It’s back to school season! Sounds like a great time to start on a better you, by learning something new. I know we usually talk about New Year, New You in January but I say, why wait? Just like the kids, we can use the upcoming fall season to shake off the old and get excited for the road ahead. After all, the key to staying young is to keep it moving. So why don’t we get started by activating a fresh part of our brain?
How do we get in gear? Easy…just follow these 5 easy steps:
1. Get rid of the junk. Sometimes we accumulate so much stuff that we spend more time caring for things than we do truly living. My challenge for you is to take the next 30 days and go through everything you own. Physically touch each item in your home and make a conscious choice – keep it, toss it or take it to charity. Here’s a hint: If this terrifies you, you probably have too much stuff. But if you take the challenge, you’ll be amazed how much clearer you can think without the clutter.
2. Pick something new to try. Now here’s where a lot of us get stuck, stymied by one of two excuses: lack of time or too many choices. So here’s what I want you to do. Write down a list of things you want to try. Go ahead…stop reading and write down 5 things you’ve always wanted to learn or do. Don’t spend more than 5 minutes thinking about it or excuses will start to creep in. Just write the list and let’s move on. If you need some inspiration, here’s mine: learn French, go to trapeze school, try aerial yoga, learn to surf, and improve my calligraphy (the advanced stuff).
3. Decide what to stop. Okay, I admit it. This is the toughest phase because our usual modus operandi is to add to what we already have in motion. But we know that doesn’t work, because every time we try it we end up petering out. Case in point – I’ve started Spanish twice, but never finished the class. I’ve learned that in order to evolve in life we have to be willing to reallocate our time. That means giving up some of the non-essentials – like television and social media – to invest time elsewhere. What it doesn’t mean is giving up time with friends and family. In fact, you may find that actually increases as you invite them to share your new adventures with you.
4. Select your something new. Now that you’ve decided what you’re going to give up to get what you want, let’s go back to your list. My advice is to pick the first thing you thought of and go for it. It’s what’s top of mind and what you really want to do. See here’s the thing, so often in life we try to force ourselves to do what’s most practical, or what we think will make us the most profit. But I suggest we use a different filter: passion. If you follow your passions, your purpose in life will emerge. So will prosperity – although not always in money. Sometimes it’s an overflow of peace, love and joy. Either way – you win!
5. Just do it. Now that you’ve gotten rid of the clutter and made a choice, it’s time to go for it. Build up your excitement by doing some research. Find a way to engage in what interests you based on your time and budget. And don’t let lack of funds be an excuse. There are millions of free classes offered online, at libraries and through your local community centers. But if you can’t find a free class and need a little kitty to get started, the easiest thing to do is to sell some of the things you don’t need. Wouldn’t it be great if you accepted my challenge to declutter, and ended up with some extra cash?
So what do you think? Are you on board to be a better you? I sure hope so. Cause there’s no reason for us to die until we’re dead. We all have the capacity to learn new things, explore fresh perspectives and contribute to the world around us in interesting ways. We just have to get ourselves in gear and go do it!
Drop me a line and let me know what you’re working on, and I’ll be doing the same in our monthly newsletters. Let’s stay connected so we can encourage each other.
Loving on Me as I Love You!
Hugs and Blessings ♥
Leave a Reply