I tell people to detach from their digital lives more. In fact, this selfie above is an outtake from the Digital Detox week of the Catalyst Camp life declutter and its the week of the camp where I admit my own struggles with digital addiction.

We all have struggles to put the things we “know to be best” into action.

The idea of taking your own advice is a huge one.

I think we’ve all had moments where we’ve said, in the midst of giving someone else great advice, “I should be doing this, too!”

As a person who professionally gives advice, recommendations, writes about how to do things better, shares ideas and inspiration, the idea of taking one’s own advice is insanely daunting one at times.  While we’re all human, I can’t really do what I do if I don’t make a conscious effort to be more of what I share every day.

And when I’m up at 2am sending emails, I realize I have gone off my own tracks.  And unless I can take my own best advice and reel things in, I am on a fast road to no good!

Do we all need to take our own advice a little more?

Typically, I sleep tons, I am super-inspired by the creativity everywhere around me, I have candles burning, I eat great food, I am surrounded by awesome people and I take the kind of risks that make me feel proud.

But… when things get really busy, I can stay up for marathon long nights, screw up my sleep schedule, skip a meal, let a pile of papers build up on my desk, skip doing the laundry for a few days… All of it.  And more.  Like the worry that creeps in, the shortchanging my own needs, the chaos…

Then I remind myself of all that I know to be true: that sleep and breaks are more important than trying to “over-work”, that its more important to clean up than send extra emails, that I have to do my own space clearing, take a long walk, go to the spa, get my hair done, see friends…

I get reminded by my acupunturist to start drinking cinnamon and honey tea. I’m reminded to think more calmly and simply when I sit down to do my morning Buddhist chanting and can’t quite focus.

Everywhere around me at home and in my entire like I have reminders of my best advice

Taking my own advice, I can pull myself out of spots that can get tricky to navigate.

So, I try to stay more in my advice than out of it.  Its taken me a long time to accept the fact that I will never get it 100% right.  That some days there are crazy people yelling.  Sometimes there are too many deadlines.

Remembering your own advice can be your saving grace.  Luckily I have a ton of blog posts, a lot of clients and friends and family and even an e-book and video courses to remind me of my own advice. I have a home filled with homeopathy, crystals, candles, incense and books that remind me of my own best advice.

You might not.  I mean, I’m guessing you don’t.  I’m in an unusual type of job. I suppose if you are a therapist, life coach, healer, wellness expert… you might be in my shoes.  But most likely you aren’t.

So your advice isn’t preceeding you and surrounding you.  You may need to be reminded.

Do you take your own good advice?

If you are in a pickle, a crazy day or week, a chaos time, a point of hige decision-making… here’s something to try:

Write down what you would say to a friend in the same exact situation.  Step outside of yourself and give yourself that good advice.

Think of times you’ve advised friends on similar situations.  Call them up.  Have them remind you of your great advice.

Take your great advice.  Use it.  You’ll be amazed at how insightful you are when helping your friends and family.

See if you can build something into your home environment that reminds you of your own great advice.  I promise that these reminders- be it a framed photo, an inspiring piece of art or even a plant or a post-it note on your desk- can keep you from going too far afield of your own sense of balance.

Let yourself have the very human experience of being imperfect for a bit.

While you are at it, take amazing care of yourself.  Take breaks, eat well, distract yourself from worry by taking walks, going to the movies, doing things that make you feel more inspired…

And when you’ve solved your present situation, write down how you did it.  This is now some amazing advice you can call on to keep this situation from ever getting so big again!

xoxo Dana

 

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