We all know life is precious and finite, but as John Lennon said in his song Beautiful Boy, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
Modern life is busy. We are working harder and harder. There are so many things which demand our attention. There are so many things happening in the world that are a cause for concern. As a species, we are running on empty, anxious about the future, anxious about our daily lives, anxious about our families, distracting ourselves with consuming “things” to make us feel better, and it is destroying us and our world.
Slow down….
In our course, TranscribeRight, we cover making yourself and your work/life balance a priority. This needs to be revisited on a frequent basis, because the first place we grab that extra time is time that we give ourselves. This is like overdrawing your bank account, or spending on your credit card when you don’t have the money. This might get you through to the next pay day, or get you that new fancy thing that you will have forgotten about in no time, but the interest is going to hurt and if you keep doing it, it will have an adverse effect on your finances.
If we don’t look after ourselves, both physically and mentally, the same thing happens. Eventually, stress and exhaustion affects our health, our relationships and, inevitably, our business. Making yourself a priority is a must.
You are a child of the Universe…
I took some time out this week to go and see Professor Brian Cox in Melbourne. It was as amazing and brilliant as I expected, and there was so much to reflect on from his talk.
He spoke of “The great silence.” As far as we are currently aware, there is nowhere else that supports complex, intelligent life, like we have here on Earth. Every living thing on this planet is probably the only one of its kind in the galaxy and possibly the Universe. To create complex life you need stability for approximately 4 billion years, and that’s unusual in a dynamic and active Universe. Really taking that thought on board makes you realise that every single thing in nature that we see every day is a living miracle. Each of us is unique, there is no one else just like you anywhere else. How special is that? If we think of ourselves, each other and the world around us in this light, it makes sense to celebrate how lucky we are, be thankful and grateful for every living minute and to shine that outwards to our families, friends and the world.
“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here.” Desiderata
So next time you are rushing around, stop…breathe. Is what you are doing really important? Is it fulfilling you? Will anyone care in a couple of years, or even a few days’ time? What would you rather be doing instead? Think about that, and then go do it.
Make your happiness a priority…
For Sonya and myself, working to our own tune and not someone else’s was the driver to create Top Team Transcripts. Wanting to share knowledge was the driver for TranscribeRight. Wanting to give back was the driver for The Daisy Scholarship. Wanting to be inclusive was the driver for Transcription Central. And time, that finite and special gift, is what keeps us pushing the other to go and sit in the sunshine, take that walk. This keeps our energy levels high, means we are fresh for our business, and helps keep ourselves the best we can be for our loved ones. Make yourself a priority, you are unique and awesome. Value each and every moment we spend spinning on our amazing blue home, and spread kindness where you can. Happy transcribing!