Still Doing It All? At What Cost?

That’s Some
Balancing Act!

This is an updated repost of a fan favorite from a few years ago. Enjoy!

Let’s see… there’s a lot on your plate. You work 50 hours each week, you’re almost at the end of your Tax extension,  you need to clear your desk of debris so that what’s lurking on your desk can peek through, not to mention the fact that it’s time for little leagues, graduations, and summer weddings. If you’re like me, you can do it all – but at what cost? Are you working your life away?

I can only assume that Building a Powerful Vision for your future includes a point at which you can stop the madness and enjoy some leisure time. If you’re waiting for someday to say no to the many demands on your time, that day may never come, unless you set the date yourself. To get you started, here’s an exercise that will take just 5 minutes to complete.

• On a blank sheet of paper, place the numbers 1 through 6.
• Listen to “Enjoy Yourself” – a classic recorded by Guy Lombardo.
• List 6 things you’ll do “someday”  – whatever floats your boat: travel to Greece,volunteer at a homeless shelter, get a hot tub, coach your daughter’s soccer team, do community theater, start saving for retirement.
• To the right of each of those items, set a date by which you will begin or complete the activity.
• Put today’s date at the top of the list.
• Post the list on your refrigerator, and let it be a conversation starter for the people in your life who pass through or join you in the kitchen. Your innocent list may just get others thinking about what they’d like to accomplish and by what date they will take action, jut like you.
• Three, Six, Nine and Twelve months from now, review your list and not what progress you’ve made on those items occurring soonest.

If you’re looking for ways to put your dreams into action, consider getting a copy of either of my books on the topic of Building A Powerful Vision. You can build a vision board yourself, throw a party with friends or begin a one year journey of creating a life you love. So many choices!D

Creating New Habits Takes Vision

I read an interesting quip on the internet: “Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.”

What can you train yourself to do between now and the end of the year? We have just under six weeks left in 2016, so if follow the path of the dolphin, you could train yourself twice over to do something new.

Here is what I am thinking about doing with these last productive weeks…

• I think about re-establishing my habit of going to the gym at dawn.
• I think about creating the habit of spending 45 minutes planning at the end of each workday.
• I think about being ‘the one’ to take our dog for her two-mile walk each day.
• I think about stashing $10 each day into a sock in order create a stock fund.

There are multiple benefits to any of these choices, yet making the choice to create a habit of any of these doesn’t move me to action until I envision myself engaged in the activity.

I review each of the habits I am considering and I do a bit more visioning. I think about both success and challenge. In most cases, the challenge is circumstances that might get i the way of follow-through. If I can see myself overcoming the interruption and carrying on until a firm habit is established, I am most likely to succeed.

I know who I am up against, when I undertake a new venture, so I often put picture to paper and create a themed vision board to strengthen my resolve.

Want to learn more about vision boards? Click Here for a primer on my Building A Powerful Vision process. You can also visit http://www.tessdenton.com to find Building A Powerful Vision products.

Happy Holidays and Happy Habits!

As always, I welcome your comments. Make it a great week…

Tess

Copyright 2016

http://www.tessdenton.com

 

 

Get Into The Groove (of tapping into your most creative self) And Stay There

Let Your Music Play

This post is a favorite post of mine that I thought new readers might enjoy!

Do you remember how, when an album dropped on the stereo,  the needle of a record-player would take a few moments to get into the groove before the music began? Take a moment and recall the rhythm of the seconds before a song begins. Is it three revolutions or four?

To me, the example above is what getting into my groove is all about, and it may be the same for you. Whether this new year is about heading in a new career direction, taking on a creative project just for you or reinventing your life, it’s important to know what it is that gets you into your groove so that you can be inspired and accomplish more.

I’ve found two resources that have help me tap into my creativity. One is a terrific wikiHow article about staying inspired. I’ve read or heard much of the information before, but I can use it as a great resource when concentration and creativity aren’t flowing. I’ve bookmarked the article on my computer for days when I sense that I’m getting stalled. The other resource is a link to an amazing AOL nature radio station. I found it when I recently subscribed to tunein.com.  The nature station has a twofold benefit:  It helps me quiet my mind enough to go deep into the zone of accomplishment.  I also use it for relaxation when I need to quiet my mind.

Here are the useful links for you:

Wiki ways to stay inspired

Sounds of nature

As always, I welcome your comments and make it a great week!

~ Tess

Copyright 2012

Destiny Rising, LLC