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 In March, I took a tiny stumble while walking towards the starting line of a 5-K run. As in, so minor it shouldn’t have even been noticeable. Instead, I ended up with the energizer bunny version of a lower back problem … it just kept going and going and going.
Normally my chiropractor and massage therapist can quickly take care of alignment and muscle problems. Not this time.
Long story short, I discovered I have a body mechanics issue that set me up for this injury. I’m now in the process of retraining the muscles in and around my right hip to work properly. What that really means is that I’m learning to walk differently.
And it feels incredibly weird.
In this case, it’s a physical change. But any time you move, act or think in a way that’s different from your habitual way it feels strange. That’s one of the reasons change is slow. It’s human nature to default to what feels familiar.
Whatever change you’re trying to make in your life, be patient and consistently practice.
With time your new habit will feel normal … and that’s when it will become your natural way of moving, thinking or acting.
2,200 years ago …
“I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
~ Scipio Africanus, Roman General, 235 BC – 183 BC
250+ years later …
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
~ Epictetus, Greek Philosopher, AD 55 – AD 135
1,750 years after that …
“What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens.”
~ Ellen Glasgow, Pulitzer Prize- winning American Novelist, 1873 – 1945
And today …
“Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”
~ John C. Maxwell, Author and Leadership Expert
You are in full control of what you do with what shows up your day and in your life. And that’s what ultimately determines your success and happiness.
Makes you pretty powerful!
Here’s the scenario … You have things that need attention and important tasks that need to get done. In fact, there’s a lot to do.
But nothing on your “A” list – or even “B” or “C” lists – feels compelling. Not even when ignoring your responsibilities and to-dos could blow up on you.
If that sounds familiar, you’re probably bored. (As a friend of mine often says, “Ya think?!”)
 Boredom is a major energy drain … and when left unchecked, creates a downward spiral. Not only is it incredibly difficult to get motivated to do whatever it is you’re bored with, it becomes difficult to get motivated to do much of anything.
So you mindlessly play solitaire, web-surf, clean grout with a Q-tip or similarly mind-numbing activities.
The most obvious solution to boredom is to change your situation. And that’s important.
But if you’re not able to do that quickly (and I recommend you at least start taking small steps), you can still break out of the boredom cycle.
Become mindful about mindlessly procrastinating.
Seriously. The very nature of boredom-induced procrastination is mindless-ness.
So, if you’re going to procrastinate, do it mindfully.
Every time you feel the urge to web-surf, play solitaire or engage in whatever procrastination pattern you’ve fallen into:
- Take three deep breaths.
- Then stand up and walk around your office, your desk, the hall, whatever your setup is. If you work from home, crank up some music and literally dance or jump around. If you’re in an office, try to find a private spot and just bounce around – even if that means you have to hide out in the bathroom. You want to shift your energy.
- Three more breaths.
- Ask yourself, “What is one thing I can do right now to engage myself and be present.
- And the final question, “What am I going to choose right now.”
Don’t judge your choices. The goal is to work on making more mindful choices. And give yourself a chance to see a change – don’t beat yourself up if not perfect out of the box.
One step at a time and you will break out of the boredom cycle.
While having lunch with my friend Kathy Worm yesterday, she commented, “So often, it comes down to giving yourself permission to be human.”
We’d been chatting about a wide range of topics: balancing work with other creative pursuits, managing stress, the importance of being a good fit with the culture of your organization, and happiness.
She was dead-on. It was the common thread in our conversation.
It’s also one of the hardest parts of being human. Kind of ironic when you think about it … we need to give ourselves to permission to be what we are. (This human thing gets tricky ;-).)
Here’s the thing though. Life is easier when you give yourself the green light to be human.
You will be less than perfect despite your best efforts. You will at times stumble and make a mess. And horror of all horrors, you might even outright fail.
And you know what?
It’s all good. Progress, growth and success are never straight lines rising upwards without a single dip.
Next time you find yourself struggling really listen to your mental chatter. Chances are you’ll hear that you’ve been withholding permission to be human.
Grant it.
Stop. Breathe.
Not the regular, just-stay-alive process of air into your lungs. Conscious, feel-the-breath-moving-through-your-body, deep breathing.
 Sit cross-legged on the floor or in a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Loosely rest your hands on your knees. Close your eyes (but finish this paragraph first!) and take three slow, deep breaths.
