February 21, 2025 • 15 mins
This episode focuses on how distractions in modern life impede our personal growth and fulfilment. The host shares insights on recognising these distractions, the importance of setting intentions, and practical steps to reclaim time for meaningful pursuits while injecting joy into the process.
Start for FREE
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
A note for every episode: we do not necessary agree with all the views on our podcast and leave listeners to make their own mind up with what they do or don't agree with.
For a Shamanic healing session with our host
Want to be a guest on Awakened Conscious Conversations? Send The Gentle Yoga Warrior a message on PodMatch, here:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So, hello, dear listeners, I'm your host, the
Gentle Yoga Warrior, and this isAwaken Conscious Conversations
podcast.
And it's so blustery and windyand it feels like life is trying
to come back into the landafter the winter, and it's still
that transitional month.
I see February, march,transitional months between
(00:21):
winter and spring.
So this is a bite-sized butbeautiful edition which I wish
to share to you today.
I'm actually going on a course,but I really felt as I did my
morning walk and also last night, because I tried to record this
last night but the sound didn'twork and I had recorded it, but
(00:41):
then I got furtherclarification of what I wanted
to share on my morning walk thismorning.
So things happen for a reasonsometimes, and this feels like
it was a good thing.
So let's get started on thepodcast.
So we're going to talk todayabout how and I'm sure you'll
probably be able to relate tothis how we put off doing things
(01:07):
that are going to help us andinstead allow ourselves to be
distracted.
But it's not all our fault inmany ways, because the world is
designed nowadays to be a bit ofa distraction Distraction
(01:27):
through food, social media,computers, etc.
Yeah, so there's manydistractions and these
distractions stop us from reallybeing our greatness and being
ourselves, and we we kind of, inmany ways, I feel like it's an
easier option is that if wedon't try, if we don't try our
best, or if we don't, if weallow ourselves to be distracted
and time goes by and then wehave the excuse oh, we don't
have time to do things.
And, of course, life is so muchbusier these days, don't get me
(01:50):
wrong, but there is ways inwhich I guess, when you are old
or if you were to go tomorrow,would you like to look back on
your life and think what did Ispend the last 20 years doing?
Either watching Netflix,scrolling funny videos which are
funny sometimes, butexcessively scrolling or would
(02:11):
you like to cement somethingthat is important to you and the
time is now.
The time is right now, so let'sjust go for it.
Yeah, biggest obstacle in allthis is the distractions that we
have.
Biggest obstacle in all this isthe distractions that we have.
And again, we may think I'lljust look at my phone for a
moment, but then, before we knowit, we've been looking at it
for ages.
Or I'll just watch one series.
(02:34):
But that's how Netflix kind oftook over the film industry and
by making it so the next episodeplays.
And, like you know, in the old,in the olding days, when you
had yourself to wait a week, uhto the next episode, came out of
like any series, whereas nowyou you can kind of binge watch
(02:55):
them, which you know.
That has its place sometimes ifyou're having like a, a day to
yourself where you just want tocompletely relax and things like
that.
It's when it kind of takes overeverything.
And I'm not singling outnetflix, because I enjoy netflix
like the rest of us, um, I'mjust showing an example.
It's like it's anything inmoderation.
So could you moderate your dietof quick fixes diet being our
(03:21):
visual diet of what we listen toor hear to hear, and, um, can
we change that, limit, that andmaybe have that as a small
reward at the at the end ofdoing the things that are going
to help you, like reading books,studying, um, cooking a meal
instead of just getting atakeaway?
(03:41):
That takes time, but then youmight watch your next flick
series and think, actually Idon't have time to to do this,
um.
So it's all about these kind ofways of changing our lens and
filling in what we can and alsothen cut ourselves some slack,
because some days, like I wantto study all this week, I really
wanted to study a lot, but then, um, I had relatives on the
(04:04):
phone that really needed me tospeak to them and they're going
through a lot and you know what,sometimes you've just got to
put other people first, not allthe time, because it's not our
job to save everyone.
Don't get me wrong.
It's not our job to saveeveryone.
It's our job to be shepherds toeach other, but not just.
We can't.
The only person that can savethemselves is themselves.
(04:25):
But sometimes we've got to dothings that are going to help
other people, and you know, andyou get something back from it
as well.
