You are in control – Monday Mantra

You are in control

Is it ironic that this week’s card reminds us that we are, in fact, in control… and yet my Monday completely got away from me? I laughed when I pulled this card at random from the deck I mentioned last week because I DON’T feel like I’m in control of much.

A friend commented on the book of faces that they envy how I hold space for priorities like my relationship, but what you see on the socials, that’s not real life is it?

Real life has me working too many hours and not taking time for me.  Real life has a stack of books yearning to be read.  Real life has a handful of quilt projects calling my name.  

But then this card reminded me that I AM in control.  I choose how to allocate my time… even when there seems to be too few hours in the day. 

So, how do we re-claim our control?  Boundaries.  Scheduling appointments with ourselves for the things that matter to us.  giving ourselves the same respect that we give to doctors or lawyers or other professionals we schedule appointments with.

And being intentional.  As we enbark on a task – whatever that might be – perhaps we ask ourselves “is this supporting what I need right now?  Does this support my highest good?

Often, I fear, we are doing things out of obligation or external demand… and that breeds resentment, procrastination, stress and dis-ease.  

I wonder what it might look like if we not only honored are ability to be in complete control – perhaps not always over the external influences, but how we handle the things coming our way.  Empowering, isn’t it?

Fast forward to this morning when a colleague and I were chatting about someone we work with and how they are – at least from our view – in a downward spiral.  She mentioned that she’s seen me pull myself out of those spirally moments in ways that the subject of our conversation doesn’t seem to be able to.  (I love the way the universe works sometimes – putting things and events and people in our paths to remind us who we really are and what we are capable of.)

I reminded her that I’m not always good at it… but I’m better than I was in the past.  And aside from recognizing the progress in this area, it was a good reminder to channel my inner IT Department.  Start with turning it off and then rebooting.

For me, that looks a lot like grabbing a fresh notebook and making a list of the things pulling my focus.  Then, how do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  I have to remember that I can only do so much and priorities have to be made.  Seeing my list in black and white (or Pink in my case, because of course I make my list with my favorite pink pen) helps me to decide what is and is not going to get done today.

Fairly high on that list was coming here to jot down some thoughts.  And here we are, so that’s progress 🙂

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