Loving the Chaos

Sometimes it seems that time is passing so quickly.

I was in a store the other day and there were Christmas items on display. Yikes! We haven’t even gotten to Thanksgiving or Halloween yet!

One of the reasons that time feels like its flying by is that we put our attention and focus on things coming in the future rather than being present to this day.

Did you know there are 100 days left in this year?

That’s a lot of time to accomplish things if you focus on each and every day between now and the year end.

In 100 days you could….

lose as much as 28 pounds (at a healthy 2 pounds a week)

read 7 books (at an average of two weeks per book)

declutter 3 rooms (taking on one room per month)

walk 150 miles (at a leisurely 1.5 miles per day)

Before you know it we will all be singing Auld Lang Syne and thinking about 2009. If you make some conscious choices every day between now and then, not only will time have passed, but you will have some success to show for it.

Starting October 1

you can join my free 30 day challenge.  It’s a great way for you to get started making something positive happen during the last 100 days of this year. More about my 30 day challenge in the next few days.

What could YOU do in 100 days?

Ask Laurel…

Spring seems to be the perfect time for a fresh start. How can I spring clean my life?

There is something wonderful about spring that puts us in the mood to spruce things up. Maybe it’s the longer days or the warmer temperatures or things growing in the garden. Spring is traditionally a great time to clean house in more ways than one.

Taking care of clutter

Most of us hold on to things far longer than they serve us. Do you have a collection of useful junk that you are hoarding? Take some time to declutter physically, spiritually and emotionally. Sort through the stuff that is piling up around you and donate it to a charity, have a garage sale or toss it out. If you have lots of clutter, simply begin with one drawer or closet.

Next think about de-cluttering your relationships. Sometimes you outgrow a relationship and its time to move on. Sometimes you find yourself surrounded by negative people. It’s okay to shift away from some relationships so that you can move on to others. You’ll have more time and energy for the people that matter most to you.

Your spiritual life needs a little extra attention every now and then too. Now is a great time to reconnect with, or deepen your connection with, your heart and soul. Commune with nature, meditate, worship on a consistent basis.

Refesh your routines

When we spring clean we are shaking off the dust and grime from the winter. You can use that same idea to refresh your routines. What’s become stale in your life? How can you infuse some new energy? What do you need to pay more attention to? Find a different fitness activity, try a new recipe, give up TV, or take up a hobby. You’ll be amazed at what a fresh start can do for you.

What life coaching question would you like to ask Laurel?

Ask Laurel…

I hear all the time “don’t sweat the small stuff.” How can I begin to do that?

We all get distracted by little annoyances, wanting to get it right or our particular pet peeves. When we let them become the focus of our days, we tend to feel irritated and overwhelmed.  The key to not sweating the small stuff is being clear about the big stuff. What matters most to you? In the big scheme of things, are mismatched socks, Cheerios for dinner or how the dishwasher is loaded really all that important?

When you are feeling overwhelmed or annoyed, one simple technique to try is to stop and ask yourself, “Will this really matter one year from today?” If the answer is no, then take a deep breath and let it go.  If the answer is yes, then take a deep breath and re-focus with that in mind.

Another way to sweat less of the small stuff is to have less of it on your plate. Get back to basics. Are you someone who tends to say yes to too many commitments? Do you have difficulty saying no because you feel guilty or selfish? Learning some simple tricks to setting boundaries can go a long way in having less small stuff to deal with.

Here’s the most important reason to let the little things go.

Richard Carlson, the author of the “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” series of books, died unexpectedly at the age of 45. You can be sure he was very glad that his short life was not cluttered up by small stuff.

What life coaching question would you like to ask Laurel?

I’ve been traveling a lot lately and have seen my share of airports and planes.  The inevitable wait time provides endless opportunities for reflection and observation.  It seems to me there are some lessons to be learned on the airplane that make darn good sense for the rest of your life.

Too much baggage is not good. 

You can usually tell the people who don’t travel too often.  They’re likely the ones whose carry-on bags will never fit into those sizing devices no matter how much they shove and cram.  Or they’re found kneeling at the check-in counter scrambling to try to share the contents of their suitcases with their traveling companions so they meet the baggage weight restrictions. 

Too much baggage is never a good thing when you are traveling.  It’s an even worse idea as you travel through life.  We all have a tendency to hold on to stuff long past when it serves us.  Just like packing too much for a trip, people pack away physical and emotional things until they are way over their limit.  What thoughts, hurts, perspectives, relationships, and clutter are you dragging around with you?  Deciding to travel light just makes the whole trip - in life or to the beach - so much easier.

Put on your oxygen mask first.

If you travel much at all, you likely tune out when the flight attendant begins the safety demonstration thinking, “I’ve heard it before….yeah, yeah, seatbelt, nearest exit, oxygen mask.”  I’ve always wondered when those little masks drop from the overhead compartment, how many people will actually follow the directions and put on theirs first before assisting others?

If how well people practice self-care is any indication, not too many.  Most people are quick to take care of everyone else’s needs before they attend to their own.  Do you fill your day up with other people’s commitments and priorities and leave no time for your own?  Do you put your self-care - relaxation, exercise, nutrition - last on the list?  There’s a reason why you put your oxygen mask on first.  It’s a good lesson to keep in mind - take care of you so you can take care of others.

Keep your seatbelt fastened in case of turbulence.

Not to long ago there was an incident where a plane unexpectedly dropped several thousand feet and of course any one not wearing their seatbelt had a rather unpleasant encounter with the ceiling of the plane.  Even though it’s suggested that you keep your seatbelt loosely fastened, many people wait for the seatbelt sign to go off and then unbuckle.  When unexpected turbulence hits, they’re left scrambling to buckle themselves in.

Keeping your seatbelt on is one way to stay grounded in the plane.  If it does get a little bumpy, you’re securely buckled into your seat.  Knowing what keeps you grounded in life is a great way to ride through the rockier times. It might be your spiritual faith, or certain rituals and routines, or conversation with special people. Do you know what keeps you grounded?  Do you practice that regularly or do you wait for tough times?  We never know when uncertain times will hit in life.  Always being connected to what keeps you grounded makes it easier to weather the turbulence no matter how or when it shows up.

What life lessons have you learned from the airplane?