We all have expectations, no matter how hard we try not to. Expectations will ruin any moment, no matter how big or small. I try very hard to live in the moment, but I still seem to have expectations.
I retired in March of 2024. For as long as I can remember, I have had a list of things I would do after retirement. My husband sagely warned that we needed to have a routine. No, my expectations told me everything would fall in line.
Well, I hit a wall after Christmas this year. From the time I retired in March and the time my husband retired in May, I had very full days. I had the house to myself; I made lists and worked my way through each day. Expectations intact.
But after he retired, we took our Handyman Service business full time. I am the bookkeeper, appointment maker, and gopher. Now there was absolutely no time for my lists. This pace continued through Christmas, when everything seemed to have come to a screeching halt. Of course, the handyman business slows down in the winter, so I should be able to go back to the list system, right? But my body seems to have entered hibernation mode, sleeping too much, too much tv, etc. Got the picture?
Being a believer in self-help books, I began my search to put my expectations back on track. A friend of mine suggest that I read “Morning Miracles” by Hal Elrod. This is an inspiring story about rising from the devastation of a horrible car accident. Mr. Elrod outlines establishing a morning ritual that makes you feel motivated and productive; you will get more out of your day and engineer your life for success. He takes you through the Life S.A.V.E.R.S. (Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading and Scribing) routine which is simple but can have a huge impact on your life.
I had also stumbled across “The 5AM Club” by Robin Sharma. Her premise is to get up at 5 am thereby snagging an undistracted hour first thing in the morning. She proposes dividing this hour into three 20 minute segments – 20 minutes to move, 20 minutes to reflect and 20 minutes grow.
Taking all the things suggested by authors and devising a routine for myself is taking some study. Things that I must take into consideration are that I AM NOT a morning person. It takes me a full hour to wake up. Secondly, we run a business with an erratic schedule. Next, I made a list of what I wanted to accomplish daily by establishing a routine.
- Read for at least 30 minutes
- Exercise regularly
- Write for an undisturbed period
The undisturbed hour is key. Once the household is up and moving, I am less likely to accomplish any of my above three goals. So, I am going to get up at 6 am and focus 20 minutes on each activity. I’ll keep you posted on my progress. I’d love to hear from you with your suggestions or words of encouragement on getting my expectations back on track.