And the theme of March will be grace. Grace upon grace.
grace [ greys ]
noun.
favor or goodwill.
So, I talk a lot about accurate narratives and accurate expectations…about how important it is to practice both of these things. Though, to really gain the most benefit from them, consider the following:
To achieve accuracy, our narratives and expectations mustn’t be biased to our own excuses.
Instead, accuracy is obtained by attending to feedback offered and valuing its relevance, being open to learning new ways of thinking and doing things, understanding that we don’t have the market cornered, not taking everything personally, being aware of our tendencies for self-preservation and challenging ourselves to push the pause button before reacting.
Today, I found grace in reevaluating my own expectations. I addressed some inaccuracies of my own.
Practically and specifically speaking (because I don’t want to be the person that just says words) I was feeling so stressed at work (I work in the office on Tuesdays) because I wasn’t getting anything accomplished. I wasn’t able to mark off tasks to be completed and instead, the list was getting longer. I was getting annoyed with the people that would stop by my office for a chat. I was impatient with the inefficiencies of meetings. I was seeing certain deadlines approaching that I had planned to use time today to gain progress towards but instead found myself slipping behind schedule. I was feeling heavy and sluggish and irritable and in a perpetual loop of “catch-up.”
And then it occurred to me –
Why did I come into today expecting that I’d get a task list accomplished? It’s the one day I have IN the office WITH my colleagues. It’s the one day that I have IN PERSON meetings because the rest of the week I work from home or come and go far more unpredictably. It’s the one day that is ear-marked for such PEOPLE-heavy (vs. task-heavy) interactions.
As soon as I reevaluated my expectations and created a far more accurate sense of productivity based on the pattern of days I work, I instantly (and I mean instantly) felt a massive weight lift off my heart, mind and spirit. Instantly, my colleagues weren’t annoying. My task list wasn’t overwhelming. My stress melted. Meetings felt energizing. And while certain deadlines still exist that I didn’t make progress towards today, I learned how to design my work week better for next week. I will be far healthier going into next Tuesday than I was today. And there is so much grace, so much favor and goodwill, in that. For me and for those in my world.
Can you relate?
*Post 1065
(No post for 3/2/18)
Day 2 :: 3/2/19 :: Post 536
As I’ve experienced before, Day 2 after surgery is WAY harder than Day 1.
There is significant pain and discomfort but I am able to manage without pain meds…because, well, those make me feel worse. So, I choose pain over meds… Plus, my poor body has had to metabolize so much poison over the course of the last year and a half that I feel much better choosing the non-med route.
I’m also super nauseous tonight. Ugh.
And I haven’t looked down yet. I’m just not there. I’ll give myself one more night and then tomorrow I’ll face it head-on.
Also, don’t take sleep for granted. Just don’t. I can’t remember the last time I slept “well” and having to sleep on my back for the entire night makes for a long looooooong night. Not looking forward to that despite how purely exhausted I am. Ugh again.
The sooner I go to sleep, the sooner Day 3 starts. And Day 3 brings with it anxiety and reality….
(No post for 3/2/20)