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<p><em>This is a guest post from Mike Routen at <a title="Route To Freedom" href="http://www.routetofreedom.net/welcome-simple-mindfulness-readers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Route To Freedom</a>. He and his family are on a mission to help others free themselves from their self-imposed chains. Please welcome him!</em></p>
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<h2>Are you being proactive or reactive to what the day brings?</h2>
<p>Each new day brings many challenges. Some we can expect and many we cannot. Every one of these challenges has the opportunity to completely derail our day. It is frustrating and can suck the energy right out of you.</p>
<h2>It doesn&#8217;t have to be this way though.</h2>
<p>If we are always reacting to the situations in our lives, we will always be at their mercy. If we want to change how we move through our day, then we need to become more proactive about them.</p>
<p>Being prepared for the situations that we can expect will allow us be more mindful throughout the day. I&#8217;m not talking about planning your day&#8217;s activities. I&#8217;m talking about planning how we are going to handle what the day brings us.</p>
<p>By not simply wandering through the day, reacting to each situation as it comes, we gain control over ourselves and our day. To be better prepared for the day, spend some time before you start your day considering what you may encounter along the way.</p>
<p>Do you have a commute to work in the morning? What would be good time to leave by so that you are not in a rush? By giving yourself an extra buffer of time, you can be calmer and in turn let the other crazed, late drivers pull in front of you without raising an eyebrow, let alone your blood pressure.</p>
<p>What kinds of work do you expect to have today? Is there any thought that you can give to it while you are on your way to work that will better prepare you for the tasks at hand?</p>
<p>Are there arguments that happen more frequently than you would like with either your coworkers or your family? What kind of thought can you give before those situations arise so that you don&#8217;t feel that you have to react out of frustration or anger?</p>
<p>By being mindful of these situations when you are outside of the influence of emotion you will have a better chance of seeing when they are beginning and of derailing the argument before it gains any momentum.</p>
<h2>Are you prepared with fore-thought for the majority of the situations that you encounter?</h2>
<p>Don&#8217;t expect to be able to anticipate every situation that you will encounter each day. Life is a little too random for that. However, by being better prepared for the ones that are foreseeable, you will have a reserve of patience that wasn&#8217;t there when every situation was taking a toll on you.</p>
<p>By making a small change in your routine each morning you can carve out a few minutes to consider the day ahead and how you can best prepare for what you expect. Either set your alarm a little earlier, or if you are already getting up way too early, see if there is something that you can put off to a little later in the day in order to give you the few minutes to plan for the day.</p>
<p>Can you check your email later? Can you prepare your lunch the night before? How about setting out your clothes the night before? Besides giving you a few extra minutes in the morning, it will be easier to find matching socks when you are fully awake the night before.</p>
<p>Have you prepared for the next encounter with your misbehaving children? We cannot predict when a child will have their next oh-my-goodness-my-world-has-just-ended-and-I-can&#8217;t-handle-it breakdown, but as parents, we usually have a pretty good idea of what their triggers are and if we give it some thought, can also come up with creative ways to avoid the worst of them.</p>
<p>If your children are anything like mine, hunger and sleepiness both make them very susceptible to emotional triggers. By knowing this and taking a few minutes to prepare before a trip, we can bring some healthy snacks, water and their favorite fuzzy blanket on trips so that we can help them get past their emotional ups and downs.</p>
<p>Have you prepared for the next encounter with an upset spouse? <a title="Slow Down Enough to Find Your Freedom" href="https://www.simplemindfulness.com/slow-down-enough-to-find-your-freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paige Burkes</a> gave a great example of how she saw a negative situation brewing between her and her husband and was able to pause, change the situation and avoid an argument. This is a great example of what each of us can do to short circuit our reactive thoughts, and replace them with proactive plans. Simply by giving our day a little thought before we get started.</p>
<p>The next business meeting? Are you tasked with organizing a meeting at work? By taking the time before the meeting to try and anticipate all of the questions that may come up during that meeting, and what kind of information will answer those questions, you can really make that time valuable for everyone. Instead of it being a waste of time, your planning will show that you value everyone&#8217;s time.</p>
<p>What other kinds of situations can you foresee that could use a little planning or preparation? Setting aside time each day will help you to be better prepared and therefore more proactive. By being able to sail through those situations that used to trip you up, you can now focus your energy on those situations that do surprise you.</p>
<p>What kind of situations can you plan for each morning? Leave a comment so that we can all better prepare for tomorrow.</p>
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<p><a href="https://media.simplemindfulness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/MikeBylinePicture.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1311" title="Mike Routen from Route To Freedom" src="https://media.simplemindfulness.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/MikeBylinePicture-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p> ;</p>
<p>We&#8217;re a family of four, getting out of the 9-5, buying a sailboat so we can explore the world, educating our kids along the way. Mike and Kelly Routen regularly write on topics such as mindset, relationships, education, freedom and dreams. In the coming weeks, Nathan, our 8 year old son, will be sharing from his point of view as well! Come, join us on our journey and let us help you find the path to your personal freedom at <a href="http://www.routetofreedom.net/welcome-simple-mindfulness-readers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Route To Freedom.</a></p>
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How To Prepare For Your Day
