Lessons to Carry into 2023

Lessons to Carry into 2023

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Alright here we go! Welcome to 2023, but more importantly welcome the challenges and the continue pursuits of what I am about. To start off the year I am going to write a blog post a day for all of January. The only way to get better as a writer is to continue writing so that is what I am going to do. So let’s kick it off with a bang! 

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A lot of people I know reflect on the previous year, celebrate what happen, and then focus on doing similar things going forward. And while this is noble, I find it a tad shortsighted. We look at the celebratory things, the achievements and the mark we made. But I think we often forget about the things we did, continuously and without celebration that made the big achievements possible. 

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So I am looking at those moments and choosing to celebrate them and continue to make them a part of my life. 

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Routine will Set you free

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I hate structure. Well, hate is a strong word. But forced schedules, doing X at Y time and Z and Q time is not really my thing. I want fluidity and flexibility in my time. I always thought that structure and fluidity could not go together. Well, I was wrong. I found structure and in a way it allowed me to be more productive, more focused, and more fluid and creative with what I want to do. 

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From 7am to 10am is my time. It is the time that I find the most productivity. I am the most focused, I am the most aware. So I use this time to focus on my needs. It is my preferred workout time. It is my preferred meditation and reflection time. It is my time to just appreciate the world around me and to take it slow. I look forward to waking up at O’dark-Hundred because I know that I get to do something for me on my own time. 

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From 10 to about 2 or 3pm is what I call my slog time. I’m not as focused, I’m not as productive. If I could nap from 12 to 2 and not get yelled at I would make it happen. But I have found this is the time where I take care of busywork. Whether that be responding to emails or catching up on work. I use this time to slow down and focus on the non-priority items or the things that need to get taken care of or they will bleed into other aspects of my life in a negative way. Maybe I go grocery shopping, but whatever it is it is not the high productivity and focus that I find in the mornings. 

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Evenings are where things get tricky. I have found around 730/8 I get another wave of creativity, but it is more reflective. Usually I use this time to draw, write outlines for blog posts, or story ideas. It isn’t the big drive that I push to get things done in the morning, but it helps set those mornings up for success. 

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However, before that is my flexibility time. Like I said, I love flexibility and after I get out of my midday slog I find the need to do something, but if I have my work done and have my plate filled up then I know I have the opportunity to focus on other things. Maybe I make time to play games with my brother. Maybe I get dinner. Whatever I do, I am comfortable with being playful with the time knowing it doesn’t have to do anything, but by doing so I find freedom. 

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All this is to say one thing that I will continue to do. I will continue to stick towards my early mornings and find productivity. Because those little moments help me make big results in life. They help me find freedom through structure. Something I didn't think I could experience and feel comfortable with. 

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Habits come from growth and challenging our comfort zone. 

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The habits that we stick to are the ones that push and challenge us out of our comfort zone. I could talk more about expanding our comfort zone but that is a different point. Habits that impact us and help us make big differences are a result of challenging our comfort zone. As I mentioned above, I found structure and productivity when I started being intentional with my own schedule. I created a habit. I created a bedtime, I created rituals and routines. But in doing so I challenged my comfort zone. 

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Throughout most of 2021 I would go to bed late. I would spend time waiting on others. I kept my schedule so flexible that I never allowed time for me. It was not good. But once I got intentional with the idea that I wanted to be more productive and creative I had to push away from that comfort, the lack of structure, and really challenge what I wanted. This meant I had to create boundaries and internal rules for myself so that I could push myself.

This could be applied to any aspect of your life. If you want to get stronger, start pushing yourself just a little bit more. See what happens when you fail. If you want to take a leap in work or business, do it. Venture into the unknown. You are bound to find something you did not expect that will embed itself in your life in a meaningful way. Create habits that challenge your own status quo and comfort zone. Once you do that the growth you’ll start to see in yourself is just the beginning. 

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Have fun 

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Life is more fun when you have fun. It’s that simple. Go do the things you enjoy. Go do it alone or with a group. But have fun with it. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Life is too short to not enjoy the things we enjoy. Cherish the moments and live in the little things. Have fun! 

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Here’s to a great 2023! 

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