How to Do It All

A common question I get is “How do you do it all?”

The answer is simple.

Pick the right “All” for yourself.

You can’t do it all if your “All” includes competing in the Olympics, giving birth and being the Queen of England.
All at the same time.

The right “All” for you will feel like you are skiing downhill (if you like skiing) and you are flying through the gates like a pro. You are going fast and you are at the top of your game. You are balanced and confident. Your eyes are softly focused, taking in all of your surroundings as you shift your weight expertly to slice through the snow like a dancer.

You do not have to think hard about each move; you are using your muscle memory. You are in the moment. Your knowledge and assurance comes from your gut rather than your decision-making mind.

That is the feeling state you want for your “All”… the incredible feeling of an awesome downhill run.

Now make a list of other feelings you want in your life.

It might be things like joy, connection, and calm.

If you don’t spend much time figuring out what makes you feel good, coming up with a list of feelings you want in your life can be difficult. One way to jump-start the process is to think back to what has made you feel good in the past.
Maybe it’s the touch of a child’s hand. Maybe it’s winning a race. Perhaps it’s singing Carolina In My Mind at the top of your lungs.

Still a challenge? Try thinking back to before you were in kindergarten, and what things made you feel good. Climbing a tree? Learning to ride a bike? Lying on a hill and looking at the sky?

The object of the game is to fill your life with the things that give you those feelings, and let the rest of the things on your to-do list fall by the wayside.

By the way, no judging.

Don’t worry if you think you should make dinner from scratch for your family every night. If the act of cooking the dinner does not feel good, it’s off the list. No judging yourself.

And the no judging thing works better if you aren’t worried about other people judging you. Adopt the phrase, “I love you, and I respectfully don’t care what you think.”

I think you will be surprised by how many things on your old list of doing it “All” is because you think you should, or you are afraid other people will judge you.

Here is the bottom line.
Chances are you will feel so intoxicated by a life filled with feelings you relish, choosing to do your taxes (or doing other things you would rather not) will barely cause a dip in your “skier’s high” feeling.