A stressed person's guide to accomplishing stuff

I. Can’t. Sleep.

It’s one of those nights where the list of everything I have to do stares me in the face and threatens to destroy me.

It’s the start of a new term, and a vicious one at that. This one’s going to push me to my limits. I am wondering how I’m going to get everything done I need to.

It seems like there are never enough hours in a day to do what I need to, much less what I want to.

But I’ve had a thought that will hopefully ring as true to you as it did to me.

You don’t have to do everything.

Wait, what?! I don’t have to check off everything on my list? Won’t that make me a miserable and utter failure?

Nope, my friend. It won’t. And guess what? Life will go on, too!

It seems like such a basic concept, and yet I forget it on a daily basis in my early twenties.

So, all you check-listers and to-doers, this one’s for you.

Write down the five most important things you need to do today. Yep, just five. You can have a separate laundry list for the other goop you need to take care of (p.s. I dare you to say the word ‘goop’ and not smile. Impossible.).

Then get those five done. If you are anything like me, half the time you have is wasted wondering how you’re going to get all those things done. Focus on one thing at a time, and worry about the rest when you come to them.

Finished them all?  Good! If you have time left after those five, turn to the laundry list and go from there. Pat yourself on the back for getting your main tasks done.

Didn’t finish them all? Still good! You tried. You prioritized and that, my friend isn’t easy to do. Congratulations on your effort. And remember my new favorite quote from the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Thomas S.Monson:

“Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required.

Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”

It’s not about always getting everything done on your list. It’s about giving everything you can to the things the matter most.

Best of luck to everyone, especially those who struggle with this like I do. You can do this :)

Why I Hate Resolutions

I’ve never been great at New Year’s resolutions. I’m the type that stays strong for a week, then I lose the willpower. What can I say? The resolve to avoid dessert cowers in fear to the temptation of strawberry cheesecake.

That’s why I saved myself the trouble of writing down my goals this year. After all, those penned words would simply stare at me and erupt in villainous laughter, forcing me to accept my repeated failure.

Instead I’ve made a new holistic-type of resolve. I’m going to just be better. Sounds rather vague, I know, but it comes from a beautiful speech I came across the other day.

It was made by Thomas S. Monson, who is the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He talks about the ABC’s of making this year the best one yet.

A- Have a Positive Attitude. President Monson says,

“The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.”

I’ve talked to lots of people this year who feel beat up. The economy tanked, the world is full of uncertainty, people are losing their jobs. There are a lot of reasons to be afraid. It’s tempting to believe that because last year was hard, this year won’t be any different. It will be! This year is a fresh opportunity to see things in positive light. Things may be tough, but a positive attitude is resilient and will see you through this year.

B- Believe in Yourself.  I know; it can get tricky. However, President Monson says,

“Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities. You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith.”

This year was a wonderful one for me, but I got to thinking about all of the times I wanted to try out or apply for something, but I chickened out. I believed others who told me I wasn’t good enough. Worse still, I let that little voice in my head tell me I wasn’t good enough. WRONG! This year I’m not going to psych myself out. I am capable. I just have to believe it, or no one else will.

C- Have Courage. This one really hit home. While I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot this year, I also see the blaringly obvious failures. President Monson says,

“Courage is required to make an initial thrust toward one’s coveted goal, but even greater courage is called for when one stumbles and must make a second effort to achieve.”

So what if I didn’t succeed the first time every time? That’s how character is shaped. How often I seem to judge my successes against my failures. What a poor measuring stick indeed. Courage is about falling flat on your face, realizing you still have miles to go, and dusting yourself off anyway to finish the race.

I loved this from President Monson:

“Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”’

It doesn’t matter what happened last year, five years ago, fifty years ago. Be grateful for the experiences and lessons, for they help shape who you are. However, remember this:

“Be not the slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have no idea what this year has in store for me. One thing I know, though, is I’ve been too dependent on a constant companion of mine. Fear. I’ve decided that fear and I need to break up. I just don’t get anything out of our relationship, and all it does is bring me down.

Happy New Year, everyone. May it be one filled with supreme joy, happiness, and new opportunities.

All my love,
Wendy

P.S. Here’s a link to the full speech if you’d like to read it: http://lds.org/liahona/2012/01/living-the-abundant-life?lang=eng