LISTENING FROM THE HEART
Originally published in The Mancos Times – February 8, 2012
In my listening of others – myself as well – I hear and notice how “important things” are not getting done or being progressed with our lives. Comments such as “I need to” … “I have really got to…” are scattered and sprinkled into conversations like that fresh ground pepper the waiter adds to our salad. These neglected concerns are “elephants in the room” hanging about us, nagging us, eating away at our serenity and joy, filling us with angst and stress. At times, rather than deal with the elephants, we distract ourselves with actions and interactions that often become unhealthy and now further add to our anxiousness with tomorrow. Perhaps conspicuous consumption, overeating, credit card debt, preoccupation with social media and gossip are a few examples of what the consequences of this inattention can be.
Yes, indeed, it is certainly essential to “Be at One” with the world around us, appreciating the wonders of life and grateful for the good we have within us, appreciating the wonders of life and grateful for the good we have within us and about us. That said, is it not folly to side step our fundamental and crucial needs? Often needs and desires relating to health, wise nutrition, contribution, exercise, relationship harmony, financial peace, dreams, spiritual sterility go unaddressed, day after day after day. If our lives were like tires on a car we would see and feel the tread wearing progressively thinner and thinner, procrastinating over getting them replaced sometime later before the tread runs out. And sometimes we just wait till the tire blows out on the highway while we are traveling at 70 MPH. It will certainly get changed then, won’t it, assuming we survive the mishap.
Perhaps no better tool exists to support us with achieving balance, inner peace and adding joy for ourselves than our “Daily Routine” our daily habits of going about our lives? I challenge each of us to “design” and “implement” a beginning of the day kick start habit. Perhaps it will be a 5-step routine of five minutes of gratitude, an exercise warm up, a shower, healthy breakfast and a few minutes identifying (yes, writing them down) the top two or three actions for the day.
Most importantly make it simple and make it fun. YES, MAKE it simple. We must make it so fun and focused. Forget about K.I.S.S. for it rarely starts out focused and streamlined. Keeping a simple random strategy in place is a far cry from designing and implementing a wise thought out, high leverage life process, focused on important issues that are within our control. “Wise Simplicity” is perhaps one of the more difficult things to achieve with our lives. It indeed does require work and clarity of mind to identify and recognize the essential critical few activities that address what matters most to us and to have FUN while we are doing this as well.
Perhaps the first thing we might do each day is embrace and dance with our most valued partner Mr./Ms. Morning Routine? Having fun and smiling with the knowledge that we are on our way to a great day by doing the important things first. One, two, cha cha cha.
Michael Starr is the owner of Executive Coaching Services. He can be reached at www.executivecoachingservices.net or by calling 501-585-1302.