OLW Blog Hop ... Fight or Flight
If you're here for the OLW Blog Hop, welcome back. If you're a regular reader who sometimes skips the Blog Hop posts because they may (although not always) be a little more about scrapbooking than usual...there is something here for you.
Today is October 1! In rough terms, 75% of 2012 is gone. In just a little over a week I'm going to be celebrating the culmination of another year of my life. Where in the world has the time gone. I swear that September just FLEW.
There is a LOT going on in October. I have a big, huge, idea around celebrating my birthday that I hope to share next week. I just came back from a fabulous trip...I can't wait to tell you all about it. I am almost done with all my lists from 30 lists...a few are cute and I'd like to share. I've got signups for my first ever Postcard Swap going right now! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SIGNED UP! There is still time if you haven't signed up. Just go to the Postcard Swap page at the top of the page. I had so many hopes for making two or three tutorials/posts about how I like to make postcards...right now I just want to get one post up. And, I have a huge idea about raising money to fight Parkinson's Disease (you can read more on why this is an important cause to me here, and if you haven't done so yet, you can still make that free, three minute phone call to contribute to research on this disease) that I'd love to get into more than the garble of thoughts that passes through my brain at the oddest of moments and share here. But it's just not there yet. There is so, so much I want to be telling you ...because I LOVE blogging and everything about it...but that silly thing called a professional life...well the darn thing keeps getting in the way. Hence why I posted a photo tonight looking out the window of one of the at least four different rooms I'll find myself sleeping in this week. I enjoy travel, but short trips like these are simply exhausting.
Okay...enough whining (hopefully)...Why am I starting off with my perpetual to do list? You see, this month's one little word prompt is something I think every person in the world can benefit from spending five minutes thinking on...go get a pen and paper or open up notepad right here on your computer machine...go ahead...I'll wait for you...
...the prompt is about the battle you're in and deciding whether you're going to let your fight response or your flight response take over. I'm paraphrasing a LOT. Grab a pen and paper...make a quick list of the "battles" in your life...trust me...I'll still be here when you get back.
When I looked over my list and I put that together with all these things swirling around in my head I realize that one of the battles I have to stop fighting is my ongoing battle with perfection. Perfection is rarely my goal - at least that's what I say. I grew to understand a long time ago that perfection is for God, doing my best is for me. However, putting that into practice is a regular and ongoing battle for me that, when I'm losing, normally leads to procrastination, frustration, and/or simply choosing not to do something at all because it won't meet up to this perfect idea in my head. (And for those of you with a better memory than me, you will remember that embracing imperfection was also last month's prompt in general...obviously I didn't pay complete attention.)
I think part of my quest for perfection stems from a huge competitive streak - at least in academic/mental pursuits. I can accept that I'll never be an Olympic level swimmer and simply love and enjoy time in the pool, but when it comes to academic pursuits and creative efforts, I simply don't accept that I can't gain enough knowledge and skill to be the best and so I should do that before I do anything...Yes...I know...that doesn't even make any sense. But there are so many things that make sense to others and even though you know they are right, you can't put them into practice for yourself. I read an article recently that referenced the "just for today" concept that is present across the Alcoholics Anonymous process of handling alcohol addiction. I haven't done enough research to know all the origins and history (because normally I wouldn't even post about it if I couldn't find the right reference), but a quick Google lead me to this set of "affirmations" that seem to fit what I'm thinking...I don't have to win my battle forever. I just have to win it for today.
If you're fighting a battle...you don't have to fight it forever...you just have to fight it today. Are there any other simple ideas like this one that help keep you motivated when you're fighting an ongoing battle?
Thanks for visiting the Blog Hop...you're off to visit Monica!
Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com
Kimberlee http://scrapsandsass.blogspot.com
Kara http://iwannabemewhenigrowup.blogspot.com <-- YOU ARE HERE -->
Monica http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com/
Mrs Wookie http://mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.com/
Monica http://scrapinspired.com/category/one-little-word/
Cheri http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com
Ruth http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com
Lisa http://backtoallen.com/category/challenges/one-little-word/
Naomi http://poeticaperture.com
Carolina www.micinnamons.blogspot.com
Veronica www.veronicanorris.typepad.com
Kelly http://mindingmynest.com
Brighton www.dearbrighton.com