Yep, Consistency

I have so many sides to me and one of them I struggle with the most is that ‘C’ word. Consistency.

It’s followed me like a wet dog, kind of dripping all over any path I’m walking, sometimes excitedly bounding forward and sometimes just slumping on the track in a pile of stinky wet fur. Well, I don’t have fur but you get the picture and maybe a little of the stench? 

From Being Harsh to Being Here

I can be pretty harsh with myself and especially when it comes to this consistency-thing. What I’ve been chasing and ‘trying’ to be is an elevated or even exaggerated version of consistency. Get outta here!  In my E-version of this word, it meant that I had to produce something every single day in each arena of the stuff that makes me ‘ME’. That’s exhausting and totally unrealistic. Instead, getting into ‘being here and now’ more often is what has been working for me. 

One Thing Is All I Need

I am a non-fiction writer, voiceover talent, learning/course designer, an emerging sketch comedy writer and a hobby musician. To be consistent in all of these arenas everyday there is something I can be ‘doing’. And it’s much simpler than you or I could have possibly imagined. I like to call it the ‘One Thing Approach’. To be consistent with anything, the simplest thing is to give me some time. In a relaxed kind of way.

Consistency with a ‘One Thing’ Approach

One thing I’ve started to do is to spend a spot of time letting things swirl in my brain, feeling a possibility, looking with my eyes relaxed and letting my ears focus out enough to catch other sounds I’d otherwise not even notice. In short, letting my focus wander. That is my ONE thing I need to do each day in all areas. 

When to practise this ‘One Thing’ Approach

We all have our ‘best times of the day’ and even that time can change. For me, at the moment, it’s the time between my feet touching my bedroom floor when I get out of bed to when I sit to eat breakfast. The amount of time is sometimes 2 minutes. Sometimes it’s 10. Depends how hungry and busy I’ve made myself that morning.

How to know if you need to re-evaluate your idea of Consistency

If you’ve been over-pressuring yourself like me and not getting to the stuff that gives you that smile that spreads from deep within your chest, tempting your cheeks to pull the sides of your mouth upward, you could do with re-adjusting your idea of ‘consistency’. It means showing up and being in the space of what you’re into. And like all things, it needs time, attention and a little bit of effort to make it grow. And it only needs a teeny tiny amount of time. It won’t happen without YOU. That’s a good thing. 

How to Practise ‘One Thing’

1. Locate that space in your day when you’re still ‘pure’ and unencumbered by the day or the night before.
2. Find a place where your eyes can wander, your senses can stretch out and you’ll be uninterrupted for 3 minutes. I LOVE the toilet for this, hey no judging me – you do you and all that stuff ;)!
3. Sitting or standing comfortably (I don’t recommend lying down – I tried that and I just had a really nice nap), feel your feet on the floor wherever you are. Bring attention to your whole foot – left foot, right foot. Attention on the heel of each foot, then shift that to the ball of each foot, then your toes.
4. Let your breathing do whatever the heck it wants. No controlling it, let it be, baby!
5. Still sitting or standing comfortably, let your ears wander. Yep, your ears. Let them go to the sounds furthest from you – with ease. Now like an orchestra, bring in the next ‘instrument’, your nose. Let your nose notice any odours near and far. What can you pick up? Just let that sense wander. What about your physical space? Notice what you notice about what you sense on your left side, your right side, your back (I won’t say ‘side’ here as you might picture a big bottom and that would bring your senses to focus a little too narrowly). Moving from your face through to your hands. Notice the tone of your hands. Are they open or tightly closed? Just noticed them. No need to change. Then bring things to a conclusion with your eyes. Let your eyes gaze and rest on something nearby. Really look at it. What do you notice about its shadows, contours, colours, textures? Now let your eyes gaze further away and let them relax, drinking in a wider scene.
6. That’s your ‘one thing’ done. Now you’re ready for the day. 

One Thing, Once a Day

I’m guessing that you go to the toilet at some point during the day. If you’re a ‘morning person’ and you know what I mean when I couple that with ‘toilet habits’, then I highly recommend putting this ‘One Thing’ with your toilet habits. Just a suggestion – it’s one thing that leads to consistently getting into the mode you need to be in to get your important-to-you stuff happening more often. 

Want this in an audio?

I love being guided while I’m learning something new. Listen below. You’ll hear my no-music-background audio to help you start your One Thing habit. Free! With loads of consistent and non-invasive love from me to you. 

If you liked this post, you’ll love my coming-soon book ‘In Your Voice’. A playbook with fun simple activities designed to help you show up for yourself, and be consistent with this business of being YOU.