Sunday 24 January 2010

Appreciating how much you've achieved?

This little gem comes from my husband Jim.

Last night after he'd spent many hours doing overtime he said "....and I've still got loads more to do tomorrow :-(". I replied "focus on what you've achieved today it will make you feel happier". He thought for a moment and then said but that doesn't really help I'm still not looking forward to all I have to do tomorrow. Another pause "....... however, if I imagine that everything I have done today needs to be done again I can suddenly appreciate how much I've achieved and I feel great :-)"

To illustrate this further he used one of his 'Jimmy analogies'

"imagine you have painted a room today. That job is done but all you can think about is needing to paint another room tomorrow - urgh!! Then someone tells you that you've painted it the wrong colour and you need to start all over again tomorrow - double urgh!! Then as they look they realise that they like the new colour and there is no need for you to paint it all again - yay!!!!! You are now feeling very happy about all that you have achieved today - double yay!!!!!"

(although I must confess he didn't say the urgh's and yay's I added them in for dramatic effect ;-)). Just updating this post because I've been reliably informed that he did say the yay's :-D

So next time you can't see the wood for the trees and are finding it impossible to feel good about what you've already achieved, imagine having to start all over again you will soon be feeling better.

I'm definitely going to be including this in my Happy Mums programme.

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3 comments:

  1. That's a good one and definitely one to meditate with lots of yay's :)

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  2. This is basically how i am getting through this pregnancy! I have my little (Little ??? pah! LONG) tick list of all the bits and pieces i want to complete before arrival, and try to get at least one thing done a day, I can't do it all in a day but each day chips away. PMA and all that.
    Great post.
    Bec aka @ilovemonty x

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  3. Thank you for your lovely comments - Jim will be happy that his thoughts have been appreciated ;-)

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