With the fall comes, everything. At least more things than the summer. While I welcome the energy of living in a college town and all of the trappings of that, game days, traffic, a chance of cooler weather only 3 months away, I miss the laid back saunter of the summer. With September arriving and Labor Day in the rear view mirror, I’ve resolved that there’s officially no more time for anything and so, something has to give.
What gave in the last half of last week was this. Writing takes time and writing shares time with Ironman training, and coaching cross country, and meal prep for the restaurants, and, and, and.
Yes the sounds a little like whining. It isn’t. It’s a statement of fact and an explanation of why I’m on again off again. I also know I don’t have to tell you this. It reeks of excuse.
I guess I write posts like this to make things alright for me. I mean I understand completely that this is an outlet for me and a volunteer effort to you. I know I have no one knocking on my door for deadlines, yet I feel like a lot of things, an indebtedness to create. To provide a little light or close out a little darkness for one person a day. And so, I spend 225 words telling you that I didn’t do something you already knew. I guess that’s for me.
Last week I pushed an agenda of positivity. This morning, I’m sore, and tired. It would be easy to let that energy guide the day. Not negative so much as “meh”. “Meh “can be my default and it delivers exactly what you’d expect. “Meh “results.
We are what we say and think we are and “meh” spreads like butter straight out the fridge. You can get it on the bread, but there’s visible rips and tears and you walk away a little pissed. Don’t let your week start out like ripped toast.
I like how the act of starting takes you to places. The line of thoughts that develop in real time. The above made me think about a writer named Tom Peters and his book and website, The Little Big Things. His life mission is Excellence and how little things go a long way towards it. Excellence may seem like a long way from “meh”, but each purposeful act away from mediocre is step towards excellence, and in turn more positive outcomes. Baby steps...again.
I love this “What About Bob?” reference. It’s equal parts sarcasm and useable. One little action builds to another and another and another. That’s really as simple as it gets. Recognizing and acknowledging where you are, and taking one positive step.
So this morning, strap yourself to the mast of baby steps and yell to no one in particular, “I’m sailing!!! I sail!!!”.
One baby step away from “meh.”
#hugsandhi5
