The quality of our lives depends on how we focus our energy and our attention.
That’s one of my favorite sayings, but, of course, that assumes we have some energy to focus. I’ve been working on that.
Eating well and getting moderate exercise — nothing strenuous but anything that feels like fun — has been my top priority since that cold wiped me out. It’s worked just fine. I’m almost ready to start uncluttering our apartment. I have a great capacity for tuning things out, so I’ve been ignoring that project while I recovered from the cold and finished (almost) dealing with the insurance paperwork while we replaced Andy’s gazillion tools and some other things up on the land. Then I celebrated that success by playing with fonts and simple graphic design. I somehow discovered my passion for that this past year and decided rewarding myself for a job well done on the house and the insurance was the best use of my time. It’s hard to keep motivated if one only does the next item on a To Do list. I have a little bit more sense than that!
Anyway, uncluttering is still on my Possibility List and I’m starting to do a little bit each day. If life doesn’t intrude it should go just fine. I do love having an uncluttered apartment, it’s just not always my top priority.
What about you? How do you energize and motivate yourself? What are your top priorities?
I motivate myself using many charts (or calendars) on which I give myself a checkmark (“gold star”) when I do the work. They’re daily physical exercises mostly.
I watched a youtube vid that recommended using a kitchen timer for motivation. Pick the project and go with 15 minutes. Ironically I end up going overtime and then feel energized to either finish or head off to do something else.
My basement was a huge job: clutter, dirt, fun times; took four sessions but it’s done. No sneezing or wheezing!! In and out.
For me, once rested I find that I get interested in something.
Priorities at the moment. My wife and my blog.
bikehikebabe,
My equivalent of a gold star is “Yay, Jean!” They’re little but powerful things.
Dixie,
Doing just a little bit each day keeps the project in my mind so my subconscious can be thinking about it. Sooner or later the mood strikes me to get a lot done, not because I should but because I want to. It’s important to figure out what works for each us.
Evan,
We’re lucky that we each have a lot of things that turn us on. I don’t take that for granted. It’s a real blessing.
Yes, it comes naturally to me. It maybe I was always this way or it may be after I discovered that I participate in creating my experience, I can’t remember now.
I was sick a lot as a kid and remember being quite puzzled and passive but that may be distortion in hindsight.
how lovely. evan’s priorities are his wife and his blog. nice.
i’m just catching up with your last two posts.
the one on being right was fascinating! i found out a lot about myself reading all your comments and the commenter’s.
i first thought “dave” was a know-all pompous poof.
then he seemed a little sadly vulnerable when he said you and the other women were ‘lucky’ and explained why he thought so.
my favorite quote on being right is from dr. wayne dyer.
yes. i know. ‘psychobabble’ … but i just like him.
he says “whenever you have the choice of being right . . .
or being kind . . .
always choose kind!”
I just like that.
and YAY!!!! to any uncluttering! you know how i love it!
it’s so much fun and it literally energizes me.
and ps…
i loved your quote about throwing the computer out the window ~ on my blog. LOLOL.
Evan,
I was so bored one summer when I was a kid that I actually got depressed. I never wanted to go through that again so when I got older I knew I had to get involved in learning and creating. I was attracted to Andy because he wasn’t interested in status, success, etc. He loved working and being involved. He’s really happy now that the house is weather-tight and warm. He’s now working on a solar hot water system for the radiant heating in the floors.
tammy,
Yes, every time I think of uncluttering I think of you. 🙂
Dave was my favorite boss ever–because he wasn’t afraid to talk about his vulnerabilities. He was also very supportive and encouraged initiative. The bantering about being right was part of a game.
By and large I follow a set routine which has served me well the last 12 years or so. As long as that works without too many distractions, I don’t have to do anything else to motivate myself. I do other interesting things on impulse and it works for me.