#quoteoftheday – Page 10 – Grounded African

Less

That’s my word for the year. I have been looking around me for the past few weeks, and all I see is stuff. My wardrobes and cupboards are overflowing. My inboxes are overflowing. My folders are overflowing. There is just too much “overflowing” going on around me.

That is not the only reason I want to have less of everything. I want to have less because I want to focus on the things and people in my life that will bring me more. More enrichment, more growth, more enjoyment, more experiences, more fulfilment, more fun and more focus…I guess you get the picture.

I am very grateful that I have been blessed with the means to accumulate all that, but I have definitely lost my way. I have accumulated largely for the sake of accumulating things and because I can sometimes, though, my bank balance takes some strain.

The issue with accumulating stuff, responsibilities and projects is that you can quickly lose sight of the things that are important to you. There are areas of my life that run me because of this lack of focus which is not on. It is time to take back the areas I can control, like my finances and my home, for example. I have spent so much time, money and effort into my education that I have let the maintenance of my home slip. I have allowed so many little things that need fixing to accumulate. I don’t know about you, but I also find it quite stressful when things don’t work correctly, so fixing it all will lead to less stress.

Clearing the clutter also adds energy to a space, or at least that is how it makes me feel. The same is true for clearing the mental and digital clutter. I feel rejuvenated and more alive when I step into a cleared space. I must admit that if I have done too good a job clearing a room, I feel a little lost in the space.

There are two areas that I will find the most difficult to clear: my bookcases and my clothes. I will have to come to terms with the fact that there are quite a few of each that I have to release for someone else’s enjoyment. I may never get to read/wear them, and that’s okay.

This is just one of my bookcases that is screaming for help 😱

I have tried physically decluttering before, but the clutter has somehow found its way back. I have come to the conclusion that it’s because I didn’t have a “why” that resonated with me each time I did it. I just did it because, at that point, I was tired of the clutter and wanted a clear space. This time, I know why I want to do this, and I am clear on the benefits for me and my son. I am clear on how to restructure the space to achieve my desired benefits.

Transformation takes time. This has been my other downfall previously. I had lacked patience with the process. I end up accepting a lower standard just to see a difference. So, in 2024, there will also be less rushing and lots more patience.

So, I am looking forward to a clearer and more focused year. Less for More in 2024!

Thank you for walking with me through 2023! May your 2024 be blessed.

Do you have a word or phrase for the year to come?

Learning styles – Instructors vs Books

I started decluttering my digital space. For whatever reason, I get the sense that I need to do a lot of serious decluttering, both online and physically. I’m guessing I have a lot to make space for in 2024. Lots to look forward t

While deleting files, I came across some of my notes from Robin Banks’s “Mind Power” and “Shaping Your Destiny” courses that I took in 2020. I had forgotten how good the material was. I still say my affirmations on my drive to work every day but there is so much more depth to the course material than I remembered. I also sat back and reflected on the person I was then and the person I am today. Both courses have had such a significant impact on me. I have become more confident about my strengths and have worked on my weaknesses. I am so grateful that I was able to take these courses.

One realisation I have since come to about myself is that I am more likely to put knowledge into practice if I take an instructor-led course instead of just reading the book. One of the main reasons is that the person who created the course has also done the thinking on the best method to apply the knowledge. They have done the thinking about when the best time in the day is to develop the required habit, how to do it, how much time to allocate, and, if necessary, where to do it. The instructor can convey the concept far more creatively than a book can. It becomes easier to grasp.

I have often chosen books over courses because they are cheaper and I can read whenever possible. With courses, I have to create the time in my calendar to attend the course. As a result of the investment of my time and money, I am committed to building the skill or competency. With a book, a lot more willpower is required because you need to figure out how to implement the habit, etc. I can overthink things, tie myself into knots, and then give up because it feels like it requires too much effort

I will still rely heavily on books going forward but where I really need to develop new habits and skills, I will seek an instructor-led course to help me.

What is the most effective method of learning for you?

Thanks for stopping by. Be Blessed!

Celebrating 2023: A month or gratitude- Day 21

Earlier this year, a friend asked me how I always noticed the seemingly little details around me that seemed to pass her by. I was humbled by the question. I didn’t realise I did it, to be honest, and had to think about how I got here as I didn’t always notice them.

If I think back, it probably started when I made the choice to be more grateful for the things I had rather than waste time only desiring the things that I didn’t have. I had made a list of all my achievements, big and small, and all the things I owned that I was really grateful for and why. That exercise blew me away. I was so proud of myself and, at the same time, humbled by all that God had given. I don’t have a whole hoard of stuff, but I have a lot, more than most, which humbles me.

Being a mother to a toddler also made me see the world through a kid’s eyes again. Mother Earth is an absolute marvel through a kid’s eyes. The trick is always keeping that child’s sense of awe and wonder when looking at a sunset, sunrise, centipede, or simple tree. I now sit by a window at work that at least has a view of the greenery outside. I had an ocean view for a while but had to move desks. The best part is that even though I sit at the same desk every time, the view outside is never exactly the same. God blesses me with a new picture every day.

I guess the lesson is that gratitude can bring a sense of awe and wonder into your life and help you appreciate the things you would generally take for granted around you. It will even help look at people differently. You will see the positive in them without even trying.

I love this way of viewing the world and life in general. It has allowed me to finally comprehend that “this too shall pass” when bad times try to overwhelm me and that there is always something good to hold on to, even in the middle of what may feel like a hurricane. Always!

Oh, and today, I am most grateful that the book I ordered arrived a week early! I have been waiting for this book to be published for almost 10 years!!! It’s finally here, and I can’t wait to get started! I loved “I Am Pilgrim”. It was the first book I enjoyed reading when my son got a little older, and I had a little time to read again. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I couldn’t find a book that I enjoyed as much for a few months after that. The publisher has been pushing the book’s launch out every year since about 2015. I had given up on it, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to see it exists! Have you read it yet, or “I Am Pilgrim”? What did you think?

Well that’s it from me today. Thanks for stopping by. Be blessed.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: