July 15

”Putting off an easy thing makes it hard, and putting off a hard thing makes it impossible.” George Lorimer

This quote has been staring at me from a blank page for a few days, and each time I have looked at it I have drawn a blank as to what to write in the space below. I finally decided to just start writing something and trust that it will take me somewhere. I guess there are times in my life where that is how I feel, not knowing what to do to take the next step forward, so I just keep pacing side to side. I need to take that courageous first step into the unknown and trust in my Higher Power that it falls upon the right path. I also see how this message applies to others in my life, how avoiding dealing with something early when it is small always tends to turn them into something much larger and more difficult to handle. I am certainly just as guilty in my own life. Part of my work in recovery is to stop putting things off and taking the time to do them as soon as I can.  That way not only do I accomplish something that I needed to do, I also remove something that I will worry about and carry forward into tomorrow. So for at least 2 good reasons, acting now has liberated me to have room to do more and to stay focused in the present.

Affirmation I will be aware of my procrastination today and do those things I would rather put off…I will be better off for having done them now.

June 14

”Don’t save anything for a special occasion, being alive is the special occasion.” Anonymous

I believe in waking up with a smile on my face, and in facing each day with the enthusiasm of the opportunities that lay before me. My life in recovery has been something that I more often look forward to.  The tools and skills that I continue to gain as I work the Twelve Steps give me the confidence that I can face the challenges of each day. I am learning to be more spontaneous and to procrastinate less. I take the time needed as things occur to me to do them and act rather than trying to wait for the perfect moment. This holds for telling someone I love them to even more basic things like a chore or a to-do that I keep putting off. There’s less of a need to wait until tomorrow, making the time now to get things done makes me feel better and leaves less for me to worry about. Life’s little moments are what keep us going. It’s not that special occasions are not important; birthdays, anniversaries and holidays all have their place. But if we are not making all the little efforts to do the important tasks and spend time with the people who matter to us, celebrating only on special occasions won’t cut it.

Affirmation Today I will look for the little ways to keep life special and to let those who are important in my life know how I feel.

May 6

”Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” Henry David Thoreau

One of my favorite quotes from my work is that the first 90% of a project will take 90% of the time, and the remaining 10% will take the other 90% of the time. For me the reason for the reality of this (maybe not quite to the same extreme) is getting into the details. It can be difficult sometimes to not plan to the minute detail. As someone who has trouble with procrastination, making sure every detail is there, well-defined, planned, accounted for, double-checked…these are all ways to prolong actually doing something. Part of learning to let go in my recovery also means learning to be comfortable with things that are “good enough.” Instead of trying to get something to 100%, I have to be content that maybe 80-85% is sufficient and will do the job. Sometimes it’s more important to get something mostly done than trying to get it perfect the first time. It is important that there may be an opportunity to make improvements later. The same goes for my recovery. I don’t need to give a perfect first step, practice perfect abstinence from my middle and inner circles. Sometimes efforts in the right direction are enough to keep me moving in the right direction and enough to keep me moving along my path to a better and saner life.

Affirmation Today I will focus on doing rather than getting things perfect. I will accept things that are “good enough.”

April 1

”Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.” George Carlin

Mr. Carlin has an interesting perspective on procrastination. In fact I think I would take his idea a step further. Procrastination is not only keeping up with yesterday but planning to carry yesterday into tomorrow. It is our way of ensuring that we do not have the time, effort or energy to be present in today. The thing I am learning about my own procrastination is that the more I put things off, the more time and effort I believe they will take. This of course becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy where I perceive the simplest things as being more complicated and difficult than they really are. And, proportionately, my desire to do them decreases. So when I do a few things that I have waited days or even weeks to do, I am usually surprised about how simple they were and how little time and effort they actually required. The end result - my perceptions have deceived me and my continued procrastination has allowed me to make a mountain out of a molehill. As I continue to force myself to do a few things rather than putting them off, I can find enough time to scratch a few things off my perpetual To-Do list and it is becoming easier to do so.

Affirmation I will tackle a couple items from my To-Do list; there’s no time like the present.