Thursday, November 14, 2013

adopting the “hey, it’s ok!” mentality

Recently I came to the realization that I had been living a distracted life in which I felt the need to account for every minute of every day. No time for breaks, just checking things off. Constantly.

And, no matter how I sliced it, or how well I multi-tasked, I still found myself far behind. There was never a day long enough to catch me up. My thoughts and actions were controlled by to-do lists, email notifications, and a jam-packed agenda. In my brain, everything was stamped with big red letters spelling “URGENT,” making me think it just couldn’t wait. I was always in a hurry. 

In short, my task-driven nature had become a problem rather than an ideal trait, and I needed to relax.

Living a distracted life gives you tunnel vision – you only see (and focus on) what’s next. There were very few “savoring the moment” moments or no-plan days, and it was nobody’s fault but my own.

Living life in a hurry is no way to live.

Today, I’m making a promise to myself to let go a bit. Slow down a little more. Enjoy things every day. Prioritize better. And adopt the “hey, it’s ok!” mentality when something isn’t done just as I want it to be done, exactly when I think it needs to be done.

Imagine all the little voices in my head whispering “hey, it’s OK!” phrases to me all day:

“Hey, it’s OK if there are some dirty dishes in the sink.”

“Hey, it’s OK if the house is messy just a little bit longer.”

“Hey, it’s OK to put my phone away for the evening.”

“Hey, it’s OK to sit on the couch all day today.”

“Hey… it’s OK! … Seriously, it’s OK!”


Today, I’m stepping back and telling myself that it’s OK. No more tunnel vision. No more distracted living, because I want to be 100 percent present wherever I am. 

No comments:

Post a Comment