The challenge yesterday asked for every time I felt like saying "I have to...", to replace it with "I get to..." Oh man, that was difficult and I am just not sure if I passed the test. Most mommies will be familiar with the 'witching hour' and as many families, we have one as well. At the end of the afternoon, always right when I am about to start cooking.
I always enjoy company in the kitchen. Nothing beats a nice conversation (while enjoying a glass of something) while prepping dinner, but when that company fusses, cries, fusses, cries and occasionally lets out sounds at the volume strong enough to deafen me, it really destroys that nice ambience. Yesterday wasn't any different and I had a really hard time to move from "I have to find a way for Ryder to calm down" to "Yippee, I get to wear my 19 lb. baby on my chest, while dealing with a sore knee, a painful back, oh and while prepping dinner."
Being able to move from "I have to..." to "I get to..." can make a big difference in our minds and in how we perceive things on our way. I totally see that. And I totally had a hard time with it yesterday. So there!
Today's Challenge:
Concentration Ability
When you want to do something sincerely and are decisive about it, the power of concentration becomes available to you. Concentration allows you to achieve more in less time and respond to situations in a more effective way.
Click here for the 'pause - think - act' elements of the challenge
As I am writing this, my dear husband is on the phone and decided to put the conversation on speaker phone as he 'can't hold the phone and type at the same time'. I am in the same room, making attempts to write this post and though it is challenging to block out the conversation (which does not involve any typing at the moment, yet is still on speaker phone), I am surprised about how well I am able to concentrate on the thing that I am doing here.
It's not because it's written in the challenge, but I do strongly believe that I am much more effective in what I do when I do 1 thing at a time and really give that thing 100% attention. Many times I feel overwhelmed with the ever-expanding list of to-do's. That list never seems to get shorter. For every thing that gets crossed off, it seems there are 2 more things that are being added at the bottom.
Here's what I have learned in the past, which really seems to work: on a note pad, make a master list of all the things that you need to do. Then, pick 1 thing off that list and write that down on a separate page. Leave that page visible to you and do that 1 thing. Finish it and cross it off the 2 pages. Now, take the next 1 thing that needs to be done and write it down on that second page. Do just that thing, complete it, and cross it off.
This way you stay focused and don't get distracted by all the other things that need to be done.
Here I am. Still writing. In the mean time, I have said "not now" to something that I was asked earlier and I haven't checked my email (despite it ringing several times, alarming me that there is yet another piece of junk mail that needs reading immediately). In the mean time my husband ended his phone call, just in time for me to be done writing.
Tomorrow's Challenge:
Overcoming Anger:
Anger can be a by-product of our way of thinking, rather than it being caused by a person or an event. You can either hold on to your anger or, you can calm down and let go. Choose to be calm and you'll find it easier to forgive and move on.
Click here for the 'think - pause - act' elements of the challenge
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