When the Muses Just Don’t Speak to You.
It was just one of those days today. The inspiration I usually have just wasn’t there. I sat down to put my thoughts on paper, and the flow just wasn’t happening. As I stood up from my desk, I focused my attention on the other day aspects of my day before getting dressed for the gym.
After an hour, I felt great! New personal records, solid performance, and a successful workout. I took a shower, got dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast/brunch and coffee before starting my “day.”
After engaging with Miata for a bit as she navigated her work project and actively engaged with her concerns; we brainstormed some potential solutions to some pressing problems she had before I exited and got back to work. After kissing my wife, I headed back to the office and prepared to write again.
There was no response. Not one word. I was becoming a bit frustrated by this point. “I have a normal routine that has worked for ages. What’s up with today?” I sat for a moment and took a deep breath. The last thing I wanted to do was get into a stressed state, so I kept my mind clear, glanced at my agenda, and tried to focus on the task at hand. Nothing happened. The time is now 11:00 am, and I still haven’t progressed. I drank some more water, put on my basketball shoes, grabbed my basketball, and went outside to the outdoor courts, where I usually get some great thoughts since there is typically no one else there, and I have time to meditate and breathe fresh air.
After 45 minutes, I felt pretty good. The session was fantastic, and I made some great shots. Overall, I thought the court process was successful. “Let’s rock and roll! I’ve got this!” I said to myself as I went back inside. After cleaning up and getting more water, I returned to my desk. I took a deep breath…nothing happened. OK,” I replied, a bit disappointed by the lack of fluidity. I glanced at my notes for the day and kept working through the small tasks on the agenda.
I finished my day off by logging off of the computer in the end. Nothing really flowed for me today, and I felt pretty frustrated.
If you are anything like me, days like today are terrible, especially when the muses aren’t working for you in the way they normally would. However, the truth is that days like today are essential to our growth. I made some mistakes today, and I am sure there were more. But I am happy to tell you that I triumphed in the end!
CALENDAR OVERLOAD
My critical miss today was having way too much on my calendar and not enough white space. I covered up my white space thinking I was working “effectively.” This wasn’t helpful to me at all today. Give yourself room for yourself. Enjoy the day, go for a walk, give yourself time to breathe. I only gave my time and attention to those around me sparingly today, and I felt it.
The act of having a full calendar does not equate to being productive. Unless the items are moving you towards your goals and dreams, a full calendar is just that. As I was looking at my calendar today, I realized that some things I put on it were essential, but some were not urgent. I did not allow time for flexibility, and I actually put my brain in a rushed state. So give your brain a break and allow yourself to rest.
MISPLACED PRIORITIES
I have been working on adequately scheduling priorities that are important for years now. There are many great tools out there for this. I enjoy using the Eisenhower Matrix for this, as it allows me to prioritize what is essential and urgent to complete right now. As a result of not properly using this tool, I added much more to my daily schedule than was necessary.
While I had a few items on my schedule today that were neither important nor urgent, I could have easily just workout and rested. I am ahead in my studies, and I had completed my Success Habits before noon, so I had my day set up for success. But it ended up being a complete mess because I improperly planned my night before due to incorrectly setting my priorities.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?
The best part about today was understanding that what I perceived as a failed day was a necessary lesson for my growth. The vulnerability to describe my muddied day helped me internalize that today was, in particular, a victory, not a failure. You see, for me, writing is an outlet to put down my thoughts and connect with the things that matter most to me. Today was significant because I learned something about how I operate and think.
Being 1% better than yesterday is what I define as success. No matter how big or small your growth is, it matters. Define your success for today. Success for the week. Success for the month. Success for the quarter. Keep going. Be as specific as you can as it matters to keep building your dream and encouraging you to build towards your future.
While my day may seem muddy and full of failure, it is full of opportunities for me to learn and grow.
JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD
It was also an excellent day for me because I had a great date night with my wife. We went thrift shopping because we could finally enjoy the local thrift stores again. We both LOVE going to a thrift store. Not to buy things, although we find some awesome gifts for family and friends when we do so. But it’s the conversations we have along the way that provide us with the most considerable boost. Both of us have the opportunity to exhale and vent, but we also brainstorm solutions and provide perspectives that we can both learn from for the next time. Those moments make our relationship the best ever!
It would not have been possible to enjoy the end of the day if I had let my day be muck and mess, and I would have missed the hidden blessings revealed to me just by being present with Miata. So keep moving forward!
I am sure tI can take away more from my day, and I am sure others will find other ways to improve. Feel free to offer some comments or encouragement. I know that I ended my day well, and tomorrow, I will have another chance to do the same. If there’s one thing I understand, it’s that you don’t ever lose unless you give up. And since I am not a quitter, I have every chance of succeeding tomorrow. I encourage you to use that phrase, too, especially if it pushes you forward towards your next breakthrough.