So, in a world where we canbecome quite singular in our
approach to things and there istimes where we can do things to
help each other, but not from aplace of being a martyr, I add
(04:45):
that and I've said that a coupleof times, it's just sometimes
that can be a a way of not doingour things, the things, our
dreams, and sometimes these arevery valid points, like, if
you're busy with your children,um, your family, you've got all
these demands and, of course,these can be all very busy,
difficult times for people, but,um, there is time to fit things
(05:11):
in if we kind of shave away allthat useless time that it
that's not enriching our livesand instead replace it with time
that is going to help us.
So example I'm I'm workingthrough this book at the moment
and part of the book that I'mworking through has journaling
in it and like journaling issomething that I always think,
(05:33):
oh yeah, I must do that everyday, or rather I feel like that
would really benefit me everyday.
But then I seem to put it lastin the priority where I'm
changing that I'm going to makesure that I journal every day,
because journaling is like kindof a form of meditation to me.
It clears out the subconsciousand you can get things down.
And even if you you think, oh,I don't want my family to find
(05:54):
what I've written or I don'twant my friends if I'm ever in
all this, and that it's notbecause just because you're
journalist doesn't mean it'snecessarily real, it's just
you're just dumping out of yourhead the stuff that is not, that
are thoughts.
And just because you thinksomething doesn't necessarily
mean that is the case and a lotof time it isn't.
Thoughts will just happen allthe time spontaneously, here,
(06:15):
there and everywhere, whereas,are they all right?
Probably not, and just becausewe thought something doesn't
mean it's always real.
But getting back to thejournaling, I've been doing that
for many years, butsporadically, but when I do do
it it really has amazing effecton me.
So I'm gonna I'm gonna makethat promise to myself to do
that, because I think that is akey in helping me move forward.
(06:37):
I just wonder what promisesyou're gonna make to yourself to
help.
Is this something that you can?
Is this something that youwanted to do?
And, like you know, sometimeswe think we have to do
everything at once.
So I'm going to take a round ofthings.
Just say you want to be aflorist and you've got a
full-time job, you've got afamily, partner, friends, social
(06:57):
commitments etc.
And you think this is nevergoing to happen for me.
But instead of thinking, oh, Ican't do it because I haven't
got time to do a full-timeflorist course, can you start by
maybe watching less TV orwhatever it is that you do, and
then start reading books onflowers and then build up your
(07:19):
knowledge and then maybe theremight be a slow-paced
correspondence course that youcould do, and then it's getting
you into that field and you canstart experimenting and making
flowers at home, and theneventually you may be able to
find the time to go to collegeand do it.
So there's all these differentways.
We can kind of see it.
That was kind of just a bit ofa random one, but there's all.
(07:39):
It could be anything.
Or you maybe want to becomemore mindful, but then, um,
you're playing computer gamesall night.
Um, and how we treat our mindbefore we go to bed has a very
profound effect on our being.
So let's, let's, make a promiseto ourselves, if we can, to do
less of that which doesn't driveus forward and more of that
(08:02):
which does, but to remember tohave fun in the middle as well.
It's important to do things,and even things that you're
trying to go for or achieve inlife.
It's important to enjoy themand to have a lot of fun by
doing them, and the more fun youcan have by doing them, the
(08:23):
better it's going to be for youand for everybody else, because
I've seen it with reallysuccessful people.
We're all successful, by theway.
I've seen it with reallysuccessful people, not, we're
all successful, by the way, butwhat I mean is I've seen it how,
um, they don't see work as work.
They actually like love and, um, enjoy it, and they find they
(08:49):
love and enjoy it and they findit really moving.
So, micro habits you might be sobusy, but is there something
that you can dedicate fiveminutes to, at least five
minutes to?
But if it's just five minutes,and so be it.
That you can do which willenrich your life, and please,
(09:09):
let me know how you got on.
Can go to my website, contactme there and just let me know
how you get on, and I'll bereally interested in if there's
any particular episodes that youwould like as well.
So this was a micro episodebecause of my course, but I just
would like to say a big shoutout to you all.
Um, did you know that thispodcast is downloaded in 91
(09:32):
countries From the United States, uk, india, germany, singapore,
canada, australia, japan,france, belgium, ireland, italy,
spain, the Philippines, southAfrica, china, russia, mexico,
united Arab Emirates, hong Kong,netherlands, sweden, portugal,
(09:54):
thailand, new Zealand, bulgaria,israel, finland, colombia,
australia, czech Republic, andthe list keeps going on.
So if I haven't listed yourcountry, please forgive me, but
I just want to say a big thankyou to you all, and I wish I
could read them all out.
