If you’re anything like me…
You spend a lot of time on Facebook.
And Instagram.
And Pinterest.
Maybe some Twitter and YouTube thrown in, too??
And then of course, let’s not forget about all those newsletters you’re subscribed to.
And is your e-reader bursting at the seams with blogs you’re ‘following’?
Do you have tv shows you just have to watch every week?
A tower of books on your night stand?
A mile long to do list?
A never ending stream of ideas overflowing your brain?
15 different notebooks you’re actively working in?
50 healthy habits you’re trying to incorporate into your life every day?
3 different calendars?
Dare I even mention new year’s resolutions??!!
HOLY SHIT!!! WHOA WHOA WHOA! STOP!!
If your life is still full from 2012, there’s not going to be any room for all that awesome new 2013 stuff you’ve been dreaming about!
How much crap have you accumulated over the past year? And not necessarily just physical crap but habits and thoughts, too.
Sure, you use social media for your biz and all those healthy habits were started with the best of intentions and you need those calendars to keep track of all the stuff you’re doing…
BUT, how much of this stuff *actually* makes you feel good? Which are helping you accomplish the things you want and which are getting in the way?
You CAN’T just pile the new on top of the old and expect different results!
OKAY. I have a challenge for you… MINIMIZE TO MAXIMIZE!
Step 1 – Give yourself permission to have a fresh start. Let yourself off the hook for all the stuff you meant to get done in 2012 but didn’t. That’s in the past, you can’t change it now!
Step 2 – Analyze what you want. Make a list of your main goals for 2013. Keep it simple – 5 or less. Ok, now for each of those goals, choose one word that embodies that goal. You very well might come up with the same word for each goal. If you’ve already chosen a theme for 2013, skip to the next step!
Step 3 – Minimize! Go through everything you have in your life and really assess – is this in line with my themes? Am I *actually* into this?! Does this put me in a good mood? If the answer is NO, get rid of it. Reduce what you’re doing to things that meet your goals.
This task might sound daunting. Which might make you not want to do it. Start small by just committing to pay attention to how things make you feel. And then take small actions right then to change it.
Never really read that newsletter? Unsubscribe.
So and so’s Facebook statuses really trigger you and leave you distracted? Hide their updates from your feed or unfriend and unlike.
Is getting all your healthy habits in causing more damage in stress than the habit is creating good in your life? Pick one to focus on at a time.
Step 4 – Maximize! Now that you have more space in your life, sit back and let the new opportunities come your way! Warning: when you set new goals and eliminate stuff, life tends to send little testers. It’s like saying – are you SURE you don’t want this?! Be sure not to get sucked back in 😉
You don’t have to force yourself to stay involved in things that aren’t bringing a huge return – joy or otherwise.
So, what are you gonna get rid of? What do you want it to make room for?
Diggin’ this article? Sign up for The Dreamer’s Digest to get this goodness delivered straight to your inbox.
LOVE this process. I already chose my word for 2013 — balance (though of course with lots of nuances and different angles and such) — but I can totally use the minimize/maximize approach. There’s a lot I’m doing that I neither need nor want to do and that should absolutely be replaced with something I love.
Balance. Love it, Erin! The whole minimize to maximize thing totally goes along with your general biz and life theme of remaking and reusing and recycling!
Thank you for a brilliant post – I can feel the weight lifting off my shoulders already 🙂
Ali, yes! What are you going to minimize?
Permission to forgive what I didn’t get done is huge! Leaves SO much room for what I WANT to do and more importantly room to decide what that is. If you need me I will be in the lab….minimizing.
Hi Renee! Minimizing really is a science! <3
This is a high five liberating piece of work! To doing what feels good. I have put my cell phone down more and don’t go on fb as much it is liberating and I am focusing on my biz in beautiful ways.
Awesome, Luz!! What are you doing instead of being on your phone and facebook??