Frozen in Coach

Feeling stuck and not moving ahead? It happens to all of us. It’s like a hike where you’ve reached a plateau and aren’t sure where the trail picks up. It can be frustrating which can lead to you staying stuck. If this is you, stop beating yourself up and look at the view. Reflect on how far you’ve come. What you’ve learned, who you’ve loved, what you’ve accomplished and be proud of the climb.

When was your last upgrade? I’m not talking about deciding to change a level of service to get more features, but the last time you were treated to more than you were expecting. It felt pretty good, right?

What about a lifestyle upgrade? An upgrade in your creativity, health, relationships, productivity and your ability to manage long-term success? Yes, please!

What if I told you that you can upgrade your life by adjusting your habits? Let me explain.

Stuck at the Starting Gate

Your Morning Routine sets the tone for how you feel, what you accomplish and what you allow into your day. Does yours start by picking up your phone and reacting to all of the notifications you have? And then racing to get the kids off to school or get ready for work? That approach puts you in a reactive state. You lose control over your state of mind, your emotions and your focus. You start feeling stuck because you’re letting everyone else dip into your energy before you can claim it. I like the way Dr. Mathew B. James explains a reactive vs. response state.

Instead, before looking at a single text message, email or social media notification, try setting aside 5, 30, 60 minutes of your morning to DECIDE how you want to feel for the day and then get into that mindset. You can do this with affirmations, journaling or listening to a podcast that supports your intention and then plan your day. Where are you going to spend your time and energy, for how long and what do you want to accomplish in each of those time blocks? Then, and only then, look at your notifications.

Upgrade your Life

I never thought I had time for a ten-minute meditation in my mornings. What ‘ve realized is that those ten minutes would have given me much more. With this approach you will actually feel (and be) more accomplished because you are allowing less distraction and drama to steal your time and energy. Of course, you have to pay attention to those distractions and not get drawn in, but you will get better at that over time. I actually turn off notifications for most of the apps on my phone and then check them at specified times throughout the day. This has been a game changer for my productivity, focus and my energy.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes. If you want more tips on how to enhance your morning routine, check out my free emotions quiz.