If you asked me where I was on Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm from the time I was 8 until the time I was almost 18, I could tell you. (Cue the nerd alert!)
I was watching Happy Days.
Truth be told, I planned my life around Happy Days.
Tuesdays – according to many, many studies (Google it!) – is actually the most productive day of the week.
I will propose here and now that it’s because of all of us 50-somethings. We learned as teenagers to get a crap-ton done on Tuesdays so we could watch our Tuesday night television worry-free.
My little structure-seeking heart loved having that predictable anchor around which to center my week.
I recently dug into the word ‘anchor’ with a client who was needing one.
We found out that some words associated with ‘anchor’ could be:
- Contained
- Safe
- Secured
- Unshakeable
- Steady
- Ordered
- Protecting
- Organized
I have since learned that anchors come in a huge variety of sizes and shapes. And, according to BoatUS.org, there are 3 things that should be considered when choosing an anchor: 1) What kind of vessel you’re anchoring, 2) Where you plan to anchor, and 3) the Conditions you will face once you get there.
What are you anchoring?
Where are you anchoring?
What conditions will you face when you get there?
We all have things that are adrift in certain seasons of our lives. Things that need to be contained, steadied, protected, or safe-guarded. A relationship? Our time? Our home? Our money? Or maybe even our physical, mental, or spiritual selves?
The questions I asked my client might be helpful for you, too.
- Where are the areas I need to drop anchor and be present right now?
- What could pulling up anchor in non-productive areas offer me?
- How do I incorporate practices to help me stay anchored to what matters the very most to me – regardless of the conditions around me?
Your answers might not be as simple as anchoring yourself to a Tuesday night sitcom. But my guess is, it’s more simple than you think.
I can’t wait to hear about the ways you’re thinking about anchors in your life. And if you need help sorting out which to use and when, I’m here for all of it.
