Naomi Aidoo - Time & Pace

Sometimes ‘pushing through’ seems to be the most convenient option. There’s the thought that pausing means falling behind, missing out, being the weak link… Allow my 1-year-old to give us that reminder that a bit of a pause and a rest is sometimes what’s needed in order to regulate, regroup and remind ourself of what the best next step is. What’s your rhythm of rest? Keep going. Keep growing 💜 P.S. It may or may not be appropriate to lay yourself in the middle of the floor at the point you need rest. Act responsibly 😂 #restisbest #restisproductive #timeandpace #keepgoingkeepgrowing #pursuepeace #findingflourishing #thetimejournal #workingmum #selfregulation

Just a quick one for anyone who has, upon occasion, found themselves feeling guilt when joy shows itself. Don’t let the ‘smiling is toxic positivity’ gang fool you into believing you’re not allowed to feel anything but despair. Don’t get me wrong, with the way society’s set up, there are many reasons to hold onto negativity. We all will also face our own personal challenges too. It certainly *is* toxic positivity to pretend(to ourselves and then everyone else) all is well when actually we’re anything but. And yet, in those moments we’re granted peace, happiness, joy, excitement and everything in between, you don’t have to suppress the smile. Let us share in your joy. Keep going, keep growing 💜

I had a coaching session this morning and my client came to the call feeling a little… ‘meh’… you know the feeling, right? 60-minutes later, she walked away from our session with fresh excitement and a plan of action she felt excited about *and* capable of following through with. To be clear, this isn’t a brag, not even a ‘humble brag’ 😅 coaching is far less about the coach than you might realise. No, actually, the reason I share this fantastic quote from Alexander Den Heijer is because the ‘lightbulb moments’, and indeed, the ‘lightbulb life rhythm’ (the kind where you feel like, by and large, you’re doing what you’re made for), happens when we make time for the stuff which sparks a light in us. It’s not always easy to make time for those things, no. It’s a little easier to make a start though.

👇🏽For anyone who needs a reason or a reminder to REST this weekend… 🧘 Rest is the beginning of the work 💜 Happy Friday 👋🏽

Imagine my surprise when I received this video from the wonderful @mrssechere, who recently purchased The Time Journal and took it with her on a work trip to Modena, Italy. 🇮🇹⁣ ⁣ Love seeing how this framework is benefitting people, especially in gorgeous surroundings like these. 😍⁣ ⁣ Have you got your Time Journal yet? It’s currently 20% off 🎉 Learn more via the link in my bio. Keep going, keep growing. 💜

🌱 Grow as you go 👣 Many of us will have heard of productivity ‘hacks’ such as “Eat the frog first” and setting a 25 minute timer with 5 minute breaks in between in order to see how much you get done… I’ve both taught and practiced these methods and others like them. Coming from another angle however, rather than *only* thinking about your to-do list from a productivity perspective, what if you gave it some thought in light of how you’re developing as a person and a practitioner as you do some of the less desirable elements of your list? ✍🏽 The arduous admin task you’ve been putting off could be an opportunity to practice patience. (Or delegation if you *really* don’t want to do it. 💬 The challenging conversation you need to have could be an opportunity for you to practice effective communication, problem solving and even conflict resolution. 📚 What you’re going to learn from the pile of books you need to go through is only going to cause you to be a more effective practitioner in the long run. So next time you’re scraping the barrel of your to-do list and wanting to do anything but what’s written there, ask yourself how you might be growing in your going. 🌱👣

Here at Time & Pace, wellbeing isn’t about a set activity or way of living. It’s not about a set of perfectly spinning plates or about making sure all of the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. Literally defined, if wellbeing is about being comfortable, healthy and happy, how on earth can that be prescriptive?⁣⁣Yes, we have the TIME framework, which I’ll be unpacking again this week since I’ve been on mat leave for a while. But as you’ll note as we go through, the framework is a container which helps you go and grow towards *your* goals (whatever they may be). There’s nothing I’m really telling you you must do in order to get there.⁣⁣Drop in the comments what wellbeing looks like to you? ⬇️⁣⁣It’s so exciting to be more ‘officially’ back from maternity leave, as my brain is whirring with allll the things to be sharing here, as well as full time parenting, studying for my coaching qualification and writing a book! Speaking of the book, a HUGE thank you for the love and support on the news. I’m delighted to be writing a book on wellbeing for BRF which will be published next Summer. Follow along for updates here as I share all things work-life wellbeing, supporting you as you go and grow towards your goals. ⁣⁣P.S. It’s pretty apt timing to pick up Tobi Asare’s new book ‘The Blend’ (as featured in the reel with my daughter trying to get her hands on it 😅) Looking forward to getting stuck in. Keep going, keep growing. 💜

