“Dreams don’t happen because you’re busy, they happen because you’re intentional.” – Maxie McCoy
Several years ago, I subscribed to read Maxie McCoy’s weekly newsletters and I could go on for DAYS about how much of a positive impact her words have made on me.
*Before I go any further, I want to say that this post is not sponsored, I just love her words & her motivation. I hope she could help you as well, and that one day I am able to motivate you in ways similar to the way she does.*
I’ve been trying to figure out what on earth it was I wanted to do with my life for the last 3 years. When I first graduated, the job opportunities weren’t there like every recent college graduate hopes and I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I constantly found myself being too busy to sit down and really think about where I wanted my life to go. I was too busy to make life changing decisions and certainly far too busy to update my resume and apply for jobs that I would actually enjoy.
Making an Excuse
As you can probably guess, I wasn’t actually busy at all. It turns out that getting home from work each night & sitting outside on the patio drinking wine isn’t busy. It’s lazy. Don’t get me wrong, this is a very enjoyable and relaxing pastime. When a person is as bored and miserable as I was with my every day life, that isn’t exactly the best way to make changes. I learned in high school that the more things you have on your plate, the better time management skills you create. This is so important to remember. I’m currently working a full-time job and while working to run a successful blog. I still have so much to learn so I feel like I’m constantly working on the computer, taking notes and attending webinars to gain as much knowledge as I possibly can. So far it’s been exhausting, but so incredibly worth it. There are social events I turned down because I had a webinar that I knew would benefit me immensely. Dates with my boyfriend are now at the coffee shop because I have so much work to do. My time is being used so much more efficiently than it ever has before. And it feels pretty darn good. I’m accomplishing so much more each day and already achieving so many of the goals I’ve set for myself.
Living Intentionally
For the first time in years, I’m waking up every day and living with intention. Not just because I’ve laid out specific goals for each month, week, and even day, but because I’ve realized everything I spend my time on is important. At this point, I am officially and finally busy. And I couldn’t be more happy. It’s reassuring to feel like I’m doing something for myself. I know we all have goals we’re hopeful of. What is it that we’re going to do today to move closer to achieving them?
How do you lay out your goals? I’d love for you to share a few of them with me!
Being mindful of what you spend your time on day in & day out is the best way to really change your life. I’ve always loved to plan the week/month/year ahead. You’ll never catch me without a notebook, my planner, and daily notepad. I don’t use them all three all the time, but they’ve definitely helped get me where I want to be in life. Planning keeps me from making an excuse that will keep me from succeeding.
We procrastinate when we’re scared, we tell ourselves we’re “too busy” when we don’t want to make important decisions. So many of us go through life wanting more but rarely actually do anything to get more out of life. What are you going to do today to move you closer to getting everything you want out of your own life?
Your Challenge
I’m going to challenge you again. Write out things you want to achieve over the next year. They can be big or small but actually writing them down will help to hold you accountable! Once you have them written out, make notes next to each one about exactly how you will achieve them. Write steps and mini goals for each day that will bring you closer to reaching them.
For the longest time, I have wanted to become a runner but I never really did anything about it. I just kept walking while my sister would run to train for her half marathons. Finally, I decided I wanted it bad enough that I would start to do something about it. I laid out a running schedule and have started running 3 to 4 miles a day. It’s not much, but still more than I was doing before! Plus it’s still bringing me closer to running a half marathon than sitting on the couch! Maybe you want to start a blog but don’t feel like you have what it takes. Start by writing out ideas for a niche and just start writing some potential posts!
We are never too busy to do exactly what we want with our lives’. You owe it to yourself to set some time aside to work toward bettering your life each and every day. Don’t make one more excuse. It’s simply a matter of making yourself a priority and waking up every day to live with intention.
