Here’s a funny one for a rainy afternoon: Mentally hire a consulting group. Imagine them walking in your front door (these guys never come in the back), black suits and all, half your age and very serious. Embrace them. They’ll refuse the cup of tea you offer – their eyes are already set on the target. Let them.
Now imagine them analysing bit by bit your whole life (freakingly scary, I know!!). Every action you take from you get out of bed on a Monday morning till you collapse on the same bed Sunday night, not knowing how another week passed by.
They will check which things you are GREAT at doing yourself – and which tasks you should rather delegate (oh, I can feel your nervous ticks starting, a panic of letting go is moving through your body??!!). You will start explaining why ONLY you can do this and that, but these guys don’t care, it’s all excuses!
Whisper to me the first thing that comes to mind that you are NOT good at and would love to let go of (be honest here!): cleaning, doing your taxes, baking that birthday cake, planning the next event at your club, making a dreaded call to the bank to complain?
Mediocre doesn’t make anyone happy, so the action plan they will present to you is as follows: focus on things you are GREAT at, practise those you are reasonable at. And let go of the hate list items: ask for favours, negotiate with your husband/kids/girlfriend to do them – and give favours back with stuff you are great at doing. Or pay people that are better than you to do those particular things. You can’t afford it? Let’s talk another time about the endless stuff you spend money on that you don’t need!
My #1 is cleaning. Paying someone fortnightly – and coming home to a fresh, clean house, is just the best. No arguing or bad conscience all weekend. We have paid for this since we were young. Doesn’t matter what your mum/neighbours/others say!!! It’s about YOU. We would rather let go of our second car than letting go of our cleaner.
So what #1 hate item will you outsource? Do I really need to send in those guys, or are you ready to whisper it out loud? Change it before the end of the month – GO!!