All Life is Choice

I love this quote.

I am as guilty as the next person about postponing decisions, especially if it is regarding something I don’t want to deal with but in general it drives me crazy when one of my kids or my husband chooses to NOT handle something because they don’t want to deal with it. It isn’t like postponing it makes it any better. In fact it often makes it worse.

The thing is…..especially when it comes to my husband, I hate getting put in the position of being the nagging wife or worse yet the person people turn to when they want something from my husband and can’t get my husband to respond. He’s a grown adult and I don’t need to “mommy” him even if I am his wife. I don’t even like “mommy-ing” my own kids to handle stuff now that they are adults.

When I read the book, THE HAPPINESS PROJECT, she said she made a decision that if something could be done in under 5 minutes she would not put it off. She would simply do it. The amount of stuff she got done because of that one simple little rule changed things for her. I practiced this for a whole month and let me tell you – it works. Have I kept it up? Well…..no, but mostly because I can’t get my husband and kids to adopt the rule as a way of life which makes it difficult but I personally do it more often then I was.

Clutter in one’s life is often because it was easier to leave the mail on the table then go put it where it belongs or the leaving your shoes in the living room where you kicked them off instead of taking them to your bedroom. (You will note that these fall under the 5 minute rule of action). Another thing I am trying to instigate in my life if that if there is a BIG project (even if it seems big only in your own mind) that if you do something on it everyday it will eventually get done. For example – I told my husband if he just spent 30 minutes every evening cleaning in the garage eventually his garage would be exactly like he wants it.

I have lots of projects that are sitting, waiting to be finished or in some cases, waiting to be started and I can honestly say that it is all about a decision to act. No one can make me do something I have to choose to do it so why then is guilt so heavy when I don’t take action? Because I think I should? Because I think other people think I should? If I’ve already decided not to take action why feel bad about that choice? Then again, choosing not to do the dishes doesn’t get them done either. I raised my kids on the concept that “All Life is Choice” – I guess its time for me to reevaluate some of my choices and see if they are still working for me and if I choose not to do my laundry tonight even though I “should”, well the only one who pays for that decision is me….and maybe my hubby too.