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A monthly newsletter
Welcome to September and your monthly nudge of positive energy, a communication designed to help you stop and think what you want to focus on this month, what you need to do to gain that positive energy flow.
Try something new, let go of something that doesn't serve you! Don't hold back! With positive energy the world opens up, our minds feel lighter, our bodies have more to give, we become more open to new possibilities.
Check out the alcohol free boost in the second part of the newsletter!
A month of calm: embracing those moments to rest and reset
As I returned from France at the end of August I reflected on the opportunity to contrast the two lives - the life in France where I had no major distraction - I guess this is the same as anyone who takes a vacation, and returning to the UK with the instant bombardment of, firstly traffic (there are a lot less cars in France) and then my "to do list", coming at me like a freight train at top speed, seemingly impossible to stop or even slow down. The promise to "do life differently" that I often make to myself when I step away from my day to day life, instantly abandoned under the weight of my convoluted regular life. So this morning as I sit and ponder on this new month I ask myself how do I adjust my life so I can make it less cluttered?
"How to maintain my French clutter free mind?"
1) Eat that frog by Brian Tracy - no matter how much I try to ignore it the frog must be swallowed. I recently gifted a copy of this book to a friend as I love the concept. The "frogs" are those tasks which you continue to put off, those unwanted tasks that sit in the back of your mind and weigh down on you until you action them, but that you try your hardest to avoid. By swallowing those frogs, facing those tasks head on, we clear space in our mind. My mind is a conveyor belt of these tasks but I have decided that this must be the first thing to be tackled this month.
2) Remove unnecessary emails - Trigger happy with the email subscriptions I end up with daily updates from a host of sources. Already this month I have taken the time to remove myself from those ones that aren't adding any value.
3) Stay off personal social media - no matter how I look at it it's a rabbit hole, a time filler and a distraction from eating the frogs. If I am honest that is when I engage in social media. It isn't when I am consciously wanting to catch up on people's news it is when I am avoiding doing something else - getting out of bed in the morning, doing some work, mindfully resting! So my new goal is to allow myself pockets of time to engage in social media - not a "carte blanche" approach!
4) Have a physical declutter - minimalism will always be front of mind for me ever since I discovered the concept a few years ago. I go through phases of being far too busy to stay on top of things and then I take the time to have a complete declutter and it is so cleansing. Post summer declutter accomplished this weekend. Check out my blog on minimalism for some inspiration in this space.
5) Create a weekly calendar - in order to keep the balance, achieve what I want to achieve and not feel overwhelmed I am keeping a weekly calendar. It is incredible how much calmer I feel when I have written all of my commitments down. Seeing it all laid out also allows me to make sure I have the balance that I am seeking - work interspersed with connection with friends, exercise etc - whatever works for you.
6) Be strict about the contents of the calendar - don't say yes to everything! Insert a pause before you respond to an invitation. Your mind won't thank you for overcommitting.
"Clarity is freedom. Know what is important to you and it will grant you the freedom to ignore everything else." James clear.
I really felt like I had this when I was away and I am determined to get it back by following all of the points above.
Just get out there and fail
Progress can involve failure and this is a good thing. I didn't experience too much obvious failure in the first two decades of my adult life but then I never really pushed the boundaries either. Giving up alcohol I made a commitment to really push myself to try new things and this frequently involves "failure". Especially embarking on my new career as a sober coach. Getting out of my comfort zone that was the alcohol fog has given me a drive and ambition that I didn't have before and this has led to a catalogue of failures as I experiment with new ways to deliver my message. One of the failures was the initial foray into public speaking practice. I was terrified of speaking in public but I knew I needed to develop this skill to get out there and deliver my story and my sober coaching to larger groups. So from stuttered speech in the early days of my public speaking education with the Toastmasters public speaking club to now delivering my message with confidence it is so clear how continuing to fail and keep coming back can ultimately leads to those breakthroughs.
So I dedicate this month to resetting and failing and finding the learning (in true stoic style) from all of it.
SO WHAT WILL BE YOUR FOCUS FOR SEPTEMBER? The key four
As always it's repetitive but I think it's important and if you agree let's go!!! Here are mine.
Non negotiables - dog walking with friends, daily exercise
Eliminations: social media
New focus for the month next step on my book
Key words - how do you want to feel What word will be your focus? My word is action. This can most definitely sometimes fail me.
Recent wins: as always I ask you to take a quick moment to reflect on a few recent wins in the previous month however small. Focusing on the positive switches the lens through which you view life.
So let's get going into September. If you would like a copy of this template just click here
The start of the school year is so much more impactful to me than the calendar new year. I love the idea that there might be fresh opportunities, that I might be able to make an impact in a different way. This is how I see life through alcohol free glasses and I encourage you to try it too! Life through a different lens sums up how you can approach sober living if you choose. I choose to embrace the fact that I have more hours in the day. I choose to use the fact that I feel so much more creative and ambitious without the fog of alcohol clouding my vision. But I see this now because I have pushed myself to do life differently. If you follow the same path minus the alcohol you are literally "missing something" - a drink. If you follow a different path you will see how much more there is to offer. You will have more energy that is a given. You will likely have more clarity and positivity as alcohol no longer fogs your mind and brain. Clarity on a life that doesn't change might feel boring and not so appealing. So you have to introduce new stuff so that when you have those clarity moments, life looks inviting. Try it! As always I would love to talk to you if you need support.
WANT TO GET IN TOUCH?
As always I would love to hear from you if you are interested in the alcohol free space or positive energy coaching, either for individual or organisation. I offer a free 15 minute clarity call to talk through the best way I can support you. Or take a look at the options below:
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