Hello dear friends!
It’s hard to believe, but here we are! We’re heading into the last quarter of the year. In my conversations with different people about 2020 and how they will live this last quarter, I’ve gotten a variety of reactions. But most of them are some variation of, “This year has been horrible! I can’t wait for it to be over!”. They dream of 2021 and the promise of “a better life”.
I think most of us can agree that the events of this year have made 2020 an exceptionally challenging year! Even without taking into consideration our own personal struggles, the past six and a half months have stretched us in ways that we never dreamed of! Constantly shifting and seeking something, anything that resembles the old normal can leave us feeling depleted, drained, and disengaged. It’s no wonder the general attitude is “Good riddance 2020! Don’t let the door hit you in the **s!”
Even without the occurrence of world-changing events, sometimes we come to the end of a year and just need a boost to re-energize us for the remaining quarter. Refreshing and refocusing for the fourth quarter doesn’t have to be complicated! In fact, taking some small simple steps can be just the fuel you need to feed the fire and live this last quarter well.
It’s surprising how even small changes can be make a big difference! Where do you need to refocus? How will you re-energize? What kind of shift would you like to make? How will you do it? Here are some ideas to help get you started:
- SET GOALS FOR THE LAST QUARTER – Take 30 minutes to think about what you would LOVE to get done before the end of this year. Consider the following questions to help you with this:
- What am I tired of?
- What would make the biggest difference in my life?
- What one thing would I regret not accomplishing this year?
- What are my top 3 priorities? What are they asking for?
2. EVALUATE YOUR HABITS – Change ONE habit that no longer serves you well. Take a few minutes to consider your daily habits. What habits are self-sabotaging? For example, I find that if I pick up my phone first thing, I’m tempted to check in with email, messages, etc. Before I know it, my morning is derailed and my whole day is off. So, the positive habit I’m working on is not picking up my phone until my morning routine has been accomplished! What about you? How are you sabotaging yourself? What could you do differently? What will you say “no” to this quarter?
3. HONOR YOUR SENSES – Considering each of your five senses, make sure you offer each of them something new to look forward to this quarter! (sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch) How about fresh flowers, diffusing a new scent or playing jazz music during dinner?
4. RE-EVALUATE YOUR ROUTINES– Examine your daily routine and consider where you can make changes to keep things feeling fresh! Try changing up your morning or bedtime routine. Find a new “favorite mug” or name a regular night of the week to try new recipes. Basically, look for ways to do your day differently! Here are some questions to help you:
- What can I STOP doing?
- What is something NEW I can do?
- Where can I change the order of WHEN I do things?
- Where can I change HOW I do something?
5. REFRESH YOUR SURROUNDINGS – Consider the environment you spend most of your time in. How can you give I a boost? Add flowers or new artwork, clean out the clutter, or move the furniture! Whatever you do, change it up enough to make it feel fresh and give your brain the signal that things are different!
6. BREATHE BETTER – Yep! It’s true! Breathing is one of those things that we take for granted, and it turns out that HOW we breathe actually matters! Besides all the health benefits of breathing well, it’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to refocus and re-energize yourself! Try it – Start with a cleansing breath using your belly instead of your chest, inhale through your nose fill your lungs and exhale blowing out through your mouth. Now, inhale through your nose for a count of 6, hold your breath for a count of 7, and exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. Do this up to 4 times in a row. Breathing like this helps oxygenate the blood which gives you more energy!
I can’t disagree; this has been a difficult and exhausting year! However, my hope for you is that you can live this fourth quarter with a renewed focus and energy so that you can achieve your optimal life! I’d love to hear how you use the ideas I share in this article! Also, I’d love to talk more with you about how you can live your best life! If you’d like to explore the possibility of working together, email me at [email protected] to schedule your complimentary coaching session!
Love and Blessings,
Ruth