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When Your Get Up & Go Just Got Up And Went!
Five Tips to Refresh and Renew Yourself in the New Year
By: Eileen McDargh
Let's face it: new years are not always "new". Too often it
feels like nothing more than a new calendar in which to write
down pages of non-stop activities, project deadlines, social
obligations, and commitments made by someone other than you.
SO stop! It's time to plug into something that YOU
choose-something that can renew your batteries and refresh your
interest in work AND life. Unlike the bobble-headed figures
that nod "yes" at every touch, you DO get to declare "time out"
and place yourself first.
#1: Retreat to advance. Take yourself away for at least two
nights and three days to a place for a silent retreat.
Yes-silence! Forbid yourself from using the phone, the
television, or the radio. It's time to listen instead to the
voices in your head that have been trying to get your attention
for ages. Write what you sense. Think on paper. And make
resolutions that speak to what matters most.
#2: Experience something far a field from your profession. Take
a class or read a book that is NOT in your chosen line of work.
Select something that piques your curiosity. The notion is to
look for connections or ideas that might stimulate a new way of
looking at your work or your life. Former elementary teacher
Gail Wenos studied ventriloquism and discovered a new way to
teach adults!
#3: Stretch yourself. If you take an exercise class once a
month, try going two more times. If you cook the same food the
same way, alternate with a new cookbook. One father saw himself
as totally ill-equipped to ride anything that had less than four
wheels. But he took motorcycle lessons with his teenage son and
his sense of personal accomplishment grew along with the bond to
his child.
#4: Practice your art every week. Everyone has an art. It
might be hammering nails or singing in the shower. It might be
designing a garden or counseling a friend. But it uses a talent
you've got and when this talent is engaged, you burn brightly.
You leave the time refreshed. Put this down as a personal "no
matter what" on your day timer.
#5: Throw out what weighs you down. Read only those things
that are meaningful to you. Can the clutter as well as the
people who are the constant complainers and gripers. Ditch the
weight of unnecessary purchases and their financial burden. Give
clothes you haven't worn in over a year to Goodwill . Remember,
every ounce counts.
Think of 2008 as the year that YOU take control over what
charges your batteries and renews your energy field. Guaranteed,
it won't cost $100 per barrel.
(c) 2008, McDargh Communications. All rights reserved. You may
reprint this article so long as it remains intact with the
byline and if all links are made live.
Professional speaker, Eileen McDargh, has helped hundreds of
companies conversations that matter. Her newly revised book
Work for a Living and Still Be Free to Live was one of the first
books to address the notion of balance and authentic work. To
join The Energizer e-zine, purchase a book or read free articles
on leadership, stress, teamwork and communication visit her http://www.eileenmcdargh.com motivational speaker website.
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