L.L. here. Just a little busy. Okay, a lot busy. Would drowning be too strong a word?
Still, I totally love Sam’s snarky post suggesting we embrace December.
Yup, that’s it, me and December are going down. And I’m all right with that.
However, I’m not averse to a little advice on how to breathe underwater. Last night, I found that advice in Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up.
Madson tells a story about Mary, a woman who described her house as “a disaster zone.” From the sounds of it, Mary was right. Things were going down at her house, kind of the way I’m going down with December. So Madson volunteered to come to Mary’s home. (Um, can I cut the same kind of deal with you, Patricia?)
Anyhow, using the “Start Anywhere” rule, they simply began. Madson’s advice: “Just look around and do what seems obvious to you.” In about an hour, the house began to exude “an encouraging sense of space.”
I was so impressed, I tried Madson’s advice. I began with a pile in my room (well, five piles that have been fruitful and multiplied and converged). I used her suggestion, “When you put this book down, follow your first thought and begin the job. Do the very first thing that comes to mind. Continue doing what comes next.”
The pile is still there, but it’s smaller, neat and peaceful.
Seems to me, this is a principle that could apply to just about anything in life. Don’t wait for peace, in order to bring peace. Just step into the mess and start anywhere.
Angels Together photo, and post by L.L. Barkat.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
This is how I tend to do yard work. One weed pulled turns into three hours of edging, cutting and (re)planting. And none of it is deliberate. In fact, the linking nature of this improv activity reveals in hour 2-3/4 or so that I never actually finished weeding.
But the edges and new flowers look great!
I defintely agree that is can be overwhelming when looking that the ‘big picture’ (or mess). But it does seem to help me to just deal with what is in front of me now, knock it out, and move on to the next piece. Usually before I know it, I have worked through all (or at least most) of it, and found myself in that more peaceful place.
Great thoughts L.L.! Thanks!
I have a few piles I plan to dig right into next week. But my hubby. . . lost cause.
Just do the next thing…that’s what a good friend always tells me. Sometimes it’s easier to curl up with a book instead…
I find sometimes that the curling up with a good book is the next thing.
Indeed!
I LOVE it that many of you are following Mary’s example to START ANYWHERE. It really works. Since nothing is even meant to be perfect, making a dent and moving calmly from thing to thing uses time well. Hooray for your high calling. I’m so happy to be part of this conversation.
Patricia, you honor us with your gentle presence. I’m glad you feel comfortable being a part of the conversation. Someday I’d love to see you do improv!
Truly, your book is tempting me to try it out. Or at least to speak from questions the next time I stand before an audience…
Someone once gave me similar advice for when I was overwhelmed. It was “Do the next thing.” I like that thought, but it implies a plan; that is, if I were to do the next thing, I would have to actually know what’s next–it suggests a sequential list to work my way through in a way that I could arrive at a “next” thing.
But I’m not exactly sequential. Being rather random and haphazard isn’t ideal, but given that personality quirk, I think this “Start anywhere” advice resonates. If I just get started, I can gain momentum and make progress.
Now instead of repeating “do the next thing” to myself, I’m going to try “start anywhere.”
Start anywhere! is what I’m going to tell my friends when they come over to help me clean house while I’m down with the chemo blues! I love it – and so will they.
How did you know that that is exactly what I am doing? The only goal right now is to start anywhere.
And I did. We have food, and I found dishes, this is good.
Wonderful advice I think. Just to the next thing sort of comes to mind. I’m so simple that just writing it all down in a neat little list makes me feel better.