Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials— Lin Yutang
Can this done, says the OCD yogini. Yes, she responds hesitantly and fearfully.
Oh my goodness, leaving something undone is stressful enough, but completely letting it go and taking it off the list. That is down right abominable and unthinkable. If I don’t have my lists, how will I remember anything in my old age? (Although, if I forget something, how can I stress about it?) How will I be able to manage my life and all the “things”? How will things get done, if it is not on a list? How can I control my life?
I know I am making light of my OCD, but I have to laugh at myself and my quirks or they become that much more stressful and unmanageable. I think the key for me is to try to stop the To Do lists (yes, multiple lists). Take note of things on one list and then let things go. Who cares if you second bathroom, which no one uses isn’t done? Who cares if the deck isn’t stained right at this exact moment? I have a whole summer of weekends to do it. Who cares if the house is a bit dusty? (This one is one of the hardest to let go. The dust in my house is my arch nemesis.) Who cares? We are living and surviving in these circumstances, so that should be good enough.
I know this is easier said than done. But nothing worth working for ever came easy.
This coming year, I hope to explore the many quirks and nuisances of my nature and how I can massage them to be a bit kinder, gentler and realistic. I am very tired and exhausted from carrying around all these lists, all these neuroses, all this anger, all the bargaining for things I want, all past hurts and experiences, all the guilt of who I am and where my mind is at this moment, all the haves and have nots.
I read something once that really made me stop and think. It goes something like this. Our desire for things is only an emotion, which we have the choice to ignore like another other emotion at any time. So, maybe I should start ignoring all these “things” that weighting me down and explore the noble art of leaving things undone…
Namaste
Can this done, says the OCD yogini. Yes, she responds hesitantly and fearfully.
Oh my goodness, leaving something undone is stressful enough, but completely letting it go and taking it off the list. That is down right abominable and unthinkable. If I don’t have my lists, how will I remember anything in my old age? (Although, if I forget something, how can I stress about it?) How will I be able to manage my life and all the “things”? How will things get done, if it is not on a list? How can I control my life?
I know I am making light of my OCD, but I have to laugh at myself and my quirks or they become that much more stressful and unmanageable. I think the key for me is to try to stop the To Do lists (yes, multiple lists). Take note of things on one list and then let things go. Who cares if you second bathroom, which no one uses isn’t done? Who cares if the deck isn’t stained right at this exact moment? I have a whole summer of weekends to do it. Who cares if the house is a bit dusty? (This one is one of the hardest to let go. The dust in my house is my arch nemesis.) Who cares? We are living and surviving in these circumstances, so that should be good enough.
I know this is easier said than done. But nothing worth working for ever came easy.
This coming year, I hope to explore the many quirks and nuisances of my nature and how I can massage them to be a bit kinder, gentler and realistic. I am very tired and exhausted from carrying around all these lists, all these neuroses, all this anger, all the bargaining for things I want, all past hurts and experiences, all the guilt of who I am and where my mind is at this moment, all the haves and have nots.
I read something once that really made me stop and think. It goes something like this. Our desire for things is only an emotion, which we have the choice to ignore like another other emotion at any time. So, maybe I should start ignoring all these “things” that weighting me down and explore the noble art of leaving things undone…
Namaste
