Sunday night our flight was delayed that we got home very late and more or less went straight to bed. I will go to work early, being still on Eastern time, but glad to do so, for there is work to be done. There is nothing like taking two days off to make a pile of charts, calls, and forms all wanting done ASAP. After work I need to get pick up the dog and do the weekend laundry. Halloween is less than a week away and I haven’t purchased pumpkins nor put up the decorations. There is work to be done indeed.
Whenever one feels the emotion of being overwhelmed it is the brain telling us we are trying to think and do of everything at once. For all our desire to multi-task, we are lousy at doing so. It is best to take things one step at a time. The mentioned paperwork will get done eventually (it always does). On the way home from work today I can stop by Uncle Albertsons to pick up some pumpkins; they have heaps. As for the decorations, they can go up piecemeal this week and I have all Saturday to do things. So there.
Letting go of need to be in control is lovely feeling of liberation; it is a pity more people don’t do it more often. I have lots of patients with ‘control issues’. Despite their vow, they seldom if ever feel in control. Rather they have a desperate chronic sense their worlds will fall apart if they don’t do something about it ASAP. Normally I feel exhausted after interacting with them. My advice to ‘let go’ is usually received with horror as if I am proposing they run naked down the road at noon time.
Worse case scenario: the mentioned work will require delaying all other activities like gym time and putting up outside lights is delayed until Saturday. Holidays should be fun not frantic endeavors. This may include neglecting my blog reads for a while. I trust none of them will bar me for lack of attendance. So the worse case scenario is hardly bad, just irksome – and not bad at al if I take the ‘let it go” approach.
That’s all I have for this Monday. Chances are there will be no Tuesday post. Wednesday Ws should be good; tune in then for what shenanigans ensue.
33 comments
October 25, 2021 at 2:30 AM
Beth
“Whenever one feels the emotion of being overwhelmed it is the brain telling us we are trying to think and do of everything at once.”–I love the simplicity of this explanation…so true. And society having conditioned us to believe that we’re not doing life right if we’re not bragging about being busy doesn’t help, does it? Letting go is so liberating but underutilized. Sending you some space and pause to enjoy your week.
October 25, 2021 at 6:32 AM
Urspo
By now whenever I feel overwhelmed I stop, take a deep breath in, and start to prioritize what really has to be done now vs. what I would like to do but that can wait. I often make lists, which helps get things out of my batty-brain so it can relax it won’t forget things. It all gets done, in time.
October 25, 2021 at 3:44 AM
Dwight W.
Very methodical, planned and executed , hope there is time in there for some joy in your Halloween 🎃 week. You are a good living example of a well spent adulthood and possibly an ill spent youth 😊I enjoy the fact of having something to read , new from your fingers. It kind of starts my day . I fully believe you will accomplish all your tasks. I would also like to thank you for including us on your weekly journeys and allowing us so much access to your life. We do appreciate it and care deeply about you and your AZ family. My only advice is , Don’t Mix Colors and Whites and Absolutely Make Harpers return to her castle the Number one Priority.
October 25, 2021 at 6:33 AM
Urspo
So many holidays get marred by trying to do too much that there is no time left to relax and enjoy it. I must pace and let go of all the things I want to do so there is some time to enjoy what is.
October 25, 2021 at 4:00 AM
Todd Gunther
Dear BoD, Please excuse Dr.Spo from blogging on Tuesday, October 26. He will be otherwise occupied with other pursuits.
Signed, Epstein’s Mother
I hope this works for you.
October 25, 2021 at 6:36 AM
Urspo
Tiws-day is wash-day, more for its ceremony than its results. “It smells like somebody died in there” said someone walking past Heorot Johnsons I.
The Board of Directors Here at Spo-reflections doesn’t mind the ‘no-blog Tiws-day” although they are allowed in the contract to remove my ears.
October 25, 2021 at 4:16 AM
Lori Hawkins
Be sure and make time to enjoy Halloween week!!
October 25, 2021 at 6:36 AM
Urspo
I shall strive to do so!
October 25, 2021 at 4:49 AM
Sassybear
There is always more to do, and you shall never be done, so why try to be? Do what you can, when you can, and don’t let rest and relaxation be under-prioritized. Life should not be all about work and tasks, but a mixture of work and play. And anyone who continues to hold onto the illusion they are in any way in control of anything is setting themselves up for a hard fall.
October 25, 2021 at 6:37 AM
Urspo
Indeed so!
This evening there will be homework and laundry to do. That’s all I can do vs. all I wish to do.
