My mind has been a mess, I have been screaming about being tired for more than a month now. I’ve been feeling anxious, sad, angry, worried, and a ton of emotions for about a month now. I sometimes feel like I am running in circles inside a vehicle but not being able to take hold of the wheel. Hence, going back to the starting point, not moving forward; and guess what’s worse? The year 2019 is almost over and I feel scared of it ending with me achieving nothing. I know I am not the only one who has felt this way, so let us journey together on how to declutter our mental space, declutter our schedule and life in general and take back the steering wheel of our life.
- Have your to-do list clearly written out – I know you think you are smart and your memory is as sharp as the needle pin, but sister/brother please write it out. Remember what is said about the faintest pen. Get your notepad/your phone; write out your plan, those issues still outstanding for the year, for the month, for the day. Personally, each time I actually write my plans for the day, I always end up achieving more as opposed to just going about my day casually.
- What is priority? – You need to truthfully answer this question in order to channel your energy appropriately and order your life accordingly. You need to know what matters most to you generally in life and also set your priority for the day. Amidst the hundreds of things you need to do, which is more important? Which is urgent? Which is important but not urgent? Set these things accordingly so you don’t expend energy on the wrong things and feel wasted.
- What do you need to make it work? – Action time? Success time!! Now that we have written it out, what do you need to do to make your to-do-list come alive? For example, you want to lose weight, save money, start going to the gym/get a trainer/stock your fridge right for weight loss, etc. Activate a standing instruction on your account to save money. Identify the actions, resources you need to successfully make your to-do list be materialised and go for them.
- Rethink your thinking – As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. You need to remove negative thoughts and emotions from ruining your heart and mental life. Meditate on God’s word, make conscious efforts to rebuke negative thoughts with the right words from the bible. e.g You are working on a project in the office and the devil reminds you that you will fail, or your business plan will fail. Don’t just rebuke the devil by saying “No, I won’t fail”; instead, go a step further by proclaiming – I am the head and not the tail, the favour of God is upon me, I am loved by God and he blesses the works of my mind etc.
- Healthy eating, healthy relationships and lifestyle – You need to take care of your body by eating right, and taking conscious positive actions on your body and a healthy lifestyle. The friendships you maintain also have an impact on your mental space. Avoid toxic relationships/people and being in the middle of unhealthy relationships. Keep your heart pure and devoid of anger/malice/unforgiveness.
- Remove distractions – What are the things keeping you from doing the best with your life and living as God planned for you? Often times, there are habits, lifestyle, people that we need to remove/cut off in order to live a fulfilling life. This could be the internet, movies, food, e.tc anything that has an unhealthy control over you should be taken out. Take out the “thorns” that will not allow the workings of God take effect in your life.
- Set realistic expectations – it is important for you to be realistic in your goal setting such that you do not get weighed down by things beyond your control/reach.
- Be thankful for the present – often times we are busy making plans for the future, obsessing and worrying that we forget to stay in the present and appreciate the present victories we have. While making plans for tomorrow, stay grateful for today.
- Rest – defined as “to cease work or movement in order to relax, sleep, or recover strength”. It is important to note that the objective for rest is to recover strength, not get busy with other things. Often times, especially in this part of the world- vacations are used to focus on side hustle/family issues instead of to recover strength. Stop denying your spirit, mind and body the recovery process.
- Ask God for help – God is our maker and the one who knows us better than we know ourselves. He is the help we need always and is the mastermind of our present and future. Who better to lean on to navigate the course of our lives than Him.
Written by: Ubabukoh Ijeoma
