Stop Waiting. Live Your Life. Live It Now!
This week, I was sitting on the phone with tech support. for a long time. That got me thinking. I thought about life in general and asked myself whether there were things in my life I was waiting on. Was I putting some things on hold? How about you? Stop waiting. Live your life.
Are you “on hold” in your life?
Are you waiting for a spouse to come along, hoping that the perfect partner will magically appear in your life?
Waiting to get your home organized?
How about that book you’ve always wanted to write?
Or maybe the job change?
Are you leaving your future to chance, waiting for a great job to fall into your lap? How about daydreaming about winning the lottery, believing that sudden wealth will fulfill your dreams instead of taking proactive steps for your financial future and happiness?
Stop waiting on your life!
The difference between you and the people who are getting what they want is that they kept moving. So, here are some ideas to help get you started again.
Focus on the who, not the what.
If you find yourself stuck for a while, try restating it in “who am I” terms rather than “what I want” terms. Be as specific as possible. Notice that “I want to be someone who helps others” could mean anything from a clerk in the grocery store to a heart surgeon, or even a teacher or a volunteer coordinator. This broad range highlights the importance of clarity in your self-perception. Narrow it down.
Focus on who you want to be, as this can guide you more profoundly. Consider the qualities that embody this identity. Maybe it’s empathy, patience, or resilience. Maybe you need to be a little more “selfish”, which actually is OK at times. Then ask yourself what actions would be a better fit with your desire “to be” rather than “get.” Consider the daily decisions and interactions that align with this self-definition.
Analyze things so you can stop waiting
Did you know that a full 80% of your problems come from 20% of your life? It’s true! This phenomenon, often referred to as the Pareto Principle, highlights the disproportionate impact that a small portion of our activities or circumstances can have on our overall well-being.
By identifying the specific 20% that is causing stress or unhappiness, be it toxic relationships, unfulfilling jobs, or poor habits, you can significantly transform your day-to-day experience. Of course, the opposite is true also.
So, if 80% of your satisfaction comes from 20% of your activities, then it’s also true 80% your relationship happiness comes from 20% of your relationships. Apply the Pareto Principle to various areas of your life, and you will probably find it is true.
Implement small but meaningful changes. Consider setting clear goals. Seek out supportive relationships. Explore new passions that enrich your life. When you focus your efforts on what truly matters, you are well on your way to living your life.
Assign Value
A big mistake I see people make is not assigning a true value to their time, energy, and money. It’s essential to recognize that each decision we make carries weight and consequences that ripple through our lives. Realize that for each thing you say yes to, you have said no to something else, often without even realizing it.
And we can be OK with whatever choice we make as long as we realize we are, in fact, choosing. By evaluating what we allow into our lives, we can align our choices with our true priorities.
Always ask yourself: Is this valuable enough to me to crowd my life with, or even to bump something from my schedule?
Decluttering and mind space
I’ve been doing a lot of this lately with my decluttering efforts. It’s not been easy, but if I keep hanging on to so much, I am choosing to store it and clean it, and having to decide about it time and again. This awareness alone has empowered me to ditch a lot of things.
Strangely, it has helped me clarify some other areas in my life. It’s freeing up my mental space, meaning I can think more clearly. It sounds strange, but mind clarity might well be influenced by physical clutter. And my clutter was very well-organized. My house is generally very neat, with little visual clutter. So, it wasn’t that.
It was more that I enjoy many different crafts and DIY projects, and therefore need all the supplies that go with them. I’ve made some hard decisions. Am I really going to make more jewelry? Am I really going to sew my own clothes anymore? I’m clearing it out in stages, though. I have a table I bought at a garage sale years ago for one dollar, and I love how I finished it. But it has no place to “live” anymore, if that makes sense. When I am able to toss it, I will be so proud of myself.
I didn’t intend this post to end with decluttering, but it makes sense, doesn’t it? The one thing that makes sense about getting on with your life is having a clear vision. And having a clear vision might well be getting rid of the excess.
What do you think?
God bless, and have a good day.
