Would life be easier if we could all have two goes?
If you could jump back to a certain point in time?
What point would you choose?
Where would you start from a second time round?
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On Commitment
In the end commitment is only what you make of it.
It’s only as heavy as you let it be.
Real commitment is not a shackle but a channel of freedom.
A refreshing swim in an unlocked ocean.
Scars everywhere
Scars all over my body with no where left to hide.
When you take off that layer we’re all just blood inside.
National Writing Day. A Poem
This is the only time I will get to write these words.
After this the moment will pass.
The impulse wi…
The impulse will go and we shall be left.
Not exactly as we were but not really changed either.
Each day you look at me you cant see a difference.
But over time something has been lost.
Many things.
And other things added.
It is in this sea of exchange and change
That it is in this milieu that all of this happens.
And doesn’t happen.
And chances are taken, missed, lost, wasted, reclaimed. Misclaimed.
But your chance is right here right now. This is your moment and this is all you have right here right now. This is it. And the rest is. We..
Well its tomorrows mistake, regret, success, pain, celebration, hope, loss, dream, nightmare, mediocre, ok, perhaps, what if.
Podcasts, my favourite ones right now
I adore Podcasts. I am genuinely excited at the trajectory of the Podcast. Almost everyone has one now (or that’s sometimes how it feels!)
There is so much to listen to. Here are five of my favourite podcasts at the moment for your perusal:
Pardon My French with Garance Dore – I have loved Garance Dore for a long time, I was a reader back in 2008 when I was just starting out in my career and I genuinely felt like she was a shining light in my 9-5 grey days. She has a knack of including you in joy and trials of life without ever over-sharing which is a fine line to walk. Her Podcasts are always worth a listen and I would highly recommend starting with this one where Garance interviews Norma Kamali
George Ezra and Friends – Entertaining, informative podcasts focused on music and really honest discussions artists to artists. Ed Sheeran one is fab.
The Guilty Feminist – Deborah Francis White. I have to admit, I listen a little less now Sofie Hagen is not on because I honestly think that her and Deborah had podcast magic, its still great though and they make me think about feminism in a really interesting put it into practice everyday kind of feminism. I love lots of these episodes definitely try this one from the back catalogue about Public Space.
Optimal Living Daily: Personal Development, Productivity, Minimalism, Growth – Such a simple well executed concept. Blogs about personal development read out-loud with permission from the authors. They’re quite short episodes 7-10 minutes long, and I just love to put it on, and I genuinely feel like a better human after listening. Try this one ‘These are the Moments We’re Missing‘
Live.Life.Better – Virgin and Penguin Living. I love reading. So a podcast that is inadvertently about books is my dream. They’re on season 2 now, and both seasons are great. Try ‘A Clutter Free House‘ if like me you have minimalist dreams and a house full of stuff.
I am always on the look out for new podcasts so please let me know you’re recommendations.
Motivation Monday
What do you do to get motivated?
Its tough on a Monday morning and you inbox is in the three figures and you’re just not sure where to start or maybe you don’t even want to.
I like to read my favourite quote:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
The amazing Theodore Roosevelt said this.
Then I like to listen to my favourite motivational song, this one never fails to work:
Now… Make a list. Write down everything you need to do. Be that work, personal, social, house, whatever.
If you then want to sub categorise and re-list I would highly recommend, but I would. I love lists.
Then I work with a 1, 2, 3 priority list. 1 = most important and urgent. 2 = important OR urgent, 3 = not urgent or important.
Each day your to do list will change in priority. So at the start of the week that 3 might be a 1 by Friday… It really helps me be super organised.
Then…. Get to it. Strike off that first job. Stay on the roll and have a 2 minute break every 20 minutes, and every third 20 mins have a 15 minute break.
Hope its useful.
What do you do to get motivated.
Battlefield of the mind: How to recognise and combat negative chatter
Do you ever replay over and over again an interaction you had with someone? Do you try and figure out what people around you might be thinking or saying about you? Do you envision and play-out in your mind all the things you would say to that old boss or old flame if you ever had the displeasure of seeing them again?
I am currently reading davidji’s book Sacred Powers. Within it he says, “We need to make a daily commitment to accept ourselves in every moment, be kind to ourselves, and appreciate ourselves.”
Something in this made me realise that when I spend 40% of the day worrying about past-failures, inventing conversations that I wish I could have to settle old-scores or to tell my side of a story I realised that I am not accepting myself.
My mind was full of conversations with people that I did not like or love. I would replay over and over again conversations that I had had with these troubling people. But my mind didn’t stop there, it also played out scenarios and conversations we could have and I even started playing out conversations they might be having with other people about me. All this meant was I was exhausted and full of fear and inaction. Too scared about all the things that could happen, too focused on the bad things that had happened I could not be present.
This is no-way to live.
I remembered an old teaching at church growing up, your body is a temple. Now I don’t really know temples. But I switched it to my body is my house. I live within it and I am it. And then the lightbulb *bing* moment came when I simply asked myself: Would I let that person into my house?
If the answer was yes, then I know I cared about that person. I loved them. And therefore, hell yes, I needed to think about them, think about what to do next and what positive steps of action I could and then would take.
And if the answer was no well it was obvious, I would shut the door on them. And so in my mind, when that person who was unhealthy for me, had wronged me came wandering in and taking up space, getting themselves comfy in my brain, I just said “No thank you!” And shut the door on them.
Why this is so powerful to me, is that my house is my comfort, it is my fortress, its where I feel safe. And if you’re at home and thinking about these people who are not healthy for you and make you feel uncomfortable, then you need to shut the door to them in your mind. You must. Do not let them take up space that is not for them. There are only so many moments in the day. Spend it on the people who deserve it.
All I had to do when these unwanted guests came knocking into my consciousness was CLOSE THE DOOR. Tell them in mind, “No, you’re not welcome here” and close the door on them.
This has literally changed my thought patterns overnight. The first few days it was terrifying how often they came knocking, and how often I had to say, “No” and close my mind to them.
Overtime they knock less and less.
Without this constant negative chatter from people I do not want in my life and have actively removed from my physical life, my mind feels lighter, my heart more full and my body less achey.
I have been able to close the door on them, work through the memories that need it, and release those people.
If they come knocking again, or slip in quietly I recognise it ask myself, would I let this person in my house – if its a no, then I close the door on them. This allows me time to think much more constructively and use my time and my mind much more wisely.
I highly recommend this technique if you’re struggling with thinking about the same old negative unhealthy people, the same old conversations. Would you allow them in your home? If its a no, don’t allow them in your mind. Your body is you house. Be careful who you let in.
