Independently Fine

You know what they say: time flies when you are having fun. So, my next statement may be contradictory. Life is not a marathon. To clarify, life is meant to live in the present moment. Which is not to be interpreted as filling up one’s schedule with excess and thinking the more “busy” you are, the more productive you’ll be.

Sure checking items off the list is an accomplishment. You might even be making progress towards your goals. But are you setting aside time for you. The most important person in the world. It’s not meant to be selfish, but in order to rejuvenate and be fully in the moment with family, friends or colleagues. I believe we should strive for a balanced lifestyle.

There’s a reason why it’s called the present, it’s a GIFT. Time is way too precious to waste on things we “feel” obligated to do. Learning to say the magic words: no and prioritizing what’s important in your life, will assist you in spending quality time, in exactly the way you so choose to.

No one is superhuman and if you want to make the best of your time, do what’s best for you. It’s a GIFT that cannot be purchased in a store. But if it were it would be priceless!

I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present.~Donald Trump

Have you taken an inventory of the types of friends you keep in your life lately? If not, just a suggestion since I’m on this New Year, New Beginning, New Life, New You theme. Don’t listen to me though, because if you want to see change in your life, you must do what is necessary. Even if it means making tough choices and letting go of friends you’ve known for a long time.

You do realize they are a reflection of you. If they disrespect you, if they gossip, if they are negative, if they haven’t evolved and grown then bring it back to you and ask yourself: are you like that?

“Your mind is a powerful magnet that will bring to you the things you identify yourself with. If you have sad thoughts, you will (attract) tragedies. If you are a good man, you will (attract) the company of good people.”~Alfredo Karras

Challenge yourself to face your FEARS. The same way you can end a relationship, you can also “break-up” with your friends. Yes, I’m not kidding. It’s not easy and you have to get creative with your approach. You would be amazed how light you feel because you don’t have to hide from them. You can be civil and say hi to them when you see them but it’s your right to choose who you want in your life because everyone and everything is a reflection of you.

The first time I set out to do this I was nervous. I sat down at my desk and made a list of all the people I wanted to keep and another list of the people I had to say goodbye to. One by one I called them and broke it down to them. It almost felt like the day I asked my ex-husband for a divorce. I re-iterate it was not an easy task. But for years, those people were bringing me down and as time went on I made new friends and evolved as a person.

But don’t stop at questioning if your friends are a reflection of you. Are you in the right family? Are you in the right line of work? I’m still not kidding. You don’t need to take drastic measures but just keep questioning your place in life. Is everything in your life created by you? Is it a reflection of you? If not, at any give time, whether it’s a new season, New Year, holidays, a regular day, you can CHOOSE the life of your dreams. So, what’s stopping you?

Have you had a conversation with yourself lately? I don’t mean walking around and talking out loud. You can go that route and more power to you. I’m not one to judge and call it a crazy notion. Others might though.

What I’m referring to is journaling. You don’t need to be a writer to have one. It’s a means of getting in touch with your thoughts and feelings. It’s a tool that can guide you towards empowerment, growth and life balance.

For me personally, I find journaling a calming experience. I have the ability to outlet, write uncut and raw. When I sit down to filter out my thoughts, it’s just me and my journal because at that moment I’m facing whatever it is I need to face as opposed to running away from the issue.

Journaling helps me release all of the pent up emotions and I can usually go about my day knowing the issue may or may not exist but I’m NOT allowing it to control or interrupt my thought patterns.

A journal could be about anything. It doesn’t have to be daily; you can write as often or as little as you wish. However you gain more insight by committing to your journal on a daily basis. You can add pictures, poems, drawings; wherever your creativity will take you. Because in essence that’s what journaling is about and that is to get in touch with YOU!

A journal is FOR YOUR EYES ONLY! You can create your journal by simply using pen and paper, an online journal or a blog site. Whatever you choose, you should talk to yourself; it just might help!

“Journal writing is a voyage to the interior”~Christina Baldwin

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• date your entries;
• talk about your day;
• unload feelings and simply let go of your inhibitions;
• review your journal periodically, it can help you gain insight and wisdom.

Here are some online resources:

http://www.journalingtools.com/

Creative Journaling Tools, Tips, Ideas and Prompts

http://blog.penzu.com/
personal journal and online diary