Who Pushed the Fast Forward Button?
Button-Fast-Forward-icon
I grew up in Los Angeles and as a teenager I knew the big city culture was not to my liking. I wanted a slower pace of life, more authentic relationships and a simpler world to navigate. Immediately after my 18th birthday I moved 500 miles north to attend college in Sonoma County. I remember the astonished looks on people’s faces when I told them where I was going. Back then Sonoma County was considered a backwater rural community. I will admit that part of the draw was being only 45 minutes from San Francisco. Yes, San Francisco was a city, but a small city and it was also a hotbed of political and cultural activity, which very much appealed to me. I loved the idea of living rurally yet having easy access to the city life. I still live in Sonoma County and it has grown and changed a lot over time, but it continues to be the right place for me 40 years later. The point of this historical narrative is to remind myself and share with you that I have a long standing appreciation for simpler, slower and authentic.
Today the pace of life is rapid fire, distractions abound, and we often live in overwhelm and impossibility. I am wondering who pushed the fast forward button and sent us on this journey of never enough time with so many demands that we can’t possibly keep up with them. We are constantly running from one responsibility to another with no time for a deep breath, a sit down meal, or quality interactions with those we love.
My conundrum is figuring out how to disconnect and stay current, how to disengage and not lose touch, how to stay contemporary while being disengaged. I struggle daily with this dilemma and am constantly pushing myself forward, looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, the space where I can take a deep breath without letting any of the balls drop. In some ways this is indicative of my being a high energy, action oriented woman who is committed to meeting her business obligations while always looking for ways to improve, collaborate, and expand.
My self-worth and self-esteem are connected to how I move through the world (high energy, action oriented) which in combination with the fast forward button being stuck in the on position present a huge obstacle for me. What I have learned over time is that I have to implement self-care activities in order to thrive in this challenging paradigm.
10 Ways to Thrive and Have a Life
Meditate
Exercise
Say No
Focus ONLY on targeting your Ideal Client
Collaborate with strategic partners that match you
Strive for alignment in all that you say and do
Don’t get sucked into reading email all day long, schedule 2-3 times a day to review and respond
Break down your projects into small manageable pieces and calendar deadlines
Be flexible and reasonable with your expectations; Rome was not built in a day
Delegate-get help-build a team
These ideas are the tip of the proverbial iceberg, but implementing any one of these actions will have a positive impact on your work-life balancing act. Please share your ways of thriving when your fast forward button is stuck in the “on” position.