Taming the monkeys: Part VI, the glue + tip #2

Words we speak about an experience become the experience.
~ Derek Hough

In my post, “…Part V and thinking SMART,” I review nighttime routines and working smarter. Plus, I promise to reveal the glue that holds it all together: consistency. If you’re not seeing results, crushing your goals or manifesting your dreams, try sticking to a consistent habit, goal or practice until 1) either change occurs or 2) you need to try something new. Oh, and tip #2 that KM gave me at the start of my 45-day challenge? Quit complaining. The hard truth: complaining attracts negativity and misfortune. Don’t believe me? Try this at home (aka everywhere): Wear a rubber band on your wrist, snap it each time you complain and then switch wrists. But attempt to keep it on the same wrist for 21 days and watch what happens. Bonus: incorporate five minutes of focused gratitude into your morning routine. Check out these other resources: James R. Doty, simplemind.eu/how-to-mind-map/examples/goals, zapier.com/blog/smart-goals/.

Are you ready to attract abundance?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Taming the monkeys: Part V and thinking SMART

In my last post on taming the monkeys and “… what ‘not’ to do,’ I stress the importance of keeping our a.m. routines simple to avoid becoming overwhelmed. I also promised to touch on our evening routines. So why is an evening routine important? It prepares us for a successful tomorrow. Key focus areas in the p.m. might include: 1) spend time with family, 2) work on a task and/or goal; 3) review the day and 4) prep/plan for the following day. In addition, working SMARTer, not harder, is vital to success in every endeavor (in my opinion). And a second equally important component—or glue—holds it all together. But first, how do we work SMARTer? Create plans/goals that are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based (Trackable). Over the past month and a half, I’ve discovered myriad planning tools, but here’s a good place to start: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm. More planning tips and the glue that holds it all together next time.

What does your evening routine look like?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Taming the monkeys: Part IV and what ‘not’ to do

In my post, “Taming the monkeys, Part III… ,” I began sharing insights on planning, plus a link to time-management thought leader Ben Hardy. Several of his articles tout the importance of planning because, according to another Ben (Franklin), If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. First thing’s first: plan a morning (and evening—more on that later) routine that sets you up for success. As Hardy says: You make or break your life before 8 a.m. Bonus material: here’s what not to do: change too many things at one time. Keep it simple, or you’ll become overwhelmed. Hardy, himself, swears by these straightforward steps: wake up, drink water, take a cold (optional) shower, get dressed, meditate/pray, visualize/set goals, create/work. Personally, I skip the cold shower and incorporate yoga stretches into my mornings. But allow Google to be your friend as you plan a customized routine. For more ideas, visit https://21dayhero.com/morning-routines-guide/ and https://www.scienceofpeople.com/morning-routine/. Coming up: think SMART.

What three things comprise your morning routine?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Showstopper alert: Kicking your booty back into gear

I interrupt my “Taming the monkeys” blog series with a showstopper: What happens when we’ve planned our routines, morning (and p.m.—more on that later) and, well… life? Many of my past ramblings talk about going with the flow, practicing flexibility, yada yada. But sometimes. It. Doesn’t. Work. Out. And that’s okay. The other morning, smack dab in the middle of my a.m. ritual, my husband dropped a bombshell. Uhm, now? Although the unplanned convo ate into my schedule, I opted to stick to my free writing session and forgo the bed making, albeit a little less in-your-face confident. Although I felt knocked down a peg, I refused to allow the temporary derailment to define my day. Incidentally, all got resolved, and that evening’s 60-minute hot Pilates practice followed by 45 minutes of hot barre kicked the “token old lady’s” booty—which kicked me right back, or close to, that higher vibrational frequency I’ve been operating from for the past several weeks.

How do you handle the showstoppers?

Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Taming the monkeys: Part III and the definition of ‘planning’ according to me

 

My recent post, “Taming the monkeys with practical tips…,” came to fruition when my new friend, KM, asked me: What would it take for you to feel unstuck? My response: “I really don’t know.” It turns out the process of planning offered half the solution [see “Taming the monkeys: Part II…”]. First, what is planning and what does it constitute? To me, it’s a way to organize my thoughts into action. In other words, putting the monkey mind to good use. But where to begin? KM threw out a name: Benjamin Hardy—a time-management guru already on my radar—and an expert on planning for success by incorporating X tasks into our morning routines before 8 a.m. Check out his website at  http://benjaminhardy.com for inspiration and strategies for rapid life improvement, including a.m. habits of the [rich and] successful. But beware: I learned the hard way what not to do. That’s up next (plus more planning sites to check out).

