A while back I was out walking, getting my daily exercise, the weather was sunny but cold – maybe 45 degrees and I was truly enjoying the exercise and the chance to reflect. It was really quiet out at about 9am… just a few cars on the road, my guess is that most people were in bed recovering from their New Years activities.
All of a sudden I fell, face-first, onto the side walk. First thing I did was roll over and make sure I hadn’t broken any bones. I noticed a bit of bleeding in my mouth and one of my teeth was a bit loose, my knees hurt… but more than anything I was in shock.
After standing up I started taking baby steps, just testing my body to make sure everything was still working properly. The car I had noticed driving towards me when I fell, circled around and drove up along side of me to ask if I was Okay.
I assured the two men in the front seat that I was fine. They asked if they could call anyone and I let them know I had my cell phone… then the back seat door opened up and a co-worker said “Lynn are you Okay?” I was so relieved to see a familiar face.
The thought did run through my head that just in case people thought that my husband beat me up – at least I had a witness that knew what really happened. And, in reality, when your friends and co-workers see that you have bruises and scabs on your face they suspect that either you have been in an accident, or, your spouse beat you up.
It turns out that I just tripped (because I was not paying attention) on a raised section of the sidewalk. Up to that point I was ‘in the groove’ and in the blink of an eye – I got off track!
‘Gettin’ in the groove’ is a phrase that was used by the 70’s generation. They also used the term ‘groovy’ a lot. When a person was ‘in the groove’, everything in their life is going according to plan… they were focused and getting things done.
Musicians used to ‘get in the groove’, that meant they were jammin’ and it felt not only good, but ‘right-on’.
Over the last couple of weeks I have given a lot of thought to what it takes to get back on track and here are 5 Tips for Getting in the Groove;
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What facets of your life need attention: Take some time to think about what is really important to you. Put in writing the different facets of your life that are important to you and then write a short statement of the WHY.
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Think about your priorities: What order would you put those different facets of your life and establish a priority. If focusing on your business is the most important facet of your life, then put it at the top of the list.
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Make a list of activities for each facet: What things need to be on your to-do list in order for you to function at 100%. For instance, if you can’t work at home if it is in chaos, then you need to incorporate keeping your house clean into your list of activities.
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Set up a calendar. Block out times on your calendar to get things done, but don’t add more that 5 major activities per day… by that I mean don’t schedule more than 5 hours a day. And, if you get everything done within those 5 hours, then get a head-start on some of your other activities. Or, you could take some time for yourself.
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Be flexible: Don’t be too hard on yourself, things are not always going to go according to the plan. If it is important to exercise 5 times a week, and you don’t get up at the crack of dawn (per your calendar)… then go exercise in the evening before you go to bed. If you miss a day, just go exercise the next day.
Keep in mind that staying on track is not easy, not at all easy. In fact, I believe that learning how to ‘get in the groove’ and achieving balance in your life is a life-long endeavor. To be human is to struggle, and many of us struggle constantly to keep balance in our lives.
When I am ‘in the groove’ all the aspects of my life are in balance.
So, for example, I thought I would share the 5 facets of my life that I need in balance in order to be ‘in the groove’ are;
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Spiritual – am I letting go of the things I can’t control and living by faith?
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Family & Friends – am I nurturing my relationships with the people around me that I love and care about?
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Home – is my home warm and welcoming, a place that I can work and relax in comfort?
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Work & Financial – Am I in control of work, or is it controlling me, and am I earning enough to support my needs?
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Health – am I taking care of myself, getting enough rest, eating right and exercising?
When all of those facets of my life are in balance – then I am ‘in the groove’.
For a period of time after my fall I had to concentrate fully on my health and let the other facets of my life go. It is a very disconcerting feeling – but one I am very familiar with.
Gradually, and it has been over 2 weeks, I got back ‘into the groove’, but not without a few hiccups along the way.