I seem to be talking about this idea way too often these days. I am unable to stop talking about it because it had a tectonic shift inside me. It is still lingering in me and I am going to make it my lifestyle.
When all plans goes for a toss and nothing runs as expected or desired, what do you do?
There are a few choices. You give up, crib, eat pints of ice creams or try and see what can be done within your locus of control. I did the former first for almost 4 months and I just could not find any way to combat too many uncontrollable variables outside. The only thing I could control was my NOW and nothing else.
In my now, I decided how I want to deal with things. Yes there are a number of external forces, a number of things to be done, a number of things to be read, assimilated and synthesised, a number of deliverables to be cracked and above all a good life to be lived. In this anxiety of tomorrow, I was losing today.
I decided to plan the now, now. Not tomorrow, not day after tomorrow but NOW.
So i took one block of time: 30 mins and asked myself can i live the entire 30 mins, consciously, mindfully and filled with intent. Whether it is going for a walk, taking a nap, working on a deliverable or even writing this post, I try and do it with all of me by not wondering or worrying about anything else before and after.
I go into the block planning in a prescriptive way
0-2 mins: Plan what do you want to do that is worthy of you and your time?
2-27 mins: Do what you planned with all of you.
27-29 mins: Reflect on how did you do it. Any learnings and reflections, even gratitudes for that matter.
29-30 mins: Deep breathing.
I take my next block in a stride or give myself a long (15 mins) or short break (5 mins). Alternating with focus and diffusion, block after block kept me sane when everything in me and around me was failing.
Living one block at a time.
🥂 to NOW!
Beautiful string of thoughts! So powerful!