Hitting Low Power Mode

Plus our first GTTT Challenge!

Welcome To The Community

Together, we’ll dive deep and find the strength to never give up because Great Things Take Time.

This time of year is the definition of dreary. You’re two weeks past the New Year and way past the statute of limitations to wish others a “Happy New Year.” The buzz of the newness has worn off, and things might seem mundane and cold. Depending on where you are, it’s really damn cold. It’s hibernation season and so hard to get moving. So very easy to retreat inward.

Today, I want to talk about when you hit low power mode, when you can barely squeak out the bare minimum. You know the feeling.

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Hitting Low Power Mode

The short days feed these feelings, but they also creep up on us during the rest of the year. I’m sure we’ve all had those times when it’s impossible to get moving. You feel like an internal weight is holding you down or that there is an invisible wall between you and others. 

To spend every day in the light is impossible. There will be days when what’s happening in the world gets you down, you can’t look at yourself in the mirror, or nothing seems like it’s going to go right. We all have those dark days where it’s hard to stay positive, whether inspired by our own internal thoughts or external events. 

I’m very familiar with days like these. People who get to know me are surprised to find out that I’m not an eternal, upbeat ray of sunshine. There are days filled with anxiety, dread, and worry about the future. Days where I have no motivation to get moving or reach out to people I care about. Retreating inward and hiding are the only things that seem right. 

It’s hard not to let an outward manifestation of these low feelings show when I spend time thinking about the future and start worrying that I’m not up to par with what I’ve pictured. I’m sure we all have a thing that lives rent-free in our minds, inducing panic and stress or causing us to shut down. And with rent costs in this day, that’s one deal I’m sure most of us could do without. 

But having days where you go dark and hit low power mode is more sustainable in the long run than forced positivity. An unrealistic and optimistic outlook will do more harm than good if we’re not honest about our struggles. It can cause a lack of authenticity and a disconnect from what we want out of our lives.

The dark days are just as important as the days we bounce off the walls, crushing life. Not everything is going to be a highlight reel. We’re not always going to be on top of things, and pretending we’re fine gets us nowhere. It’s hard to admit because we worry if we’re broken or that no one else deals with the same things that we do. But usually, there are so many other people out there dealing with very similar things. 

What do you do when you have heavy feelings weighing you down? 

You might not believe it, but one of the tools I use is to cry and let the feelings wash over me. I’ve shared before that there’s a track that puts me in the right state of mind to accept where I am and work through my emotions. The goal is to work through them, not dance around them, to avoid any conflict. 

When you find yourself with a lack of motivation, optimism, hope, or any other feeling that drags you down, focus on moving forward at any pace you can. Lean on your resources: therapists, loved ones, and anything else that helps you reflect on what you’re feeling. Having an external and objective source who can repeat back to you what you’re feeling without the emotion can cut through the noise and help you see clearly. 

No matter what your life looks like, it’s okay to have days where you’re not on. You’re not broken, you’re not wrong, you’re just a human doing the best you can. Be honest with what challenges you face. You also need to be honest with what is real limitation and what is just a perceived limitation that comes from a story you’ve created. The first step is always acknowledging things. You can’t grow and learn if you aren’t honest about what’s in front of you. Then, you’re on a long journey of self-improvement. It’s going to take time. Great Things always do.

💌 February Challenge 💌 

Great Things Take Time, but they also take a lot of love.

February kicks off our first Great Things Take Time Challenge to rediscover how we show love and remind us that love is always possible. There will be 28 days of seeking out love in every aspect of your life. Whether showing love for your community, a stranger, or yourself, love is at the inception of all Great Things. Great Things Take Time, but they also take a lot of love.

Scared of what it might look like to let love into your life? It’s the shortest month of the year! You have no excuse not to join in.

Stay subscribed to the newsletter and follow @greatthingswith_adrian for the challenge calendar and daily updates. There will be more information coming next week!

Moments with Maurice

This past week, things looked a little different.

Children look at the world with fresh and untarnished eyes. Everything is new and exciting. Imagine looking at the world and seeing the best of it. Kids teach us that the sky is the limit. If you can dream it, you can do it. But they also teach us that when we start to add a little bit of calculation and preparation into things (what comes with being a grown-up), we stop falling off the playground as much. 

What would it be like to approach your life and goals with childlike enthusiasm? To do that, you wouldn’t worry about what anyone else said or thought. People might complain about how hard and impossible something is, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be the first person to do it.

Reflection: What was your childhood like? Were you always supported, or did you feel like your ideas were brushed off? What did it feel like when you were a child (or an adult) and your idea was finally listened to?

Prompt: In regards to ideas and goals of yourself or others, how will you let your childhood influence how you approach them? What will you include? What are you looking to grow out of and leave behind?

Growing up, I didn’t have support from my parents. In fairness now, I don’t think they knew how to be parents. My mom was the OG teen mom and had me at 15, so needless to say I was basically raised by my grandmother who was and will forever be my greatest gift. My parents both fell into paths of addiction so at a young age, I had to learn how to be a support for myself through school and playing sports.

Now, being a parent, I am hyper-vigilant to support every and any idea or project that my kids have. I get to almost start again in myself, looking at things as a child and experiencing things through them. I take what I was lacking and make sure every day to give them a different experience. I think one thing people can say about me is that I authentically love to see people around me win and succeed. You will never regret championing someone.

I think it’s also something special about this community because it lets us do that for each other especially for some of us that might not have had that growing up. Great things do take time and we are all a work in progress.

- Crystal

What’s Got Me Smilin’

Because no matter what, there is always something to smile about.

Furniture Stores

Even if I don’t buy a single thing, there is something so relaxing and peaceful about a well-designed furniture store. It’s like they know what they’re doing and trying to sell you on the organization you want to bring to everything in your life. It’s like they’re selling you on control. Not like Target with its overwhelming number of products. You know the saying, you don’t go to Target with a list of things you need; you go to Target and TARGET tells you what you need.

Low Power Mode

Today I’m hitting low power mode and this is exactly what I need to get through the day.

Home Improvement for Self-Improvement

Mmmmmmmm…. Smells like taking some tangible steps towards my goals. Will I be lifting in a 360 green screen room? Do I just enjoy making towers with boxes? Or am I fond of the color green and separately looking to grow…? You’ll have to wait and see.

See You Next Time

Here’s to another week of meeting yourself where you’re at and accepting exactly who you are.

Remember:

-Adrian

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