The Looking Glass is a weekly newsletter of timeless wisdom for you to ponder on your journey of growth. I hope you find great value here.
#15 – 05 Aug 2022
Hello friends,
Thanks again for being here!
Here’s an insight, a question, and a quote I reflected on over the last week.
💡 Don’t postpone
I assume there is something important in your life that requires practice.
I like to play the guitar.
I would like to meditate more.
I wish I had more writing time.
But these things often get relegated to the bottom of my to-do list as more pressing matters arise. We think we can do them “later”. But later rarely comes. In fact, I would go as far as to say that later never comes for me. These items end up piling up in a graveyard of lost to-do’s.
The insight here is that there will always be reasons to postpone that practice. There is no end to all the endless and mundane tasks and responsibilities that come our way.
So my challenge to you is this: when you feel the urge to practice, just do it!
I’m assuming you’re not in a life or death situation, or you’re not facing a critical deadline, so the consequences of a little detour will not be too much. But it might just bring a little more joy and happiness to your day. It would be nice knowing you are making a little progress on that skill you want to develop.
❔ When was the last time you took a long walk?
I must admit, I have been swamped lately and struggling to get on top of things.
It’s been a challenge, working almost full-time in my day job, having a baby at home, and starting a coaching business while trying to create content online. It began to get the better of me.
But then I realised I am basically always either working, spending time with my son, or sleeping.
Much of the “space” has gone from my life since becoming a father. Less time for wasting time. There is always something to do, and it can wear you down.
Anyway, it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn’t been on a long walk for a while. By long, I mean at least 1 hour in duration. Walking was something I used to cherish – time to meditate, reflect, and come up with some creative ideas. But since life got hectic, things have changed. My walks have been reduced to a quick dash around the block with my dog.
So today, I decided it was time for a change. I went for that long walk; wow, it was a pleasure! A beautiful morning walk where I could feel the warmth of the sun on my skin and a cool breeze blowing on my face. I admired the sights and the sounds and paused for a delicious coffee from a local café.
I came back clear-headed, refreshed, energised and excited about my work for the afternoon.
It’s a great paradox in life that we can be more productive by taking things slow.
So today’s question is:
Where can you slow down a bit in your work day?
Can you create some space for something that brings you joy?
It could be a walk, meditation, catching up with a friend, playing with your child, throwing a ball with your dog, colouring in a drawing, or jamming on the piano
Maybe you also might increase your quality output by taking things slow.
💬A Quote to Ponder – The power of hard work on one thing
“Work as hard as you possibly can on at least one thing and see what happens.”
Jordan B. Peterson
Cheers!
