Are there obstacles in the way of your happiness?
You may feel stressed, spinning your wheels while running on autopilot.
And you always seem to wonder where the time goes.
Perhaps you are doing things that don’t light you up, spending time with people who drain you, or holding onto what no longer serves you.
It’s time to make this week different so that you can stop spending time on things that don’t matter and start filling your cup.
Here’s how.
Step 1: Start
It’s essential to reflect on what you would start doing if you had the time, space, and energy to do it.
Close your eyes and visualize a reality where anything is possible. If you had a magic wand, what would you create?
Is there something you would start doing that you are not doing now?
Perhaps changing some habits would improve your life.
Maybe you want to go to sleep earlier, start cooking more or go to the gym. Perhaps you want to spend more time with your family. What could you start doing that would bring you more joy?
Now reflect on your business. What changes would help you to improve your business?
Do you need to start following up more frequently, create more focused time, or take more breaks?
Could getting organized be a game-changer for you?
What would move the needle?
Once you have established your list, it’s essential to reflect on why this is important for you. Without strong motivation, you could remain stuck.
Step 2: Stop
Next, take a deeper look at what you have in your life or business that no longer serves you. What do you want to stop doing or stop having in your life?
Are there areas that have seemingly gotten out of hand or don’t feel good?
First, do an external audit.
Is your house or business a mess?
Perhaps you are already late for an appointment and can’t find your keys. “Where did I put them again?”
You search endlessly for that file, that email, or whatever else you seem to have misplaced.
Maybe you have clothes from 10 years ago and keep hoping that you will squeeze back into them one day. And you can’t put everything away in the right place because you have too many belongings.
Or maybe it looks spotless on the outside, but on a further glance, there could be chaos stuffed into areas I like to call “I will get to that later.”
Your junk drawer could be so full that it can’t even close. There are chargers that don’t work, napkins, plastic forks, old mail, and who knows what else.
Your computer desktop might also be a nightmare filled with downloads, files, and images in complete chaos.
And you can’t seem to find anything.
There could also be areas of your business you find draining or projects you don’t like. Maybe you are doing busy work because you are stuck in the routine or just like the thrill of the easy win.
Or do you still have people in your life that are toxic or draining? Perhaps you spend time with people who drain your time or energy, and you can’t seem to say no.
Are there areas that you can’t even face? What are you avoiding? And what are you holding on to that no longer serves you?
Be honest.
And how do you feel inside?
Do you feel chaotic? Empty? Drained?
Maybe you are tied to limiting beliefs or a past that prevents you from successfully moving forward.
You could be so used to living in a negative state that it has become routine. Are you constantly getting angry, frustrated, anxious, or isolating yourself?
Or maybe you are very put together on the outside, yet when you open a closet or that junk drawer, you are filled with bottled-up emotions.
What areas are you avoiding? Where are you feeling resistance? And what is draining you in your life?
There could be particular habits or thoughts you want to remove.
Do you avoid saying no to things that no longer serve you?
Do you avoid feeling your feelings or avoid being happy?
Or perhaps some foods make you irritable or leave you feeling bloated, low energy, unbalanced, or overweight. Or you stay up late watching mindless tv even though you are exhausted.
Take time to outline all of the areas in your life that can use a spring cleaning. Include all the people, places, and things that no longer serve you and hold you back from living the life and business you love.
Pro Tip: As you do your audit, be gentle with yourself. Treat yourself with love, compassion, and care as this is a process.
Step 3: Continue
Now reflect on all of the areas of your life that are working well. What do you enjoy that you wish to continue doing in your life?
What is the best part of your day?
Is there a great routine you have?
Maybe making your bed every morning sets the right tone for the day.
Perhaps you love your exercise routine or that you hang out with friends every Friday night.
Or there could be certain people who fill you with energy.
Tap into what lights you up in your life and reflect on what you want to continue doing or even do more often.
Step 4: Spring Cleaning
After completing your audit, you will have outlined all of your life’s internal and external areas that bring you joy or drain you.
Now it’s time to create space for what you want by removing what is no longer serving you.
If you did an excellent job in your audit, you most likely feel overwhelmed. You may have a long list.
First, take a deep breath. You don’t have to take it all on at once. You wouldn’t eat a year’s worth of meals in one day, would you?
So make sure to start one area and finish it before moving on.
Reflect on your list and prioritize your major roadblocks first. Remember that 80% of your impact will come from 20% of the items on your list. What one or two things would release pressure and allow you to create more space for joy?
Is it that energy vampire “friend” that takes up a ton of your emotional bandwidth and energy? Is that mess on your computer stopping you from being efficient and bringing you stress? What are the main roadblocks that are in your way?
Once you have selected what to work on, it’s time to craft a plan. List what you need to accomplish this.
How can you best achieve this? Do you need support? Need time blocked off? Additional resources?
Last, when your resistance arises (which it will), what do you need to put in place to make sure you move forward? What could make this easier for you to accomplish? Do you need an accountability partner? Do you need to create appointments with yourself? Can you easily squeeze a new activity into your routine?
Pro Tip: Pairing this audit with a juice cleanse or a seasonal cleaning or clearing of space can also help create more awareness.
Step 5: Create
Now, it’s time to fill the space with what brings you joy.
Intentionally doing what you love will make your life better.
Create space for more positive energy and activities that fill your cup.
Use your start and continue lists as a guide and choose what would shape the best experience possible.
Create more physical, emotional, and spiritual balance by spending time on what’s important while leaving behind what drains you.
Pro Tip: Create a bucket list of 100 ideas that will fill you with joy and begin focusing there.
Maintenance:
As you drive away from the sales lot, you know that your car will need tune-ups to keep the engine running smoothly.
You are no different.
Set aside time to maintain what you want to start, stop, and continue doing in your life and business each quarter (four times a year).
Block time on your calendar to sit down and assess yourself. Consistent self-auditing will allow you to make those minor tune-ups before your car gets towed. Enjoy the process, eliminate what doesn’t serve you, and fill your life and business with joy.
Recap:
Doing a quarterly audit of what you want to start, stop, and continue will help you identify what areas of your life and business are not working so that you can do a spring cleaning and create space for joy. By following the five steps outlined in this article, you can intentionally create a better experience.
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Stop
Step 3: Continue
Step 4: Clear
Step 5: Create
I look forward to seeing you start filling your cup and creating a life and business you love!
Michele x
If you need help building your vision by creating a customized business action plan so you can start seeing results, email me the word PROGRAM.
