Work In Colour - Work. Think. Live. In Colour
Tuesday 28th June 2011 | 4 comments
Here's the thing: I've known for a while now that I need to change some stuff in my life. I'm really comfortable helping others to change, but strangely, when it comes to MY life, at least in recent times, no luck.
The other night I dreamed about escaping from my life, going away to a shack on a beach, writing and thinking and sleeping and walking and listening to music. Time out to get myself back, to reconnect with the important stuff, to reconnect to my love of life. Even my dreaming self knew that wasn't going to happen. Bummer.
But then the dreamer dreamt me another possibility. To run a series of experiments, over a month, from within my life. No running away, no total disconnect from my day-to-day life. Just some focus every day, one little change every day - and a commitment to continue every change until the end of the month. And each change had to be organic, to arise from that day, not be pre-planned or taken from a list of 'shoulds'.
28 days (plus two spares at the end to reflect, design and commit to ongoing changes...).
So when I woke up, I did it. I started a 'private' blog on Blogger and committed to making an entry every day.
Today is in fact Day 28, so my experiment is nearly over. Changes included getting back into meditation, living one day at a time, reintroducing gratitude practice, being playful, eating frogs, and creating a sanctuary inside my mind to which I can retreat when all else fails.
The next two days are for reflections on how it went, what I learned, and deciding which changes to continue from here on. Even before I do that, I know the experiment itself has succeeded - I am here, sane and have my feet firmly back on the ground. Lots more to do, of course, but the combination of creativity, choice and control worked a treat for me. I think I'll be writing more on this. (I might even run a 28-day experiment on my business...)
What about you?
Tag: ideas
A totally inspiring read Joanna - it's the idea of noticing something one does different ORGANICALLY, and then choosing one of those micro changes to integrate, that jumped off the page at me. I'm so not into 'shoulding on myself' yet there it is in the inner chatter on a horribly regular basis. This post has got me to think about self-change in such a different way. Thank you - and more insight please!
Claire, thank you. I think that the choosing organically bit was a key factor in the success of my little experiment - the other was having to make a date-stamped entry onto my private online blog each day!
Your post has obviously struck a chord with Claires... that was a great one to read. I like the idea of the dreamer dreaming you and then you being courageous enough to act on that impulse, rather than override the next morning with your waking mind. Congratulations on just sticking with it for a month and letting those changes unfold. Living one day at a time.... so needed in this hectic world. Thanks Joanna.
Thanks Claire, much appreciated.