Wednesday
Oct132010
Be Gentle, Go Easy
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 12:51 AM 
Like lots of people, I love lists. Every night I make a list of jobs for the next day. Then spend said next day chasing about, ticking them off. Only I never do tick them all off. So each night, I move the undone items onto the next day’s list. And repeat.
I’m always focused on what hasn't been done. Always trying to catch up. Always feeling not quite good enough.
But an interesting thing happened last week.
Besides being a list-lover, I’m also a bit of a health nut. And Tuesday and Wednesday last week had been set aside for a periodic fast and cleanse. Knowing I might have slightly less energy than usual, I’d kept my diary light and deliberately put only three or four jobs on Tuesday’s to-do list. And - this is the important bit - made a mental note to be gentle on myself.
The result? I had a lovely Tuesday! I pottered about all day long feeling relaxed and peaceful and very much as if I was ’in the right place’. Yet - extraordinarily - when I looked back at the end of the day, I had actually accomplished lots. Probably as much as in a normal, frenetic day.
In fact, without a list to go by, it seemed I’d managed to make progress in almost every area of my life. Here’s just some of what I achieved:
Website: created and put up a blog post; and had a meeting about techy, behind-the-scenes stuff with my hosting company
Studio: cleaned the windows, met with a removal man, arranged for someone to check the boiler
Piano Classes: paid some cheques into the bank and designed an advert
Retreat (yes, Dixon Hill Retreats are coming!): gathered blackberries to make jam for retreat breakfast!
Friends and Family: sent e-mails, left blog comments, bought and posted a birthday card and present, had phone conversations - including arranging a lunch date with one friend and a visit to another
Housework: laundry and a big pile of ironing
Other chores: took car to car wash, cleaned out my handbag, bought bird seed
De-cluttering: cleared one small space in my study (it’s a start!)
Health: did the fast and cleanse I set out to do
I’d also managed to listen to a radio play (one of my favourite treats), take Joss for a couple of long walks on the moors, and shoot some photographs.
And yet the whole day felt so leisurely - like a day off. No beating myself up. No chasing my tail.
Lesson learned! From now on, I’m scheduling frequent ‘gentle days’.
Reader Comments (9)
Gentle with yourself....lovely. That sounds like just what you needed Helen. Just what we all need. A bit more gentle for ourselves. I will remember that, again. Thank you.
Gentle Helen ;)
You know what's funny? You made a LIST of the things that you did! (You did say you like lists!)
May be instead of being driven by a list of to-do's throughout the day, you can appreciate and be grateful over a list of have-done's at the end of the day instead? Looking at things upside down, inside out, and "backwards" can often have surprising effects!
This comment is TOTALLY irrelevant to your post, but I just learned this British phrase, and have to use it!
toodle-pip!
I really like the surprise element. A good lesson to share with all of us. I plan to be more gentle with myself. Thank you.
I like the depth & breadth of your list, Helen... and the addition of being gentle to yourself. This inspires me to add it to mine. Last weekend I had the whole of Saturday all to myself--first in a long time. I too the day to pamper, creative & enjoy... it was bliss! I need to remember to be kinder to myself sometimes... Oh, and that bowl of plump blackberries has me hungry...mmm... Happy Days ((HUGS))
Dearest sweet Helen,i am also a list maker and "be gentle with myself" is a wonderful addition to my list! Congratz on your achivement! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!
Pleased to hear I am not the only one who doesn't always get all the jobs on the list done. Think I might try a no list day - sounds like you get to do more. Hope I am as succesful as you were
You make me laugh, Rosanna!
Toodle-pip to you, too!
Love this! We could even add "be gentle with myself" to our DAILY lists.