“Why procrastinate today when you can put it off until tomorrow?”
This used to be me, from putting off minor tasks and simply writing them down on an ever-growing “To Do” list. {Tip, follow the “touch it once” strategy on anything that will take you 5 minutes or less, so as to keep it off any of your lists of things to do!}
Over time, though, I have reduced the amount of “busy work” that I do by restructuring both my professional and personal life, simplifying both rigourously.
This leaves more space to “Do it NOW” as per the wondrous quote from the inestimable Paolo Coelho (and yes, The Alchemist is one of my top 10 books and one I make a point of re-reading each year, as every year I take something new from it as my own life evolves. There are always new treasures to find).
Some of the most valued relationships I now have come from choosing to “Do it NOW” over the past few years, taking opportunities to go places, attend events, meet new people, and even snowshoe up a mountain! Having just gone through a health journey of five months (diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy for early-stage colon cancer), some of those people I met have also been key to me in my close circle supporting me on that journey. I am immensely grateful to them and also to the power of what comes forth by choosing to “Do it NOW”.
As I now move onto the health journey of life beyond cancer, I am feeling ever more to “Carpe F****g Diem”, to “Do it NOW”, both to actively plan to do things and also to be open to taking opportunities as they come to me. When we create the space we don’t then automatically say “I’m too busy for that, so no thanks” or “I’d love to do it, maybe in a few years”.
To be honest, at 56 I have already led a rich life that I am immensely thankful for, so the next phase for me is simply to meet new and cool people who inspire me in different ways, plus I intend to live a long and healthful life, so I am now focussed on first rebuilding my fitness and then having an even more active lifestyle than before.
In addition, I sense a bike adventure is in my future for spring 2023, so I will target fitness and (post-chemo) weight loss from now until then, allied to really looking at nutrition (if anyone knows a nutritionist who has a speciality in post colon cancer diet, please connect me!).
What could you do if you had space and then chose to “Do it NOW”?