MINDING YOUR MIND

It is almost the end of the year and some are not ready to start a New Year or a new season for that matter. Life has been hectic most especially the past 3 years of the pandemic as our world took an unbelievable turn. It has changed the world as we know it and it has most definitely demanded we change from the inside out.
One of the fundamental changes we needed to do is become aware of our thoughts and how we spend our day for our thoughts govern our everyday lives in more ways than one. Our thoughts have the power to either make our day great or miserable. Our mind has trillions of thoughts it is processing throughout the day. Our mind is all about what we are thinking, feeling and choosing all happening in seconds. It is the place where we process our thoughts. We never stop thinking. When we are eating, driving, working, we continue to think, feel and choose all in seconds. Somebody has to be responsible for what is going on in my mind. The only one responsible for my mind is ME. No one else! Why? Because my thoughts, create my beliefs and my beliefs create the choices I make thus the life I live. Therefore the thoughts we process will determine how well we lead our lives.

Our minds can be like the wild wild west where anything and everything comes and goes or it can be orderly, serene, and clear having direction and clarity for the first step and then the second and so on. Having clarity does not guarantee that we will not be overwhelmed but it will at least help us get back on track. Our minds can literally either make or break our everyday!
Here are a few tips that have helped me declutter my thoughts so that it is more manageable and less chaotic when it comes to organising my day so that it is productive.
1-Write down all the facts and tasks that need to be carried out. Don’t trust your brain to remember them.
2- Place them in order of priority
3- Ask yourself how long will each take to get done and who can support you to get it done.
4- Take time to schedule them in your calendar for the month or week.
5- Each day, go through the plan for the day and keep it before you so that you can take a quick glance throughout the day. It helps me stay on track.
6- Remember, progress and not perfection is the motto.
If something does not get done, smile and take a deep breath – tomorrow is a new day and be grateful for the ONE thing you got done. If you didn’t get anything done, smile and tell your beautiful self ‘let’s go back to the board and work on it again.’ It never pays to get mad at yourself – being a perfectionist is not being realistic.
7- Get an accountability partner who loves you enough to tell you the truth while cheering you on to be your best version as you carry out the goals and tasks of the day, weeks and months.
Becoming aware of our thoughts and managing them is a step towards creating a productive day.

Anna Marangoudaki, MA, ACC
Personal Development Coach