The second part of this series is a call to action.
What do you spend our time on? Do a time study of everything you do in one day. Get your journal, a piece of paper or your phone and document your daily routine. How much time are you spending on things?
Your time is precious and your energy is needed for so many things throughout the day. So what are you spending your precious time and energy on?
When we look at our daily schedule, what are the most important things that must get done? You know, things like keep the kid(s) alive, go to work or do your job well and feed yourself. I am being a bit facetious here (or am I?).
Now think about the things that you spend your time and energy on that are not that important. What is something you do everyday that takes time and energy but in the end is really not that important?
Mine would be laying in bed after my alarm goes off.
THIS IS MY ACHILLES HEEL.
My new year resolution in 2023 was to stop hitting the snooze button. It has been a habit since I was in High School.
Fun fact – I actually still have my clock radio that I had in high school…AND IT STILL WORKS!!! Here is a picture of it
Anyway, I have successfully stopped using snooze this year, BUTTTT, I just lay there and sometimes fall back asleep or “snooze” for a bit and spend so much time getting ready to get up out of bed.
Why do I do this???
What is your thing? What is something you are doing, that you may even be rationalizing in your head that is good for you, or that you should be doing, or you do to avoid actually doing the thing you WANT to do or is GOOD FOR YOU?
That is the point to the second thing we do that is stopping us or slowing us down from living the life of our dreams. We are too busy doing things we think we “should” be doing or the things we “have to” do in order to have peace, or feel complete for the day or fulfilled in life. But at the end of the day, do we really feel that way?
My rationalization is that once I am up, I won’t stop. So, I think I should rest in bed because I won’t rest once my feet hit the floor.
Does anyone else rationalize something that really doesn’t make sense, but we do it anyway?
I was just thinking that we are already a quarter of the way through 2023 (it’s April if you are reading this in real time). Wasn’t it just Valentine’s day? I mean, where does the time actually go?
This is the reason why I started my business, FREED Coaching Co. I want to empower women through coaching to be freed from the “shoulds” and the “have tos” of life.
We spend most of our lives feeling like:
- We should be eating a certain way
- We have to rush from activity to activity to ensure our kid is in all the things they want.
- We should be farther along in our career.
- We have to make dinner tonight even though we are dead tired and just want to rest.
- We should be at a certain weight or a certain size
- We have to go on some crazy diet in order to be ready for a family trip.
- We should be all the things for our families, our spouses, our kids
BUT we forget to prioritize our own needs and wants. We spend time and energy on everyone and everything else and there is nothing left in the tank for us.
It’s tough because society, our families, our friends and our own expectations have put us in this place of not listening to our own bodies, our own intuition, our own voice.
We don’t trust ourselves.
Don’t get me wrong, I take full responsibility for some of this. I have decided to make my son’s lunch for school, even though he is fully capable of making it. I have decided to offer to do something at work, even though my inbox is bursting and my project list is overflowing. I am (not hitting snooze but) laying in bed until the very last minute and then rushing to get ready in the morning. I am the one who is reaching for the energy drink to “get me through the day” instead of going to bed earlier or resting when I need it.
I share all of this to say –
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Although I have chosen to coach others on their health journey, it doesn’t mean I am perfect at this thing called life. It also doesn’t mean that I have all of the answers. I have chosen this profession to walk with others on their journey and to empower them to choose themselves, their wants and needs, so that they have the energy and self-love to live the life of their dreams.
Take good care of yourself and do something for yourself today.
XO
Jen
