How many times have you wished for more time or "just one more day"? If you're like me, there is never enough time to get everything done, much less to find time to do what you want. I found out the hard way last week that if you don't stop and give yourself a break, the universe will make sure you do by means of a fever and a three-day-nap-fest. This wish for more time might come from a feeling of heartbreak and loss, out of rushing and overscheduling, or a simple wish for more fun in your life but no matter what the motivation is, I bet we have all, at one time or another wished for just a little more time.
This all makes me wonder, what would you actually do if you had an extra day to spend? If you could wave a magic wand and "POOF" an extra day, what would you use it to do?
Would it be time to clean your house?
Would you finally read that book that's been on your nightstand for a year?
Would you go skiing or to a movie?
I have great news for you. 2020 is a leap year so that extra day is this week and, even better, it's a Saturday! Before you fill this day with things that take up all of your time during regular days, weeks, and non-leap years, take a deep breath, grab a piece of paper and something to write with, and let's make Leap Day 2020 count! Today I'm giving you 10 ways to use your extra time to nourish, recharge and focus you that will cut down on the rush and wishing for more time the rest of the year.
So you don't absent-mindedly fill your gift day with "stuff" that you always do, let's take a step back and get some clarity so you don't waste the day away. Start by looking at this bonus day as a gift that you only get once every four years. Don't fill it with the typical work things unless what you wished for with your extra-glittery magic wand was more time to do work. If that's what you need then go for it, but, for those of us who have been wanting to break out of the routine, that's just not going to cut it. You see, by simply brainstorming a list of things you wish you had more time to do, you are already taking the first step toward making them happen! If what you've dreamed of for the past three months is to have a Stranger Things marathon with your thirteen year old then this is your chance! If you've been meaning to paint your kitchen or organize your attic, this is also your chance. I want you to write down, right now, ten things that you'd like to see through on that leap day. Ten little bits of realistic magic that you could make happen if you really stopped to see the day as a blank page: no questioning how or making excuses, just let yourself get excited about all the awesome things you could give yourself on Saturday. By putting your thoughts down on paper, you are taking them out of the idea realm and giving them attention and "life". It seems so simple but moving an idea out of your head and onto physical paper enables a higher level of thinking. It allows our brains to prioritize what we are going to do instead of remembering what we wanted to do and that opens up the opportunity to take steps toward action. Go ahead and make that list of ten things you've wished you had time to do right now. I'll wait...
Okay, so now you have this amazing list of big ideas that you're ready to do on Saturday. When you look over that list of opportunities, how do you feel?
Are you excited?
Overwhelmed?
Energized or drained?
February 29, 2020, is your day so you get to decide what direction you're taking the day and maybe your life. If you're already feeling overwhelmed thinking about everything you think you need or want to get done, let's make it a little bit easier and more digestible. After all, there are only so many hours in a day and maybe part of the reason you're saving all of these amazing life experiences up for a magic "extra" day is that prioritizing isn't your strongest suit anyway. You can get a handle on this list by asking yourself three simple questions.
1. What is the most important or urgent thing on this list for me to accomplish? It might be a project that you have needed to finish at home or it might be a day with your spouse or kids. This is a personal question that you get to answer; no one else.
2. What things on my list aren't actually feasible for me to accomplish in a day? Be honest with yourself here. If your goal is to fly to India and back on a whirlwind, short notice, vacation day, that is not realistic. If your plan is to remodel your kitchen, that is an awesome idea, but also not realistic. I'm not asking you to can your dreams. Maybe your first step can be to price trips to India or call for an estimate from a contractor. Those two things can happen. So can booking hotels and shopping for countertops and cabinets.
3. What thing on this list gives me the biggest sense of accomplishment and joy? This is another personal question because what gives you joy and that feeling of accomplishment is not the same as anyone else's.
Once you've answered these three questions, you should have a much better idea on where to start and what to cut out of the list of ten things you'd like to do. From here, you can begin scheduling your Leap Day with the things that matter most.
If you're struggling with your list or you just aren't sure what direction to go, I'm going to give you some help with the list below followed by an invitation to join me for a Breakthrough Session. This free Breakthrough Session will help you get a lot more clarity on what you want in life and leave you with at least one BIG idea of how you can start moving forward toward your goals. But for now...
Top 10 ways you can use your extra time on Leap Day to kickstart your bigger goals.
1. Take the day to clear out the clutter. Get the whole family involved and purge the junk from the house.
2. Create a family dinner menu and calendar so you don't have to come up with ideas on the fly.
3. Meal prep! Cut up those veggies and get your meat ready for the calendar week you just made.
4. Create a vision board. It's creative and focuses you on what you really want. There are all kinds of awesome ideas on Pinterest and the internet. Kids are great at this activity too.
5. Have a board game or card tournament with your family or friends who you havent' spent enough time with lately. No screens allowed.
6. Go on a hike. Get outside, bundle up if you have to, and get the fresh air that you can't catch in the office.
7. Sleep. Americans are so sleep deprived that we don't even know what it means to feel energized and awake anymore. Catch up on some zzz's.
8. Write thank-you notes for little things; these don't have to be for gifts you received. They can be to the garbage man for picking up your trash. Address and mail them.
9. Laugh until you cry. Watch a funny movie, listen to stand up or just talk with your kids.
10. Map out your year with deadlines. Set those vision board ideas into motion and give yourself a roadmap to follow.
You guys, it's not every day we get a free 24 hours to focus on life and what we want it to look like. Work, kid activities, and everything else seems to get in the way so often. After a week of forced R&R via sickness and snow days, I'm taking this as the grand finale to a week of reset time for myself and I hope you will do the same. If you have big goals that you want to reach but you are struggling to get from point A to point B, I'd love to spend half an hour talking with you about how you can get started and keep moving forward toward what you really want for yourself. I work with adult and teenage clients who struggle with low confidence, self-concept, poor communication, and unhealthy habits and help them make empowered and positive decisions so they can thrive. This free half-hour phone call is all about you and what you want for your life. You can email me at 10000swordscoaching@gmail.com call me at 260-222-8323 or schedule your Breakthrough session right here.
Have a perfectly YOU Leap Day. I hope it is everything you have needed and wished.
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