Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, GUTSY GYAL

How To Harness Springtime Energy

March 26, 2018

Spring has ushered in a burst of creativity and inspiration for me. So I’m gonna share with you some ways I try to take advantage of the spike in energy that Spring brings.

It’s so funny how I always seem to get a boost around this time. I’ve said this many times, after my birthday (November 5) my motivation wanes. Then I get into a very reflective period where I think a lot and I reassess and analyze. But then come Spring things kick into high gear. I start to act on all the things I was thinking about. It’s not that I wasn’t doing anything during the winter months. (I released a new season of my online show, I traveled to St.Vincent, booked several acting gigs and took some improv classes.) But in terms of my overall focus and game plan it’s been a bit topsy turvy. Reflection is great, but goals require actual action! So now that I have all this renewed Springtime energy, how do I harness it and make sure I take full advantage?!

Here’s my approach and some tips that tend to work for me:

1. I make sure I don’t let the vigor and excitement of a new season mask the actual motivation for the goal. I’ve been guilty of running crazy fast down a path just because I have the energy to run, and then I’m like ” Hol on….whey ah goin’?!” So to prevent myself from making those mistakes again. I write out a clear plan…complete with dates, action steps, excel sheets and productivity tools for my social media like hoot suite and Planoly etc. I use the present tense I also make use of my friend Karlyn Percil’s Success Planner. I’m sure you know about writing down your goals and all of that. But my main point here is about making sure you’re not setting goals for setting goals sake!

2. Y’all I watch a lot of TV/Netflix! In the morning after I walk Remy. I flip between Canadian and American morning shows while I eat my breakfast. Then I start my work on my laptop with daytime talk shows (Kelly & Ryan, Hoda &Kathie Lee, The View) in the background. Then the TV stays on all day as I work. Then after dinner hubby and I watch various shows on Netflix and online. Issa problem. I know! And as much as I tell myself and Victor that it’s just background noise. It’s not. It’s a distraction. So during this time when I’m motivated and on a roll, I have to shut that shit down! The TV stays off (I still have to watch my shows at night though) and I work in silence. I find it helpful to remove distractions. Social media is tricky because it’s what I do, but during spurts of inspiration, I rely heavily on scheduling tools. So when you see more posts from me on my socials, it’s actually because I’m busy doing stuff behind the scenes. Shut it down people. Shut it down!

3. When I’m in my zone. I’m on a mission. TMI, but there are days when I skip the shower lol. Unfortunately it also means that sometimes I have to cancel meet ups. It’s just that when I’m vibing, it’s hard to break away and get all Nnekafied. It may sound a bit mad scientist-ish but as a creative entrepreneur it is kinda like that. So I don’t break the flow. I put my head down and I ride it out.

4. I’m a big fan of talking about who/what you need in order to bring your goals to fruition. I’m always telling people when someone asks you how you’re doing, don’t just say “Fine…” tell them what you need help with at the moment. Say “I’m good, but looking for an XYZ right now, you know anyone?” I also believe in getting feedback from knowledgeable people whose opinion I value. HOWEVER during the action phase of my year (right now) I keep the talking to a minimum. When I’m flowing…my energy is super fragile. So I’m very careful who I talk to and about what. I can come down from a high very quickly. It’s something I’m working on, but in the meantime, I’ll continue to protect my energy…at all costs.

5. Change of scenery is particularly big for me during the reflection and imagination period of Winter. But during action Springtime it’s still necessary to maintain those flowers that are blooming. We’ve already booked a spring getaway to our favourite spot Viamede resort. A change in perspective helps to make sure I’m still on the right track. Also it helps me see things differently when wrestling with inevitable stumbling blocks during this time.

6. Lordie you don’t want to see the crap I eat during the winter. When I come back from Christmas vacation I tend to feel bad and change up, but then February takes hold and I slide right back into that oreos package (my friends know that’s my Kryptonite.) But once it’s starts to get warmer I begin to make better decisions. Starting with seeking consultation from my holistic nutritionist friend Saran. We go to a health store and stock up on vitamins etc. (I’m a pescatarian and the last 6 months I’ve slacked off on taking necessary vitamins) So Saran got me back on track. I also signed up for the Sporting Life 10k because I always need a goal to work towards. As I mentioned before setting goals requires action and for me physical movement plays a big role in staying pumped and in the zone.

So that’s kind of where my head is at these days. Just trying to keep it moving. This is the season of hope and renewal gutsy gyals. Get it!!

Photography: Jodianne Beckford

Makeup: Faces By Pureness

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