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DON'T WAIT UNTIL
TOMORROW
'Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair.'
Kahlil Gibran
We
find so many reasons to put things off - even the things that truly
delight us. How
different life could be if we allowed ourselves to be carefree and fickle
occasionally. If we embraced simple passions and pushed aside
responsibility to instead enjoy the ocean breeze in our hair and the earth beneath
our bare feet.
'I haven't got time for a day off'; 'I have to finish my work but
I'll get home early to see the kids tomorrow night'
or 'I have so many other things to do first' are the sort of excuses
we use so readily.
What would you do if you only had a short amount of time left on
this earth?
Often we don't think in such dramatic terms but it is certainly true that
most people regret not what they do, but what they don't do in
life. We get so caught up in our 'shoulds' that we forget about what
we really want to be doing.
What are you putting up with or 'tolerating' in your life? Never
having any time for yourself? A
relationship that you don't make a priority? Children you don't
spend time with? Friends who don't inspire you? A body lacking
energy? Finances that are in disarray?
We all have a list of 'tolerations', the things that we put up with often
because we tell ourselves that don't have the time or the energy to change them. Sadly, these very
tolerations are often the things that drain our energy most.
'Don't wait until tomorrow' exercise
Make a list of your 'tolerations' today (as soon as you finish reading the
newsletter). Write down all the things you are putting up with that
leave you uninspired.
For some ideas about what you might be tolerating,
contact us to receive a copy of the Monthly Checklists which will at least get you started. Print them out, date
them and give yourself a rating on each sheet. Make a note in your
diary to review your checklists again in one month.
Now choose at least three things that you are going to start working on this
week. This doesn't mean you need to completely eliminate the
toleration, but you must take at least one small step towards resolving it
before the end of the week.
Write up your
actions and start making some changes today!
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ON A PERSONAL NOTE
Around ten years ago, a
friend of mine very cleverly challenged me about the fact that we didn't
take regular family holidays. Being self employed, both Chris and I put
what we considered to be this 'luxury' on the bottom of our lists.
At the time, the thought of booking two weeks off terrified me. Not
only would we be without income but we'd also need to pay for the holiday!
We decided not long after to make a leap of faith and from that very first
holiday, we have never looked back. Taking a break, both with the girls
and by ourselves, has become an important ritual for all of us and
something we plan and look forward to enormously. When I think back
over the years, some of my happiest memories are from those holidays.
Chris and I have just returned from four days together in Hobart, having
had one of the most indulgent and restful holidays we've had in years. My
parents very kindly came to stay with the girls, as they have often done
over the years, giving us the chance to escape. This time, we treated ourselves to beautiful accommodation right on the waterfront. We walked to Salamanca market and we strolled around the docks looking at
all of the interesting yachts and fishing boats. We drove to
Woodbridge and had a long lunch at the restaurant, Peppermint Bay
(absolutely divine!). We drove up the east coast and stayed in a stone
cottage on a private beach. We paddled a kayak up
the river; walked along the beach and sat for an hour just watching the
sun rise over Freycinet Peninsula as the water lapped against the rocks. We took photos, we ate oysters and we totally relaxed. We walked to
the peak that overlooks Wineglass Bay...we crammed so much into four days
that it felt like a month.
There were moments in those four days where time really stood still for me
- where I allowed myself to be completely overwhelmed by the simple beauty
of the sun on the water or the smell of clean, ocean air. To listen
intently to the sound of the pebbles as the water rushed over them or to
soak up the warmth of the sun on my skin, completely allowing myself to
'be'. It was a panacea to my soul and the most relaxing and
refreshing time for Chris and I as a couple.
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We are happy for you to reproduce our
articles as long as they remain intact and contain the author's details as
follows:
'Kate James is a work life balance coach, speaker and writer. She works
with thirty-something professionals who want to enhance their quality of
life by making the right career and life choices. You can find Kate at
www.totalbalance.com.au.' |
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