The "Shit I Don't Have Time For" List

transformation

I’m 55 — a declaration that in and of itself, feels like a radical act. Compounded with the fact that I'm a woman, and a single woman at that, well, it almost feels inappropriate to say out loud.

Most of us, men and women alike, have been raised and accustomed to basing our actions that over time, create the landscape of our life, on the benchmarks of success “society” dictates. Underlying most of the rules, is the spoken and often silent belief that time is running out — more so for women than men. For women, it begins with our love-ability, marriageability, biological clock, and the ultimate demon: wrinkles on the freakin’ forehead!

As a woman who has passed through all those gates of hell and has survived to tell, as well as a Professional Coach who regularly works with men and women in their 40’s and older, I feel pretty qualified to share my greatest weapon against this harmful, completely unhelpful, and arguably untrue belief that time is running out. 

For myself, and the men and women who have achieved midlife, and are enthusiastic about creating the second half of their life with consciousness and purpose, it goes like this.

Instead of making the usual to-do list of all the things you’re running out of time with, make a list of all the shit you don’t have time for anymore. 

At 55, here, in absolutely no particular order, is what I do not have time for:

  1. High heels

  2. Starvation

  3. Cheap wine

  4. Guilt

  5. Small talk

  6. Gossip

  7. Uncomfortable clothes

  8. Listening to bullshit

  9. Boring people

  10. Working harder rather than smarter

  11. Proving

  12. Pleasing

  13. Rudeness

  14. Appearing more intelligent than I feel at any given moment

  15. Playing small

  16. Asking forgiveness for wanting to create a successful business just because I want to

  17. Worrying about being a bad mom (daughter, sister, friend, etc.)

  18. Others' opinions on whether I have enough trail shoes or hydration packs - Yes, I own 10 packs and no, I DO NOT have enough trail shoes, ever!

  19. Other people's idea of what should matter most to me - even those people I love and adore

  20. Picking up the phone, just because it’s ringing

What’s transformative and almost magical about making your own unique “Shit I Don’t Have Time For” list at mid-life, or any age, is that we suddenly realize we have so much time for all the things that do matter to us, and in truth, time is never running out.

P.S. I’m committed to sharing my Life Coaching skills and tools out into the world, in the hope that it can help others. If this blog resonates with you, please consider forwarding it to anyone who may benefit from it. If this was forwarded to you, subscribe here.

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