I saw a post on Facebook today that said “This year is NOT starting out the way I wanted it to”. The first thing that came to mind was ….Speed Bumps! You know those pesky bumps in the road every few feet that either make you slow down or speed up depending on whether you are in a rental car or not!
Let me give you a few recent examples and maybe you will understand what the heck I am rambling about.
Speed Bump #1. A few days before Christmas I was going crazy as usual, running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get everything done and feeling like I was the only one doing it (having a little pity party I am sad to say). I had a 9am dentist appointment and it was 8:30. I was rushing out of my closet and tripped and fell and landed on my knee. Now I am a pretty tough cookie and have birthed FOUR children and it was not as painful as landing on my knee. This cannot be happening to me right now! Three days before Christmas! I pulled myself together and somehow drove myself to the dentist (not the smartest thing to do). The dentist politely told me I was crazy and that I better go straight home and take care of myself. I laughed to myself until I started to get up and realized that I clearly was not going to be walking.
Speed Bump #2. I was driving down a neighborhood street the other day and came across several speed bumps. I was getting very irritated and after about the third one was thinking, what the heck! Are these really necessary? All of a sudden, two small boys ran into the street chasing after a ball. Had there not been speed bumps, I most definitely would have been going faster and this situation could have been tragic.
Speed Bump #3. It was Monday, which usually are pretty busy days, catching up from the weekend and getting the week in order. I was actively working on the finishing touches of my Power Point Presentation for my Tuesday Tuneup the following day which just happened to be about Getting your Priorities straight. I still had a very full afternoon of prep work, when I received a phone call from my son’s middle school that he was sick. So, dropped everything and rushed to his school to pick him up.. Not only was he sick but he was throwing up none stop and was getting an increasing fever. After 20 towels and a midnight run by my husband to the only 24 hour Pharmacy that happened to be almost an hour away, we finally got his stomach to settle down and to sleep about 2am, only to wake up the next morning to our other son Jacob now showing the same symptoms as Jon. Two kids sick…. Four hours to a full house ready for training.
So how does this relate to life? It seems that sometimes we are SO focused on our destination that we clearly are NOT paying attention to the things and people right in front of us. I find that when I am doing too much this, and focusing too much on that, suddenly a speed bump appears. Something that makes me slow down, focus, pay attention to what is important.
The “perks” of all these speed bumps was that each one caused me to slow down, look at what was right in front of me and take in the beauty that surrounded me in my family and those that I care most about. It made me set aside whatever detour I was on and focus on the road in front of me.
Speed bumps are not designed to be a ROAD BLOCK that stops you from moving forward, but simply a reminder to slow down and pay attention.
Getting your PRIORITIES in order helps you stay focused on the road and makes sure you slow down long enough to see what is important. Every 90 days the focus of our Tuesday Tuneup is Getting your Priorities Straight to get REAL Results! Check the Tuesday Tuneup Schedule for the next one and make it a point to attend.
I would love to hear about your own favorite Speed Bump!
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Great post great information. The last few months I have been blessed to have stayed rather busy at work. This turned out to be a good thing because my personal life was transitioning greatly. I had the opportunity to be alone more than ever before. During this time at night when I would usually be helping with homework, dishes, baths etc I took time to reflect on my year and see all the times I was not in the moment because I was in such a hurry to get to the next destination. I scheduled time to meet with awesome people that I had been putting off before to talk and listen to all that they are going through and offer an ear or words of encouragement. I was able to discern great friends from not so great an meet many new people. The best result was I was able to serve at a few great functions and events for local charities. I stepped out of 6th gear an cruised on in 2nd and it healed me as much as helped those I was serving. My Christmas this year was way different. So I took the opportunity. I had been given and spent Christmas with my father for the first time since I was seven. No gifts exchanged just time and love. We also hung with my grandfather who was spending his first Christmas without his wife of 66 years. Grandpa and I although for different reasons had something in common to talk about and I learned he is a very wise 93 year old. This post makes me think of two things: the tortoise and the hare(no explanation needed) and the road to Hana. Hana is in Hawaii and regarded as one of the most beautiful places on earth. Many times when tourists go to visit the sprint to the ultimate location. What they miss on the way is amazing beauty that only Hawaii can give us. The beauty of Hana is the journey to the destination. Grandpa reminded me that life is not the race society makes it out to be but a personal journey that we can share with others. Embrace your speed bumps as they are a lesson and a reminder to be present now and the rest will fall in place. Great post Marguerite!
