Life is no joke. With all the responsibilities placed on your shoulders, it seems nearly impossible to wrap everything in a neat little bow. You want to take control of your life, but every time you think your plate is filled just right things seems to start pouring over the edge and you find yourself overwhelmed and unfocused.
We would all love to have a life coach to guide us and tell us the magic cure to this endless flood, but let’s be real, sometimes that’s just not possible. Even if you have the money to spare, and the perfect person in mind, in the end, no one can change your life better than yourself. We are under the impression that changing our lives is all about the big things like jobs, houses, or relationships. But in the end, the things that will give you the most peace of mind is having the little things in order.
Here are some fun tips to get you started on the path to being your own life coach and showing those little things who’s in charge.
Start a Calendar
Now I don’t mean just scribbling down that meeting or dentist appointment, so you remember here and there. This calendar will be a work of art and a lifesaver as long as you maintain it. Take the time to actually sit down, and get every last thing you currently have planned recorded down as best as you can. Whether you choose a more tech-savvy or traditional way makes no difference.
Make sure to color code the items to match their categories. Check this out…
- Professional blue for work, a happy yellow for kids
- Greedy green for the pesky financial obligations
- Sweet pink for those romantic moments with the one you love
- Spicy red for your fun nights out
Being able to visually see your day at glance is an invaluable tool to help you decrease your stress levels. Meetings, appointments, practices, vacations, and anything else you need to know will be right there in front of you and will be critical to help you declutter your mental space. In fact, have the whole family make calendars, and then share them on a family “cloud”. Not only will you know what’s going on, but so will everyone else. No more wondering if your spouse is picking the kids up or working late, or bothersome calls wondering where you are after you told them ten times already. Sound familiar? This may seem like a lot of work on the front end, but once you devote the time for this project, it will be easier later to just add in the stuff as it comes.
Plan Your Outfits
What you wear affects your entire mood for the day. Starting your day off in a peaceful, organized mindset makes all the difference in reducing stress. Heart disease is the number one killer of women and stress can be a contributing factor so let’s take every opportunity to be zen! You will be shocked when you realize the amount of time wasted in the mornings running around trying to find the outfit that fits your mood or to find the perfect shoe for back to back meetings! Mornings are unbearable and hectic enough without the added frustration. Now just imagine what you could do with the extra time. Perhaps you have time for morning yoga or to prepare a healthy breakfast and take your vitamins or to practice that big presentation one more time or have some extra time for morning sex with your spouse. If this doesn’t inspire you, just think about not dealing with that mound of clothes that landed on your bed, or chair or exercise equipment when you get home from work.
Plan Your Meals
After a long day at work the first thing I look forward to when I get home is deciding what to eat and then cooking it right up, said not a single person ever. Do not be that person who comes home mentally and emotionally exhausted only to see an almost empty fridge. Every week take the time to meal prep. Disposable or reusable containers are great timesavers and easy to pack for a work lunch. You can reuse them or toss them in the trash for easy clean up! Cook up some chicken throw it in the fridge, and you are just one step away from chicken salad sandwich for lunch, bbq chicken dinner, and some chicken and broccoli for the next day. BAM! Three meals with a simple prep. It’s difficult to find the time, but you will waste more time struggling to plan your meals in the moment with your exhausted self, then you would preparing them in advance on your own terms.
Plan Some Free Time
Now I’m sure some of you are looking at the screen wondering what’s this strange thing called “free time” is. Yes, these are the moments in life you set aside just for you, and trust me when I say you need them. We call this a “pamper me” day and you need to have them on your new color coded calendar! Whether it’s a monthly shopping trip alone or just an hour or so to sit around in your PJs and do nothing, these are your moments. You just need to be with yourself sometimes and remember how wonderful you are.
Be Flexible
If I had a nickel for every time my plans turned out exactly how I planned them, I would be in debt. You can make the most amazing plans in the world and still have them shred to pieces, but that’s when you’ve got to be flexible. Ok, so your spouse can’t make date night? Give that time to the children instead. Things can always be moved around, just don’t panic. The calendar is a guide, not the law of the universe. Go with the flow, or the water will just start spilling all over again.
While these things may be small and seem unimportant from a larger viewpoint, it doesn’t mean they are any less necessary. You may even already be doing most of these and still find yourself drowning, but you need to keep working on them. Here’s my disclaimer: while perfecting these tips may not perfect your life, what they will do is give you a sense of control, which we all could use a little off. You are the only one able to change your life, and I hope these tips will get you on the road to becoming your own personal life coach.
Dr. Marsie Ross is an Award Winning Pharmacist, Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, International Speaker, and Author. Be sure to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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