The Next Right Thing

I'm noticing that May and December are about equally busy. The end of the school year bustle is WELL underway. Actually, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! There is hope! For my kids, their school year will end a day early. (TODAY!)

Sometimes I wonder how we get through it. If I look at all the things that need doing, I get overwhelmed, almost to the point of being paralyzed, sometimes.

That happened to me years ago, before a gathering of (at that time) un-met friends. Well, we knew each other (via the internet), we'd just never met face to face. But when an invitation for a gathering was sent out (by me), and people began replying affirmatively, I realized HOW MUCH I had to do to prepare for their arrival.

I froze. All I could do is sit there in my house. I had NO IDEA where to start. Finally, someone said, "Just pick one thing and start there." It was the best advice ever!

These days, it's how I like to handle my tasks. Some are prioritized by external deadlines, some by internal. Some are recurring - but the ones I like to tackle most are the ones that once they are crossed off, they are CROSSED OFF. Done.

Some days, there isn't enough time to complete one of *those* jobs. Sometimes, it feels like I am being surrounded by recurrent jobs, and that there will be no time to complete those, never mind the *other* things I have to do.

But when I start to freeze - or walk aimlessly back and forth - I stop and remind myself to breathe, and pick ONE THING - one five minute job - complete that. Then, I can move forward with the NEXT right thing.