Your standards are your baseline, what you abide by. They can change over time, as you get older and hopefully, wiser.
Your motivation can change day-to-day. Motivation ebbs and flows. Your standards don't.
How does this translate?
I'm a writer. I transpose and process my experience in words. That's something that I do. It's not all of who I am, it's one part and I have specific standards for it.
Does that mean every day I wake up I want to write something?
Heck no!
But it's a standard I've established for my writing. I don't allow a lack of motivation to be the thing that stops me. I remember why I'm doing what I'm doing. Sometimes that means I put on my running shoes, get outside, listen to something motivational that ignites my creativity.
How about you, what are your standards? Is this something you've ever thought about?
Maybe it's time time to check-in and notice, what's your current baseline? This may take some work if it's not something you've thought about before. Your baseline is like a foundation. It can determine the things that you will accept or tolerate in others and also of yourself. You may start to recognize areas in your life where things are going well and you like it, and you want to keep it that way. Or it could point to areas where maybe there's some work to do.
This is an opportunity to notice:
First and foremost - what are your standards?
Things may be perfectly fine where they are right now.
What needs tweaking?
Maybe you've set the bar too high in some circumstances and too low in others?
It's possible.
Maybe you're the one who takes care of everyone else, their comfort, their happiness, their, you fill in the blank...that's one of your established standards. Maybe you didn’t intentionally set out to do this but now here you are…
How's that working out for you?
Maybe up until now it's been manageable. You've been able to keep all the balls in the air including your own comfort, happiness, peace of mind etc. But something's shifting. You can't exactly put your finger on it but things feel different. You feel different.
You're suddenly realizing that something feels out of alignment for the person you've become. That some of the balls you've been juggling aren't even yours. Not your responsibility.
Acknowledgement. You've outgrown your own standard. It's not working for you anymore.
Always the first step in changing a situation. Acknowledging that it needs to change.
Is it time to recalibrate your standards?
Are you ready?
Let's get to it...
Your challenge...
Recalibrating your standards.
This doesn't mean tossing everything out the window. It means looking at the ones that are working and acknowledging that. Then picking out the one or two that maybe aren't relevant or working anymore and deciding to do some work on those.
This one's definitely not something that's going to happen overnight. All change that is worthwhile doesn't happen overnight. It happens over time.
Regardless of the change you want to make, the key to success is taking that first step.
The good news here? You've already taken your first step! By acknowledging it, you're on your way.
Need help with step two? I've got your back.
Contact me for a chat. I'd love to catch up with you!
Warmly,
Ann
Do you have standards?