How do you change a negative into a positive? Do you feel stuck doing something you feel that you cannot change? I did, but I found a way to turn it into one of my favorite parts of my day. Let me explain.
I love where I live. The community is wonderful with a small town feel. Earlier this month we held a Fourth of July parade on our street that had 30+ children with decorated bikes and scooters. This is exactly where I want to raise my young son. The thing is, I’m 30 miles from the Academy office. I knew I would have a long drive to and from work when we moved to North County San Diego. On most days, my commute did not bother me. I noticed though, that the more stressed I was about things, the more I started hating my commute. It was building into this thing I dreaded every morning and evening.
I realized I was making myself miserable and I needed to figure out a way to fix it. Over the years people have suggested audio books, but I was not open to the idea for some reason. I thought it would be too boring or that I preferred listening to music. The thing was, I wasn’t enjoying the music anymore. I have always loved reading, but I was not making the time for it. I told myself I was too busy during the week and on the weekends I wanted to spend time with my family. Essentially, I had a lot of excuses as to why I couldn’t do things and a negative mindset regarding my commute.
On a whim I downloaded the Audible App thinking I would give it a try for a few months. Boy was I surprised. I actually found myself hooked! I started listening to audio books not only on my commute, but when I was doing chores around the house or running errands on the weekend. I’ve found I enjoy listening to both business books as well as novels depending on whether I want to be inspired or unwind. I now arrive to the office energized for the day and return home decompressed and ready to enjoy family time. My dreaded commute has transformed into a time for personal growth and something I look forward to and enjoy. I found a way to add back in something I truly enjoy doing (reading), but in a different form (audio books). This was a true lesson for me.
Are there places in your business or personal life where you feel like you’re stuck doing things only one way and cannot see them working differently? Do you have activities or procedures that used to work, but are no longer producing your desired results? If so, be sure to ask yourself… where else can I remove excuses and try something different that could have a huge impact on my mood and energy levels? Try on a new idea for a few weeks and see how you feel. You may surprise yourself and be thrilled with the results or even become an audio book junkie like me!
Erin Mathew
Associate Director of Projects and Event Planning
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com
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