Monday, February 27, 2012

If Today Had Been A Checklist

I'm a chronic list maker and as I come to the end of this day I can't help reflecting on everything in the form of a checklist.

  • Wake up
  • Let the dogs out
  • Email final interview answer to National MS Society's local chapter (wish me luck!)
  • Check email
  • Look for job listings on at least a dozen sites
  • Log into LinkedIn to see message from former coworker offering me assistance with my job search
  • Read CaringBridge journal entry by my former UVU professor who has cancer, has lasted four years longer than predicted, but has reached the end of his latest round of treatment with an unhappy prognosis
  • Receive phone call from dear friend and former coworker and, in the process of updating her on the latest, get all pessimistic and negative
  • Chat with another former coworker on Facebook, still negative about my situation
  • Fix lunch - bologna sandwich
  • Visit from a friend, managing to smile finally
  • Check email in hopes of a job - no luck
  • Walk over to Thimbles & Threads to visit with another friend, managing finally to get myself into a better mood
  • Walk home and start fixing dinner
  • Walk over to the church and help with weekly cleaning effort
  • Head home
  • Call the friend I talked to this morning to apologize for my negativity


When I looked back at my day, I felt bad about being so negative. I don't want to push my friends away, but I seem to just unload when I get a chance to talk to someone. On the positive side, I'm still making good connections, still in the running for an awesome job, and I got some walking in. I was also able to give back to my church and that felt good. When you're feeling the most empty and the most down, that is the best time to volunteer to help others. Focusing on something besides your own troubles is crucial to finding joy in life again.

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