One thing I get asked a lot – how can I make my life easier? Like most things, easier is subjective.

My answer is always the same – define easier.

For me, my life would be easier if I had a driveway, if I didn’t have to commute to London for the day-job, if I didn’t have the day-job, if someone else cleaned my house, if someone else cooked for me, etc.

However.

I walk to the station and only drive my car once a fortnight, if that. I live in a quiet walk, with good friends, and no traffic noise. Yes it would be easier to have my own driveway instead of parking up at the top, but is it worth moving to what will be, to my ears, a noisier area? Not right now, no.

I’m currently not commuting to London thanks to lockdown, and yes, my life is easier.

If I didn’t have the day-job I’d have a lot more time to work on my business, but I’d also have a lot more pressure to be able to pay the bills. Not worth it right now.

I mostly enjoy cleaning my house and I love cooking. Really I want someone who’ll cook great pizzas, and curries etc, but that would mess with my health, so the occasional takeaway will do. Meal prep deals with the rest the lack of my time.

What would easier look like for you? Would it really be easier? Or just new and different? Are you procrastinating? Bored?

What you can control

Really, making life easier is all about mindset and thinking things through completely.

You can’t control a circumstance that didn’t originate with you.

All on who?

Circumstance 1 – you wanted to work out today, but you decided to sleep in, decided you’re too tired at the end of the day, hungry, your boss/partner/kids/self pissed you off and you can’t be bothered.

Circumstance 2 – you wanted to work out today, but you sat in a traffic jam for 2 hours on your way home from work / a train broke down and you waited over an hour for one to arrive, and then it took longer than the usual hour to plod along the line (I am not missing any of that crap by the way!) and by the time you do get home it’s gone 9pm.

Circumstance 3 – you said you’d go to a networking event, but you’re tired, work has been an arse, and the last few times you’ve gone out after work you’ve left the bar at 10pm and still been waiting for a train at midnight because they’re useless so you may as well go home.

Circumstance 4 – you’ve been doing really well on your diet, but you’ve had an argument with your husband, so open the wine and eat three packets of crisps/chocolate.

All on you

Whilst you can’t control any of that, you can control what you THINK about it.

Circumstance 1 – could you have gone to bed earlier the night before? Were you really that tired? Working out is a great way to shift the annoyances. You value yourself more than that.

Circumstance 2 – this is a catch-22. If it often happens that traffic/trains are a mess, then you’re your work-out better. If it’s a one-off, ok, but don’t be negative about it, don’t beat yourself up over it.

Circumstance 3 – no one said you had to stay til 10pm. Keep an eye on transport the previous few days, that morning, that afternoon. Leave the bar earlier. You wont expand your network if you’re always going home. Yes the train company has messed up getting home, but that can’t actually change the good time you had, only your perception of it. Unless you have a time machine and can travel back.

Circumstance 4 – you could get rid of the annoyance by working out. Don’t let some sod ruin your hard work, do they have that much power over you that you’ll throw it away in a heartbeat?

And in all, whether good or bad, look for the beauty, and always find something to be grateful for. If you can’t see it yet in the circumstance itself, being grateful for other things works well too.

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