Prologue: So, it's official. Pick One Thing is my new campaign, and you'll be reading along these lines for an undetermined amount of time, both here and via my tweets on Twitter. For those of you who work out with me at my fitness studio, you'll be seeing random notes and reminders posted there, too.
I've Picked this One Thing thing for a couple of excellent reasons. 1. It works. And you know what I say: we should do whatever works. 2. It has infinite possibilities. And you know what I believe in: infinite possibilities.
I started with just thinking about picking one thing, then I tried it, then I noticed good things came after, then I wrote about it, here: Pick One Thing
After that, I picked something more specifically general. Changing Attitude. It was something I could address for more than a day. Something big that really mattered. Then I wrote about it.
Then I had a setback of sorts. Actually, a valuable lesson. (cuz that's what setbacks are usually designed to deliver...) I overshot my attitude and pretty much smacked someone upside the head with my cheerleadery-chin-up-life-is-good-opinionatedness. It was an accident, but it bothered my friend. I needed to remember I'm not in charge of convincing anyone to change their attitude to be more like the way I think it should be. For anything to evolve, especially a life perspective, it can take some time.
So I picked Reclaiming Your Time as the next Pick One Thing thing. This pick was especially for me. Although many people I know, especially women, need to pick this theme for themselves more often. I came up with some pretty good tips for myself, and shared them here.
At the same time I was interested in eeking out shorter, more-to-the-point reminders and ideas. Enter Twitter. TheAbWhisper is a perfect way to concentrate (and center!) my thoughts with fewer words. Up at the top right corner of this page, you'll see recent tweets under Quickies....so if you don't feeling like reading the long version, now you can just check in on the cuter little sister version. My goal: tweet several times a week. Please follow me--click on the link up there!
Finally, I arrived at today. I began writing this brief history of Pick One Thing in order to explain how I'm really following my heart on this one. I feel it. It's got a nice rhythm. It can offer a bit of order to the whole of something, or serve as a steady background base drum to keep me moving forward. It can be open or focused. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, all the above. I love it.
So, Pick One Thing brings us to Your Heart (and mine).
How important it is to consider, connect with, take care of, and honor your heart! I mean,
A) Your heart equals life
B) Your heart equals love
C) Your heart equals compassion...feelings...an intuitive guide to your most heartfelt notions
When you're heart gains health, your whole body gains health! It's right in the center of all the action. Grand Central, in and out, all that oxygen, that blood, those arteries and valves...
It pumps you up! It tells you when you're moving too fast, and when you're skippin' down the cobble stones feelin' groovy. When you're worried, afraid, anxious. When you're fluttery, blushing, enchanted. When you're lonely. When you're sure of yourself. When you have eaten too much of a bad thing.
Don't just listen to your heart. Learn your heart. Sure, it's a big thing to pick. But we all have only one of 'em, so really, few things are more worth picking than your heart. Put your hand there, right now, and make a pledge to it. Say "I heart my heart."
Okay you don't really have to say that, but you should think it. Wait, no--make that, you should feel it. Deep down inside. At the very center of your human condition. How beautiful is that?!
I HEART YOUR HEART. And mine. XOXO
Posts
Butterscotch Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce
6 years ago
So, I've decided my one thing is connecting with other photographers. I've been thinking about this for awhile. It was a project I wanted to start, but never found the time or energy to do it. So I scheduled it into my calendar. While this does serve a bit in my own business, it's much more of a personal quest. I can find inspiration, share ideas, and commiserate with them. So, I've started my BlogLove project, where I not only follow my fellow photographer blogs, but I take the time to comment on each new blog post. I schedule time each week to do this, and now am finding that when I have a few extra minutes, I check out a few blogs ad that keeps it all manageable and fun. It's been so fantastic! I've gotten great ideas, and learned new things, found inspiration, offered and received lots of support, and made friends. Google Reader makes this really easy (if you don't use it, I highly recommend you check it out). So there ya go, my one thing is BlogLove.
ReplyDeleteFabulous, Leigh Ann. It's like a hand-on how-to real-live library, right at your fingertips. Some say technology interferes with personally rewarding realtionships, but mostly I disagree--I have found that we can connect with even more likeminded people when we reign in the boundless resources of internet to suit our personal quests. Many good things come from sharing, as you and I continue to discover.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think it's important that you LABELED your one thing. That's how I got going with this Pick One Thing thing. I had to call it something and give it some form. Then it was real, and actionable. And like you, I'm already enjoying improvements in my day to day because of it. I look foward to my one thing!
Thanks for the Google Reader reminder. I've been told that before. Will make sure to check it out now, because "really easy" is what works best for me in cyberspace.
Going to pass on your project idea to a freelance photographer I know. It's a good one thing.