Binning the buzzwords and creating a sphere of influence
We live in a noisy world, surrounded by people, opinions, advertising, commitments and more. There is always someone or something telling us about the next best face cream, the leggings we absolutely cannot live without, and the event of the century that we certainly cannot miss.
Well, we say it is time to bin the buzzwords and make sure we are living life on our own terms, making things work for us, be it relationships or purchases and everything in between. Here are some of our tips for getting there and creating a life that works to your own schedule…
Say goodbye to overcommitting
We know how tempting it is to say ‘yes’ to every social event that comes your way, especially after the past 18 months, but overcommitting will leave you feeling drained and low on energy. It is important to manage your time and make sure you are spending it well, as well as making sure not to abandon every form of self care in a bid to fill up your diary. Trust us, we know how easily that can happen. Perhaps try blocking out certain times for self-care and other times for socialising, so you don’t end up triple booked and panicking about when you are going to fit it all in!
Mind your budget
Again, it is very easily done, going over budget for outings, online shopping, and even health kicks is something we have all been party to, and it doesn’t seem to get any easier with age, either. Our way to keep on track of this is setting aside some money each month for these kinds of purchases, or maybe only purchasing at the end of the month, so you know what you have left. We know it is easy to see an ad, add to basket and checkout, whatever it may be, but if we allow ourselves a little more time and consideration during the buying process, it may mean we are managing our money and our mindset better in the process.
Pause for thought
Talking of time and consideration, make sure you are giving yourself the opportunity to pause for thought. Whether it is before a purchase, before making commitments and plans, before scrolling for a strong thirty minutes on Instagram. Pause for thought and think about how it is serving you and what it is doing for you. Would you be better saving the money, keeping that slot free, picking up a book instead?
Mute channels and accounts
Look at who you are following on social platforms and make sure they are bringing you joy. It seems like a simple thing to say, but for many of us, we follow a whole bunch of accounts and a range of platforms that don’t bring joy into our lives. If you are going to consume content online, make sure it is serving you and doing good for you.
Curate your sphere of influence
Both URL and IRL, make sure you are in control of the people and things that influence you. Whether you are surrounding yourself with a new crowd, taking on too many peoples opinions and thoughts, or spending too much time online, take stock of your sphere of influence. You may have widened your net without noticing, and every now and again, it is important to check in and see where your influence is coming from, and make sure that it works for you.
Prioritise YOU
You need to put yourself and your own needs first. It might sound or feel selfish to start with, but you need to be your own number one. Prioritise your own wants, needs, desires and how you like to spend your own time. Put yourself front and centre, and make sure you set boundaries that work for you. Saying ‘no’ can feel tough but remember you don’t need to justify your reasoning, and you are the creator and curator of your own life.
Be kind to yourself
Along a similar vein, make sure you are being kind to yourself. Show yourself the same compassion you would show others, and think about how you would talk to your best friend. You deserve that level of empathy and kindness, so whether you overplay one week or need to cancel something, make sure you honour what you need and you are kind to your own mind.
Bin the buzzwords
If something claims to be the next best thing in self-care or you are served an ad for a course that gives you the top ten ways to recover from burnout, really think long and hard about if it is going to help, nurture, honour and serve you. If the answer is ‘not sure’, remember that is a firm ‘no’ and keep buzzwords at bay. We know it is easy to get sucked in, both online and in real life, but we need to come back to that sphere of influence to make sure it is helping and not hindering.
We know that any amount of information can be overwhelming and if you are feeling that, take it step by step. Start by having a weekly plan of your commitments, budget and time you are going to spend scrolling, so you can stay in control of your time and what influences you.
We are surrounded by hundreds, even thousands, of messages every single day. Both in the people that we speak to, things we see, things we read, and every piece of information that comes into our minds can form our sphere of influence.
If this is something you struggle with, meditating is something that may be able to help. It calms the mind and can give you space and clarity when you need it most. The good thing is, meditation doesn’t have to cost anything, and you can get started with somewhere comfy to sit and your own mind. Of course, there are guides out there and memberships (like MADE on demand) that will be able to help if you need some structure, but give it a go solo first and see how it goes. If you are looking for quiet clarity and space to think things through, meditation is a good place to start, don’t be put off if it is tricky to start with, it is largely the same for most people starting out! If you want some advice or guidance, please do get in touch with the team at Welcome to MADE and see how you can create your own sphere of influence.
If self-care is the one thing that always heads south, and we know that it often is, then check out MADE on Demand which is our membership. It means you can work out, do yoga, meditate and more at a time that suits you, in the comfort of your own home. So, instead of rushing to a studio or missing classes due to work commitments, it means you have the freedom and flexibility to prioritise self-care as part of your own schedule. There are also recipes, sleep stories and more content for you to enjoy on there, so there is absolutely something for everyone. You can get a free trial if you would like to take a tour of the membership and try out a few classes, before you decide whether or not it is right for you.
However you choose to prioritise you, make sure you stick to it and don’t let it slip. No amount of work or friendships will be able to replace the relationship you have with yourself, so make sure you are taking care of number one, so that everything else in your life has the freedom to grow and to flow.
