How in standing down I’m stepping up
I have a few things in my life to manage, and I tend to try to be on top of them. I feel better (read: more sane) when I face things directly. My tasks, jobs, things that are necessary of my days, interests of mine, and so on. I much prefer to take the lead and create my time, rather than wait to see what happens and then react to it.
One way feels like creating my life, but the other way feels like being a victim to it. And in no way do I want that.
Recently I had a big Aha: I learned it’s not really the one or the other. On Sunday evenings I usually spend a bit of time taking a look at what my work week looks like (read: tomorrow). I know what direction I would like my day to unfold. Somewhere along the way I read something that described this as a habit of successful people, and I thought, “Huh. I just do that because it makes me feel good (read: control).”
Until last Sunday evening, when I just didn’t. Want to look at tomorrow yet. I was enjoying feeling my time off of work so much, as well as the company of myself and others under our roof, that I just didn’t want to interrupt that feeling of well-being.
So I didn’t.
I rationalized that most of the entire rest of the world takes an entire half day on Monday just to get themselves lined up for the week, instead of hitting the ground running the night before. (May or may not be true; doesn’t really matter either way.) I also figured that I would be okay, in this moment, to do the same. So I stood down on Sunday evening.
And in doing so I discovered that I had stepped up. I was completely present. For myself. For my loved ones.
Sure, I didn’t remember until breakfast the next morning that I had a meeting in an hour and a half. And sure, I had a near-seizure moment of Holy Crap when I realized that I had forgotten all about it, right up until I hadn’t. The beautiful thing? I had been able to forget all about it, when I didn’t need to otherwise be thinking of it.
I had already been prepared for the meeting. I didn’t keep it mentally in my forefront. And the sky didn’t fall.
Trusting that I’ve done enough of what needs doing for what is coming. Enjoying, during the meantime. Being present.
More fully embracing the gifts of each moment, as they unfold.
Now isn’t that a successful habit.
Where can you stand down today? How are you then presently stepping up?
gina drellack 