Reflection Friday: Facing My Fears Part 1 & My First Audio Interview #yearoffear
When we decided to move to Dublin, almost a year ago now – I didn’t realise I had subconsciously started my #yearoffear. It was the catalyst for the change I was so badly craving. I was feeling stagnant and all my fears were just keeping me there! (More on that coming in Part 2.) But it wasn’t until I listened to (and here I go again) a podcast with current internet sensation Kendra Wright from heykendra.com, that I really made the conscious decision to start facing my fears.
Kendra Wright is a blogger, writer, speaker and location independent entrepreneur. She has completed over 700 self assigned comfort zone challenges and specializes in teaching others how to break through fear and uncertainty, productivity slumps, and create better work life balance (without abandoning the inner hustle).
To cut a long story short – I got to interview Kendra so that I could share with you our thoughts on #theyearoffear, productivity, blogging and living life!
Here we go:
A big thanks to Kendra once again for sharing her story! For more on #theyearoffear see here, and for more on her calendar planning system, see here! Leaning into my fears has been one of the most rewarding & exhilarating things I’ve done! Once you start, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it earlier! I have a long way to go . . . pop back next week as I speak more about my #yearoffear xx
I get so buzzed listening to productivity podcasts and learning about inspiring & time saving morning routines! Here’s a great article on How 7 Female Leaders Spend Their First Hour at Work.
I try to make a list the night before, of what needs to be accomplished the next day so that I feel organised and in control before going to bed, and upon waking. I try start the day with a walk and a podcast to open up my mind to ideas/ to learn something / get inspired! But watch this space – I’m working on a blog post on how I structure my day & what I’ve learnt! I’d love to hear how you spend your first hour at work?
So I thought about this post on my walk this morning. Something that I’ve built into my daily routine (More on that coming soon) besides exercise, is BREATHING SPACE! Because that’s when the best ideas come right!?
Well this wasn’t entirely my own idea and it’s not a completely new concept – but having read this article, it highlighted to me that we totally control our “happiness feed”! What messages / distractions are you allowing into your life? So not only is it through things like your Facebook feed, but think about your phone!
Increasingly my phone was just sucking me down a black hole! (Curiosity killed the cat, right!?)No wonder Harry’s frustrating little habit of “Mum, mum, mum, muuuum” was born! Fighting for my attention right!? SO I’ve hacked my phone to optimise my happiness and to prevent that cloudy brain!
Here’s How:
Take Off:
I took e-mail off my phone ( E-mails are to be attended to during work hours only – plus I recently went on an “Unsubscribing purge” as a little e-mail declutter bonus)
I took twitter Off My Phone
I’ve kept Instagram as I find Instagram incredibly inspiring (& useful for my work) if you’re following the right people. BUT I switched the instagram notifications off.
I took Facebook Off My Phone
SO now my phone works as a phone! Just calls or messages from people in my personal space that bring me joy, no pings or distracting alerts.
Put On:
Nike Running App: I think the right apps can be incredibly powerful. Now I’m not saying you need to start training for the next 2 Oceans with The Nike App. And you don’t need to instagram a sweaty, kettle bell selfie to make yourself feel like you’ve ticked that box, or don’t let those get you down either. (Again it’s about creating the right feed!) Just move! I love the Nike Running App for walking, as it tells me how far I’ve walked, at what pace – and it motivates me to beat my previous pace / allows me to measure distances – so now I know if I walk to the end of the pier and back I’ve done 8km etc.. It’s just a nice little motivation tool!
Spotify: Well any music app you can access and afford really. Music has that incredible power to change and uplift ones mood, make one run/walk faster, inspire and motivate! Just this morning I caught myself smiling – ah, when last did I just smile by myself, to myself – happy in a moment of “hey, this is such a happy tune, the sun is out and life is good!”
Podcasts: I tend to listen to podcasts on my morning walks or if we’re traveling in the car. Podcasts are an easy way to learn something new, get inspired and kill time on those longer journeys! One of my first & favourite podcasts was Beyond The To Do List with Brooke McAlry: On simplicity, rhythms and tilting instead of balancing.
Instagram: Again, it’s about who you follow. Unfollow everyone that is not adding value to your life, emotions or precious time! I find the write Instagram Feed can be incredibly inspiring and aspirational – really getting those creative juices flowing. I see it as a stream of ideas and dreams. It’s one to be careful with in terms of boundaries and being intentional with your time though.
Calm / Omvana or any type of meditation app. I find using one of these apps is a game changer in the way I start my day. While my husband has a little Harry time before work, I have 20 minutes of quiet – just learning to quiet the mind.(I have a racing mid of “What If’s?” and “To-do’s!”) I always end off with a few moments of thanks & gratitude. It’s a sure way to enter the day feeling positive, calm and like, “I’ve got this!”, before the wave off work, toddler and new challenges say good morning!
So now I’ve hacked my phone to work for me instead of against me! We’re next toying with the idea of carrying camera’s again instead of using our phones . . . lets see!
I’d love to hear what apps you use to make your life more effective!?
While this may not exactly apply to everyone, as our work situations are different, I am sure you too will get some great tips & tricks out of this article! Plus some lovely home offices to inspire! Read Away Here!
Here’s a great read (& quick) if you’re looking for a little feel good at the end of each day!
” . . .it is my belief that we are happiest when we’re making progress towards our goals. And, the joy from ticking off the success measure items at the end of the day is one that makes the challenge worth it.”
