Now more than ever.
“It’s like everybody’s snow globes have settled. Now we can see what really matters.” John Waire
Refocus
Overwhelmed?
Right now information and news are coming at us from all angles. We’re living in flux. For many of us there are no boundaries between our work and our home. We are isolated from our friends and families. We are worried about our health, our emotional well-being, our finances, our businesses and careers. We don’t know what the next chapter in our story will be.
So much is incoming. And it can be overwhelming.
How can we regain a sense of control in our lives?
Finding what matters
You probably know what matters deep down. A run around the park, enjoying a moment of quiet at the end of the day, a laugh with a friend. But moments like this can be fleeting, and once over, too easily forgotten.
Try writing it down.
I’ve been doing this since 2013, noting down all the good things that happen every week. It all goes into a weekly list, which I start afresh every Monday.
I call it my Good Times list.
Work, family, personal. It all goes in.
Stopping to notice
“Can you stop and find stillness, a moment of joy?” Pico Iyer
My Good Times list is my simple tried and tested method for keeping me on track. It’s my best ‘app’ for tracking those experiences that get me fired-up, and it only requires a notebook and pen.
A presentation that went well. A walk through a London park (those were the days). The first coffee of the morning. Some weeks the list runs to 50+ items, others around 30.
Writing it down provides a moment of stillness. A way to check in and reflect on my life, giving me a clearer sense of who I am, what I stand for and what makes me tick.
Small Steps
“If I’m creating my path, there is no wrong step. There are just steps. Which means I just have to put one foot in front of another and walk the path life has unfolded for me.” Jerry Colonna
Putting one foot in front of the other — that’s all we can do right now. And noting down one Good Time after another is a way to move slowly, and with consideration, into who you are.
My Good Times habit has changed my outlook. It’s optimised me to scan everyday life for the positive. It’s taught me the importance of living in the moment, of noticing and of appreciating what I’ve got, and guiding me to do more of it.
Shining a light
I’ve learned that it’s those little everyday things that really fuel me. These are the parts in my daily routine that are really important.
Now more than ever.
Last week — in lockdown — I still hit 45 things on my Good Times. Walking the dog on the beach. Helping someone out on a call. Playing Lego with my boys on Saturday evening whilst sipping a rum and Coke. Joining in with our local community when we all came out to clap for the NHS.
On the surface we might feel there’s not much to celebrate. But the Good Times haven’t gone, they’ve simply changed.
And they remind us how precious the ordinary can be.
What makes you feel alive?
“Anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.” David Whyte.
By putting our attention on what gives us contentment, energy and pleasure, we will attract more of it. Scanning for the Good Times brings us more of them.
And when we get stuck, or lost, or overwhelmed, we have the fuel to power us and get going again.
A simple ritual
My Good Times has also given me a different measure of success. Instead of fretting about the £, I use Good Times to holistically assess where I’m at in my life. Because what makes up each of my lists are the experiences that really make me feel me. They help me stay on the right path as I keep my values and those things I care about close by as I make my way in life.
It’s the one simple daily ritual to ensure I stay focused on what’s important.
Are you ready?
If there’s one thing you want to do, do this.
At the end of each day reflect on those thoughts, moments and experiences that made you feel most you. That brought you joy. That made you feel energised and alive. Waving to a neighbour. Reading a novel. A stimulating conversation with a friend or colleague.
Grab a notebook and pen — write them down.
At the end of the week look back over the list. What patterns emerge? What do you need to do more of? And keep it going.
Let me know how you get on.
Ian
