“Julie deserves lunch”

I have long been a fan of
proactively managing my calendar.
It’s the simplest and most effective system I know
for creating habits, setting intentions, honoring self and others,
as well as the more rudimentary tasks of being a calendar:
scheduling appointments and remembering birthdays.
The “memory system” of not writing things down is
decidedly less effective in my experience.
As a coach, by definition, I am not in the advice-giving business.
That being said, I must confess to imploring a client or 20
to please get a calendar and use it.
Recently, in the coach’s version of “Physician, heal thyself”,
I noticed I was doing a lousy job of managing my own calendar,
particularly as it related to giving myself a break during the day.
Blocking time for “lunch”, failed to get my attention
and I routinely scheduled over that time.
In frustration, I created a daily, reoccurring appointment titled:
“Julie deserves lunch.”
Julie deserves lunch.
I do deserve lunch.
Now, every time I am tempted to over-book,
I am reminded that, in fact, I do deserve lunch,
and find another spot for my client.
Words have meaning.
Calendars work.
And lunch dates with myself can be tasty and empowering.

“Afraid to appear selfish, we lose our self”

Owen Wilson & Me