CAFFEINE, CHOICE AND A TICKING CLOCK Today was one of those mornings when I woke up instantaneously. There was no stretching, no blissful unfolding of my consciousness, no nestling into the warmth of my covers. It was more of a ticking clock, "OK, McDonough, get yourself in gear!" kind of day. I could feel the electricity twitching in my muscles. Today I have to do laundry, clean my house, tidy my car and pack, all for a road trip which will have me in 4 cities in 3 days (or is that 3 cities in 4 days?)
Then it happened. I heard myself reflecting, "What do I need to do, to take care of myself today?" Immediately, a feeling of peace and permission pervaded me. I am in charge here; I get to choose how I will create my day. In that moment, the world seemed to skid to a halt and I imagined all the different parts of me, holding their breath, waiting to see what I would do.
It got a little anti-climactic after that. I allowed myself to slow down and traded some of my expectations around cleaning for some meditation and a coffee. I know, a relaxant and then an upper, a bit contradictory, but it's my day and I get to decide. Really, I could have just as easily decided to skip the meditation, have two coffees and put myself on overdrive.
The point is that I noticed and claimed my choice. I empowered myself by consciously taking responsibility for designing my day. The added bonus is thatevery person I meet today will benefit from the fact that I took the time to nurture and care for myself.
What's going on for you right at this moment? What would happen if you refused to cling to the idea that you have no choice? What do you need to do to take care of yourself today? How can I support you?
Tara McDonough Tara McDonough, CPCC, is the owner of What’s Possible? an international coaching company which helps people expand and achieve their vision of what is possible. There is a place in coaching for wild imagining, as well as concrete planning, a time for in-depth discussion followed by bold action. Full Profile & Contact Information...
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