Musings: from April to August

I’ve had a lapse in blogging recently and whilst I’ve drafted several posts between my last published post and now, I haven’t finished one. Not a bad thing, but certainly frustrating for a Marketer (moi) who knows how important content marketing is to generate enquiries and someone (moi aussi) with slight OCD tendencies...

Where have the months gone?

More importantly, where is this year going?

I recall writing a blogpost I felt very strongly about. Not to say I don’t fully anymore, more my view has changed.

I wrote about my passion for planning over Xmas and the New Year, focusing on personal growth and visualising what you can achieve if you plan, consider how you’re going to reach your goal and what you need in between.

I spoke of daily plans, weekly schedules and long-term aspirations, from my career to health, finances to making more time for family and friends. I threw in utilising personal networks and challenging your own routines; “shake up your habits” (I really went for it).

months on

In parallel and partly interwoven with my paid work, I stuck to my plans religiously for four months. Having received positive feedback on my blogpost, I assumed other people who had read it were inspired to plan, strive ahead and accomplish great things.

Nevertheless, what I had neglected to refer to in my post, and factor, was life. That thing that happens every day, as sure as the sun comes up. Life gets in the way – and so it should.

Planning is one thing but living in the present is a whole other ball game. And I forgot to do this. I got so blinkered by planning, goal-setting and powering through, that it was easy for me to forgot to live in the ‘now’.

since then

‘Now’ gave me a wake-up call. Occasionally we get them, these wake-up calls. They can be presented in many forms – a chest pain, for example, someone we know in a car accident or a single thought.

From a personal perspective, I altered my outlook on life. I didn’t think ahead or plan; I sat in the present. Sounds vomit inducing I know, but barring focusing on my clients and consultancy, I let my life lead me. For once I didn’t have goals to review and reflect at the end of each day, and I didn’t have the additional pressure every week to create more goals. I didn’t religiously fill in my “goal journal” – yes, I had one.

Middle ground

I’ve learnt a great deal. It isn’t possible to control life with goals and objectives – after my first year of freelance consulting, I can testify you have to adapt, adjust and be agile as you look ahead.

It is good to push yourself, be productive and take pride in your achievements, but not to the point that you don’t enjoy the present. I gained much more time for living when I wasn't creating multiple goals for myself. Upon reflection, one or two over six months would have been enough! What I have learnt is that a balance needs to be sought between making plans and living in the now – finding that middle ground is key.

Life is an ever-changing thing; it can't be controlled. Whatever way, shape or form that wake-up call takes, it’s life’s way of giving you a gentle reminder.

NB There is a fantastic quote, previously credited to a number of people:

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present."