A Gift to Yourself

A gift to yourself

June is my birthday month. You know it’s getting close when the aloes start to bloom. The rest of the year, they are invisible, but as soon as the middle of May rolls in, they start showing off.

Some of my closest people have already started asking what I want for my birthday. Apparently, I am difficult to buy for. Probably because I don’t really think about stuff all that much. When it comes to things, there are two I know I want: A charcoal G-Wagon (preferably a G63) and a gravel bike (any colour should be fine). So if anyone wants to get me one of those, reply to this mail, and we’ll sort out the details…

The chances of receiving those are slim, at best, I’m sure. But I did decide at the start of the month to give myself another form of gift during June:

• No social media for a month: Although I enjoy staying up to date with what is happening in my friends’ lives, most of what I come across on social media is not very valuable. It often leaves me feeling pretty meh after a scrolling session. So this month I’m going to attempt to spend my time more wisely.
• Spending time with people: Making an effort to see people in person, saying yes to invitations, so that I don’t just have to see them on screens.
• Drinking wine less often: Since turning 40, drinking even one glass of wine really messes with my sleep, and I don’t enjoy that at all. I don’t drink often, but plan to do it even less this month.
• Laughing: I have a loud laugh. You could say it is my trademark. Cape Town winters can be a downer. To counteract that, I plan to laugh more this month. Spending time with people in person makes this easier.

Why does this matter at all?

Having been alive for almost 42 years, I know that mindless scrolling, comparison, isolation and poor sleep do not bring out the best in me. It leads to frustration and impatience, feeling slow and dumb and not at my best at all. Like most people, I know what is best for me, but I don’t always act like I do.

So this month, I am trying a deliberately different approach.

My question to you is: If you could give yourself a gift you really need this month, what would that be?

Follow-up question: Are you willing to take the necessary steps?

A quick update on my progress: I had a great lunch with a friend yesterday. There was much laughter. And I’ve not been on social media for five days. Things are going well!

If you would like to share your progress get in touch. You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.

At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.