Enough is enough
{Sweet Betty on the beach earlier this month}
When there’s too much to be done, I tend to do nothing. I’ll have a to do list as long as my arm, and every evening more gets added, as tasks from the day are carried over to the next. I could provide an equally long list of things I can’t stand about myself, my lack of motivation being one of them.
As luck would have it, it’s about this time of the month when my hormones start to take over and my mood plummets, down into the cosy basket of the black dog – you could set your watch to my cycle it’s so regular. But this week I’m fighting back, this week I’m trying something new. Enough with the to do lists and procrastinating and excuses. Enough with the fear of failure.
I’ve made a deal with myself – I will do either one thing, or work for one hour, towards my dream, every day. That’s it. Just one thing or one hour. The idea is to break through the fear, push past the inertia and overwhelm, and do something, anything, that takes me one tiny step closer to what I want. The rest of the day I can lie on the sofa if I want to (which obviously I wouldn’t do) so long as I do my one thing.
I started this cunning plan at the weekend, and I’m pleased to report that so far it’s working really well. I can’t do everything; I can’t create what I want in a day. But I can do one thing (one thing which morphed into several things today before I even realised what I was doing). I’m also noting down what I do each day in my journal at night, to make the point to my subconscious that it IS possible to do things and move forward, and not slide down into the ‘I’m not good enough, so why bother’ crap that my mind spews out so easily. I’ve had thirty-four years of this fear and it hasn’t worked, so now I’m trying something new.
I think you’re onto something…I’m taking your advice and going and doing something. Thanks.
I’m gonna give this a try! I recognize so much in your words. When it comes to things that I need to do on my own, either for myself or someone else, i find it hard to start. One thing a day, one hour. Well, that’s not that bad right!
Thanks for sharing this, it was just what i needed to read before this day comes to an end :)
xox
dear susannah, just a little note to say hooray for you and trying something new. change can be brilliant, and shaking off habits that bring you down has got to be good. well done and lots of luck. i love reading your blog! elliex
Ending each day with a feeling of accomplishment is a good thing. I’m glad you’ve pared your to-do list down and that you’re recording your successes daily. Focus on the positive and it will grow.
I looked through your Flickr earlier and found some really beautiful diptychs. :)
This is a trick I find effective too – whether it’s the work I get paid for each and every day or whether it’s my creative writing or whether it’s something as mundane as getting the cleaning done or going to the gym. However, because I often find 1 hour too daunting, I use the 15 minute rule. It’s amazing how that 15 minutes can slip into an hour, into another hour, into…
you have no idea how much this resonated with me….thanks for the inspiration!
oh yes … i am so there with you honey, so there … here’s to one little thing adding up to a whole lot :)
*”hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existance” Lin Yutang
*i read it a couple of month’s ago and its been staring at me from my whiteboard ever since ;-)
sending you love .. xoxox
I like your thinking. A psychologist friend of mine once told me about the concept of ‘mastery and pleasure’ (it wasn’t unfortunately what I initially thought), the idea being that each day you MUST do one thing that you ‘ought’ to do, and you MUST do one thing that gives you pleasure. I think it’s a similar idea to your one of essentially breaking this huge list into something manageable, yet keeping a balance and not beating yourself up too much.
And it works…
yes, the little things are what is important. a bit a day makes a world of difference. cheers to you.
and what a lovely picture of luzie at the beach!
xo
Good idea! Baby steps make getting to the big goal so much easier. I can so relate to this post, Susannah. I allow myself to get distracted by the tiniest things…like a messy stack of paper, or dirty dishes or a pile of laundry that really could wait an extra day or two before getting washed. The trick for me is getting started…if I can make a little effort in a project then I’m OK, I’m on my way. It’s the first baby steps that are important. And you are right, making a note of your daily accomplishments will help. You’ll know that you ARE getting things acoomplished, that you ARE working towards a goal.
I LOVE THIS. That fear is absolutely no good…Dar talked me down from the ledge on that one last week…
One thing or one hour. Somehow that just reframes it all so beautifully, and it takes a certain pressure off of you. Might I borrow this idea? *wink*
I would say that the most important part of this is that you realized what you were doing and you are trying a new method. And it is working!!!! Hurrah.
I will just remind you that you are so incredibly talented…
xoxoxox
I believe I was meant to read what you wrote tonight….because I was on a roll conquering little-by-little my to do list and finally hit that place where one loses momentum….the hard part being picking yourself up again and forging forward. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
oh yes, i know this all to well my dear. your plan sounds perfect. a little each day and before you know it so much has been accomplished. love. xoxo
Hi. My name is Lara Berch. I have just launched a new website with step by step art tutorials. I was wondering if it’s possible to exchange links with you. http://www.laraberch.com
Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely
Lara
“The idea is to break through the fear, push past the inertia and overwhelm, and do something, anything , that takes me one tiny step closer to what I want.”
So what do you want?
Sounds like a good plan to me, babe. I should try that. I always find myself doing nothing, if there is too much to do.
:)
Not just a beautiful face, clever too. See you ever so soon – tomorrow even!!
What a great idea sweetness, I may try that – I too am filled with to do lists that never get done so this sounds like a step in the right direction x
sometimes slowing down is the best remedy for things. once i was without any ability to make things, be near my supplies, just read and relax while i moved to another country and settled in…at first i felt frustration not being in my creative pace like usual (i so relate to your last post) but after a while, i realized that those kind of breaks fueled my creativity even more. like a breath of fresh air. :)
Yes! This is what I need – might I borrow your idea my friend? I have such a huge list of things to do and I’m inert, have been for months. I hold myself back and beat myself up after the fact.
Thank you for this reminder that the small is the BIG after all. xoxo
You have really hit a chord here with everyone, it seems! This is such good advice, Susannah…making effort for the common good–one little piece at a time. Thinking of you…
Love,
D.
AHA!!!…good idea..I’m doing this as well…just one hour…hmmm:>
Luv’ the post.
you have such yearning! it’s an inspiration!
you have such yearning! it’s an inspiration!
you have such yearning! it’s an inspiration!
you have such yearning! it’s an inspiration!
good for you. (i try to do the same thing–sometimes i am more successful than others at it. but i do start back up.)
i used to have the big list problem, too. now (outside of work) i have one big master list with everything from ‘sell car’ to ‘pay phone bill’ and ‘write book’ on it.
i circle or copy over a few things to do each day that either need to be done then or i am choosing to do then. alas, it works.
my list is almost always done, and everything else is captured and i know i’ll get to it eventually…
good for you. (i try to do the same thing–sometimes i am more successful than others at it. but i do start back up.)
i used to have the big list problem, too. now (outside of work) i have one big master list with everything from ‘sell car’ to ‘pay phone bill’ and ‘write book’ on it.
i circle or copy over a few things to do each day that either need to be done then or i am choosing to do then. alas, it works.
my list is almost always done, and everything else is captured and i know i’ll get to it eventually…
my dear susannah, I’ve been avoiding the internet lately, so I just read this.
What a great idea. I think I really need to try this. How’s it working? :)
I’ve only made 2 postcards, hows that for procrastination!!
I wish you lived in New York!