We all have too much to do, no? Do you ever just look around and think, Man, how did life get so crazy? When can we slow down?
Even if your life is pretty much on an even keel, there are those days . . .
And in the frenzy, we make lists. Lots of lists. LOL. We have priorities for this morning, the afternoon, the day. Then those for the week, the month, the . . .
And in the midst of it all, we strive to keep meaning in our lives (more than just making sure the dry cleaning gets picked up!). From all sources, we’re counseled to live life on purpose and other bullshit.
Woops! Did a pesky little meme just creep in here? Sure looks like it!
When that happens, the little voice in the psyche (the one you’ve been ignoring) is pitching a fit. A temper tantrum suitable for a two-year-old. Not very pretty, is it. The kind we wish we still didn’t have (no matter the age we find ourselves to be).
But that voice needs to be heard, like all the rest of them. Otherwise, you’re gonna walk straight into a hole and break your leg. At least, metaphorically (but it can be literally!). Life has a funny way of stopping us when we won’t slow down.
Years ago, I was running nine ways to Sunday showing dogs. On top of about a zillion other things on about five to-do lists. And, bound and determined, I was headed to Oklahoma to a big dog-show cluster. Life kept throwing pesky wrenches in the plans, but come hell or high water, I was going!
So finally, I’m out walking dogs, and stepped in a hole. One of the literal kind. Sprained my ankle—bad! Limped back to the house, put it up, and it swelled into a big fat purple balloon. Not very pretty!
Of course, I was down for the count. And had it been my left ankle, I’da tried to make the dog show anyhow. But alas, the right one now stared at me through swollen and quite colorful skin that no longer looked human.
The next day, sitting at my laptop, I stumbled upon (quite literally) nefarious evidence that irrevocably changed my life.
See, the wisdom of the Universe had been trying to tell me. In a plethora of ways. Giving me signs. Evidence of things not seen. But running so hard, I couldn’t see. I did then though. Took being literally stopped in my tracks, but see I did.
Even when we’re not living on purpose, the God of our understanding is at work.
And when we don’t or can’t seem to listen, well, a bludgeoning comes that forces us to see.
I, for one, am not into such violence. Had to learn the hard way, of course. But I’ve slowly gotten better at that!
And have learned to take that to-do list and turn it around. We know that the psyche can’t think in the negative—it takes any negative you think/feel and takes the positive side of that as gospel. Funny thing about that subconscious mind! So if you say, I’m not going to think bad of Gene anymore, all of a sudden you’re thinking more and more not-very-nice thoughts about him.
So the ‘not-to-do list’ doesn’t focus on what you’re not going to do. Instead, take that nasty old list you live by, and x it out. Horrors! But I have so much to do, you say. Yep. But by taking out that pen, identifying what’s truly not vital and what is, xing out the trivial (and assuredly—lots is), you’ll be left with those items that must be done. Like feeding the baby. Has to happen multiple times per day. But the shopping trip to the mall can wait . . .
Then rewrite that list. Focusing on the truly important. And instead of packing it with trivial things, instead think how at 3 pm today I’m actually going to have a nice spot of tea . . .
Now, doesn’t that make you happy?
