Create Space For What Matters April 27, 2014
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance.trackback
Often we get so caught up in the To Do Lists of our daily lives that we forget to enjoy the journey of life itself. In Take Time For Your Life, Cheryl Richardson reminds us to become masters of our limited time on this planet.
Creating space for what matters allows us room to breathe.
Instead of feeling like a Pushmi Pullyu headed in two directions at once, or a perpetually late rabbit unsure of which direction to head, we heed our inner wisdom and allow the path to unfold before us.
A few ideas:
JUST BE: Practice doing nothing * Slow down * Be Here Now * Enjoy quiet contemplation* Watch your breath * Pause and Reflect * Meditate * Relax * Contemplate the bottomless ocean or the infinite night sky * Allow inner peace to surface * Don’t Worry. Be Happy.
PRACTICE SELF CARE: Evaluate your life * Reflect on your growth * Make a wish list * Celebrate your successes * Keep your dreams alive * Avoid negative self-talk * Eliminate physical and mental clutter * Give away stuff that makes you sad * Sometimes Less is More
PRIORITIZE: Eliminate energy drains * Learn to say NO * Put yourself at the top of the list * Spend free time wisely * Ignore external pressure to conform * Get to know the real you * Be nobody but yourself
HAVE FUN: Be adventurous * Listen to favorite music * Try something new * Laugh out loud * Dance like no one’s watching * Take an evening walk * Watch the moon and stars * Enjoy creative pursuits * Paint~Write~Sing~Cook * Live on Purpose * Fill each day with drops of joy
BUILD COMMUNITY: Connect * Ask questions * Share your expertise * Contribute to others * Reach out and touch someone
CREATE LIFE BALANCE: Empower yourself to change * Make healthy eating easy * Make exercise fun * Get a good night’s sleep * Realize that making a living is not synonymous with making a life * Evaluate which discretionary expenses make you happiest * Live below your means
GO WITH THE FLOW: Notice where your life is abundant * Start a gratitude journal * Accept the what is * Embrace all with Joy * Watch for synchronicity * Let go of expectations * Listen * Let the Universe guide you to what’s next
Smile at the person you’re becoming.
Between the wish and the thing, life lies waiting.
Aah . . . that’s better!
What do you do when you don’t have to do anything?
Spirit Lights The Way 
This is a great post for me today Nancy.
Glad it suited, Pix. Life should be more than a series of stressful moments strung together ad infinitum. Here’s to finding the joy!
I had a smiley for you I thought you would like but it didn’t work.. dang.
That’s ok, Pix. It’s the thought that counts!
Lots of wisdom there Nancy 🙂
It’s up to us to create the proper balance between work and play. When we do, life is better.
Reminds me of a long ago conversation with my ex. He asked what I wanted to do for the weekend. Since we had a very hectic week I said, “Just be.” That was the beginning of the end! Some people don’t get that concept.
YES! That’s exactly it. Some people “reward” themselves for surviving another wild week with more “go go go.” Instead of recharging themselves, they deplete their reserves.
Sometimes the best thing to do is NOTHING.
Great advice! Sounds like a wonderful book!
For those who are overwhelmed with life’s incessant demands, clearing the decks for what matters to us is a good place to start.
When we feel good, we do good.
I’d swap the drops of rain for drops of joy any day! Thankfully, the sun has found a hole in the cloud cover to peep through and I am full of gratitude for that.
I love rainy days . . . as long as they don’t linger around. Incessant gray is NOT my favorite kind of day.
I bet when you get rain, it is for a few hours and then it stops. With us the tap switches on and refuses to stop! Today is good. Today is good. Today is good. Three times should be enough to convince me! 😀
In the summer, we get a short shower most afternoons with sunny skies in between. In the winter, we get less rain and it doesn’t usually stick around for long.
Once in a while, the clouds linger longer. Hope three times was the charm, GM.
I did just that today.
Spent almost the entire day in my jammies.
Played games on FB.
Read my book and napped.
It has been great.
I am recharged!
Yay! Recharging our batteries is a great reward whenever we feel depleted.
Sounds like a life map Nancy 🙂 Great ideas!
Life lists are great to use when we have time for a quick peruse of what has worked for others. In time, we create life lists tailored to our priorities ~ and they are a perfect fit.
And don’t waste time trying to make everyone else happy. You never will, and you might just end up with a stalker.
Yes!
Note to self: Stop trying to make Eric happy. I never will and he might end up stalking me!
Well, you do have the nice weather down there. Perfect for hiding in the bushes!
Boo! I’ve been reading Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. One of the case studies featured a husband (with issues) who would hide in the shadows so he could jump out to startle his wife. What a guy! When she developed an irregular heartbeat, he agreed to seek “help.”
I am very good at the “Just Be” . 🙂
Me too! Tigger taught me how to be cat-a-tonic.
Great post! Remembering everything we have to be grateful for goes a long way to boosting happiness… so many things would likely go unnoticed, otherwise.
Yup. We can become overly focused on a few “hangnails” and become oblivious to all the good that surrounds us. Gratitude makes us OPEN OUR EYES to the good.
I read Cheryl’s book a couple of years ago and loved it then. Yet, how quickly I forgot so much of what I read.
Thank you for this, as always, excellent post and reminder to keep things in perspective.
Today is my day to “just be.”
Glad you’re enjoying a “just be” day today ~ it’s lovely to just flow from moment to moment and allow ourselves time and space to recharge.
One reason I do posts like this one is to help me recall/apply what I’ve read ~ otherwise it’s hard to keep it in the forefront of my mind.