Dave Barry
Delphine-Gay de
Girardin
Norman Vincent Peale
Okay, it’s time to write. I have very little time and I’m not sure
what to say at the moment. The
important thing is that I will do what I say. Here are some goals (not tasks) for the day. Here are the things I need, not want,
but need to do:
Be on time or
early at every place I said I would be.
Stay present and
focused no matter what happens.
Get some work
done.
Have fun and not
be so task oriented.
Pray.
Practice the
presence of God.
See my kids as
part of my life, not a distraction from it.
Live in a state of
grace and forgiveness, giving and receiving both.
Live in a state of
expectation that good things will happen today.
Ask God to forgive
me and cleanse me from the fear that I often feel.
Be thankful for
all that is good in my life.
Write.
Create a list of
tasks I want to accomplish today.
Play softball with
my girls.
Be truthful about
what I’m feeling.
Love my girls.
Breathe.
Wait in joyous
expectation for good things to come at the right time.
Release anger
immediately and peacefully if it comes.
That was a good
list and I was writing, I realized how much and how often I run away from life,
allow myself to be fearful, angry, preoccupied or unhappy when there isn’t
really anything wrong at the moment.
I don’t think I’m the only one who struggles with this. Many people I know seem burdened with
many tasks and obligations. But
the secret is not always in getting these things done. Yes, it’s nice when I do. Yesterday, for example, I wrote a blog,
met a client, wrote a resume and did a radio show. On the personal side, I got some time alone, some time with
friends and with my daughters. I
got to play catch with my 7-year-old.
(She’s pretty good.) Still,
sometimes I still feel fear or anxiety.
To relieve myself
of unpleasant feelings, it helps me to acknowledge and allow them. For example, “Yes, I’m feeling anxious
and that’s okay.”
Then I want to go
to the next step. There are
options here.
I might look at my
anxiety as an actual physical thing inside me. This is a technique that helps me be very present with my
anxiety, which may feel like a pit in my stomach or a black hole or a
thorn. I bring my darkness into
light.
I might question
why that anxiety is there and do “The Work” around it. This comes from Byron Katie’s book, Loving
What Is. It involves four questions and a turnaround. I’ve mentioned it before and it has
worked for me with amazing results.
I take something that’s bothering me and I do The Work. For example, “I’m not going to reach
175 blogs this month.”
1. Is
that true? I don’t
know.
2. Do
I know for sure if it’s true? See #1.
3. How
does that thought make me feel? Anxious and frustrated.
4. Who
would I be without that thought? Peaceful and excited to reach my goal.
5. Turnaround
– I will reach my goal. I may even exceed it.
I’ve done this
many times and it’s been extremely helpful. I recommend the book for a more in-depth explanation.
I might pray or I
might ask for prayer. I can’t
count the number of times prayer has brought me peace. The rational mind may reject the
supernatural, because we can’t see it.
That doesn’t make the supernatural any less real any more than oxygen or
electricity because we can’t see them either.
Why would I do any
of these things? It’s okay if the
anxiety is there, but at the same time it’s not. It’s not preferable.
I would rather feel peaceful and joyful. In fact, that’s one of my life goals, to be peaceful and
joyful as long as and as often as possible. This goal, like any worthwhile goal takes work and focus.
Finally, there’s
one other way to claim my calm.
That is to be in my Purpose.
For me, that means writing.
It also means being present with each moment. It means setting goals and creating tasks to reach those
goals. It means to Get Started and
to Keep Going… and to do those things now.
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