Plan, do, execute, stay focused, be your best self all the time, repeat. The better and more you do, the better and more you are. And the more you do, the more you’re trying to do tomorrow. Look cool, create, meditate, listen some music, draw, paint, sell, upsell, grow, stay hydrated, be a good mother. Repeat.
Set goals, organise, konmariate, cook, clean, decorate, update and don’t forget to exercise and take gorgeous pictures of all of it. Repeat.
Today I didn’t do any of those above. I overslept, my brain was scattered like the lambs in the mountains of Norway and I was, as you can imagine, in a really bad mood. Blaming myself for not reaching my goals, failing to be my best self, not ticking off my to do -list, not being able to produce a selling, inspiring, wonderful content in several social media feeds. Not answering emails, making those phone calls, not even having some coffee made.
Exhausting, isn’t it?
Trying so hard to do everything all the time seems to be the only measurement on happiness and success there is. What the hell is wrong with us? Why do we keep our standards so high and blame ourselves when those are not reached every day and all the time?
After the mental tornado of this day I finally sat down with my not so well earned coffee and realised something. It’s all about focus.
Just like when photographing, you can choose on where or what to focus on. What is the thing that you want to stand out in the (bigger) picture. Is it the trees outside or the small, lovely creature warming in our kitchen window?
Is it the failure? Things you didn’t do today? Calls you didn’t make? Emails you didn’t answer?
What if you intentionally choose to change the focus. What if the most outstanding thing today would be the only one you actually did? After thinking about this I know already that I wasn’t so honest with myself. I DID do things today and I did those well. I had some difficult discussions regarding my personal life, I managed to answer some of the emails and take care of the one lost package that should already be here in Helsinki. (Now it will be in Helsinki in an hour or so.)
I also did manage to get the coffee eventually too.
What I also saw after a while were all those awesome things in my life. Clients who have amazing ideas, people who send me messages, want to see me, want to love me after all. Amazing opportunities I almost missed when my focus was just on the failures. There are quite many of them to be honest.
And all those inspiring, lovely, super brilliant people around me who support me so much. I felt so much better immediately. So much better I managed to write you this article too!
Focus. That’s it. All you need to do is to focus on the things that actually matter.
As I’m an entrepreneur with several companies and brands and I work in visual and creativity field, it’s sometimes hard to find the time and the mindset to do anything visual or artistic just for fun. I have found few ways to trick my mind to let go and just create.
I document and reflect my life in many ways but one of the most insightful is definitely monthly review. I tried different versions of this and last year it finally molded in this form as it is now. For February I just finished doing my monthly review so now it’s a great time to tell …
I really love our home. It’s old white wooden floors and a high ceiling. The view, the atmosphere. Nowadays feeling comfortable at home is even more important as we spend there way more hours. Today I’ve spent the whole day doing nothing. For just once I let go of all my expectations and demands to …
Focus
Plan, do, execute, stay focused, be your best self all the time, repeat. The better and more you do, the better and more you are. And the more you do, the more you’re trying to do tomorrow. Look cool, create, meditate, listen some music, draw, paint, sell, upsell, grow, stay hydrated, be a good mother. Repeat.
Set goals, organise, konmariate, cook, clean, decorate, update and don’t forget to exercise and take gorgeous pictures of all of it. Repeat.
Today I didn’t do any of those above. I overslept, my brain was scattered like the lambs in the mountains of Norway and I was, as you can imagine, in a really bad mood. Blaming myself for not reaching my goals, failing to be my best self, not ticking off my to do -list, not being able to produce a selling, inspiring, wonderful content in several social media feeds. Not answering emails, making those phone calls, not even having some coffee made.
Exhausting, isn’t it?
Trying so hard to do everything all the time seems to be the only measurement on happiness and success there is. What the hell is wrong with us? Why do we keep our standards so high and blame ourselves when those are not reached every day and all the time?
After the mental tornado of this day I finally sat down with my not so well earned coffee and realised something. It’s all about focus.
Just like when photographing, you can choose on where or what to focus on. What is the thing that you want to stand out in the (bigger) picture. Is it the trees outside or the small, lovely creature warming in our kitchen window?
Is it the failure? Things you didn’t do today? Calls you didn’t make? Emails you didn’t answer?
What if you intentionally choose to change the focus. What if the most outstanding thing today would be the only one you actually did? After thinking about this I know already that I wasn’t so honest with myself. I DID do things today and I did those well. I had some difficult discussions regarding my personal life, I managed to answer some of the emails and take care of the one lost package that should already be here in Helsinki. (Now it will be in Helsinki in an hour or so.)
I also did manage to get the coffee eventually too.
What I also saw after a while were all those awesome things in my life. Clients who have amazing ideas, people who send me messages, want to see me, want to love me after all. Amazing opportunities I almost missed when my focus was just on the failures. There are quite many of them to be honest.
And all those inspiring, lovely, super brilliant people around me who support me so much. I felt so much better immediately. So much better I managed to write you this article too!
Focus. That’s it. All you need to do is to focus on the things that actually matter.
You have a choice. Use it.
Related Posts
About creativity, improvisation and clouds
As I’m an entrepreneur with several companies and brands and I work in visual and creativity field, it’s sometimes hard to find the time and the mindset to do anything visual or artistic just for fun. I have found few ways to trick my mind to let go and just create.
Monthly review | How to do it
I document and reflect my life in many ways but one of the most insightful is definitely monthly review. I tried different versions of this and last year it finally molded in this form as it is now. For February I just finished doing my monthly review so now it’s a great time to tell …
Home sweet home | Bits & pieces
I really love our home. It’s old white wooden floors and a high ceiling. The view, the atmosphere. Nowadays feeling comfortable at home is even more important as we spend there way more hours. Today I’ve spent the whole day doing nothing. For just once I let go of all my expectations and demands to …
Let the magic happen
You never know what awaits just around the corner. I have my moments of doubts and disbelief but in the end, something better always comes.