Listening to What You Say and Seeing What You Do Says A Lot

Listening lets you see…

Listening to what you say about your plans or goals tells you a lot about yourself.

And then seeing what you actually do, gives you even more information.

Paying attention to these two things, without judgment, helps you uncover internal conflicts and is another key to your time success.

When you start listening, you may discover that you carry some foundational disconnects inside.

More listening…

Setting aside time to explore the messages you received as a child is generally a rewarding place to start.

Did Mom and Dad’s actions match their words? Or did “What I say” and “What I do” hold contradictions? It’s quite helpful to explore this, for one very compelling reason:  Mixed messages speak loudest.

Let’s say that a family member told you one thing about time and then did something completely different. How did you feel then, and how do you feel now about it now? Conflicting messages that confused you as a child will often lead to issues in later life.

And those disconnects may create painful, missed opportunities. Fortunately, you can untangle these time knots and realign your energies.

Mixed messages:

Ready to start listening to yourself and finding the places where what you say and what you do don’t align? Great — go ahead and find a quiet place where you can try this exercise about double messages.

1. Think of an instance where you struggle to match your time choices with your values.
2. Now, think back to your childhood, when someone you looked up to said one thing about time and did something that differed.
3. Quickly write down what was said and what was done.
4. How did you feel about this? Write that down, too.
5. Compare your current conflict with what you witnessed when you were young.
6. What’s similar? What’s different? What patterns emerge? Patterns always tell tales.

Engaging in this exercise enriches you in at least two ways. First, you gain a compassionate context for time choices you make that puzzle and frustrate you. And second, you are in a better position to change a troubling time choice once you understand its roots.

Now that you’re listening…

Consult your heart. How might stories from your parents’ lives carry clues about your current situation? What past incidents narrow your sense of possibilities?

Let yourself envision a path to more rewarding time choices. Take time to visualize and make this as vivid as possible, so you can really experience your progress on this path. This helps motivate you and alerts you to opportunities to move forward.

And finally, ask your intuition about how to proactively walk this path and align deeds with words.

How will you take your first step onto this path today?

Here’s more help:

Time is pure potential. You decide how to use it; and once you do, it’s gone.  That’s why it’s so important to build on your best time choices.  If you feel like your time slips through your fingers, then you’ll want to claim your copy of my complimentary “Daily Choices Template:  Proven Strategies for Tracking Your Best Time Choices Today, Tomorrow & All Year!”

There’s no time like the present – to start moving toward the future you envision for yourself.