A few months back, I wrote a blog post about my worst habit. Trying to do too much is something I’ll always have to watch out for. There’s a flip side to this coin that I’m only just beginning to notice. I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re doing this, too.
I don’t recognize my accomplishments.
I’m not talking about the big stuff. I’m talking about what happens day-to-day. The daily grind that can turn you to powder if you’re not careful.
I walked through my house earlier today and took the time to notice that the rooms were uncluttered (not sparkly clean, mind you) and the beds made up (neatly enough). I knew that if I didn’t make a conscious effort, I would completely forget the piles of laundry that had covered my bed a few hours before, the very “lived in” look of the living room, the tender seedlings for the garden sitting out on the deck to harden off before planting, the healthy food I cooked for my family, the meals I planned for the week and the groceries I bought to make them. I would berate myself for not spending enough time with family and friends, even after spending hours at the park with them this morning.
I would remember that I had coffee, even though I’m trying to cut back on caffeine. I would think about that brownie I ate (and shared with my entire family). I would criticize myself for not doing a structured exercise for a set amount of time and dwell on the fact that I didn’t finish the outline for my latest novel.
I would go to bed thinking that my day had been a failure.
Nevermind the thousands of words edited (and the hundreds of new ones written). Forget about the physical activity of running around at the park and all the work I did to keep things going in my household. And of course, the healthy meals I ate were completely negated by the sugary treat and beverage.
It turns out my worst habit isn’t trying to do too much. It’s not being kind enough to myself.
That is a habit I intend to break. If it’s one you share, I hope you’ll give some thought to whether you want to let go of it as well. We deserve better.
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