MAKING LIFE HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE
Today I thought I would share with you something I know I am not alone in, making life harder than it really needs to be. Is this you? Do you know people who just seem to do things the hard way?
Just today alone I did 2 things that just made life a little harder than it needed to be. When I was done I actually said, Why did I do that?"
The first complication albeit not harmful or debilitating was just plain dumb! I spent several minutes doing one of my least favorite tasks, folding laundry and took what I call a childlike approach to putting it away. This is where I carried too much in my hands because I didn't want to make 2 trips!!! I got to the top of the stairs when my mountain of folded laundry went flying down the stairs. All I could think of while I was standing there was, "well that was dumb!" After all I already have a solution in place and failed to use it. Some of you might be thinking just use the laundry basket. Well, in an effort to get my children to put their laundry away I took the basket out of operation so it would no longer be used as a temporary dresser. Again, I could have made this simpler for myself a couple of different ways but I CHOSE not to.
The second example I have for you is my parking adventure in the parking lot of a favorite retailer of mine. As I pulled into the parking space I got the bright idea to pull through so I wouldn't have to "reverse" as my 16 year old says. As clever as that seemed, it really wasn't the smartest move. I realized this as I got my shopping cart to the car and couldn't open the back door of my minivan. Why, you ask? Someone had the nerve to parked behind me and I wasn't forward enough in my space! I couldn't fit the cart between my car or the other cars on either side of me. I left the cart at the front end of my car and wound up carrying all of my bags while turning sideways. This took me twice as long and was really twice as much work. On the bright side, I did get more exercise out of it this way!! Geez, could I really make things any harder for myself? I'm sure I can given the chance. The better question is why??
As a professional organizer I actually help people devise systems to make life easier. The irony is that I too have systems but insist on making things harder than they really need to be when I decide not to use them.
I attribute this behavior for me to rebellion, not thinking and some good old fashioned sabotage.
Yes, I am a rebel at heart! I know what I need to do and what I am supposed to do but......
It seems as though I revert back to my defiant days as a teen. This type of behavior also screams self sabotage.
Sabotaging myself is one area I have improved on but still have work to do. Through my faith in God, I've learned to examine my conscience at the end of each day to assess what I did well and what I didn't do so well. This practice has created in me a better self awareness. I do recognize as soon as I've committed a self sabotaging act. Now, I just need to catch myself before I do it.
One of the things I've noticed about myself is that some of these situations occur because I am not fully present. I am here but not here. Distraction and running on auto pilot are not a sure fire system for success!
Taking the time to address these situations for what they are in a patient way has brought me to a much better place. I am still not perfect but I am a work in progress. I used to beat myself up over this kind of silly stuff.On the days I make life harder I redirect, reflect and move on.....
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