ALL THE GEAR AND NO IDEA?

Does anyone else resonate with this?

As performers, our ‘gear’ is ourselves and our own abilities. We have this natural ability to want to try out ALL the things in order to help us reach our dreams. So much so, we sometimes forget to stop and listen to our instincts.

Has anyone else felt like they've been busier during lockdown than they were when they were working?

When lockdown hit, after the initial panic and unwillingness to accept that this was our fate, I jumped at the fact that I could start ticking things off my to-do list.

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Knowing I had a lot of things scattered in my brain that I wanted to achieve, I created a weekly schedule.

Now, this is when it all started to go a bit crazy.

Week 1. WAY TOO MANY THINGS. Yep, I wanted to do it all. Try this class, go to that seminar, learn that song on the ukulele AND be a master chef all in one day. Basically, pushing myself to do way more than I would normally do at work and therefore failing at all of them, knowing I didn't really commit to any single task, in anticipation of the next one.

The fear of wasting time was real and I didn't know how to play it out.

And then I stopped. I had a word with myself and reminded myself of the importance of finding MY rhythm. Rather than trying to force productivity, which in turn was exhausting me, I just did what was innate; breathe.

I then connected to what I love, accepted that that was ok and realised, that actually is just what this strange time has called for.

So instead of trying to juggle 100 different plates, I chose just 3. Three things a day to focus on.

1.) Meditation/Reflection

2.) Exercise

3.) Creativity

Some days a single task rolled all of those aspects into one. I would do a tap class and then when it was over I'd create a section to add onto the end of the routine, listen to some music and just get lost in the moment.

Some days I would spend an hour on each point separately.

Some days I'd try to use those focus points as a cue to tick something off of my to-do list or connect with someone to make them smile.

This was my rhythm.

All of a sudden, new waves of creativity were emerging; things I hadn't done for years. I allowed myself to do less, but by doing less I was able to find so much more that inspired me.

In light of this, I've realised that by just doing what you love, you reach success. And success reaches you.

If you could choose 3 things a day that could, in turn, open 100 new doors, just by doing what you love, what would they be?

- Written for The Network Covid-19 challenge #higherlevel

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