1,2,3 for Week #22

Summer kicked off with this Memorial Day holiday weekend here in the US. For most, a return to summer of yore pre-COVID. Over 50% of Americans have shown to have taken the first shot at least, with a little less than that two shots. Myself, just 4 days away from being vaccinated completely, I am looking forward to summer a little less restricted. I’ll still wear a mask. I’ll still practice safe distance. Both of which probably for most of the summer if not all summer. Never the less, I am glad summer is here finally and I can be outside more than ever safely.

I found by being more present in my day, I have minutes I’ve flushed down the toilet previously with out a second thought. Minutes that add up to hours of time wasted that could have been repurposed by stacking them on top of things that I was already doing. We’re never so busy, we can’t learn during that busyness at the same time. Here’s the idea of stacking. My average commute to work is roughly 45 minutes. I check into that car and check out an audiobook of a book I can’t seem to find time to read, and in a week, I have finished said book. Instead of just wasting my time listening to the radio and commercials on the morning gab show that is on, I got a book that is being read to me. Most of the time by the very author that wrote it. It takes roughly 10 minutes to make my morning coffee. From the brewing it to steeping it, I can get in a 10 minute meditation while I wait instead of just walking around the house aimlessly. Repurpose your time by stacking it so you can get the most out of it. Try this. Write out what you do everyday from the time you get up to the time you go to bed on a piece of paper or in an organizer of your choice. Come back at the end of that week and find out how much time you could stack and repurpose to be beneficial.
If the world just stoped buying stuff what would happen? Fast Company would love to give that a shot with What Would Happen if the World Stopped Shopping by explaining how the world’s consumption has now surpassed the population and why it is BAD for us. As one who is in the process of shedding needless stuff this helped me understand why continuing to do just that is a great thing to do. But then also, not add to it again by buying more because I have more room for it. Imposter Syndrome. It’s real. I’ve had it in my lifetime a few times. To many times. This thought that I’m not worthy enough to have earned what I have earned. I’m not alone in this, as research has found as many as 82% of the people out there have experienced imposter syndrome. How to Make Friends with Your Inner Imposter dares to imagine something better for ourselves. You ARE worthy.
Here’s the quotes that stood out to me this week and what they meant to me as I grabbed them:

“Whatever you want to do, if you want to be great at it, you have to love it and be able to make sacrifices for it.” – Maya Angelou
Being great at something requires discipline and a lot of hard work. Since we don’t have infinite pockets of time, sacrifices will have to be made. If you’re not in love with it, those sacrifices will mean nothing. They’ll frustrate and just anger you instead of inspire you to continue.

“Life is practice. Practice is life.” – Headspace Mantra
Practice hard. It’s that simple. Stay in the game. Get in the pool. Swim.

“Your comfort zone is a wonderful place but nothing ever grows there.”
Nothing does grow in our comfort zone. It’s like a rest stop. To contemplate. Reflect. Then move on to grow. Get off the “couch” and start something you’ve always wanted to. Then move on to the next. Before you know it, you’re a Doctor of medicine.

That’s your week of thought, reading, and quotes. Welcome to summer!

✌🏻 Shawn