“My mother always told me I wouldn’t amount to anything because I procrastinate. I said, ‘Just wait.”
― Judy Tenuta
I’m really kind of over New Years resolutions. I find that if I dislike where my life is headed, I can change directions any time I want. I don’t need a new calendar year to start a new habit. And yet, I like the concept of having a focus, or something to drive towards.
Last year I was introduced to the concept of an “inspirational totem“. The concept is a word or phrase that guides you through the year. Not unlike New Years resolutions, but without the ‘resolution’ part. It’s more of a mindset shift. Just a word or a phrase, that you connect with, that keeps you focused on where you want to go.
I love it that we have the opportunity to change our mindset. We can change how we perceive and respond to events in this world. Its so powerful.
In 2015, I chose the word ‘abundance’. It was significant for me because I realize that there IS enough in the world, yet there were times when I was acting as if I wasn’t going to get enough. Sweets: I need to eat it ALL now, because it’s not going to be available later! Work/Money: I can’t afford to turn this client away, because I need the money!
I wanted to live with a mindset that it would be okay if I didn’t get that job because there would be another that was better suited for me. Or it’s okay if I don’t eat all of that now because there’s always more available to me. (Seriously – when it comes to food, there’s always more!)
So anyway, 2015 was going to be the year of ‘abundance’.
But a curious thing happened. I found that a different totem chose me.
I am a procrastinator at heart. Seriously.
What is it about being busy & being productive? Or rather, the less busy you are, the less productive you are? You know what I mean. When you have a million things to do, somehow, you manage to do all of them. Yet, there are days when it takes the entire day to go to the grocery store and dry cleaners!
As 2015 was getting under way, I realized that in my mind, I was too busy. I was actually putting off procrastinating! My self-talk was saying, “Just Do It! It won’t be that bad. Just get it done.”
Example: Two things that I abhore doing are unloading the dishwasher, and folding my laundry. They both just seem like endless tasks that take forever. So, I timed myself doing them. Did you know that unloading the dishwasher only takes 5 minutes? Seriously. 5 MINUTES! That’s it. I still don’t love doing it, but knowing that it is such a short time investment really has helped me do it. And folding laundry? Well, I still struggle with the that, but I do it less begrudgingly.
I am more timely in my return phone calls, I have a neater house, I get up earlier, I get those annoying little errands done, and I have learned that with writing, I need to write a shitty first draft early – just to get my ideas down, and then I can refine it (which, for some things, seems to take longer than others). I am Getting SHIT DONE! And it’s awesome. AND I feel better about myself.
So, now it’s time to choose a new totem for 2016. I have a few that I like:
- Let Go-I like this one because it gets rid of the need to control: Control the outcome of a situation, control of others – the way they act/perceive us/like us. Which is just a lesson in futility. AmIRight?
- Abundance (yes, it’s on the table again) – it’s still something that I struggle with. So, I think I need to put it up on the board and try it.
But I wonder if another (one that I haven’t even considered) will pick me – just like in 2015?
I don’t know what it’s going to be, but I can’t wait to find out!