A Day To Focus On Accomplishments

So often my days feel like a never-ending train ride to a distant destination... Chugging along, but never quite there. Chores get tackled but never conquered, books are plowed through but just as quickly replaced with the next read on the stack, one day folds into the next like thousands of paper cranes strung up on a cord... It is hard to focus on any sort of end goal when life seems such a process.

Much of the time, I am grateful that I have learned to be 'in the moment' and not always rushing toward a goal. The solution to much of my anxiety it to cease the constant worry of past and future, and enjoy- savor! the present.

But, sometimes, I need to feel accomplishment: a concluding terminus at the end of this crazy train ride. I need to know that I have gotten some where worth stepping off to visit, if only for a day.

Today I was able to see my chores in a different light- as ends to themselves. Instead of seeing dishwashing as one transaction in a continuing (and perpetual) cycle, I viewed them as one event, from open to close. Job finished for today. And only for today. Because tomorrow doesnt matter right now.

This simple accomplishment then propelled me to clean the front room, and two lovely children I know were also willing to help out. And while I was riding the high of completing that task, I moved into the office, and out to the three-season porch. All the while, with each plate rinsed, each lego tossed in the bin, each sweep of the vacuum, I feel accomplishment. Something has been permanently altered in a way I desire. This is good.

I havent felt the futility of cleaning and never keeping up today. I actually feel excited about the idea of accomplishing my goal: arranging my home the way I like it. Novel. :)

I am still quite motivated, and am heading for the basement play room next. In the next two months, we should have a shower installed in our laundry room. That means that we will have a toilet, washsink, shower, washer and dryer, and all the dressers in one large room. I am hoping that it will also mean that we wont have dirty... or clean clothes all over the house, but rather in one room. I am so excited about this idea, and I have my father to thank for helping to install the shower.

Now I can imagine evenings in our basement play room, heat stove piping away, a movie on or books strewn in comfy chairs, as the kids shower and jammie themselves. This just in time for autumn. I am making a cozy nest to buffer against the miserably grey Illinois winter. My home is coming back under my control instead of running away from me constantly. And while the weather has been typical sweltering August heat and humidity, I can easily sink into a breath of relaxation envisioning warm shelter against the cold.

This is an accomplishment- a way to focus on the present that brings out the best in this moment, as well as hope for tomorrow. It feels good. And who knows? This house could actually stay clean for more than a few hours when accomplishing the cleaning feels this good!