An Exercise to Remove Concerns from your Life

Mental "Spring Cleaning"

Before spring fades fully into the rapidly approaching summer season, I’d like to take a few minutes for some last minute (mental) “spring cleaning.” Take out a pen and paper (or open a text document) and, as you read the following questions, just write whatever comes to mind.

(1) What are your biggest concerns? — Look at your list and select one of these concerns to focus on for now —

(2) Which specific issues comprise this concern (in other words, which little problems are building upon one another to create/add to the concern you selected)?

(3) How do you imagine your life would look if those issues didn’t exist any more? Pretend you are watching your future self in a movie or looking at a picture of your future self …how would you feel? …what would you do? …where would you be? …which aspects of your life would be the same/different?

(4) List anything you have been missing or unable to do/participate in that, if the life you have imagined was actually your real life, you could experience.

(5) What are the most off the wall, out there ways these issues could be resolved/removed? Nothing is too crazy for this answer – your solutions don’t even have to be possible.

(6) What are the most ordinary ways these issues could be resolved/removed? These solutions don’t have to be preferable, just ones that anyone else might recommend.

(7) Taking into consideration the spectrum of ideas you have written and any others you have now, what would be the ideal solution?

(8) How can you chip away at this problem? Break it down: what steps would you take to get from your current situation to your ideal solution?

(9) Who has access to the resources required for each step?

(10) How will you proceed? When will you contact the necessary resources and complete each of the steps you have listed? Also, by extension, when will you be enjoying the life you imagined in questions 3-4?

— Mark these dates (your answer to question 10) on your calendar and stick to them. Refer back to your end goal (the life you have imagined in questions 3-4) often through out this process to remind yourself why you must continue to make these efforts a priority —

After you have completed this process for the selected concern, start over with step one (in eliminating this first concern, you may find that others will have disappeared as well) and repeat steps 2-10 until you have removed/repaired all of the concerns that were troubling you. My hope is that, as you begin to experience the positive results you have planned for and worked towards over the coming weeks, this process will become enjoyable and you may choose to include it in your routine as a way to continuously improve your life and maintain a healthy stress level.

Have a safe and happy summer! Also, please don’t forget to come back and let me know how this exercise has helped you by sharing your experience in the comments section below.

Robyn Davis - Owner, When I Need Help (WINH)

Robyn helps exhibitors improve their results at conventions and trade shows by providing on-site sales and marketing support, pre-/post-event consulting services, and convenient products. Contact Robyn to discuss your situation today!

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