One thing done is a good day ~~
I am staying with my parents this week. What I realize is that staying with them means operating on a different time schedule. The answer to 'how long will it take to do anything'?: As long as it takes.
So what I get to learn is to pick one thing to accomplish each day and only one thing. Now, this is a different mind set for me. I typically set up pages of things to accomplish each day. I find the value of working with my parents is that I learn to pick the most important thing for the day.
And that important thing for them is not always what I think is the most important thing.
That forces me to ask myself “who do I serve here?” I have slowly learned how to be there for them and not take over their life. It is a gift to be able to add value to a loved one's life and enjoy the things they want to do. It is a challenge to balance my ideas of important with their needs.
I start to appreciate the value of letting the little things stay undone. I now understand how much of my "to do" list can be the little things. So here is my challenge to you: What would happen if you started each day with a clear idea of your most important goal for the day?
Do you have a good method for sorting the little things out for the important things? Some days this is hard because everything feels urgent and important.
Here are a few questions to help you sort.
Please follow the link if you like and follow my blog on Simplify Your Life
gpspiralcoaching.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/only-one-thing-done/ [1]
Also, consider signing up for my next DeClutter Your Brain Free Phone call- June 3, 7 pm
Gwen is a life transitions coach who looks forward to your email at gpspiral@gmail.com [2]. You will gain balance in health, life and play from coaching with Gwen. She is a regular contributor to Lumigrate's forum on life and health coaching (www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-behavioralmental-health/life-and-health-coaches [3]) and has her own website presence for more learning if you follow to www.gpspiralconsulting.com [4]
Links:
[1] http://gpspiralcoaching.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/only-one-thing-done/
[2] mailto:gpspiral@gmail.com
[3] http://www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-behavioralmental-health/life-and-health-coaches
[4] http://www.gpspiralconsulting.com/
[5] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/one-thing-done-today-good-day#comment-637
[6] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
[7] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/one-thing-done-today-good-day#top
[8] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/495%23comment-form
[9] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/495%23comment-form
Comments
Ironically, as Gwen was posting this to the website, I was having a conversation with media replicator/duplicator companies about all things CD and DVD and the future of things with Lumigrate and the people we hope to continue to reach and expand out from. And that includes the elderly, and mostly likely is going to be a very natural transition since so many of the issues facing people with our core following of 'fibromyalgiacs' overlap with aging..... decreased energy... pain ... cognitive issues ... balance issues.... driving difficulties/ safely (and 'state of mind and the mind/body connection' as is coming with Karen's Korner forum).
I had two main thoughts beyond that coincidence:
My family is walking along this very slow and hopefully lovely path too with my father, who has been diagnosed and treated for Lewy body dementia for about a year now (after many months in SNF and hospital without a proper diagnosis that I consider a travesty and common example of 'manging medicine' in the United States today, unfortunately).
AND
When I have had bad days with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia I learned to pick just one thing, or I just yesterday wrote somewhere about one summer 20 years ago when I only went out ONCE all summer to do anything for a couple hours with friends. (I got them ALL together to go listen to a friend singing backups at a Marriott.) I hope I mention often enough of the gems and wonderful surprises I have had with Lumigrate.com's following in the first 14 months now (YAY!), and one was how many of the women/people who wrote in the Your Story About Your Fibromyalgia who expressed appreciation and not simple 'acceptance' of their medical issues because they had learned from it something they needed to learn was AMAZING. I'd found this to be true with my real-life patients who I was fortunate enough to keep in touch with after they were done with their insurance-paid therapies (or in driving rehabilitation they were private pay sometimes). And some of them were amazing career 'amazons' and they were, after a few years, saying 'you know ..... my life is different but better in so many ways, I'm okay with this'... and THESE are the people who I want to call upon to become mentors to others in their path. And my challenge is how to create that on a website Forum area and related devices we have at our disposal today for communication.
So Gwen, thank you VERY MUCH for your input today. I'm glad you're learning from your teachers this week AND sharing with us here at Lumigrate as one of ours. ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [6] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!