When Mary was commissioned by her Lord, whom she thought was dead to go and tell a room full of men that He was actually alive, she went and did it without question. What can we learn from this kind of obedience? 🙏🏽

Perhaps not especially profound but certainly worth some thought - how much attention are we giving to talking about our plans vs actually following through on doing them? 🤔

When Jesus prays for me, I want to know what He’s praying. John 17 shares exactly that. As Jesus prays to the Father, He asks that we’ll be in Him and He in us. He knows that without Him we can do nothing, just like John 15 says. May we seek more of His presence and walk more in His purposes. As we hit the final week of the study, this is definitely something I can’t escape since re-reading this gospel. It’s all about Him. 🙏🏽

Promise this isn’t a ‘oooh check me out doing exercise’ reel. Just being a multitasking mum out here and getting my reading in at the same time as the steps I didn’t get done during the day 😅 Some musings on John 14. 💜

2 Corinthians 1:20 says: ““For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”⁣⁣Reading about the promises in Isaiah being fulfilled in John 12 got me thinking about the promises God has for us which we can also find in His word, and how readily we’re clinging to them. ⁣⁣Which of His promises are you holding onto today? They are yes and Amen in Jesus. 🙌🏽

Delay isn’t always denial. 🙏🏽

The one who comes to steal, kill and destroy would have me focus on the nightly broken sleep, the lack of time to myself, the constant noise and mess and the moments of loneliness. ⁣⁣The One who came to give me life and life more abundantly has me recognising the privilege which lies in the fullness of raising and discipling two young children, the purpose in being called for such a time as this to be their mother, the joy found in gummy grins from the baby and insightful and delightful questions from the pre-schooler.⁣⁣I don’t always focus on the latter. I’ll sometimes feed on the fact that it’s hard at times and tell myself half-truths which serve no purpose but to make it harder and me more frustrated.⁣⁣Life to the full is now. Even if there’s sometimes the cost of silence, hot tea, alone time and doing stuff on my own schedule. Life to the full is now.⁣⁣Today, I really got it when the psalmist in chapter 119 says in verse 97, “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” Being in John chapter 10 whenever I get the chance these past couple of days meant that today, when everything was getting a bit crazy, I called John 10:10 to mine again. I’m so thankful for His word, His sanctification and His strength.⁣⁣Life to the full is now. 🙏🏽⁣⁣P.S. If you’re new here, we’re reading through John’s gospel. Head you the pinned post and the ‘johns gospel’ highlight on IG to learn more. 💜

The man born blind became what was known as a ‘pariah’ - a social outcast - once Jesus healed him. All because, ironically the religious leaders of their day didn’t approve of his recognition of Jesus as Lord.⁣⁣What I found especially powerful about this verse from John chapter 9 was that it indicates Jesus ‘found’ the man, which can only mean He went looking. ⁣⁣Regardless of where we are, how we feel, or what we’re going through, Jesus will find us. 🙏🏽⁣⁣P.S. If you’re new here, we’re going through the gospel of John and the plan is in my pinned post. I share a reflection or piece of food for thought daily. If you’re following along and find the content here helpful and know anyone else who also would, please do share! Thanks for being here. 💜

Who are your ‘inner circle’ + fear of God 👀⁣

Bit of a roundup of some of this week’s reflection through John 5-8. Found taking some time to go verse by verse with the assistance of our devotional/study book really helpful today. I’ll put the reflection questions I mentioned up in my stories in case you want to make a note 📝⁣ ⁣ Apologies for the screaming children in the background 😅 real life over here 💁🏽‍♀️

Some musings on the nursery run - the whole ‘relationship not religion’ thing is more than just something for a bumper sticker or a hashtag. If 21 year old Naomi could see me now she’d never have believed it! 💜