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Life
is fun when you look forward to it:
I had lunch with my friend Pam last week and we sat beside 4 seniors
who were celebrating one of their 90th birthdays. So the birthday
boy, says to me just after they sat down and we introduced ourselves,
"I'll bet you are a scream in the sack" to which I responded
by buying him a birthday beer. I giggled all day.
What do you love to do outside of this thing we call a job?
In my research, I have found that most of us do our "jobs"
pretty well, we are OK at being accountable for the work we commit
to. But most of us do our life outside of work, pretty crappy!
We are not accountable at all to our lives outside of work. Only
a small percentage (less than 5%) of us are accountable for our
lives outside of the day to day that we commit to, so it's no wonder
why we wake up at 35, 45, 55 and sometimes 65years of age and ask:
"Where did my life go? Why am I not doing what I really want
to do? This job is getting in the way of my LIFE!"
But where do we start, how do we change this? It's not as
easy as it sounds, but hopefully I will give you some nudging to
get you started and remember; it's all about just getting started.
Let the momentum carry you through the next transition. Get
a pen and paper and write down as many things as you can in about
5 minutes to this question.
1. "If you were given 2 extra hours in
a day, not if you could find those hours, they are a gift, what
would you do with that time?" (Note: you cannot put down anything
work related).
Here are some suggestions
to probe your mind.
Read more, sleep more, eat
more, shop more, workout more, get outside more, play with your
kids more, golf more, do your sport more, write more, play your
music more, travel more, visit with a friend more, be of service
to others, plan a dinner party, dilly dally around your house
more, fool around more (and if that's what you choose, you have
to figure out what you'll do with the other hour and 55 minutes.
:o) I suggest sleep more!
2. Next
thought: "If you have not done some of your mores, in the last
six weeks, it's time! Most of us will put in between 25-40
years on the job and it's the things we love to do outside of work
that gives us new energy and passion to come to work and serve our
families.
There is a huge workforce out there who is subconsciously resentful
towards their jobs because the job is (in their minds) not allowing
them to do the things they love to do. Ironically most people
don't have a clear picture on what they want to do with their lives
outside of work.-
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Now a snapshot of our family lives:-
Do you ever catch yourself saying, "Why am I doing all this
stuff?" Is it out of guilt (for the crazy hours we spend
at and on our work) that we want to make sure our kids don't miss
out on ANYTHING?-
It's one of the most common
questions working adults are asking in our hustle bustle lives.
I recently spoke with a Dad at my Rotary meeting. He indicated
to me that last year he attended 372 sporting events. Events
his 3 teenage children played in. He clocked over 80,000 miles
on his SUV. Now I don't know about you, but HELLO!!!!-
Are we so freaked out as
parents that we feel the need to book activities 7days a -week,
52 weeks of the year. So I will ask the question again, "Why
are we doing all this stuff". What is it YOU love to
do outside of work and your family obligations? What hobbies,
activities, crafts, service to others, nothingness kinds of things
actually bring you joy? Remember that word, joy. What
honestly brings you JOY? Sit with that one for a minute or ten.-
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Send a note to Linda with
what brings you joy, she'll add them to her next article.
info@lindaedgecombe.com
www.lindaedgecombe.com
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