I’m not quite sure how it happens. We grow up and along the way an idea is implanted into us. Like a seed into the rich fertile soil of an inquisitive, open mind. We see, we hear, we notice over and over and before too long this idea becomes our reality. I like reality. I am trying every day to love what is real and obvious and accept what is true. BUT, some ideas aren’t true, we’ve just grown up allowing them to blossom as truth in our minds.
One day, I sat down to contemplate the (what I’ve come to call them) the Myths that bring me pain and suffering. I have four main ones (and many myth-lettes that I could go on and on with, I’m sure).
•see myth #1: I Have To Work Super Hard to Make a Living
Myth #2: Successful People Stay Up Late
You’ve read it time and time again the saying about Early To Bed, Early To Rise… and we all want to be Healthy, Wealthy and Wise, right? But how come many of us have trouble hauling our bodies to bed at night?
When I was a child, the hours after ‘bedtime’ seemed so mysterious. What did mom and dad do? It must be awesome. As a mother of two small children, I’ve grown accustomed to the most productive hours being after the little ones are asleep at night. No distractions. And over time, it has begun to seem like if I want to truly make progress on something, a painting perhaps, then I must burn the midnight oil, waiting until time and space allow for focus. That’s what successful people do, right? That was always my personal myth.
But now I view these late hours working as a subtle (yet destructive) form of self-sabotage. When I get proper rest, I soar through my next-day duties. I manage my time better by ignoring that which doesn’t matter, setting the timer for little bursts of work, and getting the most annoying tasks out of the way FIRST thing! I do not need every other distraction or person to get out of my way so I can focus, I can focus in the midst of life. I am more successful.
When our brains are recharged, we notice more, we stress less, we eat less junk and are more on track. Personally, with too many late nights in a stack, I feel bulgier, hungrier, colder and far wearier than I should.
Sometimes the evening hours are so alluring, and that’s cool. Pulling a late night here and there to finesse and fidget with a painted face is freeing, but I’m trying to break this myth. I have my 4 main myths posted above my workbench and slowly but surely this “truth” has become a “farce”.
The above is one of my own personal myths. It may very well have nothing to do with you. But what about YOU? Is there a myth that has been planted in you and has grown to cause you suffering? Does noticing this myth put you on the path to conquering it?
Join me on the Facebook Page and share your story, let’s triumph over our myths together.
Love & Sincerely, Katie