking awesome.
talk about owning my power… i realized that i am not meant to jump on board with someone else’s kick ass stuff.
i am meant to create my own kick ass stuff.
from scratch. no more using others’ ideas. it’s time to dig deep, with the inspiration and guidance of others who have gone before, and make my own programs and plans.
i’m talking workshops. e-courses. small groups. challenges. blog posts. and ways to get clients.
i have sooooo much to do. and i cannot wait to get started.
so, how am i gonna get it all done?
well, it all came from my skype session with my friend. i’m gonna set aside a certain amount of time ,of my choosing, for a certain number of days, also of my choosing. with these “homework assignments”, i decided to look at my calendar and decide which days would work the best.
all of that led me to create a whole new weekly calendar, making time for every single thing that i want + need to do.
so, here’s what this week looks like for me:
of course, right now, this feel super doable. but, let’s see how the week goes. in any case, i am committed to trying.
but, why, you wonder? what do I really hope to gain from this set schedule which goes against my free-spirited, spontaneous soul?!
well… this:
// keep the momentum
i feel the energy + i want it to keep flowing. so, committing to do at least a little something very often, i keep myself moving forward and that keeps me moving closer to my dreams and goals.
// use my time wisely
sometimes i need some serious help using my time wisely. having it all planned out, i know exactly what i want to do and when i am going to do it.
// do everything i want all at the same time
i cannot function without staying grounded. scheduling time for work, play, mediation, and dream-chasing keeps me balanced. scheduling helps me focus on what my foundation to living a slow life, even in the midst of busy days.
// big goals + dreams
doing one little thing at a time leads to making big dreams and goals a reality. it’s only possible to do one thing at a time anyway, so having a routine reminds me to just focus on what i am doing right now. that’s all we can do anyway, right? and by taking it all one moment, one activity, at a time, we set ourselves up to create the life that we really want. one step at a time leads to making dreams come true.
// accountability
this is pure and simple my need for a kick in the ass. then end. it’s much easier to do things with someone else, or with the support of someone else, so why not have a designated ass-kicker?!
// practice what i preach
i write about it all the time. living a slow, grounded, balance life that is filled with chasing dreams and following my bliss is exactly what i focus on in all i say and share. so, i’m not just saying it y’all, i’m doing it too. because i’ve done this before. and i know it works.
these are my intentions this week, my friends. i have set them and i own them… now let’s see what happens!
how do you deal with having lots to do? do you like schedules and routines. and, more importantly, do you own your power to make your dreams your reality?!
cuz you totally can.
xoxo. liz.
Ah Liz, I’m totally with you: I am constantly seeking and absorbing inspiration but when it comes to getting shit done I look for/need the practical. If I may share: Last week I was reading Eleanor Roosevelt’s (the queen of practicality) ‘You Learn by Living’ and I copied this section from the chapter on The Uses Of Time and journaled about it because she’s so damn practical AND succinct:
“We have all the time there is. The problem is: How shall we make the best use of it? There are three ways in which I have been able to solve that problem: first, by achieving an inner calm so that I can work undisturbed by what goes on around me; second, by concentrating on the thing in hand; third, by arranging a routine pattern for my days that allots certain activities to certain hours, planning in advance for everything that must be done, but at the same time remaining flexible enough to allow for the unexpected.”
She goes on and adds a fourth about “maintaining a general pattern of good health so that I have the best use of my energy whenever I need it.”. All of this is in service of living your own life and accomplishing the most you can – or as she sums up later in the chapter, “Your life is your own. You mold it. You make it.”
I love this whole section because she totally nails it I think, hitting on (1) remaining grounded, (2) focused, and (4) taking care of your own needs but most importantly (imo) – planning in order to accomplish everything that’s important to you and to live the life you want to live BUT being willing to adapt and also giving yourself time in your schedule to live spontaneously and to live your bliss. I said this third point is the most important one she makes because I don’t think that there is inherent conflict between scheduling and free-spiritedness; we can adapt, revise, and continue with acting to materialize our intent. Your blocking out time to make your dreams your reality is freaking awesome and yeah, it’s also necessary in order to get shit done. But listening to yourself and letting it guide you while adapting to external demands on your time is equally important as is indulging your spontaneity. Anyway, reading your post just made me recall the quote so I thought I’d share. Wishing you a kick-ass week! xoxo
I love this post Liz — and I get the need for the structured time — I find myself friterring it away because I don’t have A Plan.
thank you for the inspiration my friend!
I’ll be joining you on the calendar! <3
I wrote a response but think it may have disappeared!
Love this post — and I’m with you in the need to actually schedule my time — it seems to disappear otherwise.
Thanks for the inspiration my friend! <3
Hello, dear Louise! Your comment landed in my spam, but I saved it! 🙂 So, glad this post inspired you a bit. I absolutely need the structure, and I believe that it just may be time in my life to be able to successfully maneuver balancing spontaneity and routine. Good luck to you! xo
I am sooooo grateful that you shared this quote. Wow. It is absolutely an incredible summary, and she did nail it. Completely. It’s all there, as you said; and with room for live to occur as well.
Thanks so much for always being such a wealth of inspiration to me, and to engaging in conversation with me constantly. I truly, truly cherish it.
Love to you xoxo