Something Helped

Transitioning from a fabulous summer to a mellower fall has been a bit of a challenge this year. I miss warmer temperatures, flowers, and sunshine. 

I have managed to get outside at least once a week. I have documented those outings on Instagram. Here's a picture I took last week on a walk at Wheeler Farm that wouldn't fit there. 

I've felt more down and unmotivated than usual. Even so, I've been reading books and listening to talks that have encouraged me to think about plans and goals. Step by step, I've inched toward feeling like I'm making progress again. 

This morning, I remembered a technique that has helped in the past when I've needed to figure out what I want to do. I learned the basic idea a year or more ago from a podcast by Brooke Castillo. I don't remember which one; I listened to hundreds of them, but she repeats the concept a few times.

Castillo suggests writing a list of twenty-five things that you want. You begin with something you want that you already have. For instance, personally, I want to live in a comfortable home. That's something I already have that I want. Then for the next number on the list, you write down something you want that you don't yet have. One of the things I want is to have my front and back yards prepared for winter. You alternate between something you want that you have and something you want that you don't yet have, all the way to twenty-five things. I considered all types of things in my life: social, physical, spiritual, intellectual, experiences, and possessions.

Castillo says this is a way to want things from a place of gratitude and abundance rather than from a mentality of scarcity. I think it's also a helpful way to move away from self pity. I'm mostly content in my life, so sometimes it's hard for me to feel motivated to want more and to do more. Making the list this way helped me see that I can improve on some things I already enjoy.

I can't remember what Castillo says to do next; maybe it's to choose one or two of those things and focus on them. Maybe it's to think of obstacles to those things you want and then figure out solutions. I don't remember her suggestions.

What I did today was take a separate piece of paper and rewrite the things I want that I don't yet have. Then I went through and briefly wrote some basic, general ideas of things I could do to move toward achieving those things. I had no ideas for some of them, but I know they'll come eventually. I will try to remember to look at this list as I plan each day.

Then I took another piece of paper and put today's date at the top. I wrote down specific, simple things I knew I could do today toward achieving some of those goals. I didn't write down exactly when I'd do those things, but I knew I could fit all of them into today if I want. I've already done three of seven things. I'm now working on the fourth: writing something for thirty minutes.

To go from not really wanting to do anything today, but read and eat, to accomplishing several things that will lead toward bigger and better things that I want feels amazing. It's empowering and satisfying. I feel happier. I just thought I'd share.

Now, it's time for lunch and reading! After the break, I'm sure I'll finish the rest of my list.