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What Can You Discard?

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I've been trying to change my daily activities so that I am more productive and have more time to both produce information for people as well as increase my learning.

So I've added some tasks that will enable me to accomplish/learn more. But in order to do that I want to get rid of some not so time-efficient things that I do. But how do you make that decision?
 
It turned out to be pretty easy. I took a piece of paper and wrote down everything I did every day and added those things that I do but may not be every day (they were added at the end). This included things like meeting with classmates to do our required weekly work or zooming with friends. 

Once I had even the tiniest thing listed, I went through each task and asked myself what purpose this "thing" served in my life at this time. I added that caveat because after July when Vol State is over I won't have to spend so much of my day walking and then I can add/subtract other tasks. It's a fluid process as needs and desires change as time goes on.

After going deep within and finding out the purpose of each thing (some I didn't have to go so deep with since they were things like playing solitaire on my phone or doing crosswords), I asked "can I discard this?". 

If the answer was "yes, I can discard this" I crossed it off the list. Or I could have modified it. Some people spend all day on Social Media. They could say they will limit their time to 30 minutes or whatever works for them and still gives them additional time for other activities. 

If there was a tough decision, I would write down the thing I was going to put in that place and look at the two of them and then ask "at this point in time which of these two activities would serve as the best use of my time right now?" It turned out not to be that hard when I compared them. I always went back to my "why" (to be discussed in another post) and asked myself how much each of the activities served my current "why" the most. That one won. The reason it was easy is that I knew this was not a "forever" situation - that 1) I could change it at any time and 2) When my "whys" change, this list will change - so it's not the end of the world to eliminate 'x' right now. 

I revisit this list every week until I'm pretty sure I have it correct. Revisiting it also cements the purpose in my mind and that is key for accomplishing something you want.

Try it. I know I feel great right now.

Terrie
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How Do You Want to be Remembered

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I had the honor of attending the memorial service for Dr. Anne Kunath today. It was so well done and brought back so many amazing memories of a phenomenal woman.

Amongst other things it made me wonder what a legacy really is and how you would want to be remembered,

Dr. Kunath was the most self-less person I’ve ever known. The only thing important to her was always how “you” were, not how she was. She cared about everyone else. She epitomized the concept of doing something for others every single day. But she never stopped with just one thing or one person. Anyone who ever came within her presence left as a changed person. How unique is that? Have you had someone in your life that lived that way?

Everyone today talked about the impact she had on them. It was definitely inspiring but it left me wanting to recommend to everyone that they practice what she preached every day as she did. To follow her example. To be a guardian of at least one other human being. To let others know every day that they are loved and are worth gold no matter what others may say. That brings a person’s spirits up more than anything else you could do for them. Love and respect are worth so much more than money. Money comes and goes but with self-respect comes confidence and with confidence you can further yourself and be all you want to be. This is what she did for everyone near her with just a look, just a smile, just a word.

She would do so much more though. She would help you see what you need to do to achieve whatever you wanted. She never gave up on you and never criticized you if you didn’t get it the first time. She was always there nudging you along with more education (not really advice but guidance). She’d hold your mental hands and was always there in case you needed some shoring up while you got back on track.

Everyone who has come in contact with Dr. Kunath has a responsibility to spread her love, light and knowledge as far as they can and to as many people as they can. It’s not enough to just talk about remembering someone although that’s important. But the real test of a legacy is continuing to keep her spirit alive by doing the same things she did. Each of us can have a positive impact on others every single day of their lives. Every morning when we wake up we should set the intention of somehow touching at least one other person that day. In that way we will keep her essence alive.

As her daughter said today – Dr. Kunath is present elsewhere. Her spirit is that of love and she exemplified love for everyone and anyone better than most famous people.

Today’s Gratitudes:
I am grateful that I was able to go to this wonderful service

I am grateful that my squirrels have not yet gotten to the bird seed

I am grateful that my windshield wipers worked even though they won’t turn off now….age does things to each of us

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Anxious About Something You Know You Should Do?

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I don’t know about you but i have a bad habit. i procrastinate and I procrastinate on the littlest things.

Sure I’ve read tons about procrastination but nothing really sticks.

But the subject of this post is the “anxiety” i have knowing I have to do something and haven’t done it yet. It’s weird. I’ll use an example or two. I have my business sales tax thing to pay. it’s not the filing, it’s just paying their determined yearly fee. But I leave the envelope unopened on the counter and just feel weighed down when i walk by it.

Something more simple but still “anxiety” producing. I am going to a celebration of life service for my great friend and mentor on Saturday. I have concerns about covid protocols but that’s not what has produced the anxiety. When I decluttered (which was after I retired) I got rid of so much of my closet that now i was worried did I have anything that would be appropriate? The other issue is whether or not it will still fit but I’ll deal with that later…lol…Anyway, I keep thinking “I’ll worry about that on Saturday” but every time I think of it, there’s that fluttering disturbance in my chest and body (anxiety is just a release of stress chemicals remember).

And thirdly – I saved a few photos of my “babies” (my Siberian huskies who have long ago travelled across the rainbow bridge – photos below if I remember) and wanted to keep them but not in just a pile. So I bought the right sized frames and they came about 2-3 weeks ago. The box of frames and the photos have laid where they were all this time and every time I walk past I get “anxious” (mostly it’s beating myself up that they are contributing to a messy look and what a failure I am that I couldn’t even do something so simple – this is a theme throughout unfortunately).

So today I decided that my body needed a rest from these 5-6 hour walks and all of a sudden I decided “just do them Terrie!” so I got all those things done. And I feel like there is a great weight off my shoulders. These three things are nothing things in the grand scheme of life but the weight of all the little things we have going on often outweighs the bigger things.

I encourage you to find something you’ve been putting off and just do it – or at least start doing it if it’s going to be lengthy. I don’t want to support Nike but they had it right – “just do it” and see how you feel. Good feelings are the stimulus for continuing to do uncomfortable things.

Have a great day!