If you're anything like me, you may sit a think...a lot. There are many ideas rolling around your head: some exciting, some less so.
Earlier on last year I attended a course on Time by Kayte at Simple and Season. During the session, there were people from all walks of life, in various careers, striving for more time to do the things they love, to be more efficient with their work and to have more fulfilment in their life. I have to say it was emotional watching others getting upset because they felt they didn't have enough time to do things they wanted to do and didn't value what they have the ability - if more time was given - to do. The course gave us an insight of practical ways and approaches to sort out time issues and use time more effectively.
I started to implement timings such as keeping 15 minutes (which was implemented so I could clean due to COVID) between most of my lessons just to set up, grab a cuppa and have a wee. Additionally, I added extra time to things so I wasn't over estimated finishing times. I wrote SMART lists everyday of things to do. But the one thing I didn't do was set up time for me.
During the Christmas holidays, it was time to have a bit of clarity.
The first thing was to sort out our home to be minimal. As a family over the last four years, we have been gradually selling, upcycling, recycling and giving away quite a bit of the items we have accumulated over the many years. After reading Minimal: How to simplify your life and live sustainably, by Madeleine Olivia, this give me the final push to declutter the rest of our unwanted items over Christmas. It was the final stage and quite a serious declutter: wedding card, old furniture, clothes, boxes, collections...the lot went or is going (eBay takes time!). A minimal home, gives a clearer mind. I am currently making changes to be more sustainable too. That's another chapter.
But one area that was huge for my mind was learning how to detail with such overwhelming thoughts, procrastination and to stop people pleasing. A big fault of mine. My friend linked me into a podcast I listened to which was inspiring: The Holistic Psychologist. The ladies spoke about boundaries and the importance of them...saying no!
To link this podcast further and that game changer moment was with Sally Hardie. Sally Hardie was inspirational in a live chat I had with her in the Instaretreat by Sara Tasker a few months back. But as well as my personal coaching, listening to others that both Sally and Sara spoke to were truly thought provoking and were very relatable. On Sally's website, she advertises a free course about how to stop people pleasing. I enrolled and took part in the five day course. I was extremely inspired and her advice (which has been extensively researched) has totally changed my mind about thoughts, choices and boundaries.
Each day I have a thought download journal. All my thoughts as jotted down as I speak of them in my head. Then I set them out as a choice and delve deep into my feelings, changing them into something positive and making a choice. Hopefully this will give more positive results due to the choices and actions I make.
The choices may result in me saying no. It's not you. It's just I can't do it right now. I maybe able to in the future. I am prioritising my time. I am thinking of self care. At the end of the day, I want to be an effective art teacher and painter, not one that can't think straight because I haven't eaten or drank properly, not had chance to paint, not got up to date with courses, not done my exercise or passed ships with my family for three days.
You could do the same too. Those thoughts of 'I can't draw.' 'I have no time to create,' come from thoughts and choices. 'I choose to give drawing a go.' 'I used to paint, so I'll choose to have another go at it.' 'I'll paint instead of watching TV.'
Why not give it a go? What do you have to lose? I am certainly trying it.
If you're local to me (Evesham, UK), I have an adult painting workshop taking place on Tuesdays 18th, 25th, January, 1st, 8th and 15th February. 12:45-2:45 in my studio. Come and give it a go. You may surprise yourself. But there are only 5 spaces!
Thank you: @sallyhardie_coach @me_and_orla @simpleandseason @madeleineolivia
I'm not getting any payment from these businesses or links.