In our world of hurry up and go, go, go, mindful breathing will help you feel less stressed and more clear-headed. And it only takes a few moments.
Cultivate a conscious breathing habit. Once an hour, stop and take three slow, deep breaths. Set a recurring task on your electronic to-do list, keep a reminder on your desk … anything that will help you remember.
So simple, so accessible, so powerful.
Stumbled on this gem while looking for something entirely unrelated!
Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
~ Life’s Little Instruction Book, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
I’m currently doing some personal work on busyness and this is a timely reminder. It’s so very true.
Join the flow of conversation.
How do you feel about time? And if it’s not time that gets in the way, what does?
I had the great privilege of hearing Debbie Yow, NC State’s Athletic Director speak at a meeting last week. She had much to say that was inspiring but her comments about dream killers were my favorite.
Nothing will smash your hopes and aspirations faster than:
- Assumptions
- Complacency
- Fear
- Sleep deprivation
- Short-tem thinking
- Ineffective communication
- Lack of vision … what do you want to become and who do you want to be
What are your dreams for the upcoming year and beyond? Take time to consider whether you’re harboring any dream killers.
And then do something about it.
It’s completely within your power.
Join the Flow of Conversation
Today’s blog entry comes from my friend Jill Sockman, owner of Blue Lotus Yoga Studio in Raleigh, NC. I can’t think of a more perfect way to integrate the reality of being busy with the importance of slowing down.
From Jill ….
I’m a bit of a word geek. I love new words, quotes, foreign languages, you name it, I love it all. So I’m always excited to be introduced to a phrase I’ve never heard before. Festina Lente.
This little phrase showed up at the end of an e-mail message from a friend, who is a fellow logophile. Not to be in the dark for a moment, I immediately consulted our ever-present guide Google-ji to find the definition of this little Latin gem:
Make haste slowly. Yes, that’s right. Make Haste Slowly.
How much do I love this little phrase? Let me count the ways. First, it’s got the lovable charm of an oxymoron: hurry up and slow down, already, you might say. And as someone who is regularly in a hurry for absolutely no reason, it’s sound advice.
It is relevant to note that we’re not saying lente lente (though also good advice) and so Festina Lente carries the suggestion that even those things of an urgent nature be seen through with patience and care. This brings to mind my grandfather and his “if you’re going to do something at all, you may as well do it your best” ways. There’s the faint aroma of diligence and patience hidden in the phrase.
But my favorite slice-let of Festina Lente showed up in Wikipedia, “Work is best done in a state of flow in which one is fully engaged by the task and there is no sense of time passing.” Ahhhhh…The Zone. In the moment. The eternal now. The timeless space in which we are at one with the task at hand, moving with Grace. The goal of our practice is this savoring, fully present place where we are so completely right here that we miss nothing. Yes, please.
As you move through your December, and its parties, travels, shopping trips, visits, hurries and stresses, Festina Lente, friends. Festina Lente.
copyright 2010, Jill Sockman, Blue Lotus Yoga
 “Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.” ~ Grandma Moses
As we approach the New Year take time to reflect on how you want to live your life.
And then instead of the typical New Year’s resolutions, resolve to make choices that align with the way you want to live your life.
It probably won’t be the path of least resistance, but it will put you on the path that’s right for you.
There’s no better way to start a New Year!
A few weeks ago, my friend Marsha Hoch told me she’s working on being unnecessarily kind.
Yes, you could argue that kindness is never unnecessary. But what she really means is she’s keeping her antennae up for those opportunities you could easily pass by without feeling like you’d been unkind or thoughtless.
Things like helping an elderly woman (or man) carry groceries to their car, smiling at a stranger in an elevator, or dropping off a latte on a Sunday morning to the single mom down the street you’ve only said hello to in passing.
Small acts with a big impact.
And because most of this stuff doesn’t normally even cross our minds in our world of busyness, hurry-up, and too much to do, it turns out to be a fabulous way to practice mindfulness.
Since Marsha mentioned it, I’ve too decided to start committing acts of unnecessary kindness.
It’s amazing how little time it takes to lend a helping hand or make eye contact and smile. Some days I’m more successful than others. Like anything, it takes a while to become a habit!
Mindfulness and kindness … two practices that will make both you and those around you happier.
That’s a pretty good combination!
Join the flow of conversation.
Where do you find opportunities to be unnecessarily kind?
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