Whew -can you believe it is July?? The halfway point of the year! It caught me by surprise - especially when I realized that my youngest daughter will be starting high school in less than three weeks..eeeckkkk! Talk about time flying she was just a toddler yesterday! I wanted to take this week’s blog post to remind everyone that it is the perfect time for a halftime break. I invite you to take a moment to step back, evaluate your year so far and take action to get back on track if needed. Or if you are like me and have a lot going on, step off that ‘track’ and rip a few things off your plate before we get into the busy season of the fall!
Since time is flying so quickly I wanted to suggest a few quick tips to be more mindful and to be fully in the moment.
Don’t Wish It was Friday on Monday
It is so easy to wake up on Monday morning wondering where the weekend went and then start longing for it to be Friday. I am so guilty of this and just decided that instead of waiting for Friday I am going to enjoy the 24 hours that I am blessed with every day. Why should we suffer through and spend our days longing for the weekend when we have this moment to be happy and thrive?
Take a 5 minute “Do Nothing Break” Everyday
Sit in silence, become aware of your thoughts and focus on your breathing for just 5 minutes a day. It sounds so simple but our mind is constantly going a million miles a minute. It helps to just take a moment to sit in silence to take in the sounds and energy that is flowing in the moment. Take several if needed - I know I do!
Schedule Breaks and Leave Room
If your schedule is like mine - jam packed with back to back meetings, appointments, etc. it is important to plan breaks in between your laundry list of to do items. If you have a meeting or appointment scheduled leave a thirty minute or hour break in between to regroup. When you get home from work take a moment to relax and write down three things you are grateful that happened that day. I am notorious for hitting the door when I get home and going 90 miles an hour into mommy mode after a long day at work. We just need to take several chills pills (need to bring that phrase back) on a daily basis!
Make Undivided Attention a Daily Practice
We have become multi-tasking monsters doing a million things at once. Especially with cell phones it is so easy to handle multiple tasks and conversations at a time. If you are having a conversation with someone focus on the conversation, being fully present and not distracted. When you are taking care of a task be in that moment and focus on what you are doing. In Georgia they implemented a hands-free law while driving as of July 1st. You cannot hold your phone to talk or text while driving or you will be ticketed. It is crazy how much restraint I had to have on the first few days to not grab my phone and scroll while at a red light. Now I just focus on the music in the car or just my surroundings more. It is hard to believe that idle time has become something that we try to avoid.
Overall take a long deep breath in and savor EVERY wonderful and crazy aspect of your life daily. It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the New Year and now it’s July. Now more than ever we need to be more mindful and enjoy our lives as it is a gift! I heard something the other day that said that God is not in the past or the future only in the present moment. I’m learning to spend more time there for sure - it is the best place to be!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot - Deepak Chopra and Oprah have a wonderful FREE 21-day mediation starting on July 23rd. It is a great way to develop a mediation and mindfulness practice. They will be exploring the energy of attraction and manifesting your best life. These are so good and only come around a few times a year! Sign up soon by visiting: https://chopra.com/.
Be sure to leave a comment letting us know your favorite ways to chill and slow things down!
Cheers to the halfway point of 2018 and making EVERY moment count!
By Kara Norman- Empower Her, Inc.
Kara Norman Atlanta Based Women Empowerment Thought Leader and bi-weekly blog contributor.
Kara Norman has been working with Women and Girls for a number of years. Her nonprofit organization Empower Her Inc , have led to many opportunities in the space of making social changes as it deals with women and their many roles in society. You can learn more about Kara Norman and Empower Her Inc. at http://www.empowerherinc.com/