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Marguerite Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Hey Matt,
I have heard many times about Hana and it is on my list of places to go. It seems many times we have a tendency to forget about our “Seniors” and they are a wealth of information if we are just willing to take the time to listen. This is a lesson I have learned this year myself with my grandmother and mother passing away. My grandfather has been a rock for me. Hang in there you are on the right track!
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well in case you have not heard I am no longer employed so I consider this a big bump. What it is doing is is allowing me to evaluate my professional priorities and who I want to be for the next 10 years. I do realize that the more you ignore them the BIGGER they get.
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Marguerite Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
I have a ton of confidence in you Kerry that things are happening exactly as they are supposed to and great things are on the horizon!
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I loved your analogy of speed bumps, Marguerite! and mine, I think, kind of means something very similar. I have been home sick, too, for the last week and having all that extra time on my hands gave me time to reflect on the new year. Many times when I am not feeling well physically, it also affects me mentally in a downward spiral. So, consequently, the sicker I was feeling, the more depressed I was getting feeling not very confident about my new career in real estate. I am usually a very positive-minded person, but when I am not at my peak physically, that little ego sitting on my shoulder seems to know how to take precedence over the optimism.
So, in the middle of all my doubts and self-induced unnecessary stress, I intentionally stopped myself in my self-talk tracks, and got out my motivational books, CD’s and revisited my 2010 goal card, and just redirected my thoughts towards that path, ONLY thinking good, positive thoughts about the new year.
Through this self-reflection, it made be realize how important it is to NOT focus on the destination and get all caught up in “how” I am going to get there, as much as taking any new challenge in small chunks, finding your own way to stay on the positive track – whatever works best for you, and ENJOYING each moment of the journey!
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Marguerite Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
I love it Kathy! I am learning each day to work on “Getting out of my Head” and living in the moment! Definately a daily challenge!
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It is a relief to know that I am not the only one who struggles with speed bumps. With 4 kids of my own, just like you, Marguerite, it seems there is a never-ending list of items competing for my attention. Just when I set my jaw that nothing is coming between me and my list of things to do for the day, inevitably, the sick kid, or broken down car rearranges the list. Sometimes we let diddling on the computer, or answering the phone (every single time it rings!) get in the way of what is really most important! The “Getting your Priorities Straight to get REAL Results” presentation that you worked so hard to pull together for yesterday’s Tuesday Tuneup has helped me tremendously! In my battle to minimize speed bumps, it has helped me focus on what needs to be accomplished! I rearranged some of my priorities from your last presentation and was ready to laminate and get to work this time! I am happy to tell you that so far, I’ve accomplished several of my tasks! I’m looking forward to your next 90 day seminar, so that I can share my results with you!
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Marguerite Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Kristina! You Go Girl! I cant wait to see your results either! I have watched your light over the last few months just get brighter and brighter!
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Speed Bumps are “Awareness”. You know they are there, and yet we continue not to pay to much attention and just continue on or even ignore them. You hit a speed bump and imediately you slow down, well that’s really to late. You start to think “WoW! I better be more careful.” Come to one of Marguerite’s tune-ups and you will hear “Be in the PRESENT”. Not the past or the future, be here now.
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Thank you Karen! I like the “Speed Bumps are Awareness”….Thanks for always being there and being SO SUPPORTIVE! Your the best!
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I finally got the time to read this email and wished I had sooner. You are so right and boy have I tested the road. I truly admire you Marguerite in all that you are and feel very blessed to have such a true REAL person in you! I love to hear these stories because it lets me know that sometimes we all have a moment and it is what you do with that moment that difines who you are and will be.
I would urge everyone to hit a Tuesday Tuneup you too will wish you had done it sooner!
Here’s to living in the moment and 2010!
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Marguerite Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Thank you Shelly. Sorry I didnt respond sooner, just saw this myself. Yes as much as we think we are an island, we really are all the same dealing with the same crap
XOXO
M
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