Hello!
Welcome back to “Katie’s View.” I am your host,
Katie – and this is where you read about my view – thus my blog’s title, “Katie’s
View.”
ANYway…
How’s everybody doing today? I’m good. Here, in
Waukesha, Wis, we’re smack dab in the middle of fall. The leaves seem to be changing
right here, outside my office window. What a glorious 60-degree day. I’m
anxious to get outside and listen to the leaves crunch beneath my Nike’s. BUT
before I make that “D-E-C-I-S-I-O-N” … (a hint to what this blog post will be
about) … I want to write down a few of my thoughts for the day.
Here’s my dilemma for the day. Let’s say I have a
room to clean. I should be clear – when I say “clean” I really mean “shovel.” I’m
not talking about anything as mundane as a little dusting or vacuuming here.
No, I’m talking about a place where things have been set or tossed or stored
when there’s no other clear space to set or toss or store them. Sometimes I
walk into that room (or basement, as the case may be), turn on the light, and
just stand there, looking around. I feel immobile. I just look around and
wonder where in the world should I even
begin??? Has that ever happened to you?
Often, it’s a lot easier to snap the light back off
and shut the door, or go back up the stairs - anything but to address what has
to happen in that room right in front of me. It’s a decision that needs to be
made. Will I shut the door and live with the knowledge of what lurks behind it, dreading that someone
(God forbid a guest) may enter? Or
should I clean (at least straighten)
it up so it looks half-way presentable?
Not only is my decision to do the needed work, but I
know there will be decisions to be made all the way through the project. Not
everything is mine, not everything belongs to me, not everything is my decision
to make. I need to weigh out the advantages and disadvantages of possibly
waiting for the other person to help me – and that could be a while down the
road.
I think I’ve come up with a solution for these types
of dilemmas. I think it’s time to at least do what I can do. Since I don’t have
any control over other people, their schedules, or their decisions about where
things get placed, then all I can do is my own part. Maybe if I just get STARTED, it won’t seem as bad as it
looks from the doorway. Maybe if I even just put a dent in the stuff, it will
make me feel better, and the stuff might look better…?
I’ll confess – my laundry area was looking a fright.
Two things happened that jarred me into action. #1) When Lesleigh was in town
last, she asked to do a load of laundry. (GULP!) There’s that houseguest thing I
was talking about. How dare they be gone from home for two weeks and need to do
laundry??? (Rolls eyes even thinking about all of this) and #2) Baby Jake is
coming to town soon, and we all know that babies have the tendency to generate
a fair amount of laundry.
So, for me, I felt the pressure was on that I get
down there and clean off the dryer of spare dimes, lint and receipts – not to
mention other treasures that show up in laundry rooms. It was funny because
even though I wasn’t sure of what to do with everything I encountered, I was
able to organize things for the future so that perhaps an easier decision can
be made. I will say, however, that the decisions weren’t as hard as I thought
they might be. I threw out quite a few of those “treasures” I mentioned
earlier.
And now, here I am, having a spare minute to blog. I
feel good about it too, after my morning of shoveling - like I earned the time
to sit down and write.
Next on my agenda? The hardest project of all for me…
I’m two weeks into changing my life.
Yeah, I know, no small feat! But sometimes I think I’ve approached my health
all wrong. Whenever I’ve wanted to attack weight loss in the past, I’ve taken
it on as some sort of huge challenge. I’d get completely obsessed with the
whole thing, trying to achieve perfection; and the first time something went
wrong, or I saw a + instead of a – on the scale, I’d freak out, throw up my
hands, and ask “What’s the use?” For that
Katie, I’d like to say that the “use” was how good you felt, how your clothes
fit better, and how you seemed to smile more.
If I look at this with a different focus, if I take
my very own advice from a few paragraphs ago, if I make a good DECISION about
this, then shouldn’t I simply say, “I think it’s time to at least do what I can
do. Maybe if I just get STARTED, it
won’t seem as bad as it looks from the doorway. Maybe if I even just put a dent
in the stuff, it will make me feel better, and the stuff might look better…?”
(and of course the “stuff” I’m referring to in this case would be ME!)
If it’s all for a better “life,” and I’m hoping my life
might still be quite long, then why should one silly weigh-in cause a reaction of
“What’s the use?” Isn’t the “use” a better me – long-term?
Well, that’s my sincere hope and prayer. Wish me well!
QUESTION:
As a favor to me, can you share with me something that works for YOU while
maintaining your healthy lifestyle – whether it’s about food preparation, or
eating, or exercising, or anything at all…? Maybe the best advice will come
from those who work at this every single day and don’t throw up their hands, but
just simply keep going. You can share it publicly here, on my blog, or may
comment on FB, or e-mail me privately at kkmemmel@gmail.com.
Can’t wait to hear from you guys!
Katie
Kolberg Memmel is the author of “Five Fingers, Ten Toes – A Mother’s Story of
Raising a Child Born with a Limb Difference.” Watch for her new release coming
soon: “Silly Stories and Sentimental Stuff.” To learn more about her, go to her
website: www.katiekolbergmemmel.com
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