Okay, first you have to realize that other people's lives intersect with yours, and you are not going to be able to change anything about them.
But if you want to tweak a few things about how your own days go, here are some suggestions of what has worked for me.
1.) Best advice my mother ever gave me is this: Depression is to be avoided at all costs!
Writers, artists, musicians, photographers, etc. tend to be blessed with a streak of melancholy. Keep that melancholy in line! You grab it -- don't let it grab you. Nobody can do this for you. Friends might try to remind you. Listen, when they do. But only you can do it.
When you look deep into that hole, do not be charmed by it, do not think it is your tragic destiny, do not rationalize about the creative beauty it can evoke. That's a bunch of crap! YOU are the creative person -- not the ethereal sense that wraps around you.
I repeat: Depression is to be avoided at all costs!
2.) If you feel overwhelmed, just grab the task in front of you and do it. No task invites you? Then wash your kitchen counter. Or mop a floor. On your hands and knees if you don't have arthritis too bad for that.* Polish your bathroom mirror. Little stuff like this is easy to do. Do some more little stuff like this.
Don't feel as though you have to dive 100% into spring cleaning or self-improvement. Just do some little thing. You don't have to feel like it. Just do it. It's little. It looks nice when you're done. Smile at it.
3.) Do this first -- but it's no big deal: Pray. Doesn't matter if you don't believe God will help you, or even that He exists. Ask Him to help you anyway. What harm could that do?
*Note about the kitchen floor on hands & knees -- I don't haul out a bucket and scrub brush any more. I grab a spray bottle of Mr. Clean or some other brand. I grab the roll of paper towels. I do it like that. Pretty easy. Not a big drawn out affair. Looks good. Smells good. Makes me feel so dang "righteous" when the floor is shining after just a couple minutes worth of scooting around.
Thanks Rani. Good advice.
ReplyDeleteBTW, it was my husband who came up with the Mr. Clean in a spray bottle and paper towels routine. Why didn't I think of that? After years on my hands and knees with a scrub brush or old rag and having to wear gloves so I wouldn't turn my hands lobster-red!
ReplyDeleteIronically - I gave my son a lecture on this very subject. You may have read the description of his apartment and how we helped him clean it up. I told him that cleaning even one small area gives a feeling of accomplishment, whereas living in an unclean environment can be quite depressing.
ReplyDeleteGet yourself a Swiffer mop to use with that Mr. Clean. That's what I do. No way I can get down on my hands and knees. If I spill water on the floor, I drop the paper towels down and use my foot to wipe it up. LOL
Yeah - I use a Swiffer Wet Jet.
ReplyDeleteI believe I hear the 21st Century calling to me. Grin.
ReplyDeleteSo you been there Rani?
ReplyDeleteI am slowly pulling myself out of the mess.
I am single as most of you know.
And I liquidate tools and clothing for resale.
Well the last 2 shipments before I went on the road didn't get inventoried properly and a lot of it ended up in my LR, what a mess, it is keeping me depressed and I am finding it hard to get it together to inventory and move to proper storage.
I have always preached the little step philosophy, but I am having trouble making it work for myself right now.
This is what I like about blogging, the nudges we get from others.
The Swiffer Jet has to be the most brilliant invention. Having my dog and my daughter's dog running in and out all day, I'm constantly cleaning the kitchen floor and Swiffer Jet does the trick. On wet days when they track mud into the house I first use the Swiffer Jet then in some spots I have to get down to my hands and knees and scrub a bit more. It still beats having to crawl all over the floor in order to clean it.
ReplyDeletelmao.. that's funny.. I came upstairs.. as I JUST finished mopping and waxing the floor! lol
ReplyDeleteBeen there done it an it works for sure .
ReplyDelete