Describe your a.m. routine with one word.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Taming the monkeys: Part II and tip #1

 

As promised, the following several posts will cover two practical tips to incorporate into your daily routine to tame your monkeys and “unstick” yourself. The caveat: change requires action. It’s as simple—and as hard—as that. If you don’t feel “stuck” in your journey, then you may want to scroll to the next item in your feed. But for those readers who describe themselves as hamsters on a wheel, then I would bet you are the student ready for the “teacher” to appear. Because when presented with these two tips more than a month ago, I was that student. Tip #1: Each morning, for the next [pick a number—mine was 45] days, spend 10 minutes “planning.” What do I mean by planning? Bookmark this page to receive the next post where I’ll begin outlining the nitty gritties; i.e., what it means to me, how I’ve incorporated this practice into my days and links to help with your own planning.

Are you ready to change your life?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Monday’s got me like oh. My. Gosh.

Have I mentioned I can’t even? My mojo-with-a-twist intentions out the window faster than the weekend flew by, I realize one thing: I need to get it together ASAP. Apply, with abundance, positive affirmations to my day—my life—and get a grip. It’s one thing to tout an attitude of gratitude, it’s another to live it. Plus it’s not getting any easier. In fact, more often than not, I want to call in sick. From the mundane to the earth-shattering, I just can’t seem to walk the talk. I wrestle with my demons. I struggle with my monkey mind. I’m tired. Yet I hesitate to be real, to be honest. Because it’s not attractive. And someone else lives with a much harder row to hoe than I do. But then I run across my “Rx for a woe-is-me mentality:” If you always see the negative side of things, eventually that’s all there is. Reality check: thank God tomorrow is a new day.

How do you survive Mondays?

Image courtesy of aechan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Keep your eyes on the prize: how to quiet the chatter and remain present

During a recent visit with my acupuncturist, I informed her that the chatter in my mind overwhelmed me. She treated me accordingly and I walked out of her office feeling calm, centered. As I drove home that evening, I contemplated how easy it is to become preoccupied by distractions that don’t serve or advance our purpose. How we get wrapped up in the news, TV, politics, social media or anything else that adds to the “chatter.” I’m not advocating ignorance: it’s important to remain educated on what’s taking place around us—near and far. And to get involved in whatever capacity we’re able. But here’s where we must be mindful: If we spend more time immersed in diversions, we begin to worry, play the comparison game, make excuses and turn inward. Live in our own little worlds. If we keep our eyes on the prize, however, it’s easier to quiet the chatter and remain present. To make a difference.

How do you keep your eyes on the prize?

Photo source: http://www.ideapod.com.

Sifting through the muck to reach the prize

What seems to us as bitter trials
are often blessings in disguise. ~ Oscar Wilde

For the past couple of weeks I’ve wrestled with psychological and emotional baggage that’s over 30 years in the making (and not flattering), which has also triggered a nasty case of monkey mind (also not pretty—see ‘Revisiting…’). Then add in to the mix an extra dose of restlessness that stems from myriad [new] dreams I dared dream and laid the foundation for last year, which I hope to begin living out in 2017. And most of the areas I’m working on will not and cannot realize change overnight. After all, it’s impossible to rush something you hope to last forever… or at least as long as you’re breathing. Any type of growth takes time. Healing—physical, emotional, spiritual or mental—takes time, too. I just need to remind myself of this while I wade through each trial to discover my own personal blessing.

Do you count them as today’s trials or blessings?

Image courtesy of fantasista at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Wasting time or living life: what’s it going to be?

My mind has been stuck in overdrive for weeks. First, I prepped for a long weekend of travel while juggling work, a yoga challenge and writing commitment. Upon my return, I resumed life: working, completing my writing commitment and commencing a new yoga challenge (why not include an ab challenge too, while I’m at it?). I’ve also begun soul searching and deduced I’m wasting my time with this one life I was gifted. Apparently, this epiphany was more than my mind could contemplate, because I ended up with a two-day migraine. Along with that, I suffered bouts of monkey brain, beginning with thoughts at Point M, circling to Point J, then R and ending at Point E. The headache and monkey brain siphoned much of my energy—plus, I have yet to achieve the simple life I desire. Maybe this season is preparing me for just that. In the meantime, I need to quit wasting time and start living.

Are you wasting your time, or living your life?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.