What would it be like to get away from it all, now?

Let me explain…

We recently returned from a vacation.

There was a time when a vacation used to be a luxury. Today though for many it has become a necessity.

Have you ever come back from vacation feeling you already need another one? You’re not alone.

It’s been shown in several studies that a respite from work decreases burnout and improves your mood and physical well-being. No surprise here. But what is interesting is the same studies show the healthful effects don’t last long – sometimes just a few weeks, if that long.

…that’s why it’s so nice to get away every few months!

Okay, back to the day-to-day again… I am reminded of the power of a good vacation and I figured why not let’s dig into the subject a bit.

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Hi,

It’s amazing how small an agent of change can be…

For me, it recently was a tiny fruit fly that motivated me to make a change in my life.

I’ve talked about motivation in earlier posts; and what really gets you up and moving. This time for me-of all things-it was bugs near my fruit bowl.

Picture this… It’s summertime, and fruit flies are multiplying all over the joint! Naturally we’re to blame because we see so many delicious fruits and can’t resist piling it up in the kitchen…

…And wouldn’t you know these eager little critters can’t resist helping us eat it.

See, the “fruit fly situation” in my house just got unbearable. Actually, out of control. They gravitate towards anything that has even a hint of sweetness or sugar to it.

They converge onto a spoon.

If you leave a bottle of wine open, they swarm to the rim or just plunge right in.

I forgot how quickly these suckers can procreate and multiply.

…It kind of makes me want to brush up on my biology 101 to see how long it actually takes them to create more offspring. I’d say it’s about fifteen seconds? And BAM!, a thousand more pesky Drosophila Melanogasters now fluffing around my fruit bowl.

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Did you know that from the moment sharks are born, they never stop swimming, even when they are asleep?

Okay, sharks may not be the first thing you think of when you are asked about role models. Let’s face it though; sharks have been around much longer than man or any other mammal, maybe as much as 400 million years. To me this says they’re doing something right.

And they never stop moving forward. I think it’s a good metaphor for life: even if you’re only moving forward slowly, it’s vital to always keep moving.

Change doesn’t need to be hard: In fact, it’s better if it’s easy, and pleasurable, don’t you think?

Let’s say you want to lose 100 lbs (I like round numbers!)…

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You may have heard of the 7 Areas of Life?

If you’re new to the concept (welcome, by the way) the 7 Areas of Life are:

Money, Time, Relationships, Health, Emotions, Work or Career, and Greater Contribution.

Each of these 7 Areas are like pillars that support your happiness and well-being. When one is weak and crumbles, your well-being caves in.

If you sit back and think about it, you might agree that most of us work on one, two, or at best, three of these pillars, right?

Some pour their heart and soul into their jobs. Ever found yourself concentrating on your career …identifying yourself with your job title or how much you earn, only feeling fulfilled when your work life is going well? …I know I have.

Others focus predominantly on their relationships. For these people, family and friends are the most important of the seven Areas, and they do not feel like a whole person if they’re not always focused putting others first.

By now maybe you can see how you favor one or two Areas the most. And likewise you might just as easily have clear in your mind the Areas you neglect… say maybe your health (when you eat out a lot to save time and energy), your money (when you spend money on things you know you don’t really need) or maybe your relationships (if you get caught up in a rat race of life bound with responsibilities)?

Don’t feel bad about the Areas you neglect, because we all do it. Just promise me you’ll avoid making the mistake of assuming that two or three strong “pillars” will make up for the rest. Because if you do, sooner or later the roof of your inner house will cave in, there is no doubt (I’ve been there and got the t-shirt).

And maybe it already has caved in… Perhaps right now you as you read what I’m saying there’s an uncomfortable sensation in the pit of your stomach – the one that signals now is time to change some things in your life…

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Hi,

You have probably already realized we are more than half-way through the year. And whether or not you make formal new years resolutions or set goals for the new year, we all have at least a few things we hope to achieve before the year draws to a close, right?

So I wonder …what’s cooking with you? And it’s perfectly OK to share what’s not cooking or what you’d like to change.

Ciao!

Taylor

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I welcome your comments.

Ciao!

Taylor

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The fly that didn't break the habit

The other morning I was pouring myself some juice, and something on the window sill caught my attention.

I hadn’t noticed it the night before so I took a closer look.

A fly.

A fly turned on its back.

Obviously dead.

I didn’t give it a second thought until I had a different thought…

We didn’t keep any poison, so why the dead fly?

Maybe because it died in a struggle.

Perhaps the fly kept trying to make its escape, doing what it was doing…

…until it could do no further.

It was up against the window.

That’s right, fly versus window. And you know who won.

See no matter how much the fly bumped up against the window, it would never succeed.

It would never break through.

Unless it changed something.

Can I ask you to imagine how the fly could have made its escape?

You probably guessed several ways, including this one…

For the better part of the day, there was an open window nearby.

Freedom was literally just around the corner.

The fly was so close to freedom, yet so far.

Now imagine the things  that we do, sometimes without even realizing them, that hold you back…

Just like bumping up against that window.

And no matter how hard you fight it, you just get more and more tired…

Frustrated, overwhelmed, and more overwhelmed.

Until finally you throw in the towel because you’re not getting where you want to go.

You give up because there’s no exit in sight. Exasperated because there are no results on the horizon.

But is that true?

Now you can thank the things that we do that are standing in our way…

Like obstacles preventing us from achieving what we want or what we say we want.

And even though these are usually imaginary obstacles, they might as well be real because they have the same effect as a real ones…

…they block and trap you just the same, keeping you from all that you are meant to be and what you are meant to do.

Or you can do something about it, because even the fly had options, didn’t it?

So, what would a different fly have had to do to break free?

Here are a few ideas… Change strategy. Try a different route. Get some distance from the problem. Look at the situation from a different point of view. Think in a new way.

That’s a lot to ask of a fly.

Still, some flies manage to pull it off and break free because I’ve had plenty buzzing around my house before and haven’t found them lying around.

Maybe you are wondering what things stand in your own way.

What can you clear out of the way so you have more energy and passion to pursue those things most important to you?

What needs to change so you can have the freedom to live, the freedom to be happy?

Are the obstacles obvious? Then what will it take to clear them?

Not obvious? Well, what if you could identify them?

What would you do differently if you knew the answer is around the corner?

Remember, doing the same things over and over again and expecting to get a different result, like following the same recipe to bake a cheese cake but expecting brownies, is one man’s definition of insanity.

When you open your mind to the possibility certain things you are doing are destroying any chances of your success, destroying your quality of life, you can experience life at a whole new level. And it starts with changing your strategies.

So tell me, what habits do you need to break?

Ciao!

Taylor

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First, before anything… have you watched my latest videos and did you give me feedback? If not, do it now.

OK, with that out of the way… I made this recording for you on the run.

My goal in this update was to explore the subject of what holds us back.

Whatever your purpose in life, I wonder what patterns you can find. Patterns are clues. Patterns are opportunities. Imagine the changes you can make when you listen now.

I hope it will make you want to leave feedback.

Ciao!

Taylor

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