Years ago I was taught to carve out thinking time. I was told that if I scheduled alone time with myself, and used it to reflect on my dreams and goals, it would change my life.
It did.
Most of us want to make a change. We want a new job, new relationship, more money or simply more time to spend with family. But, have you considered that nothing in your life will change, unless you first change something?
To make this happen, you need to carve out thinking time; I call it ‘Creating Time’, a place where you bring clarity and awareness to the one thing you need to change. Doing this will help put you stay in control of your life, lessening your need to be reactive and caught in the grind. Essentially, it gives you hope for the future.
Anthony Robbins, one of the leaders in life transformation, says ‘How often do we take 30 minutes to sit and work out our vision for how we want the next 3-5 years to be?’ The answer for most people is rarely, or never.
Yes, carving out thinking time can be tricky. Friends, family and work commitments all need to be met, and then there’s the constant flow of internet – emails, notifications and social media. However, scheduling YOU time – thinking time – needs to be a priority. The NY Times recently revealed how President Obama manages to carve out thinking time for himself each evening. So, if he can find the time, surely we can, too.
At first you might find thinking time confronting – I sure did! You’ll likely have a million thoughts running through your head, all telling you how you ‘should’ be doing this or that. It’s ok to tell those thoughts that you’ll get to these tasks later; but, for now you’re choosing to sit with yourself and think about how you want your life to be.
Once you’ve settled into your space, it’s time to get really honest with yourself. Consider what you want in life – there’s no goal too small or large. Write it down. Now, ponder how to create it using actionable steps. What do you need to change? Is there a belief pattern that’s hindering you? Maybe you don’t have all the answers you need right now, but doing research will help bring you clarity.
3 Tips for Thinking Time
- Carve out at least 20-30 minutes thinking time in your weekly schedule.
- Be somewhere quiet and reflective, somewhere you feel good.
- Have a dedicated journal to keep your notes and thoughts.
I believe the best way to predict your future is to create it. That’s why I see thinking time, as creation time; a place where possibilities are brought into existence. I encourage you to start manifesting your possibilities today – open your diary and see where YOU can carve out some thinking time.
Ready to create a new path, but need a little help with taking the first step? My short article, Change One Thing, will give you to tools you need.
