8 Ways to Get Your Shit Together
I don't have my shit together. Honestly, most days I have no idea what I'm doing.
That said, I've definitely been in much lower, darker times in my life where I didn't even know
where or what my shit was, let alone how to "get it together." When used on a daily basis, the following
eight tips are things that I have learned over the years that I find make a massive impact on my life,
my personal growth, and in manifesting the life I see for myself. If you need a little motivation
to help you reach some goals, maybe something in this list can help. Don't forget,
I believe in you!
@rockmeetssoil
8 ways to get your shit together..
or something like that
1) Learn to write shit down. Lists, goals, to-do's, journals, poems, affirmations, write a damn play, express gratitude, write your grandma a letter. You don't ever have to share it with anyone, or you can share it with everyone. The point is to get it out of your head and onto paper. There is power in our thoughts and we feed that power by voicing things and writing them down, essentially making them a little more tangible and setting in motion the energies needed to bring them to life. Also, getting to-do lists and grocery lists and little things like that out of our heads frees up mental space for other more important thoughts and ideas to grow.
Write a song.
Write a story, any story
Write down the things you're grateful for
Write down things that you want to do in life
Write down the shitstorm of thoughts in your head
Write down the things that you think are impossible
(this is a new one for me)
Write down things you like about yourself
Write down what you want to do today
Write it down and watch shit get real in your life
2) Acknowledge the magnificence of your body and how it functions. Self-love is one thing, but we can all appreciate the complexity and fragility of the human body and how amazing it is that all of the cells and organs and bones and blood all work together in a system of systems to make...you. Pretty fucking wild if you ask me. Respect your body! It does a lot for you that you don't have to think about.
Put good things into your vessel and learn to listen to it. Eat when you're hungry. Sleep when you're tired. Get after it when your mitochondrial batteries are charged. We're fragile beings; we could die in a million different ways tomorrow. Don't let one of those ways be because you neglected or abused your magic human machine. Start looking at your body as your best friend and treat it as such so you can kick ass every day and live a long and healthy life.
3) Set goals. I didn't do this for a long time, and let me tell you, when I started setting goals for myself shit got done a whole lot faster. I'm not necessarily talking about a five-year plan or even a one-year plan unless it allows for flexibility (I have no idea what I'm going to be doing in a year). I'm talking about smaller, more attainable, more frequent goals. Like what you want to accomplish in a day, or a week. Or what foods you want to focus on bringing into your diet or cutting out. Or setting project deadlines for yourself, personal projects unrelated to work. Setting these types of goals is important because not only does it give us some motivation, but we also get to feel a sense of accomplishment after each one is reached, no matter how small it is. Maybe you don't love crossing things off your list as much as I do, but I dare you to give goal-setting a shot in your life and see what a difference it can make.
Oh yea and pro tip: write your most important goals (or affirmations) on a sticky note and put it somewhere that's right in front of your face every day. You don't have to be Super Man; you can cheat and use the sticky note trick to keep you goin' strong. Speaking from experience it works. I've got some stuck around the van as we speak.
4) Practice contentment and gratitude. All day, every day. Find at least one thing that you are truly grateful for each day and either think it, say it or write it down. Wake up and be thankful for the rest. Be thankful that your pillow is soft or that you have a blanket to keep you warm. Be thankful for fresh peaches and toilets and eyes to see and feet to walk around on. Be thankful for the ability to breathe and the fact that there is another breath each time you inhale. Be thankful for your favorite shirt or almond milk or friendship or sunrises or the fact that your car started or that people weren't assholes today. Be thankful for things that you have in your life, instead of focusing your energy on things that you lack or "need."
It might sound silly to you, but the universe is listening and reflecting that gratitude back to us in the form of more abundance. By focusing our energy a little (or a lot) each day on things we have and are grateful for, it attracts more of what we want in our lives. Try it, I dare ya. Write down three things you're thankful for each day.
5) Associate some positive thoughts with some of your daily habits. Take a positive thought or goal or wish or whatever the hell you want to think and attach it to something you do every day. Teeth-brushing is a good time for this. Or every time you go pee. Seriously, you pee multiple times a day (I hope) and if every time you go pee you say some affirmation or wish or something positive is the point, that's a few more times a day you're putting that good energy out there for yourself. Maybe you think I'm weird, but who cares, give it a try! What do you have to lose?
Here's one of mine: I rub my little Buddha's belly on my dash every single time I turn the key in Teeg and say, "I am always making the right decisions for myself," sometimes in my head, sometimes out loud. I usually do this multiple times a day. Sometimes I switch up the affirmation, but you get the point. I also always repeat some affirmation or expression of gratitude every time I catch the clock at 11:11 or 3:33 or 12:12, every time I see a rainbow, pick up a lucky penny, look at the stars or catch an eyelash. It's not about superstition or luck, just another chance to make a conscious wish. By having these daily habits trigger positive thought, it puts more energy towards the things we care about and want more of in our lives, putting the wheels in motion.
6) Sing and dance more. Just do it, it's so good for the soul. Dance when no one's watching or when everyone's watching. Sing really loud in the car with the windows down and in the shower and when you're making dinner. Turn on that stupid song that you're embarrassed to admit you love and sing it like you just won the damn lottery. Make your neighbors hear you. Dance so hard you knock things off the table. Dance on the table. Or dance like a ballerina, light as a feather. It's like instant therapy if you need a pick-me-up. No one cares, and if they do that probably means they need to dance more in their own lives.
7) Surround yourself with good people. This is huge you guys, and I know everyone's heard it before. If you hang around people who bring you down, talk about other people, have no self-confidence, etc it will be much more difficult to be confident in yourself and have the courage to get your shit together and start following your dreams. Spend more time with people who are happy and who support you. Talk with people who inspire you and are interested in the same things you are. We absorb the energies of everything around us, especially other beings. Look around and see who you spend most of your time with. Are they helping you in your quest for self-betterment, or are they not?
8) Learn how to do nothing and be okay with it. Arguably the most important on this list. A lot of society views doing nothing as taboo. How can you be accomplishing anything when you're doing nothing? Well, that's the point. Contrary to popular belief, we don't need to be constantly going, constantly producing. We need to take a damn chill pill and learn how to relax more and find balance between doing and being. Find time for yourself each day to do nothing and not feel guilty about it. Whether you slip into a long, beautiful meditation or just lay on your floor like a starfish and star at the ceiling, it's rejuvenating for the body and soul to rest, relax and zone out for a little bit.
You are loved and appreciated. You are important in this world. Your thoughts and feelings are valid.
Don't ever let anyone tell you your dreams are silly or stupid or not worthwhile.
Whatever it is you want out of life, you deserve it. Go get it.
I believe in you.