Sometimes we aren’t aware of the things we do that become a daily pattern, like an assembly line of actions and activities that spell “Boring” with a capital B. Sometimes we end up hitting the repeat button on what we do, what we eat, what we wear, how we perform, how we look, what we say, and how we approach a brand new day with the same old boring habits in tow. We occasionally do something different to break this apparent spell of monotony, but then find ourselves slipping back into the same old song, just on a different day. Sometimes we have been doing it for so long that we don’t even notice it. It’s akin to the dog forever chasing its tail.
Get back to living do the things you love if you’re unable to do those things as you want Modify, improvise, customize, and rise above.
Even the days change, whether we do or not. Sometimes you have to shake things up a bit and change seats with monotony. You didn’t come this far to only come this far. You haven’t lived until you actually do it.
“Focus on being productive instead of being busy.” -Anonymous
The grind is real, or so they say. Oh, honey, don’t you know I have to frequently put myself in check when I am reminded of the above quote? Sometimes, I am supercharged and hyperactive when I am trying to fulfill my so-called time management schedule with my daily tasks. So when I question the quality of my busyness, the answer must meet the criteria of quality accomplishments beyond a reasonable doubt, or else I find myself depleted of energy, stressed out, and starting over again. I must be committed and make sure I am not entangled by my choices of mass societal influences with a flight crew of stress.Â
Are we burning out so fast with overzealousness that we are creating a bomb of burnout? Are we swelling into a busyness trap from the vapors of energy? I know I don’t need to give you a step-by-step method or list about how to reduce our overwhelm resulting from busyness. We reflect on how we have been trained and conditioned to stay busy, thinking this would lead to productivity but does it? Do we gain any traction of productivity in response to our weaponry of busyness? Are we truly being efficient or merely becoming a representation of the concept of being busy just to stay busy? Well, if you are feeling worn out and tired, recheck your schedule and “busyness list” of things to do. Can you delegate some of the items on your busyness list to someone else? Or is there a need to delete or rearrange some items on that list to give you breathing room to make some quality accomplishments? Check yourself before you wreck yourself! (as rapper Ice Cube would say)
Invaluable…that’s what you are. What will you learn today that you didn’t learn before? So many people are sadly sitting on and squandering their gifts and talents. So many people are simply existing, thinking they have gone as far as they can go in life. Simply carve another path, in a new direction, and then continue to pave and expand your mind, thoughts, and creativity to new heights that will fulfill your purpose. Personal change can provide the platform for unlimited opportunities and possibilities for you.
I was reminded of this message about the power of touch when I watched a show on TV last week, where the character, a well-renowned surgeon, had already self-diagnosed himself when he came into the emergency room. He requested a specific doctor who was one of his former med students. One of the things this surgeon taught his students was to be aware of when patients are nearing the end of their life or when many have received a weighty diagnosis and never forget to administer compassion and the human touch. During times like these, people are afraid and feel alone. He told them to hold the patient’s hand in order to comfort them and assure them that they were not alone.
Image Credit: RODNAE Productions
While I understand that doctors have many patients to see, it’s always a good practice to be sensitive and have good bedside manners, by not speaking too clinically but relaying the patient’s condition to them and their families with an ounce of empathy and compassion. I remember having to remind my mother’s doctor of her frosty attitude when mom was having her leg amputated. I took her aside and asked that she up her ante on her compassion quotient and lessen her brash, no-nonsense, hands-off clinical approach when discussing mom’s surgery in front of her because that was my mother, not an animal. I didn’t get into analyzing this doctor’s attitude with her, I simply asked her to be mindful of the way she spoke about my mother’s condition in front of her and us. Maybe that was this doctor’s approach to avoid getting too close to her patients. But, during the rest of my mother’s stay in the hospital, I didn’t have to worry about her doctor’s rigidity after that.
The power of touch, that compassionate and empathetic physical gesture, is something we yearn for when we feel broken and dismayed. Hospitals aren’t the only places to administer such sensitivity and humanness.
