One Thing Now

I take on too much, sometimes.

Who doesn’t, right?

I get overwhelmed, sometimes.

We’ve all been there, yes?

Sometimes, it’s hard even to decide where to begin.

It’s paralyzing.

Want to know what I do, when that happens?

Other people’s solutions never work for me.

Yeah. I know that feeling. So, no obligations. Just ideas.

Here’s what I do, when I look around at everything that needs doing, and it’s too much, and I’m just paralyzed: I do one thing.

It doesn’t seem like much. In fact, usually it isn’t much; I pick something small. I turn off the television. I stand up. I put one thing where it goes. I take out the trash. Just something small. And I tell myself, “I cannot do everything, but I can do one thing. The one thing I am doing right now is…” and then I fill in the blank. And I say that over and over again, until the first thing is done. Then I pick just one thing to do next. And I talk myself through it. And I keep doing that until something happens.

Until what happens?

Momentum. It’s the oddest thing, but I’ve learned to expect it. The more small things I do, the more things get done, and the bigger they seem. At some point – I usually don’t notice until after it’s happened – I’ve worked up a head of steam, and I just keep going. Inertia was keeping me paralyzed; momentum keeps me moving. Sometimes, just by beginning with one small thing, I find that I accomplish a big thing, a satisfying thing.

I cannot do everything, but I can do one thing. The one thing I am doing right now is… writing the first entry for this blog.

What’s the one thing you’re doing right now?