October 25, 2021 at 5:16 AM
Debra She Who Seeks
The key is setting priorities. Do what MUST be done and let go of everything else, relegating it to the “to be done some day, time permitting” list. My list has tasks that have been waiting there for years, if not decades. Now that I’m retired, though, I’m slowly whittling them down. Got oodles of time now!
October 25, 2021 at 6:36 AM
Urspo
Good for you!
October 25, 2021 at 6:10 AM
Debbie W.
Bless you for this helpful post! I am always grateful for the reminder to throttle my control issues, and avoid worst case scenario thinking as much as I can. Between now and year’s end is when I begin to feel things becoming a little beyond my control. But things always get done regardless, and I will continue to practice letting go. Have a good Monday, and I shall look forward to your Wednesday W’s.
October 25, 2021 at 6:37 AM
Urspo
Bless you too my dear!
October 25, 2021 at 7:18 AM
Old Lurker
Sorry; no time to comment today. I am up to my oxters in things to do and I don’t know how I will get them all done.
October 25, 2021 at 7:26 AM
Urspo
Make a list; prioritize; avoid curried snacks.
October 25, 2021 at 7:27 AM
David Godfrey
Years ago I figured out that when I die, I will still have a list of things to do, who cares how long that list is, I won’t.
October 25, 2021 at 7:49 AM
Urspo
Do you ever think death is preferable to getting to that list?
October 26, 2021 at 7:33 AM
David Godfrey
The list is overwhelmingly things I want to do, everyone will leave behind trash to take out, laundry to do, closets to clean, I have continents to visit, books to write, skills to learn, If I ever finish that list, I might think it is time to exit stage left.
October 25, 2021 at 8:05 AM
Robzilla
Even though I’m technically still unemployed, I still have a to do list for today before it starts raining. I agree with David. I’m sure I’ll have a to do list once I die, too.
October 25, 2021 at 8:11 AM
Urspo
Let us hope the ‘to do’ list at death is mostly mundane stuff and not regrettable projects.
October 25, 2021 at 8:49 AM
Sam
I always leave your posts rethinking things. I am lousy just juggling too many things, try multi tasking yet keep thinking it is doable.
October 25, 2021 at 9:18 AM
Urspo
Studies show again and again we do a lousy job at doing too many tasks at once. Even two at a time makes both become less. I’ve learned to do only one at a time for quality sake. It’s a relief that this gets things done better than 3 at once.
October 25, 2021 at 9:29 AM
jefferyrn
I think of the Janet Jackson song. Can get it out of my head now. The eighties were so out of control.
October 25, 2021 at 9:42 AM
Urspo
Hopefully we learned to do better – and with better hairstyles.
October 25, 2021 at 9:48 AM
Linda Practical Parsimony
We can only control so much or have the illusion that we are in control of something. When I have a list, I decide which must be done, which must be done before it rains, which must be done before I go to bed. So, am I really in control or just responding to outside influences? Then, inevitably, no matter how well I plan something happens to thwart my illusion of control–it rains earlier than expected, I misplaced a vital or not-so-vital part of the plan, always something, it seems.
October 25, 2021 at 11:51 AM
Urspo
Good for you for your list/approach to such!
October 25, 2021 at 1:58 PM
Moving with Mitchell
Usually, when I feel out of control, all I need to do is make a list instead of letting everything fly around in my head.
October 25, 2021 at 2:44 PM
Urspo
I do likewise.
The human brain (mine anyway) is like an anxious child badgering me to remember something it feels I won’t remember otherwise. By getting it out of my head and onto paper the brain relaxes knowing it won’t be forgotten.
October 25, 2021 at 6:48 PM
janiejunebug
I’ve long had difficulty letting go. It’s getting easier. I forgot to tell you something about the children and the pumpkin decorating: It’s a thing to leave the carving knife in the pumpkin as if it’s a violent attack. I’ve seen it done a number of times. I don’t believe it’s cause for alarm.
Love,
Janie
October 26, 2021 at 7:26 AM
Urspo
I hope so; it was rather settling.
October 25, 2021 at 10:18 PM
Richard Portman
No offense. I think you are trying to do too much. You don’t need to have the perfect pumpkin.
You think this is bad, wait for Thanksgiving! And then,
We have to do Christmas!
It is totally fukked up.
So i celebrate Halloween.
October 26, 2021 at 7:27 AM
Urspo
Yes I am trying to do too much. It is a weakness of mine: wanting to do everything.
Happily I don’t do anything for Thanksgiving. It is a relief.