Be Prepared

“If you stay ready, you ain’t gotta get ready.”

— Will Smith

This one seems especially appropriate right now since so many people are in the situation of being at home a lot, working from home. But surprisingly often even self-employed people who have been in charge of their own schedule for a long time, don’t know how or why to structure it.

When we feel ready to take on the world and kick some ass, we will find more opportunities to do exactly so. We’ll say yes more often and louder, which will then lead to even more opportunities.

But when we’re not ready, the days become shorter. We hesitate, we postpone, we decline, we wait. We lose out on precious experiences, large or small. Perhaps sometimes we don’t quite lose out but aren’t able to be fully present, comfortable and show up as the best version of ourselves, which makes the experience smaller and limits the snowball effect it might have had.

So we must ask ourselves; ‘What do I need in order to be ready to receive?’ Whether it be a spontaneous lunch with an old acquaintance, meeting a the love of your life, a new work opportunity, or even something as small as an unexpected video call or a fun interaction with a kind stranger on the street. Perhaps it’s as simple as the need to shower, groom and get dressed in clothes that are comfortable yet presentable. Maybe we need to work out so that our mind is sharp and our body relaxed and energetic. To journal our daily thoughts so that we may bring the positive in our life to the forefront of our mind. Maybe we finally go see a therapist to clean up that mess that you know needs cleaning, so no one else needs to trip over it. Maybe we develop our social skills or public speaking skills to invite the kinds of opportunities we’re hoping for. Or maybe we just need to put on our favourite song and dance it out so we can start the day with a smile.

I was bed bound for over a year. My health had taken a nosedive and I could barely manage to get out of bed once a day to take a shower before making a U-turn back to my pillow. Once I started improving infinitesimally, I realised that I didn’t want to see anyone. I thought that I looked as bad as I felt, and that wasn’t how I wanted to show up in the world. So as soon as I was able, I would get dressed in normal clothes every single day. Didn’t matter I had nowhere to go and would spend most of my day on the sofa anyway. I would do a simple eye make-up every single day, not because that was expected of me, but because it made me feel like I was just a little more ready to be seen by life.

Now my health has much improved, I’m on a different level. Getting dressed and doing my make up is a simple routine I do no matter what. Now, what I need to feel ready is that I need to work out regularly to feel strong and energetic. I need to eat well to maintain my energy levels and keep a sharp mind. I need to read positive books regularly and practise gratitude every day, so that I find it easier to smile.

Everyone needs something different to be ready. So ask yourself, what is it that you need?

Whatever it is that you need to do to feel ready, that makes you feel the way you need to face the world confidently; make it your daily morning routine. Make it a habit. Do it even on Saturdays and Sundays. Life doesn’t pause on the week end; opportunities will be ripe for the picking when your mind isn’t occupied with work. Be so prepared that when that beautiful opportunity of a lifetime comes along, you have both hands available to grab a hold of it tightly and not let it pass unnoticed. So that you can step into that new life without hesitation, without anything dragging behind you. Only then will the universe recognise your readiness and when it does, it will give you more than you had even dare ask for.