Good
Morning to you!! How are you all today? Good I hope! It’s a brisk, cool day here
today with a little drizzle here and there.
I do believe fall is in the air J
If
you’re like me, you’re ready for some refreshing cool weather after the
scorching hot temps of this summer!
How
many of you have started working on your
Crazy
Decisions list
from my last
post? (This was making 2 lists of things
in your life that you can or cannot control.) Has it
been challenging?
It
is always challenging to me to have
to admit I have no control over an issue.
I will usually go back and forth with it, dissecting every little detail
of the issue looking for even a teensy weensy part that I can bend to my
will. But in the end, if it’s best I
leave it be, then it goes on the NO!! I Cannot Control (and I don’t want to!) list.
Let’s
look at how we can realistically accomplish this…
III. Accept and Let Go!
For me, it seems the worst part of decision
making is the initial worry and tug-of-war in my mind and stressing over the
issue. Worrying and stressing over deciding what I am going to do about
an issue and when to do it drives me crazy! Doesn’t it you? Well it
does me - that is until I remember to exercise some hard learned problem
solving skills – an easy, effective and pro-active way to organize my thoughts,
make my decisions, and have peaceful control of my life. Here’s how:
a) Decide which things you can and should control and then take responsibility for them.
First, whenever I have an important decision to make or a
situation weighing heavily on my mind, I break out the old trusty tablet (uh - the paper kind) and pencil. I define the issue
1. What exactly is the
issue?
2. Why do I care?
3. What are the
effects/consequences and to whom?
4. What - if anything can
or should I do about it?
I write it all out on the paper (you could use the electronic kind if you wish :)). I always feel more
in control of things when I have dissected the issue and can see exactly what it is. Then I don’t have to
rely on my sometimes finicky mind to remember all the details :/
If, after defining the
issue, I see that there is something I can do about it, then – you got it
I list it!
I write it down on my YES! I
Can Control list. Now this is where your lists come in! Take that
first issue on your YES! I Can Control list.
Dissect and define this issue!
Write it all out on
your tablet so you can see your progress and feel more in control over it. After dissecting and defining the issue, then it’s
time to define exactly what your plan of action should be.
Plan of Action?
Your plan of action is a realistic list of active control things you can
and are willing to do in order to
solve this dilemma, make this decision, or help control the outcome of this
issue - things such as:
check the weather forecast, make a phone call, schedule an
appointment, do research and where – the internet, the library, etc., write a
letter and to whom, make a food plan for nutrition or special diet, a menu
and/or shopping list. Call and talk to a friend, teacher, minister,
etc.
Write these things down and
then begin working on that list.
Be sure to include a “do or due by”
date next to each item and commit to reaching those dates each day.
I have a yearly planner that has week at a
glance pages with space for daily entries. I log everything in this! Even specific time increments in a day to
“worry” or problem solve.
I read it every morning, usually as I drink my
second cup of delicious, eye-opening coffee, and it organizes my day. It relaxes me and leaves little for my
love-to-stress-over-what-do-I-have-to-do-today brain to fret over. Which
in turn lowers my stress level and provides me more sweet peace! Give it a try
if you’re not already – it works wonders! (A planner doesn’t have to be
expensive – mine is from Barnes and Noble, about $14.99.)
Wow, I have enjoyed writing this all out
today! It is a nice reminder to me how important it is to keep up this
plan of action in my life. It simply does none of us any good to be so
bogged down and stressed out with worry over things in our lives. Luke
12:25 says: Who of you by worrying can
add a single hour to your life? In fact, the Bible has
a whole lot of interesting things to say about NOT worrying about things
in our lives. Check it out?
Next post we will continue with what to do with things we cannot or should not try to control. I hope you all have a fun afternoon, evening or night - and
happy dissecting and defining!!
Love and blessings,
Mindy <3
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