Never underestimate the healing power of a gentle touch or a soothing, reassuring tone in your voice. Whether giving someone a hug or holding their hand as they deal with a difficult situation, approach your nonverbal gesticulation with heartfelt kindness. You never know when you will need an empathetic, loving, and caring touch.
Do you ever pause to mock time? Well, it’s ok to mock time. Now, you’ve seen this procedure occur with marching bands performing in a parade or during military drills. You march in place but you don’t stop stepping in place unless the leader signals you to halt.
I was recently reminded of one of our pastor’s sermons I heard growing up, about mocking time. He touched on something way back then that made me remember him saying, “Sometimes we get to a crossroads where we just don’t know which way we should go. During such times, we have to stand where we are and mock time and then ask God which way we must go and trust his answer before we proceed.” Of course, our pastor didn’t hesitate to demonstrate his point as he stepped from behind his pulpit, taking regimented steps for optic’s sake. I wanted to rise from the pew and mock time too. 😜
Sometimes we can work ourselves up into a tizzy, finding that we are swirling out of control and can’t regain our composure. We can get so wired up and out of sorts that we lose our focus and momentum. Then, we become confused until we forget where we are or what we’re doing.
As we plan our goals accordingly and begin pumping high-octane energy into these projects, we find that sometimes these plans go smoothly, and sometimes they can be an overwhelming challenge because we have hit a really hard speed bump. Slow down before moving too fast. We must regroup before we can move on. Hence, mocking time (simply taking a much-needed pause) can be the respite we must take before moving forward and making an unwise decision. Just remember, it’s okay.
There are some things we must do for ourselves before others will help us on our way. Let your dreams lead you to some breathtaking, and unforgettable adventures. But the first thing you have to do is to wake up, rise up, get ready, and get going.
“If you can find even one thing to be grateful for, it will restore you to the Light. Please, dear God, let me always feel gratitude for something, even a tiny thing, in even the hardest situations.” -Unknown
Before we can truly appreciate the great things, we must first stop, look and listen to the smallest of things that could make a bigger and more rewarding impact on our hearts, minds, and spirits. It’s not complicated but takes just a few moments of your time to reflect. Have a FANtabulous day everyone. 🌞
In recent days many unexpected things occurred that were pleasant surprises. Several people have said, “Well, isn’t that a coincidence?” As I have gotten older, I have pondered on that common catchphrase and thought of it a little differently.
So, a coincidence is an occasion when two or more similar things happen simultaneously, especially in a way that is unlikely and surprising. Some people may call it confirmation, luck, or synchronicity. For me, such occurrences are a manifestation of a spiritual and physical alignment when such unexpected events cross paths or meet at a juncture. Some may say the stars or the universe are aligning, and perhaps they are. For me, I call it Divine Intervention.
Yet, I believe the inevitable will be what it will be, whether you plan for it or not. The pleasant surprises are always comforting and encouraging, hitting you with a burst of energy. Unpleasant crossover occurrences may throw you for a loop, sucker-punch you, and leave us hitting the replay buttons in our mind, evaluating and wondering why. Sometimes that seemingly “bad” thing could be a good thing. It could make room for the better, but you may have to wait for it. We set a lot of things in motion, but when such coincidences occur, they could be signs for improvement we can’t ignore.
Somewhere around the world, someone is laughing somewhere around the world, someone is crying somewhere around the world, someone is celebrating somewhere around the world, someone is dying somewhere around the world, someone is hungry somewhere around the world, someone is suffering somewhere around the world, someone is lonely somewhere around the world, someone is tormented somewhere around the world, someone is dreaming somewhere around the world, someone is imagining somewhere around the world, someone is curious somewhere around the world, someone is creating.
Sometimes we take things for granted, not realizing that we are. Around the world, somewhere out there, people are doing a multitude of things, feeling a multitude of emotions in a multitude of situations. Love will see us through if we let our light shine to overpower the darkness, making room for the empowering things to come.
From Behind the Pen 