I just want to say a big thanks, and your meditation is not
(10:18):
going to be one that you listento today.
Top tips for the meditation iseither sit nice and cross-legged
on the floor with a nicestraight back always nice to sit
on a block or a cushion orthat's not available for you you
sit in a chair with the backnice and straight.
The important thing is you'renot slouching, and if you're
doing something that requiresyour concentration, all you need
(10:40):
to do is just pause this andyou can reconvene the meditation
at a time that is good for you.
If you're doing the meditation,let's begin.
So, for the meditation today,can you get a piece of paper?
Nice deep inhalation, a nicedeep exhalation, and you're
(11:04):
going to continue inhaling.
You're going to continueexhaling in and out through the
nostrils and we're just going todo that for a few minutes to
get our mind into place.
Next, we're going to take apiece of paper.
(11:53):
If you don't have a piece ofpaper, try and do it in your
head and then write it downafterwards.
What is the one thing that youwould really like to achieve
this year and write that down.
Take a deep breath, think offive real obstacles, that or
(12:14):
perceived obstacles that youhave, like example, family, lack
of time, etc.
And then you can write themdown.
By all means, pause this if I'mgoing too quick.
And then you're going to lookat five ways in which you waste
your time and just be kind ofhonest Is it scrolling, is it
(12:35):
binge watching things?
Is it wasting your time onsomething else?
Just think of things alldifferent ways and could you
it's not to say that you can'tdo the things you enjoy but
could you shave some time offthese things to allow you to do
(12:55):
this thing you want and thething that you want think of one
action that you can taketowards that and write it down.
So I'll just recap.
So you're going to think ofsomething that you want to
achieve, you're going to seewhat the obstacles are and
you're going to see how youwaste time and then you're going
(13:15):
to take a step towards doingwhat you want to do.
So the obstacles maybe youcould speak to people and just
say, actually I need a bit moretime to do this.
You know, half the time wepresumed so much.
But if we actually hadconversations with people
generally, we can resolve things, and if that still doesn't work
, then continue finding ways youcan shave time off.
(13:37):
Maybe you could get the earliertrain into work and sit
somewhere and do the writing orwhatever it is you need to do
then.
That's just an idea I justpulled out of my head, but I
hope this was of help to you.
I'll be back next week.
Wish me luck on my course thisweekend and I hope you all have
(13:57):
a joyful time.
I really appreciate it, so ifthere's anything you'd ever like
me to record, do reach out.
So, hello, dear listeners, I'm your host, the
Gentle Yoga Warrior, and this isAwaken Conscious Conversations
podcast.
And it's so blustery and windyand it feels like life is trying
to come back into the landafter the winter, and it's still
that transitional month.
I see February, march,transitional months between
(00:21):
winter and spring.
So this is a bite-sized butbeautiful edition which I wish
to share to you today.
I'm actually going on a course,but I really felt as I did my
morning walk and also last night, because I tried to record this
last night but the sound didn'twork and I had recorded it, but
(00:41):
then I got furtherclarification of what I wanted
to share on my morning walk thismorning.
So things happen for a reasonsometimes, and this feels like
it was a good thing.
So let's get started on thepodcast.
So we're going to talk todayabout how and I'm sure you'll
probably be able to relate tothis how we put off doing things
(01:07):
that are going to help us andinstead allow ourselves to be
distracted.
But it's not all our fault inmany ways, because the world is
designed nowadays to be a bit ofa distraction Distraction
(01:27):
through food, social media,computers, etc.
Yeah, so there's manydistractions and these
distractions stop us from reallybeing our greatness and being
ourselves, and we we kind of, inmany ways, I feel like it's an
easier option is that if wedon't try, if we don't try our
best, or if we don't, if weallow ourselves to be distracted
and time goes by and then wehave the excuse oh, we don't
have time to do things.
And, of course, life is so muchbusier these days, don't get me
(01:50):
wrong, but there is ways inwhich I guess, when you are old
or if you were to go tomorrow,would you like to look back on
your life and think what did Ispend the last 20 years doing?
Either watching Netflix,scrolling funny videos which are
funny sometimes, butexcessively scrolling or would
(02:11):
you like to cement somethingthat is important to you and the
time is now.
The time is right now, so let'sjust go for it.
Yeah, biggest obstacle in allthis is the distractions that we
have.
Biggest obstacle in all this isthe distractions that we have.
