New place: New Mental Space
Fall is, and in this case quite literally, the season of change. Soon we'll be basking in the warm tones of the changing leaves, watching the sky as it dances in a sea of scarlet, fiery colors, and swaying in the crisp yet gentle Autumn breeze.
Yes, this truly is one of my favourite seasons!
This year, the leaves of changes are very much in the air. My little family of three (my puppy included) are in the thick of a transition back to Florida, the beautiful sunshine state! This next chapter in our journey is wrought with both excitement and frustration and yet, as we prepare for this big step, I am almost compelled to take this change to a deeper, more profound level:
NEW PLACE
My time in Georgia had its fair share of ups and downs but there were moments where it gave me exactly what I needed: great friends, amazing weather and amazing spots, like Sweetwater Creek State Park, to relax and unwind with my family. I'll even admit that there were plenty that Georgia had to offer that I just never gave myself the chance to enjoy. As I sat in my parents home among an ocean of boxes, I realized that I did the same thing when I lived in Orlando. I was so content with sitting at home that I never took full advantage of where I was and I carried that same behaviour with me to Georgia.
Now that I'm back in a "new place" I think its time I finally change that! I need to relinquish the title of "home body" and actually go out and create memories, spend time with family and friends, try new things and engage in new ideas and experiences. I encourage you all to do the same. Life is way too short to be spending it behind our phones, computers and TV screens. The days are way too beautiful for us to be cooped up in our homes or apartments.
There's plenty of activities that we can do to not only enhance where we are but to keep ourselves engaged and in touch with the people around us. For example:
Go see a movie or a play.
Find out what local events are in your area- and go!
Have brunch with a friend you haven't seen in awhile.
Go to the museum or zoo and check out a new exhibit.
Take a class or join a book club.
Schedule in some ME time- do something you love to do
Spend a day at the park with family
Take up a craft such as gardening, painting, sewing etc
These are just a few things that we can all do to enhance our daily lives. My goal this time around in my "new place", is to take advantage of all that it has to offer. So I wanted to be a good steward to you all and challenge you to do the same.
Not only can these activities and social interactions help to make us happier, but they can improve our physical health because we're out and about instead of sitting at home. Doing things such as joining a book club, taking fun classes, or going to museums can help to keep our minds sharp and active (especially as we get older). We'll also get a well needed breather from all our devices and technology while building positive relationships with our friends and family.
This change will not only be good for me but for my family as well. I'm done sitting at home doing nothing, stressing about the things I can't control. I'm going to make the best of my "new place" and you should too!
NEW MENTAL SPACE
So now we move to the challenging part. As we are in the digital age, we often find ourselves with an influx of information, whether its from emails, television, social media or the news, there's a seemingly never ending clutter of thoughts that take up our mental space.
I look at it like tub with a steady stream of water filling it. As the water pours in the level will continue to rise until it overflows...right? That is unless you turn off the pipe or let some of the water out. I think our minds work the same way. We all need to unplug and let out some the excess thoughts in our minds in order to begin again.
That's what I mean by needing a new mental space. I've been stuck in the same mental loop because I haven't allowed myself to regroup, let it out and refill. So since I'm in a "new place" I figured I'd also work on my "new mental space" as well.
Managing our mental space can have the following benefits:
It helps you to sleep better.
Makes decision making easier.
Increases productivity.
Helps reduce stress and anxiety.
Improves focus and provides clarity
So the most important questions at this point is how? What are some of the things that we can implement in our daily lives that can help us get rid of the mental clutter?
Here's a few ways that may help:
1. Declutter Your Physical Environment.
2. Write It Down.
3. Keep a Journal.
4. Let Go of the Past.
5. Stop Multi-Tasking.
6. Limit the Amount of Information Coming In.
7. Be Decisive.
8. Put Routine Decisions such as what to wear or eat on Auto-Pilot.
9. Prioritize.
10. Learn to Meditate.
CONCLUSION
So as the autumn leaves transform, so too will I. In this new place I hope to achieve a healthier, balanced, fulfilling, active and adventurous life. In my new mental space, I hope to remain clutter free, engaged, focused, driven and motivated. And you can too!
We owe it to ourselves as women of color to take control of the areas of our lives that need work. You don't have to wait for a big move, or a new season to start working on YOU!
Your "new place" is right here and right now!
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