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I can think of a million times I was nervous to start something, but once I got myself to do it, it was no where near as bad as I had made it up to be in my mind.
The examples range from simple things like doing the dishes after a big feast or big party when the dishes got out of control, to more complicated multi-step projects.
When it comes to the mega-pile of dishes, I look at the sink and think “ugh, I don’t even know how to get started on this mess.” But, then, I just start. I empty the sink where things have been stacked past even being able to clean something and move the dirty things on the counter wherever they will fit. I make room on the counter to fit a drying cloth. Then, one by one, dishes come into the sink dirty and come out clean. I stick them onto the drying cloth and when it’s full, I pause cleaning more dishes and put away what I’ve already cleaned. Soon enough, all the dishes are clean.
The job that I think will surely take me all day or night, never actually takes that long. Sometimes what takes the longest is getting up the gumption to just get started. Starting the task can be harder than the actual task, if we let our mind play tricks on us.
When it comes to the big complicated projects, starting those is tough too. These often seem unapproachable because of the complexity and the number of steps!
Sometimes we can even gather supplies for the project, but then delay starting and leave supplies gathering dust in a corner. I’ve been here too. Sometimes I wait for a big chunk of time to do the project, but life stays busy and I never feel like I have enough time.
I’ve gotten better at getting myself started on these. I figured out that if I make my plan and split it up into lots of little steps, I just focus on doing one step at a time. I only need to wait for smaller chunks of time to be available because I just need to do the one step.
What often amazing, though, is that once I get through a step or two, I realize I don’t need as much time as I thought I did and the project goes surprisingly quick.
That’s what happened when I recently made my Heirloom Hoop Art for my master bedroom. I held on to those hoops for a while, waiting for the right time, but once I got started … it went so much faster than I imagined!
But sometimes the projects are big and take a long time, and some steps feel like cans of worms, becoming more complicated as it goes. Still, even for these mammoth projects, I realize it’s still not so bad when I only need to do one little thing at a time. Even an elephant can be eaten one bite at a time, but it won’t get eaten at all if we don’t start with the first bite.
This is definitely the case for the 91 Day Declutter Challenge. It is going to feel hard at times and easy at other times, but it is broken into tiny little bites. So all you need to do is start and trust that the details and obstacles will get worked out along the way.
Don’t let starting be the hardest part. It may go fast, it may go long, but the only way it will go is if we start. Just start.
Commit to moving forward, don’t wait for motivation. Commitment is ore powerful than motivation. Motivation is fleeting, commitment is determined. Commit to starting and then commit to moving forward.
You’ve got this.
Really, you do.
Just start.
From my home to yours,
Mary
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I LOVE THIS!!! Thank you so much for all the encouraging phrases. This was just what I needed to hear.
So glad to hear!
My family and I have a dysfunctional system when it comes to dishes that works for us. There are five of us. If the dishes start to pile up due to crazy work schedules, each one of us will clean five items and put them away. This way, it doesn’t feel like the work is falling on one person. I tend to grab the big items because they take up the most space. Another person cleans silverware. Sometimes one of us will start the dishes and just finish all of them. But knowing you’re only obligated to do five of them takes the pressure off.
I’m a big believer in finding the system that works for you and this sounds like it may be working for your family. It wouldn’t work for mine. I do have my kids do dishes, though, it is usually my husband or I that will do it if it is at an overwhelming point. I try to stay on top of the dishes on a daily basis, encouraging my kids to take care of their own, so that it only gets overwhelming on the rare case of special occasions.