Make Room

Our lives are filled with so many things.  These include our “stuff” at work and at home, our thoughts about what we’ve done, what we’re doing and what we want to do.  Being “busy” all the time.  Demands on our time – family, friends, colleagues, and anyone else you run into.  With lives so full, there is little room for anything new.  If you don’t make room, opportunities will pass you by.  Here are some thoughts about making room.

Thought 1:  Shelves, drawers and closets.  The universe loves to fill a void.  To attract new things, make sure you’ve left room on every shelf, in every drawer and throughout your closets.  Less is more, you’ll be surprised what might turn up.

Thought 2:  Routine.  Going to lunch with the same people each day and sitting in the same spot in meetings, along side the same colleagues, ensures you will have the same old ideas.  Invite someone you don’t know well to lunch.  Sit by someone new at your next meeting.  Strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know.  Make room in your life to develop new relationships.  Watch for new ideas.

Thought 3:  Schedule.  Scheduling every minute of your day – work and personal life is a recipe for disaster.  When one appointment goes amiss or you have an interruption, there’s no way to get back on schedule.  Plan no more than 50% of your day.  Make room for the inevitable interruptions and unforeseen circumstances.

Thought 4:  New thoughts.  Commit to two minutes of quiet time each day.  You are alone, without interruptions, sit comfortably, close your eyes or look down at the ground.  Let your mind wander without focus on any particular subject.  This takes practice.  Pick a recurring event each day to trigger your quiet time – after brushing your teeth in the morning, just before bed, during your lunch time.  That will help you remember to honor your commitment.

Thought 5:  Turn-off.  Turn off the noise.  Turn off your television.  Leave your MP3 player at home when you exercise.  Drive in silence.  The noise clutters up your mind, blocking the way for new thoughts.  Unplug whenever you can to make room.

Thought 6:  Play with the future.  Take a few minutes to dream about the future.  What do you want your life to be like one year from now or five years from today?  Where will you be living?  What will your family members be involved in?  What will your work life look like?  What will a typical day be like?  Dreaming starts opportunities.  Your dream doesn’t have to be practical and you don’t have to know all the steps to realize your dreams.  Dreaming makes room for great possibilities.

What are you doing to make room in your life for new opportunities?  What tips do you have to share that help you make room?  Leave your comments below.

To print this or any other post, click the first icon in Share the Knowledge below.