Why I Know You've Got This!

I learned a deep and profound lesson in the store this week. One that woke me from a slight daze. Now don't get me wrong,  I do live a very disciplined life. I wake early every day, even weekends and holidays, checking off lists, and generally moving in the direction I desire for my life. But I have to confess, the whole Covid thing did sidetrack me for a bit.

My slight drift came to a screeching halt when I had a huge aha moment recently. It helped me regain my focus and I thought it may help you get your life journey on track as well.  
 
It all started when I ran out of toothpaste. So I decided to brave our local grocery store. I was slow at getting several things ordered and since I would be in the store for toothpaste, I thought it would be more efficient if I picked up a few other things as well. Going quickly in I decided not to take a shopping cart or basket as I thought it would slow me down. The produce aisle was first. I have to say those “gotcha” items sure do get me sometimes and I picked up some new vegetable sprinkles on an end cap along with avocados. They weren’t on my mental list, but I had room in my arms for a few extras besides the toothpaste. But a few more gotcha items later and things were not looking so good. By the time I got to the toothpaste my arms were full. I had already dropped a can of corn on aisle 3 while the eggs teetered precariously on my elbow just above the bread.  Meanwhile my arm muscles began to ache. As the bag of chocolates began to slide off the top of the eggs I realized I was still a long walk away from the cashier.
 
How many times has this ever happened to you? You go in for one thing…focus…. but in the busy-ness of the moment you lose focus and are distracted into adding something that was not part of the original plan? There were a good ten things in my arms that should not have been taking up space. They weren’t good for the diet and would never have made it on any list that was focused on my health goals.
 
Then it hit me.
Bad choices in life are like the bad choices I had made in the store. Time is just as limited as the space in my arms.

I had let small things take over my time that did not serve my goals. A little YouTube here, a little news there. Slowly but slowly little chunks of time were missing in my day. My time slots were full--much like my arms in the store—full of things that did not serve me. 
A life adrift is much the same way. A life without purpose is one filled with meaningless tasks that get you nowhere you want to be. Essentially, your "arms" will be so full of wasted time that you will have no room for the tasks that would get you where you really want to be. 
 
I’ve spoken to many business owners that are currently on pause--frozen if you will. They are completely unable to move forward or pivot. This is a very sad place to be.
 
Be careful my friend. Don’t let your life be filled with items that do not serve you in where you want to be. It happens slowly. One bad habit will lead to another. Before you know it you will be so busy, that you will have no room for what you really want, and you will find yourself, like so many of the masses, living a life without passion, without fulfillment, and without real joy. 
 
Here's the good news. You have the power to transform your life.

The first step to living a fulfilled life is to ask the right question first. The question you must answer first, before anything else can happen is this:
 
Where do you want to be in ten years? This question has to be answered first. Then after this question ask each of the questions below.
 

• Are the tasks you have chosen getting you where you want to be? 
• Are your daily habits getting you where you want to be? 
• Are the people in your life helping you get where you want to be?

 
If you answer yes to each question, then you are in good shape. If you answer no or a maybe to any of them then its time to make adjustments. 
 
In the grocery store I had to put back quite a few items. They were taking up precious real estate that I needed for the items that benefited me more. Back at home I didn’t even miss those items that were so hard to put back on the shelf. 
 
The process of letting go of the parts of your life that do not serve you is a little difficult at first blush. But ten years from now when you are exactly where you want to be, you won’t miss those people or time wasting activities one bit. 

Live awesomely,
Angela Decoteau (Deck-uh-toe)
Success Strategist, Awesome Activator
Encourage . Equip . Empower