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The yard needs tidying – but where do I begin?
Dinner needs to be made – but where do I begin?
The house needs cleaning – but where do I begin?
My life needs to be turned around – but where do I begin?
To clean a yard I need a rake, a pair of clippers and possibly a wheelbarrow. If a meal is to be prepared, prior grocery shopping is required to provide the ingredients needed. When the house needs cleaning, I need to decide whether a quick dusting will do, or whether a major house cleaning is necessary.
In these and other tasks, certain items are required before beginning.
- Do I have the right equipment or tools or utensils?
- Do I have adequate time to complete the job?
- Are there things I need to purchase beforehand?
- Which project takes precedence over another?
Where do I begin?
Some tasks are simple and can be completed within a short time. Others, however, require more planning and time allotment. For example, in cleaning my yard, the grass might require mowing along with trimming and weed pulling.
I could plan a special meal and try a new recipe if I had enough time.
Ongoing home maintenance is more than just a quick dusting. There are closets to be cleaned and articles to be thrown away – all of which require thoughtful decisions.
To complete any task or large project, enough time is required.
Bigger jobs can be broken down into smaller, more manageable ones. The problem comes when we don’t follow through and complete them. You get the picture.
With changes come new decisions along with new tasks and jobs and responsibilities on top of what we normally do. At such times, it is easy to get overwhelmed.
Now, it is adjusting our life to consider all the things that need to be done associated with the major changes as well as the usual maintenance. It is no longer asking what is not working so we can fix it, but what I need to do to move beyond this radical change.
What is needed in both time and money? And where do I begin?
Exploring Possibilities
After the death of my husband, some major decisions had to be made. There was more than just grieving and adjusting to his death, but exploring the question, what do I do now?
I soon realized I had to sell my home. But then, where would I go? Should I move to another community or town, or another state where I had family? Where do I begin?
It took some sobering soul searching to consider not just the immediate but also long-term outcomes of my decision-making. This required time to adequately explore possibilities. I was fortunate to remain in my home for an additional time to work out the details of a move.
Before tackling any new project, it is important to give yourself time to consider what is involved. Explore as many possibilities and options as possible going beyond the obvious.
Before putting my house on the market, I had to consider if I was ready to move and the options available. My house exterior needed to be painted, storage units emptied and so on. There were a multitude of factors to consider. But all of them necessary.
With change come requirements you hadn’t anticipated.
It is here you draw from your past experiences, your ability to think, consider pros and cons, time required and commitment. In the example above, after exploring all my options, I decided to build myself a new house in the community where I lived. I drew from my experiences of being involved in the building of two previous homes with my husband. I sought the advice and help of good friends and mentors. And I believed in myself.
Can you ever be prepared for unexpected change?
Yes and no. But one thing you can do right now that is extremely helpful is to get to know yourself.
Are you open to new ideas?
Are there ways you can improve your life right now?
Is this the time to start projects that inspire and excite you?
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