AYD - July 11, 2014 - I Can See! I Can See!

"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."
- Hans Hoffman

For a cluttered, too-many-things-on-the-go-at-the-same-time kind of guy like me this statement today is gold.  Very obvious, but still gold. Like flipping thru a yearbook and seeing the 20 years ago version of yourself... always there, but always "Ahhhhh" when you see it again.

 I am often like those old little Family Circle cartoons where they show the mom asks the boy to do something simple, like take the plate to a table, and they show you with a dotted line his wonderful adventure in out up down all around the neighborhood before he finally gets the plate 6 feet to the table.  Oh look!  A squirrel.

Yup...that's me. Past life I was a dog I am sure.  But I am aware of the simplicity by which we can "find" our priorities and flick the neon sign on to keep us focussed again... even for a momen....Squirrel!!

Step One - Stop .... and Take a deep breath.  It is essential to come to a complete Mind Stop.  ( Try that later today, when something gets going, like a coworker, just say "Mind Stop!"  but try it with a friend before you pull that one on the boss.)

Step Two - Admit it... say, "Self...we have a problem."  We have to identify that we know we have too much on the go, and we need to realign our wants and needs with the - here, now and "that's not even relevant until next year."  You should notice a weight being lifted already. See?  Simple.

Step Three - As the fog is lifting, pick out the shapes of the items on your Do List that are now not overlapped like a pile of pick up sticks and sort them to their catagory.  Once you see a task by itself and not under a pile of others, it is easier to asign priority level to it.  I am revising my To Do list as I write this.

Step Four - Repeat, Deep Breath.  Already feels better.

Step Five - Once you have things mentally, or paper to pen catagorized let the necessary items "Speak".  Washing my truck is a Sunday thing and all the sub tasks for it like buying the polish, getting the Shop Vac etc...are not necessary right now on Friday... so shush those items.  "Friday Family Fun Night" has it's hand raised and is squirming to say something more important.  This is my 'necessary'.

Step Six - Relax into Action.  You have simplified your Do list and self expectations. You have taken a breath to stop the race and can see the tornado is dissipating. 

 I have focussed on Task lists.  Start there.  And when you feel more of the unnecessary is out of the way, you will feel more simplified and less burdened with other areas and feelings as well.

Good morning, Greater day.
Greater you, has become more of the necessary.

Pierre Couturier
Husband, Daddy, and Author to my Day.