FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025, GET GOING

 FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Okay, Wednesday was a holiday!!  I watched the Texas versus Arizona State Football game (about five hours of football) with two friends.  (In case you might be interested, Texas won in two overtimes.)  I had dinner with another couple.  Yep - it was a day off to celebrate 45 squared (45 squared is 2025 - math trivia for you).

BUT - the holidays ARE OVER!!  What are you waiting for?  Get up, get your coffee and get going!!  Yesterday I met my agenda - brunch, grocery shopping with a friend who no longer drives, then finish finding my bed!!  On Monday and Tuesday, I took most things out of my closet and sorted thing.  Things that I’m not sure about keeping are piled on my bed.  Time to get my closet and my life - organized!!!  Today will be my first trip to the local thrift shop.  I’m taking my apartment BACK!!!  

Huh? What’s going on, Karen?  When I come home (especially in the evening), I instantly find my favorite chair.  In the process, I take my keys and wallet out of my purse and drop them on the crowded lamp table.  When changing clothes, I put the clothes I was wearing on the bed, and grab other clothes (or maybe my robe and pajamas. 

When I sit in my chair, I’ll take off my shoes and put them by the side of the chair.  (A week ago, I had SIX pairs of shoes plus slippers beside that chair).  The advantage is good - when I want a pair of shoes they are right there beside the chair (with the other shoes, with a sweatshirt, two towels (yes, I frequently eat in that favorite chair), the mail (some might be from a week ago), used tissues, and more!!)

Maybe … 

But on this cold January morning, it would be nice just to stay inside, warm, smug, happy.  

That’s PROCRASTINATION!!!

Overcoming procrastination requires patience, self-awareness, and the implementation of effective strategies. Here are some tips that may help: 

Understand why you procrastinate
Hey, I’m retired, I live alone, nobody ever comes to visit me here and who cares.  (Oh my - that’s “stinkin thinkin’)  

Reward yourself
I have a goal.  My friend Mary likes to watch TV and has invited me over to have a light dinner and watch TV.  Mary has been to my apartment twice.  My goal is to have Mary come for dinner and TV - and not be embarrassed by the sloth!!!

Break down tasks
So, I’ve been focusing on tackling the apartment room by room.  This is a 582 square foot apartment.  That’s not onerous.  I spent a day last week in the kitchen- no more dirty dishes in the sink.  I put the crock pot away, and the food processor.  I even cleaned the stove.  (Gee - its white enamel).  And, I swept and mopped the floor!!!  Yeehaw.

I worked on the living room one day.  Not really dirty - but used tissues on the carpet (am I that lazy not to take those used tissues to the trash?).  I have three projects left in the living room - which will last until Sunday (1) put away my four-foot tall Christmas Tree (the box is still out where I dropped it), (2) take down the folding stand the tree is on; and (3) put down cardboard.  (Okay, the last needs a little explaining.  The forecast for next week has several nights under 32 degrees.  I have eight plants outside that I want to keep.  They will move into my living room until it warms up again.  Cardboard boxes (new - unused) make good temporary places - plus some towels.  

And, the living room is becoming a staging area for things I’m donating to the local thrift shops.

The bedroom is still a disaster.  I tackled my closet first and I am appalled. I have forty (40) dresses; I have twenty (20) skirts.  (and more).  Do I “need” all of those?  

Example - one dress is a nice black-and-white dress that my friend Kelly gave me.  It is a nice dress - and Kelly gave it to me.  Kelly is nice to me.  (Okay, Karen - do you ever wear that dress?  No.  Then donated it to the thrift shop.  I bet Kelly would be glad that somebody has it that is going to wear it!!)

Get an accountability partner
I’ve been to Mary’s apartment at least once a week for years.  (I take Mary to lunch and grocery shopping - originally from driving with Faith in Action that drives seniors who no longer drive).  So, I pick up Mary we do lunch and shopping - and then I help carry the packages inside.  Her smaller apartment is spin and span.  So, If I can invite Mary for dinner and TV, I want my apartment to be clean!!  (Mary is too nice to tell me my place is messy, but I don’t want her to have that opportunity).  

So, in this early part of 2025, I’m being pro-active in living.  (And, now I need to stop writing, get this published and get busy organizing)

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, January 3, 2024