What Is The Life Edit?
The Life Edit was created to explore WHO you are, What you want, and HOW you get it, through small edits that get you big results.
Have you ever realized that there's certain words that make you cringe or trigger you? One word that I've found has a negative connotation is the word "change".
There's two reasons:
It seems to imply that the thing you're changing was bad, or not good enough. You change your clothes when they're dirty. You change your attitude when it's negative. You change the station or channel when what is on no longer is desirable. Wanting to change something in our life can be really hard, because it feels like it requires a lot of effort and that your life wasn't good enough before.
Another reason is that there's this mindset of "I don't like Change". It's almost a belief that they've put on WHO they are, that their identity doesn't like change.
See the challenge here?
So, in order to best serve my clients throughout the years, I've learned to use different language, so the words don't trigger as much, which led me to the word "edit" when it came to talking about change....and full disclosure, I was really inspired by the book- ‘The Home Edit- A Guide to Organizing, and Realizing your House Goals’. The idea that they help people simplify their processes, edit their spaces, and encourage their clients to start small inspired me! I wanted to help my clients organize their life, like Clea & Joanna help their clients organize their homes! (If looking at pristine and orderly spaces relaxes you, check out their website HERE)
Edit- to alter, refine, bring conformity (align with values), modify, adapt, rework
The Life Edit process is as simple as you want to make it. It's three main steps. Know: WHO you are, WHAT you want, and HOW you get it.
What is the most helpful is that you can only edit ONE thing at a time. Now, editing one aspect will trickle into other areas of your life, but the thing is, we were not created to multi-task, especially not when we're creating modifications in our life. We have to allow ourself time and small steps in order to have true transformation...especially if it's something you've never done before. If you're wanting to make edits in your life, you're going to- Number 1, do things you've never done before and Number 2, need to become curious about WHO you are at your deepest core, WHAT you truly want and HOW to get what you want that aligns with your strengths and values.
The Car
The first step is knowing WHO you are, which sounds very basic, and if you've got this step already nailed, You are amazing! I myself have had numerous versions of WHO I am, especially after getting married and having kids. I've had to make a lot of intentional effort to get familiar with Tabatha again. The benefit of truly knowing WHO I am allows me to know my strengths and core values. When I haven't lived aligned with my core values, I've felt off, like I was swimming up stream. And when I forgot my strengths, it was too easy to focus on my weaknesses. Leaning into your strengths will help when doing something new or challenging. Knowing your values and how you want to show up to the world.
The Destination
The second step is knowing WHAT you want. Taking a deep reflective look at your dreams and desires can be where you really need to buff up your curiosity muscles. Remaining curious about what it is you're wanting to edit in your life opens your brain up to not assume anything and let your ideas flow. It can be loud in the world with cultural expectations, social media, and the various messages being thrown at us constantly. When I've allowed myself to get curious about my life, almost like an investigative reporter, it's so much easier to not be critical of all the "should haves" and guilt that I'm not where I want to be. Being curious helps me see my life from a new perspective and then I notice things. The seasons of our lives can change drastically and quickly, and sometimes we find ourselves reacting to life and putting fires out, instead of intentionally moving forward in the direction you want.
The Route
The third step in the Life Edit process is to determine your HOW. Finding the right "how" for you is key to transforming your life and getting the results you want from the edit. At this point, you've already identified your values and strengths, as well as what it is you specifically want to edit, so now it's time to get into the details. The details are going to be aligned with your season of life, your experience, and they're going to be small. The HOW is not meant to be complicated. This entire process is created to be simple. You decide on when you want to start. How often you work on it. What barriers you'll most likely encounter and what you'll do to fight those barriers...cuz those barriers are between you and your results, and when you want something, you get it.
To tie all these together, I want to use the analogy of google maps. The address you type into the destination is your WHAT. It's the result! The route you choose to your destination is the HOW. It is completely up to you on the direction you take to get there and even how long. You may choose to do a straight shot with no detours, but barriers can pop up, so detours are then required, but you're okay with that, because you still have the clear destination of where you're going. Here's the main part- you my dear are the mode of transportation. You get to decide if you're the car, train, if you're going to walk. You get to decide on the pace you take it and what you're working with. You can have the destination decided and the route planned, but if you run out of gas or break down, you're not getting there, which is why it's so important to know WHO you are, so you can take care of yourself and you can do all the things you want to do. And what role do I play? Well, we're going on a road trip and we're in a caravan, going at your pace, your route, your destination. I'm there to help if you run out of gas or break down. I'm there to jam loud music with you and make pit stops to get fun snacks. I'm there to keep you on track. Help you not over complicate the process and encourage you to always remain curious!
Remember to allow yourself to make small edits in your day to create the life you want and to step into your fullest God-given potential. Make it an incredible day.