One lesson I learned when young, was that if I had several tasks to perform, to do the one I wanted to do least, first. That way, it was finished, wasn't looming over me casting a long shadow, and everything that came after it felt easy by comparison. ( I always clean the bathroom first.)
I was explaining this to a sponsee, and she brought me up short by exclaiming, "I wouldn't have the self-discipline to do that!" I had to stop to consider - was it self-discipline? I suppose it is, although I think of it more as having found a way that works for me.
We then had a spirited discussion on labelling, and the different feelings which arose when considering "self-discipline" as opposed to "what works for me." She got really excited as she got a glimpse of the possibilities ahead, if she were to just change the way she labels her life. For her, "self-discipline" felt heavy and guilt-producing; "what works for me" felt light and powerful.
She said to me, hands waving, "I'm having one of those things you talk about, those things! You know what I mean, what are they, oh, why can't I remember?"
I asked, "Startling revelations?"
"Yes!" She sat back in her chair, satisfied, and beamed at me. I beamed back.
She said, "I've wanted one of my own, since the first time I heard you use that term."
I laughed, because that's how it seems to go in sponsorship. It's never the things upon which I pontificate, which make the connection for someone, it's the chance comment, the offhand remark.
"God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain."
William Cowper
I loved reading this post!
ReplyDeleteI read, in a book about time management for creative people, a suggestion to do the things you love first, because that will energize you and inspire you for the rest of the day. Also, I find that often gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Doing a difficult task first can sometimes stress me out for the rest of the day, but other times I feel relieved, like you were saying. I guess what works for me is to vary the tasks based on their urgency and how I feel. Thank you for your post!
New to commenting here. Great post. As a newcomer, the idea of what works/doesn't work for me takes a lot of the shame and judgment out of my normal ways of behaving, allowing me to actually choose to change.
ReplyDeleteI do think that God's timing is impeccable. And the closed ears are eventually opened.
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