Yes, Baby you get a re-do in February ...
Finalizing this post from the plane. Yes, I am about 15,000 feet in the air and- working. The man sitting in front of me is MUSTY AF and though I have on a mask, it is not enough of a shield to combat the onion spell that is attacking me as I write this. THE GHETTO.
After coming off of a 6 day vacation, I really don't mind Mike Musty in front of me though. I actually enjoy working from the plane and I always find that the 2-3 hours of uninterrupted flight time can be the perfect remedy to procrastination or a lack of motivation.
Although January was amazingly good to me, she definitely made sure I felt her intensity. I launched LOUNGE by Eunoia this month and I celebrated my birthday on the 18th. The weeks leading up to my birthday launch were filled with stress, anxiety and a frantic rush to just get it all done. The rush and the stress really just left me depleted and unable to bounce back. Launching a new line while still managing a variety of other roles required me to really take a deep look at how I accomplish things. Whereas my motivation and creativity were abundant, my energy was nonexistent for most of the month. I now realize that I was likely working through burnout.
My vacation week was spent with me reflecting on what I want for my life, my brand and how I want to achieve it. One theme that stayed consistent? The need to stay mindful about the things were depleting my happiness. Now well rested, tan and very focused- I can now see clearly. With most of the “New year, New me” hype gone, I am really looking forward to getting focused on strengthening the core areas of my life that demand the most out of me and my energy.
I CAME UP WITH .... (DRUMROLL)
The Success Cocktail- I’m Niekiha, Your Resident Mixologist
Like the perfect cocktail, I realized that my happiness, my core avenues of productivity are tied to a few key ingredients. My Success staples consist of
- TIME MANAGEMENT
- FOCUS WITH INTENTIONALITY
- CREATIVITY
I can have the most potential in the world, but without a perfect mix of time, focus and creativity- my potential will always fall short. While the variables around me may change, my core ingredients of success must stay a constant.
Ingredient 1- Time Management
I am pretty good with managing my time, but I do find that as I take on more tasks, I become easily sidetracked. Like most creatives I also tend to overestimate how much I can actually accomplish in a short amount of time which has lead to being overwhelmed one too many times. I operate effectively when I have a clear plan on how I will spend my time. Managing my time appropriately requires a high level of comfortability with setting boundaries and employing self-discipline.
Ingredient 2- Focus with Intentionality
I needed to add into the focus ingredient because I have a tendency to hyper-focus on irrelevant tasks that do not make up the bigger picture. When I include intentionality in my focus, I can make sure that the things I am giving my attention to are actually helping to push me forward. When I find myself over-focusing on the little details, I simply ask myself- "How much money will this task bring you Niekiha?" If the answer is nothing- I redirect myself back on task.
Ingredient 3- Creativity
When I do not feel inspired (usually due to burnout), my creativity suffers and thus- so does my motivation. In the same way that I work on all of the technical aspects of my goals, I also have to make sure I am making time to feed myself creatively so I can continue to stay motivated and focused. Taking time off, hitting Pinterest or simply connecting with other creatives are ways I like to feed myself mentally. Travel (though not always feasible with COVID) helps to give me a change in scenery and sometimes, seeing some new shit can really help to revitalize my brain
So when blended together, what do all 3 ingredients create for me? Success, happiness and peace. The optimum flow between work, life and growth. All equally important in their own right, all 3 pieces have to be present in order for me to feel aligned.Throughout the day, I find myself constantly checking in mentally to see where I am with each of these core ingredients. If I feel one is missing or misplaced, I take a giant step back and readjust where necessary. Usually a moment to pause and regroup is all I need to get back on track. Other times, shit gets too intense and I go through periods of "hot mess." Both times, I am mindful of what is going on.
Some days, some months, hell- even some quarters will be filled with setbacks and "can't get right" moments. If January was a "can't get right" month for you, extend yourself some grace. Different periods of our lives require a different version of us. Maybe the ingredients you used to use in your success cocktail are no longer serving you? Time to go back to the drawing board.
The Lesson- Do you want to sip on a success cocktail or do you want to snack on the free garnish shit at the bar?
Before you move into February trying to restart or realign your 2021 goals (that may have already fallen off track), I encourage you to pump the breaks and pause for a second. Before you plan out an end destination (goal), have you actually taken the time to identify the road blocks that keep presenting themselves along the way? What are your pain-points ? What are the ingredients needed to concoct your success recipe? During your reflection process, make a point to get intentional and specific. Vague or open-ended answers need not apply to this process.
Let’s Get Down to the Root of It
Now because I know you sis, I have to warn you that you shouldn't cheat this reflection process. There is no magical e-book or manifestation journal out there that will help you determine what core areas in your life are essential to your happiness, success and productivity.
For example, it would be easy to say that not having enough money or support is what is keeping you from crushing your goals, but I am calling BS (sorry). Would you know what support looked like if you had it? Do you know exactly how you need the people in your life to show up for you? Do you show up for yourself in the same ways you are expecting others to support you? Or are you holding others to a standard that you don’t even hold yourself? I’m snatching edges with these questions, but I promise you it’s all for good reason. I had to ask myself these questions when I used deflections as a defense instead of using personal accountability as a pathway to abundance.
Support? we all need it, but do you actually accept support and help when it is offered to you? Do you possess the ability to communicate how you need the people in your life to support you? Would you be able to tell someone how you need them to show up for you if you felt they were falling short? both of these scenarios where money and support seemed like the success ingredients, the real needs were more aligned with self-actualization and open communication.
Without having a clear understanding of the key ingredients you need in your success cocktail, you will be trying to feel good off of the fruity garnish they put on top of your drink- meanwhile your glass is empty the entire time.
The truth is, you cannot identify what you need to help you succeed, if you have no clear understanding of what things are not helping you succeed. Without knowing what is holding you back, it will be pretty damn hard to figure out how to move forward.
Crafting your own success cocktail will require reflection, repositioning and a REAL ass approach to seeing yourself win. If January sucked, oh well. You have 11 additional months to get it right. Take the next few days to write out the success ingredients are in your own life. In a journal (ps the EUNOIA journals are on sale now), make a list of all of the road blocks that came up in the last 25 days. What didn't work? What activities or situations really threw you off your A game? The more specific you can get with this process- the better. With your major goals as your guide, identify what you needed MORE of during moments of stress or anxiety. Congratulations, these 3 things would be your success ingredients.
I encourage you to finish out these last few days in January- CALM. You are not behind, you are not missing out. What is for you will still be there waiting whenever you are ready to openly accept it. Before you start writing down all of the things you will cross off your list next month, first get clear about what 3 things you need to craft your own recipe for success. Once you are clear, identify the tools that you can bring in to help bring you to the finish line.
Now until Feb 3rd- all Pause Planners are on sale (because I need to get them out of my spare bedroom). The Pause Planner is a great compliment to getting your shit together. The Pause Planner is undated and filled with over 300 pages of monthly, weekly and daily planning pages to get you aligned and organized- carving out moments to pause throughout your day. Integrating smart tools and staying consistent in using them will also help as you get realigned this month.
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