And again, we may think I'lljust look at my phone for a
moment, but then, before we knowit, we've been looking at it
for ages.
Or I'll just watch one series.
(02:34):
But that's how Netflix kind oftook over the film industry and
by making it so the next episodeplays.
And, like you know, in the old,in the olding days, when you
had yourself to wait a week, uhto the next episode, came out of
like any series, whereas nowyou you can kind of binge watch
(02:55):
them, which you know.
That has its place sometimes ifyou're having like a, a day to
yourself where you just want tocompletely relax and things like
that.
It's when it kind of takes overeverything.
And I'm not singling outnetflix, because I enjoy netflix
like the rest of us, um, I'mjust showing an example.
It's like it's anything inmoderation.
So could you moderate your dietof quick fixes diet being our
(03:21):
visual diet of what we listen toor hear to hear, and, um, can
we change that, limit, that andmaybe have that as a small
reward at the at the end ofdoing the things that are going
to help you, like reading books,studying, um, cooking a meal
instead of just getting atakeaway?
(03:41):
That takes time, but then youmight watch your next flick
series and think, actually Idon't have time to to do this,
um.
So it's all about these kind ofways of changing our lens and
filling in what we can and alsothen cut ourselves some slack,
because some days, like I wantto study all this week, I really
wanted to study a lot, but then, um, I had relatives on the
(04:04):
phone that really needed me tospeak to them and they're going
through a lot and you know what,sometimes you've just got to
put other people first, not allthe time, because it's not our
job to save everyone.
Don't get me wrong.
It's not our job to saveeveryone.
It's our job to be shepherds toeach other, but not just.
We can't.
The only person that can savethemselves is themselves.
(04:25):
But sometimes we've got to dothings that are going to help
other people, and you know, andyou get something back from it
as well.
So, in a world where we canbecome quite singular in our
approach to things and there istimes where we can do things to
help each other, but not from aplace of being a martyr, I add
(04:45):
that and I've said that a coupleof times, it's just sometimes
that can be a a way of not doingour things, the things, our
dreams, and sometimes these arevery valid points, like, if
you're busy with your children,um, your family, you've got all
these demands and, of course,these can be all very busy,
difficult times for people, but,um, there is time to fit things
(05:11):
in if we kind of shave away allthat useless time that it
that's not enriching our livesand instead replace it with time
that is going to help us.
So example I'm I'm workingthrough this book at the moment
and part of the book that I'mworking through has journaling
in it and like journaling issomething that I always think,
(05:33):
oh yeah, I must do that everyday, or rather I feel like that
would really benefit me everyday.
But then I seem to put it lastin the priority where I'm
changing that I'm going to makesure that I journal every day,
because journaling is like kindof a form of meditation to me.
It clears out the subconsciousand you can get things down.
And even if you you think, oh,I don't want my family to find
(05:54):
what I've written or I don'twant my friends if I'm ever in
all this, and that it's notbecause just because you're
journalist doesn't mean it'snecessarily real, it's just
you're just dumping out of yourhead the stuff that is not, that
are thoughts.
And just because you thinksomething doesn't necessarily
mean that is the case and a lotof time it isn't.
Thoughts will just happen allthe time spontaneously, here,
(06:15):
there and everywhere, whereas,are they all right?
Probably not, and just becausewe thought something doesn't
mean it's always real.
But getting back to thejournaling, I've been doing that
for many years, butsporadically, but when I do do
it it really has amazing effecton me.
So I'm gonna I'm gonna makethat promise to myself to do
that, because I think that is akey in helping me move forward.
(06:37):
I just wonder what promisesyou're gonna make to yourself to
help.
Is this something that you can?
Is this something that youwanted to do?
And, like you know, sometimeswe think we have to do
everything at once.
So I'm going to take a round ofthings.
Just say you want to be aflorist and you've got a
full-time job, you've got afamily, partner, friends, social
(06:57):
commitments etc.
And you think this is nevergoing to happen for me.
But instead of thinking, oh, Ican't do it because I haven't
got time to do a full-timeflorist course, can you start by
maybe watching less TV orwhatever it is that you do, and
then start reading books onflowers and then build up your
(07:19):
knowledge and then maybe theremight be a slow-paced
correspondence course that youcould do, and then it's getting
you into that field and you canstart experimenting and making
flowers at home, and theneventually you may be able to
find the time to go to collegeand do it.
So there's all these differentways.
We can kind of see it.
