So you just finished doing the laundry task and you are missing another sock. You are wondering, ‘how is it that every time I do the laundry I come up with a missing sock’? Someone recently told me that all of her socks, and her children’s socks were all unmatched. How curious I was. When I asked her about it, she told me that every time she does the family laundry, she is always missing another sock. So she decided that it is what it is, and they all always simply mix and match their socks. How interesting, I thought. I wondered why it never occurred to her to look for the socks at the onset of her noticing they’ve gone missing, or investigate what exactly happens to them in between the starting point of the hamper to the ending task of sorting and folding. And how does this relate to everything else in her life?
We can all agree that when we do a task, we should do it mindfully. In the laundry example: If you come up short, with a missing sock, is the task completed? Do you take the time to find it? Do you check the washer for the missing sock that is perhaps stuck there since the spin cycle? Do you check the dryer? Is it possible that its hiding in the sheets that you may have crumpled up in a ball for later because you don’t have time to mindfully fold them? Is it possible that it never even made it to the hamper? You know those kids…its probably in the bed sheets, or under the bed. Maybe the dog took it? You get my point. More often than not, it is ‘somewhere’ in the house or apartment or laundry room or fell on the floor somewhere from point A to point F. Weeks go by, and that crumpled up sheet that you quickly shoved in the linen closet comes out, and as you make the bed…there’s that sock! My question is not about why you have not become obsessive over another missing sock; but rather, is this ‘oh well’ settling mindset an example of how you apply things in other areas of life? Are you letting things go that you have the power to deal with, but just don’t care to take the time and effort to do it?
Did you do thirty odd things after working all day, including driving the kids here or there, grinding out homework, dinner, dishes, and as you lay your head on the pillow you have no clue how your husband’s day went, or that one of the children got his first A on a math test? Deep down you really wanted to have special time sharing the day with your husband, and engaging in conversation with your child about the successes of his day, but you were so overwhelmed that the days purpose flew right by you. Sound familiar?
So you blame it on time, you blame it on over load, and understandably so…however, who or what is overloading you and why? Have you said yes to too many things in a day? Reality is that you have all the time there is for your to do list, and you can do these things mindfully, but you need to learn how to capture a system. Do you know the difference between the ‘I must do’ list and the ‘I can delegate’ list? Whats the result you are looking for from your daily ‘to do list’? What are the reasons you want to do these things and does it give you purpose?
Yes, I understand the constraints in life, between family, work, after school activities, and things in life that just happen. I get it. You can learn how to change the craziness of each day in your life, and turn them into more organized, less frazzled, and even enjoyably rewarding moments every day. Mastering the plan of your day is key. You can change the craziness of the day. It is a matter of gaining the tools that will enable you to do it!
Like the missing sock, may I encourage you today, to find the missing pieces in your life? Don’t let another sock go missing. Sign up for your Free coaching session and find out how to organize your life, every day, and get happiness from all areas of your life.
Live in love,
~Lily