Smell The Flowers

I know there is a pandemic going on and senseless violence and death surrounding everyone these days. I think it is important, more now than ever to stop and appreciate the the little things and worry about what you can control. This could be easier said than done for some. I totally take into account what trials and tribulations others are facing that can make a positive outlook seem so distant. This is why focusing on what you can control and appreciating the small things come in handy and needed for optimum function.


At this time in my life, ideally I am not where I want to be. I do consider myself successful but I am not necessarily doing what brings me joy. That can affect people differently and in my case it frustrates and sometimes cause my anxiety to flare up and my actions become manic and not towards what matters. Instead of updating my resume and visiting job boards I might decide to reorganize my makeup cart. Instead of studying for my real estate license I would decide to surf the net about the most profound subjects that will not benefit me in any type of way. It is so easy to get distracted in times of perils or high stress but here is what I do to keep me focused towards my goals.


1. You have to plan and you have to make planning fun so you can continue to plan. There are so many digital platforms or hardware that act as digital assistants and there are a variety of planners you can use to make being productive fun, exciting and efficient. I am a pen to paper kind of person so if I don't physiclally write it down, I feel like it won't get done so I like to stick to my old fashion planners. The leader in active planning is Erin Condrin who makes the most efficient, stylish and productive planners from everyday living, to teacher planning. There is also the Happy Planner you can find at Michael's which is just as great but half the price. Both planners are extremely customizable. I just recently found a planner on Amazon, because I love a bargain, and it's called Clever Fox. It gives you a solid breakdown of your day from what you have planned to what you want to accomplish and prioritize. Planning effectively and consistently can truly help with persuing goals you feel might be unreachable but it is if you go about it strategically. If planners aren't your thing, try using a vision board. It gives you an excuse to splurge on magazines and get crafty. When you see things in hard copy it becomes a lot easier to be a visionary.


2. Once you plan what you need to do, during the action sequence of planning it is time that you check and adjust. Decide on what is important and what can wait. Everything does not have to have a sense of urgency behind it, you will go nuts trying to prioritize every single apect of your life. Chose what needs immediate action now and what can be taken care of after. You can even go so far and say " I won't be doing that today." Always prioritize what you think is important.


3. Next, check in with yourself. Did you eat? Are you hydrated? Did you practice self-care and take some time out for yourself? It is so important to make sure you are maintaining a sense of self and not losing yourself in the jungle of life. Being level headed is so important and must be maintained at all cost to push on in my opinion. You can't do what you need to do if you're broken. When it comes to being level headed think of the book called Home on the Western Front. Throughout the book the young soldiers are reminded to always keep their helmets on during battle. One of the characters would often day dream but he was the moral compass amongst his group of friends. He always kept everyone in line and made sure no one died until it was inevitable. Eventually you get to the point where it's just him and he's in a trench. He's day dreaming about his past and presence and at some point he takes off his helmet and well let's just say he didn't have to worry about wearing a helmet again. If he was able to stay focus on what was happening in that moment and not letting anything else get to him, that character would still be alive.


4. Through all your planning, plan a mental health day. I said it, MENTAL HEALTH DAY! You don't have to have issues to do this either and it can certainly prevent you from becoming overwhelmed or ever having to feel you don't have a day for yourself. My day is always Sunday. There is something about doing absolutely nothing on a nice Sunday day. That is when I rid myself of all responsibilities and worries and focus on happiness. What brings me happiness is playing with my pup, streaming movies and catching up with television programming. Whatever it is and whatever day you chose just make sure you make that day about you.


Again I say, smell the flowers every chance you get. Nothing is more important than us having clarity and a sense of peace at some point in our daily lives. When you feel like you can never get to that point, just reevaluate.