You Are the CEO of Your Life

Have you ever gotten to a point where you were tired of your damn self?

I know that probably sounds crazy if you haven’t experienced it. There comes a time when your own bad habits and lack of productivity begin to bother you. I went through a traumatic loss earlier this year and got off track with my goals. I wasn’t eating right, working out enough, writing consistently, or literally anything I had set out to do. And when you already feel lousy, a significant lack of productivity feels like a failure, which adds to that terrible feeling. I know it’s time to have a staff meeting when this happens.

A Staff Meeting?

This is what I call my personal “Come to Jesus” moments. It’s where I evaluate myself and the environment around me. It’s like taking inventory.

If you’ve ever worked in retail, you know that you have to take inventory. It may be annually, bi-annually, or even every few months. When a business does inventory, they usually seek to minimize theft or loss, remove unnecessary or out-of-date items, or evaluate the success of specific items. Taking inventory gives you insight into how the business is going and what changes need to be made. You should do the same thing in your life, as often as necessary.

Each one of us will have a different inventory list. It is up to you to decide which areas are important and need your attention at this time. The following is a list of things that I usually take inventory on:

• Relationships: When we hear the word relationship, we immediately think of romantic relationships. However, we should include all relationships, such as platonic, work, casual, and even sexual. Taking inventory in this area is about assessing the people you spend time with and how that time adds or subtracts from your life.

• Career: We all have milestones and goals we want to hit in our careers. You may want to get promoted in a certain amount of time, acquire a specific salary, or start your own business. It is imperative to ensure we are on track to the desired success.

• Mental Health/ Self-Care: The mind controls everything we do, so it is essential to keep it healthy. You have to make time to check in with yourself to assess your needs and make sure that they are being met. Self-care looks different for everyone. It may be a warm bath, a night out with friends, an afternoon nap, a spa day, exercise, time with your significant other, a solo date night, a trip, or simply time alone. Be sure to figure out what works best for you and stay on top of it.

• Spiritual: This might be for you if you believe in a higher power. Sometimes we get distracted and don’t spend enough time nurturing our spiritual side. Are you setting aside time for prayer and reflection? Are you using your gifts for good? Are you consistently practicing gratitude? These are great questions to ask yourself when taking spiritual inventory.

• Physical Health: When life gets busy, we sometimes neglect ourselves. It is essential to ensure you are properly nourishing your body, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and making time for some exercise. Our bodies are amazing and do so much for us; we must do our best to support them.

Implement Changes

After you take inventory, it is your responsibility to make the necessary changes. And putting these things on paper helps a lot. I’ll tell you what that has looked like for me:

• I’ve resumed getting my juicy self up and working out 5-6 mornings a week.

• I’ve put down my precious sweets and got back to making better food choices.

• I’ve started working on a goal of mine that I kept putting off (stay tuned for that!)

• I’ve joined a photography class, which is something I’ve always wanted to do

• I’ve started to pick up freelance projects again that make me happy.

• I’ve worked harder at staying positive and grateful through the process.

• I’ve drawn my energy back from people that don’t reciprocate it.

And I can tell you that I feel SO much better. I read somewhere that most people believe that action comes from motivation when motivation actually comes from action. Once you get started, the motivation will come if it means something to you. Getting your ass up and starting is half the battle, and once you do, you’ll remember why you wanted to start in the first place.

We often pride ourselves on our titles and roles at work while forgetting we are also the CEO of our lives. The buck stops at us when it comes to the decisions that are made in our lives. As long as you have breath in your lungs, you have the power to start over and make a different choice.

Start now!