On Reminders
BY VIVA ANDRADA O’FLYNN
IT is the month of April when we celebrate Easter and Spring. It is the time of the year for new beginnings. It is a reminder that with darkness comes light. Here are some reminders we should also keep in mind.
We all need to be reminded of who we are, our self-worth and value we bring into this world. Without reminders, we lose track of our tasks, purpose, even our identity. Thus, we can end up procrastinating and not achieve what we envisioned.
Daily life can get so busy sometimes that we fall deaf, blind, and unaware of reminders around us. Although we can create reminders for ourselves -sometimes these reminders aren’t what we’ve planned and have their own way of making us notice them. While we go through living half-asleep, reminders come in all shapes, sizes, and forms, nudging us awake. How do you respond to reminders? Do you listen to them or ignore them? Now, let’s talk about different kinds of reminders.
What is your morning routine? Do you get woken up by an alarm on your phone or alarm clock? Possibly you have something important to do in the morning so you’ve set a time the night before to remind you what time to get up.
Do you write out your tasks on post it notes, calendar, planner, lists, your phone’s app? Do you have a vision board? We create our own reminders to make the most of time, get productive, and focus on what we want to achieve.
Do you like collecting pictures, items, memorabilia, and awards? You probably collect them to remind you of people you love, places you’ve been, how far you’ve come, your faith, belief, causes and things you value.
Do you wear a ring on your finger or accessories on your body? What we wear remind us of our commitments, promises we’ve made to ourselves, those important to us, maybe even a group that matters to us.
Do you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or ill? When you suffer from uneasy feelings, it is your body reminding you to take better care of yourself. Perhaps you’re not eating right, getting enough sleep, having enough exercise. It helps to check in with yourself on a regular basis and include it to your self-care routine.
Do you have someone important in your life who can keep you on track with your goals? I am lucky to have my husband John who always reminds me to plan things, write my lists, among others and my Mom who regularly reminds me to post monthly family events on our Viber and Facebook group – also other matters as well. How about you, who do you go to for support? Who do you consider your mentor?
Sometimes even a global event that shakes the world, such as COVID-19 pandemic, can remind us what truly is important in life. At other times, it could be something you watch on TV, online, or even an article you read reminding you that you are worth more than your Facebook likes, YouTube followers, retweets on twitter, money on your bank account. You are a miracle. Out of the billions who live on this earth, there is only one you. Share the gift that is you.
Now I would like to share my poem with you entitled “What Matters”.
What matters is not clothes you wear
It’s in how you smile and show you care
What matters is not where you went to school
It’s how you solve your problems and keep your cool
What matters is not how much you earn
It’s in how much you share what you learn.
What matters is not your age or height
It’s in using your talents with might
What matters is not how you fall
It’s how you get up and stand tall
What matters is not your outer beauty
It’s in loving yourself and feeling free.