I remember in college, hanging out with my then boyfriend. As I looked dreamily into space, he said – “what are you thinking?” He was hoping I might say I was thinking about him – but no – I was thinking about what I was always thinking about – my To-Do list! I was running through what needed doing. I was living in my list.
And that was before kids and work and house and making 3 meals a day, elderly parents, and the other zillion things that a re on the list now!
Can you relate to the non-stop pressure of what needs to get done to make your life happen?
Right now, I’m hearing it more than ever, from clients and friends. “I’ve got so much to do…there’s no time for me.”
I call this LIVING THE LIST – because that’s what we’re doing – we are living our list instead of LIVING OUR LIFE fully!
I know our lists are important, they keep the family train going…groceries, appointments for the kids, and more. I’m not saying ditch the list (I’m a list master!).
What I’m proposing is to ditch the urgency and anxiety that goes with the list. Our sense of racing and always being behind is what keeps us in living the list, versus living our life with a list that supports us.
Here are 3 strategies to help you shift from LIVING THE LIST into LIVING YOUR LIFE.
Breathing
Gratitude:
When we are perpetually focused on “what’s next – what else do I need to get done,” we are putting our attention towards what’s not done and what’s incomplete. We are focused on what’s lacking. That’s an exhausting and anxious state of mind to live in.
Support:
Along with the endless to-do list often comes the belief that we can, or should, do it all ourselves.If we spend time each day focusing on what’s done – what’s complete, what’s right and good in our day – we step into the power of gratitude. Gratitude is potent…it connects us to what’s bigger than us in the world.
In my experience, gratitude is a direct line to spirit, energy, divinity (or whatever you call it). And there’s nothing that gets me out of living the list faster than feeling my connection to all the god-ness and good-ness in the world.
My invitation to you…
Choose one of the strategies above, to experiment with this week.
Don’t write it down on your to-do list. Put it on a post-it and put that onto your computer or your mirror – somewhere you’ll see it and be inspired. Just seeing the words: Breath, Gratitude, Support…can bring you back to center.
During this busy time of year, it’s especially important to find do-able strategies that turn us back to ourselves, connecting us with truly living, and loving our life.
And, If you’re ready to step into the ultimate support that allows you to be a human-BEING (not a human DOING) and live your LIFE (not your list), I’d like to invite you to invite you to chat with me about how you can truly create a life of true nourishment.
Working with me is all about feeling good from the inside out. It’s about stepping into do-able daily habits that bring you back to feeling centered and connected to the goodness of your life. It’s about loving your life and loving your body.
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Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, certified Health Coach and Psychology of Eating Coach believes that every women deserves to feel good in their own body. She helps women create a healthy and positive relationship with their food and body so they can love their body and life! She’s the founder of NinaManolson.com and NourishedWomanNation.com
She helps busy women look and feel their best. She specializes in working with women over 40 who have tried other diets and approaches but are still struggling with their body and food. She helps women step into a new wellness paradigm that makes it real and do-able and makes self-care a sustainable healthy habit.
She’s the author of “Feed Your Kids Well In A World That Doesn’t: an everyday guide to make healthy food happen in your home and beyond”. She’s also the recipient of the prestigious Health Leadership Award from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
To get your F.R.E.E. Video Series “What to do now, when everything you’ve done hasn’t worked” by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.
Nina Manolson, MA, is the founder of Body-Peace®.She helps women end the war with food and body and finally feel truly at home in their body—as it is.
She is known for her deeply feminist, anti-diet, body-peace® approach. She brings her 30 years of experience as a therapist, Body-Trust® Guide and Psychology of Eating Teacher to helping women create a respectful and trusting relationship with their food and body.
Nina’s Body-Peace® work is all in service of helping people get off the diet roller-coaster, and into a compassionate and powerful way of eating & living which creates a positive long-lasting change in and with their bodies. Her courses, coaching, poems and Body-Peace APP positively change the conversation that women are having with their body.
Start your Body-Peace® journey with this free masterclass that will help you understand and shift your relationship with your body.
