It’s my birth week!!! Woohooo! The Gregorian calendar is meaningless to me, so I always do my major reflecting around my birthday. So here are this year’s learnings:
Favorite Discoveries
My values– I’m literally obsessed with my values and I’m super proud of myself for explicitly writing these out. They have helped me be more decisive and better align my actions with my greater vision.
?Connection (with people, to my body, and with the conscious awareness that is Athena)
?Growth (Learning, Improvement, Adventure, Bravery)
?Transparency (Radical Honesty, prioritizing long term growth over short term butt-hurtedness)
?Humor (Joy, Laughter, Appreciation for cosmic jokes and contradictions)
⏱ Freedom (Wealth of Choice, Autonomy over my time and energy)
Nora Chipaumire– incredible performance artist. Her work in the School For Temporary Liveness made me cry.
Pronoia – the belief that the universe is conspiring in your favor
Top 3 – While I do believe it’s best to have a long daily to do list, having a top 3 has radically changed my day. I have 3 tasks that must get done that day and if that is all I do, I am completely happy. The top 3 focuses me and reduces overwhelm.
Best lessons
Plus questions to cultivate each!
Be, do, then have. Create the conditions where you are ready for the opportunities you seek. A lot of life is left up to chance. Though I don’t like to admit it, I can’t will specific outcomes into existence. But, I can always make myself ready to receive that outcome. By consciously preparing my mindset and my skills for whatever opportunity I seek, I can be sure that I’m ready when it comes (or more likely when I create it).
Who is someone I admire? How can I emulate the traits of theirs that I admire?
Priorities are set through action. I know I’m at my best within 3-4 hours of waking up, so whatever I engage with in the morning is (whether I realize it or not) what I am prioritizing for that day. Any time I procrastinate or avoid a task, I am unintentionally deprioritizing it and whatever goal it serves.
How can I set up my physical environment so that it’s easier to prioritize the actions that push me towards my goals?
Consistency is not sexy, but it gets the job done. Small and deliberate steps forward are the only way to see improvement and possibly get what you want.
How can I account for and celebrate more small wins?
Reminders are key! How many times do I have to relearn a lesson before it sticks?
“People keep reading self-help and revisiting the same ideas because that’s precisely what we need: to be reminded. The problem is not that information is unhelpful, but that attention is fleeting. Nobody focuses on one idea every minute of the day.” – James Clear
I work towards my goals more consistently when I have a visual reminder. Most of my systems for developing habits are just reminders. I created a self-user manual, which gives me access to my old wisdom and mistakes, so I can refer to it later when I’m in that situation again. Also sometimes, I need to be reminded of my resilience and strength in moments where I feel helpless.
What do I need to be reminded of about myself?
People want to hear my voice. I have something valuable to share! The information may not be ‘original’, but there is somebody who will specifically resonate with the way I present it.
When I get nervous about sharing my content, am I thinking of that one person who needs to hear my insights? Or am I inventing a fictional mean girl to excuse myself?
I need to rest, even (especially) when I am excited about the work I do. It makes no sense to wait until a car is running on fumes to refuel it. The same logic applies to people. By regularly baking rest into my week, I can perform better more consistently.
What are some ways I can integrate rest into my weekly routines?
What 3 Adjectives Do I Want to Describe Me This year?
I recently came across this question, and I like it a lot. I find most tactics that help me focus on a bigger picture are super helpful. I still haven’t decided what my 3 are (and I’ll update when I do), but I wanted to share.
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