Clarity Shot #6
Green tea with mint
Watching the clouds pass on a blue sky
Afternoon in Barcelona, sipping smoothies by the beach
Avocado toast & poached eggs
Dark chocolate
Smelling the rain
West End musicals
15 mins of HIIT
My AC/DC playlist, headphones on, dancing my heart out
Mango
Playing with my fluffy cat
Chilling in the hammock, listening to birds chirping
Agatha Christie plays
5 mins of sunshine on my face
Watching my kids fall asleep
Journalling with my fave fountain pen
Reading a good novel
Mille-feuille
Making snow angels
Vanilla & coffee scented candles
Macro photos
Learning Spanish
Writing without purpose, just watching my thoughts bubble up to the surface
Peanut butter & blueberries
Skiing
...
Oh, I love making lists! They bring me peace of mind and the sense that everything is, even for a few moments, ok in my world.
Neatly-folded and categorized…
Lists for packing for various holidays, lists of places I want to see, lists of books I want to read, lists of things we need to buy or replace for our family... even lists of questions I'd like to reflect on, when I have a bit of time.
This one, is different.
Special.
My most treasured & most used list.
✨ My "feel-good" list ✨
A menu of options that is guaranteed to work, whenever I need to change my internal state, for the positive.
My emergency kit for days when I feel overwhelmed, down, worn out by life and its pressure, responsibilities and unmet expectations.
On those days, my self-strategy starts with looking at this list.
Looking for things that bring me joy - and doing them immediately or scheduling them soon.
(because just looking... at a list or a post like this one, won't change a thing. Action will!)
As you see, it's a very mixed list...
It contains things that are in my reach, little moments that brighten my days & help me remember that, even in my darkest hours, I can find positive stuff to enjoy and be grateful for (and that's not so easy to remember, in dark hours, right?)
It also has bigger things that need planning, resources and buy-in with my key, stubborn stakeholders (those charming-naughty 8 & 11 year-olds who often don't agree with "mommy needs to get to the beach for some alone time to restore her calm self")
So I'm wondering... what's on your "feel-good" list?
Do you have it written, or is it just in your head?
Is it saved in your phone, copied in each of your notebooks or planners, or proudly displayed on post-it notes around your house?
How often do you schedule joy, in your days?
Things that don't get scheduled have less chances of getting done, as life brings so many unexpected fires to our days, that empty spaces in the diary don't quite remain empty for long.
So why not be proactive and schedule it (as you'd schedule a game of squash, or a manicure appointment that makes you feel like a million bucks?)
Here are 5 simple steps:
Write down your list and keep it close.
Look at it, each morning, and pick one thing / activity to add to your day.
Schedule it to your calendar, even though it's a 10 minutes slot. Mark it somehow special (glittery pen, or a special colour if you're using classical notebooks; highlighter & stickers, if you're using a digital notebook).
Treat it as a special moment, and enjoy it with all your heart.
Observe how it changes your days, after one month of daily joy added to your calendar. See what works for you, and build on what you discover.
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