ONE THING TO TURN BUSYNESS INTO BREAKTHROUGH

2016 is an Olympics year.

I’m looking forward to watching the Rio games, being reminded of the joy of London 2012. And the whole of the UK will be thinking exactly the same thing:

If only this were the Winter Olympics.

In the winter, that well-loved sport of curling appears on the TV, and Britain proves to the world why it’s Great.

No other nation on earth can say, “Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry,” at that speed, with that level of sincerity.

And I think I know why.

The West generally, the UK in particular, and very specifically London, has become a world leader in hurrying.

Recent years have seen the introduction of the takeaway espresso cup. Under what circumstances are you in so much of a hurry that you don’t have time to drink an espresso before you’ve left the coffee shop?

The other day I saw a guy who was so intent on replying to an email on his BlackBerry as soon as possible, that he actually stopped drying his hands in the bathroom to do so.

When did life get so busy that we became unable to live it?

I have a suggestion: stick time in the calendar for reflection – to stop, think, and make sure all the stuff that’s filling your time is actually helping.

Here are the rules:

• Start realistic – give yourself one hour every six months. You’ll instantly realise it isn’t enough, but this is very achievable. ISN’T IT.
• Move it, don’t delete it – if something else comes up at the same time, don’t just delete it from your calendar, move it instead. And always move it sooner!
• Think about where your life is heading – where you’ll be in 1-6 months and 1-6 years.
• Think about what you’ve learned since the last reflection time – taking the time out to do this will teach you what you should have learned already!

And one final tip, if I may.

Redeemer recently finished a set of meetups – I met up with a group every Monday morning at 7am for nine weeks.

Another set of meetups will be starting soon – make sure you sign up when the window opens, so that you get the regular time to reflect with others on what’s important in life.

HOW A TRIP TO THE WALKIE-TALKIE TAUGHT ME TO LOOK AT LIFE DIFFERENTLY

I love London.

I love half-term holidays!

As a local primary school teacher I like to make the most of my holidays and get out and about as much as I can...

...that as well as a few well-needed lay-ins!

So on Monday I spent the day in Central London with my mum, and we visited the Sky Garden.

The Sky Garden spans the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street (aka the Walkie-Talkie), giving a 360-degree view of our great city.

You do need to book but it is free - the view and atmosphere are brilliant!

We did a complete tour of the inside, then went onto the south balcony to appreciate the London skyline.

We loved spotting as many different landmarks as we could, including:

• the beautiful St Paul's Cathedral
• the iconic Big Ben
• the famous Wembley Arch
• the historic Tower of London
• the impressive Shard

As we took in the view, we were reminded that London has some impressive buildings.

It is wholeheartedly a 21st century city, while retaining history stretching back to Ancient Roman times.

A fascinating portrait of architecture through the ages, right before our eyes.

You may love or loathe particular architecture, but you have to admit that we do have a wealth of iconic buildings in our city.

Sometimes it takes a new view and a different perspective to remember it.

When was the last time you simply appreciated the place where you live?

How much do you enjoy sharing experiences with others?

Are you ready to see life from a different perspective?

Every Sunday at Redeemer we take the chance to remind ourselves to look at life from an eternal perspective. Why not come along and see for yourself?