“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo Da Vinci.

The clocks went back one hour in the UK yesterday and this marks the official end of British Summer Time. With summer ending, it’s a good time to take some time to reflect, evaluate and plan. During this process, you can consider how you are doing against any goals and desires that you set for the year.

You can determine if outstanding personal and professional goals are still relevant. If they aren’t then you can decide to let them go. Alternatively, if you feel that they are still appropriate you can formulate a plan of action to re-energise them and achieve them by the year end.

Essentially, it’s a good time to take stock and get clear on where you are at in life. Once you’ve done this, you can start to turn your attention to what you would like to create and experience in the New Year. This helps to start the planning process. You can plant seeds that can blossom next year.

During your reflections you can think about how you can bring greater balance to your life and what action you can take to increase your happiness. You can also consider if anything needs to change about your job/business, diet, general health and fitness, sleep or relationships?

To help you with this process, I suggest that you ask yourself: “What am I no longer willing to tolerate in my life?”

You may conclude that some of your habits or routines need to be changed or released. Once you’ve done this you can then turn your attention to deciding what healthy habits you would like to create in your life.

You may feel that you have some mental clutter that needs to be sorted and reduced. You may feel overwhelmed or that you’re over thinking things. You might think that you’re spending too much time locked in your head.

There may be some physical clutter that you need to dispose of. Clutter is defined in the Oxford dictionary  as “a crowded and untidy collection of things.”

Clutter can also be described as things that are no longer needed or used, disorganised and untidy or crammed into a small space. It’s also anything that is unfinished or incomplete.

In summary, like trees shedding their leaves in autumn, you can shed anything that you no longer need, that no longer serves you or weighs you down.

You can let go of things both mentally and physically.

Letting go of mental clutter will make you feel lighter and provide some clarity. When you purge physical clutter, it will create space in your life to experience new things and adventures. Life gets simplified when you let stuff go.

When you commit to change and decide to let go of things it requires some effort, discipline, and determination. You also need to be consistent in your actions to embed new behaviours and habits.

Letting go of things isn’t always easy to do. Beginning the process and taking the first step is often the hardest one to take. However, once you act, you will create some momentum and will be able to embrace a new way of being more easily.

This particularly applies if you’re looking to change a long-held habit or behaviour. In such circumstances, it’s good to remind yourself what the long-term benefits of the transformation will be. Having clarity on how the sacrifice will be worthwhile in the long run will motivate you to act and overcome any procrastination.

This week why not take a few moments to reflect and ask yourself what you need to let go of by the year end. You can also decide what healthy habits you would like to create.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk