How to Change Your Life.

My Pinterest feed is a hilarious mix of Shakespeare, yoga, tiny houses, strange recipes, travel tips, and motivational/inspirational quotes. 

It's not a secret I've been in a slump this summer, between family matters, re-adjusting to American culture, realigning my career path, reading the news,  trying to be an active citizen, and paying rent in New York City, I've been a great ball of stress and anxiety. While I try to have a routine and accomplish certain goals and personal time each day, often my routine is the first thing sacrificed in the face of obstacles.

This is not good. This is, in fact, the opposite of good. And terrible self-care.

It's so easy to tell myself I don't have the time to do yoga, I don't have time to go out for the ingredients for a healthy meal, I don't have time to get the daily hour of creative work or meditation I had promised myself.

Then this image popped up on my mixed up Pinterest Feed;

"Instead of saying I don't have time, try saying it's not a priority."

I don't have time to meditate today becomes my mental health is not a priority. I don't have time to cook healthy meal becomes my body/eating habits are not a priority.

Wow.

For someone whose career and priorities circle around taking care of and managing other people's schedules/routines/health/personal development, I do an absolute shit job of prioritizing myself. I do not practice what I attempt to preach. It was a slap in the face as to how lazy I have become where my own needs are involved.

Then it circles back around to what I am doing with my time. Because apparently the 20 minutes I spent on Instagram was a priority this morning over 15 minutes of yoga that would have been far better for my mind/body.  

Not good. And certainly not in line with the goals I have set for myself and the goals that I try to help others set for themselves.

So I keep the question in mind throughout the day (and have a few post-its reminding me) to ask, is what I'm doing right now a priority? Is this in line with the goals I am aiming for in either the next year, or the next 5?

Spending a few hours sorting through my closet and cutting down on what I own? Absolutely in line with my goal of "traveling light" in life. Getting distracted and reading half the books/letters/clutter that I sort through causing it to take 3x as long? Not so much.  

Changing your life isn't so much about the macro level. You don't have to quit your job, leave your partner, move away, or make massive changes to see an impact. It all starts with your mindset. The micro level. 

When we are mindful of our daily choices and their impact on our growth, we can watch our live radically change and be closer to the lives we want to be leading, and crush the goals we deserve to be crushing!

We are the one thing in life we can control. But that's enough.

xoxo