That was kind of just a bit ofa random one, but there's all.
(07:39):
It could be anything.
Or you maybe want to becomemore mindful, but then, um,
you're playing computer gamesall night.
Um, and how we treat our mindbefore we go to bed has a very
profound effect on our being.
So let's, let's, make a promiseto ourselves, if we can, to do
less of that which doesn't driveus forward and more of that
(08:02):
which does, but to remember tohave fun in the middle as well.
It's important to do things,and even things that you're
trying to go for or achieve inlife.
It's important to enjoy themand to have a lot of fun by
doing them, and the more fun youcan have by doing them, the
(08:23):
better it's going to be for youand for everybody else, because
I've seen it with reallysuccessful people.
We're all successful, by theway.
I've seen it with reallysuccessful people, not, we're
all successful, by the way, butwhat I mean is I've seen it how,
um, they don't see work as work.
They actually like love and, um, enjoy it, and they find they
(08:49):
love and enjoy it and they findit really moving.
So, micro habits you might be sobusy, but is there something
that you can dedicate fiveminutes to, at least five
minutes to?
But if it's just five minutes,and so be it.
That you can do which willenrich your life, and please,
(09:09):
let me know how you got on.
Can go to my website, contactme there and just let me know
how you get on, and I'll bereally interested in if there's
any particular episodes that youwould like as well.
So this was a micro episodebecause of my course, but I just
would like to say a big shoutout to you all.
Um, did you know that thispodcast is downloaded in 91
(09:32):
countries From the United States, uk, india, germany, singapore,
canada, australia, japan,france, belgium, ireland, italy,
spain, the Philippines, southAfrica, china, russia, mexico,
united Arab Emirates, hong Kong,netherlands, sweden, portugal,
(09:54):
thailand, new Zealand, bulgaria,israel, finland, colombia,
australia, czech Republic, andthe list keeps going on.
So if I haven't listed yourcountry, please forgive me, but
I just want to say a big thankyou to you all, and I wish I
could read them all out.
I just want to say a big thanks, and your meditation is not
(10:18):
going to be one that you listento today.
Top tips for the meditation iseither sit nice and cross-legged
on the floor with a nicestraight back always nice to sit
on a block or a cushion orthat's not available for you you
sit in a chair with the backnice and straight.
The important thing is you'renot slouching, and if you're
doing something that requiresyour concentration, all you need
(10:40):
to do is just pause this andyou can reconvene the meditation
at a time that is good for you.
If you're doing the meditation,let's begin.
So, for the meditation today,can you get a piece of paper?
Nice deep inhalation, a nicedeep exhalation, and you're
(11:04):
going to continue inhaling.
You're going to continueexhaling in and out through the
nostrils and we're just going todo that for a few minutes to
get our mind into place.
Next, we're going to take apiece of paper.
(11:53):
If you don't have a piece ofpaper, try and do it in your
head and then write it downafterwards.
What is the one thing that youwould really like to achieve
this year and write that down.
Take a deep breath, think offive real obstacles, that or
(12:14):
perceived obstacles that youhave, like example, family, lack
of time, etc.
And then you can write themdown.
By all means, pause this if I'mgoing too quick.
And then you're going to lookat five ways in which you waste
your time and just be kind ofhonest Is it scrolling, is it
(12:35):
binge watching things?
Is it wasting your time onsomething else?
Just think of things alldifferent ways and could you
it's not to say that you can'tdo the things you enjoy but
could you shave some time offthese things to allow you to do
(12:55):
this thing you want and thething that you want think of one
action that you can taketowards that and write it down.
So I'll just recap.
So you're going to think ofsomething that you want to
achieve, you're going to seewhat the obstacles are and
you're going to see how youwaste time and then you're going
(13:15):
to take a step towards doingwhat you want to do.
So the obstacles maybe youcould speak to people and just
say, actually I need a bit moretime to do this.
You know, half the time wepresumed so much.
But if we actually hadconversations with people
generally, we can resolve things, and if that still doesn't work
, then continue finding ways youcan shave time off.
(13:37):
Maybe you could get the earliertrain into work and sit
somewhere and do the writing orwhatever it is you need to do
then.
That's just an idea I justpulled out of my head, but I
hope this was of help to you.
I'll be back next week.
Wish me luck on my course thisweekend and I hope you all have
(13:57):
a joyful time.
I really appreciate it, so ifthere's anything you'd ever like
me to record, do reach out.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.