02.27.07
Quick Trick for Daily Happiness
My house explodes when I’m feeling resistant or scared. Not literally of course, but it’s become difficult for me to deal with tidying up or the little routines I follow when I’m determined to keep the Clutter Monster at bay. I think the clutter is something I use to distract myself from what I’m resistant about. I think, “I can’t do anything while there’s so much junk on the coffee table or until the kitchen is spotless!” And then I procrastinate about cleaning so I can rationalize procrastinating about whatever I’m resistant to. Nice trick, eh?
When I’m being tenaciously resistant, I wait until I push through my resistance to the burning issue and then the mess bothers me so much that I have to do something about it. When I need to find ways to help me become less resistant, however, I start by cleaning.
Today’s Trick
Eliminate some mental and physical distraction and clutter. I live with actual clutter when I’m resistant, but different people have different coping mechanisms. If you’re feeling resistant about something, identify the ways you put off pushing through it. Do you start projects? Do you go partying? Do you blame others? Instead of engaging in your delaying behavior, spend five minutes taking some action towards facing your fears. Whether that means cleaning one room or one area of one room, thinking about something that makes you happy, or turning down plans that make you feel guilty–do something that feels like moving forward to you.
