Today, I Will Do One Thing

GraybeardGhost

Well-known member
This morning, I was washing the dishes—because I like to see my kitchen counters once in a while to make sure they're still there—and as I was soaking and scrubbing and rinsing and racking—drying is for suckers—I got to thinking about a girl I knew back in high school. She was a real standout: sweet, blonde, a little ditzy (though actually quite smart underneath), kind of a hippie/peacenik type, and nice to everyone—a real rarity in a prep school swimming with future sharks and barracuda—and she was beautiful, breathtakingly so. I'll admit I had something of a crush on her back in the day. (There may have been poems. :shyness:)

I happened to look her up on Facebook not too long ago, and learned that not only does she now live in the same town as I—an odd coincidence as our high school was several hundred miles from here—but she has forged herself a career in the life-coaching industry. You know—the books, the DVDs, fancy website, fancy price tag, all that. She does personal counseling, too, I believe, for women and "very cool men." Just what I need, I've often thought, and so nearby . . . and so familiar . . . and so awkward.

I don't think I'll contact her, as doing so would stir up a lot of old garbage best left to decay on the compost heap of time: Do you remember that time when . . . Did you hear about . . . Have you seen . . . and worst of all, What have you been doing for the last thirty years? Yes. Yes. No. Nothing.

Nothing. It's funny (and it's not) how much shame and disappointment can fit into that word. So many years lost, so much talent and potential gone to waste. It's not an especially big word, but it can hold a lot of hurt. Yes, I may need a life coach—at my age? :eek:mg:—but I don't think she's the gal for me.

I will borrow one idea from her, though, which may not be original, but which I believe could be useful to a lot of people, including me. That brings me to the point of this thread—you were wondering, weren't you?—and here it is: she advocates choosing three things out of all you have to do (or want to do), and just doing them. That's it. From all those big and little things that pile up on lists and notes and in dusty corners of the mind, just three, just like that, done, right now, today. No, not very original, but a sound idea nonetheless. So simple, right?.

Well, maybe. The woman in question is bubbly and vivacious and bursting with positive energy and good cheer, or so her website would lead one to believe. Sure, the happiness racket requires a certain image, but I'm willing to buy it. She was like that back then, so why not now? The thing is, I'm not—not much energy, not much cheer, no bubbles. I'm dour and unmotivated and chronically fatigued. My glass is more than half empty and there's something growing in the sludge at the bottom. To me, three things sounds like a lot to ask. It shouldn't, because it isn't, but it does. I'll settle for one, and thus the title of this thread.

Today, I will do one thing. Today, one task completed through and through, finished and done, and ticked off the list for good. I don't yet know what it will be. This morning, I washed the dishes, but there'll be more to wash tomorrow. I'll probably take a shower later, but the funk will rise again. Grocery shopping, if I dare? That's more like it, as at this point both the need and the trepidation have grown to such outrageous proportions that any progress will be a triumph worthy of a ticker-tape parade, but I don't know if that's it either. Something big (but not necessarily). Something permanent (but maybe not). Something to leave me with a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. Yeah, that's the ticket. Today, I will do one thing. What will it be? :question:

It's a challenge, and I'd like to know if anyone else is up for it, too. What will you do today? What one thing will you do to improve yourself, your place in the world, and your life? Sounds like positive-thinking, daily-affirmation horseshit, doesn't it? Sounds hard, too. Yeah, I don't know if I'm really up for it either, to be perfectly honest. Even the very best intentions can slip away from me like a greased pig at the county fair, and just as fast. I have to do something, though. I have to do something to turn my nothing into something while I still can. Maybe you do too. So tell me, what's it going to be?
 

GraybeardGhost

Well-known member
By the way, before anyone else mentions it, I'm sure there are already dozens of threads on this same theme hidden away in the dark, forgotten catacombs of the forum (though none, I suspect, with nearly so verbose a preamble :eek:mg:). I don't care. Start a new thread on an old topic, someone complains; dig up an old thread for a new post, someone complains. If I can't win either way, I might as well have fun losing, so that's what I've done. ::p:

Ironically, now that I've spent so much time and energy on the above post, I probably won't have enough of either left to do anything else today. :eek:h: How's that for an accomplishment?
 

Kiwong

Well-known member
I ran 8km this morning, running is my go to right now.

I have to go to work, but that's somewhere I wish I didn't have to go to.
 
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Ironically, now that I've spent so much time and energy on the above post, I probably won't have enough of either left to do anything else today. :eek:h: How's that for an accomplishment?
^And I thank you very much for making the effort to type this thread Graybeard, as I thoroughly enjoyed reading your first post in it! :thumbup:



"My glass is more than half empty and there's something growing in the sludge at the bottom."
^While it saddens me to read that this is the case for you..........

I love this sentence!! :applause: Do you mind if I borrow it?
 
I will tell GraybeardGhost that he is an amazing guy with awesome writing skills.
^I second that. :)


The one thing I will do today (that I would and have put off for ages and ages) is go to the bank to get my bucket of small loose change converted to notes.

I hate going to banks and standing in line for ages, while people in the line have nothing better to do then look around at all of the other people standing in line.

Standing there I can almost feel the burning heat of their judgements about me.....What clothes I am wearing, how my hair is done, the type of shoes I am wearing, how ugly my profile is from a side view, that I am a little bit pudgy, why I keep pressing my lips together (which I do when I am nervous), the list goes on and on....
 

Pacific_Loner

Pirate from the North Pole
I will borrow one idea from her, though, which may not be original, but which I believe could be useful to a lot of people, including me. That brings me to the point of this thread—you were wondering, weren't you?—and here it is: she advocates choosing three things out of all you have to do (or want to do), and just doing them. That's it. From all those big and little things that pile up on lists and notes and in dusty corners of the mind, just three, just like that, done, right now, today. No, not very original, but a sound idea nonetheless. So simple, right?.

Yeah this is not stupid at all. In fact choosing just one thing is even better. I often have to do this when I feel overwhelmed, or else I don't do anything at all. If there is still some time and energy left after accomplishing the one thing, I choose another one.
 

PugofCrydee

You want to know how I got these scars?
I read this post last night.

As the day wore on at work, I kept thinking of the room I've been meaning to paint for some time now. Then I remembered this post.

I've just sat down after finishing the prep work and painting the borders, ready for the roller tomorrow. That'll be first coat done! :D !!
 

Kiwong

Well-known member
I'm counting the days until my extended leave. Then I might curl up on a cloud and sleep for a few weeks.
 

Nanita

Well-known member
Good idea, Graybeard.. I think I've done somehing like it before. Some days in the morning I make a list of what I have to do or want to do on that day.
But those things that I usually put off, because I'm too lazy or because I fear doing them, I think I will try to do those kinda things everyday, maybe just one thing everyday.
I think doing things that I've been putting off or avoiding, is a good way to be more "active" and get more used to confronting things that seem challenging. Also I think it would give me more peace, as I do get stressed about all the Things I should've done or wish I could do.
Today I will.... Hmmm.... Yes, I will go to the back of my building and pick up all those little pieces of thrash from the ground... I've been noticing it for weeks and have been thinking "someone should pick that up". Yes that's the thing I will do today.
 
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GraybeardGhost

Well-known member
Thanks for your responses, everyone. :)

The one thing I will do today (that I would and have put off for ages and ages) is go to the bank to get my bucket of small loose change converted to notes.

I've just sat down after finishing the prep work and painting the borders, ready for the roller tomorrow. That'll be first coat done! :D !!

Today I will.... Hmmm.... Yes, I will go to the back of my building and pick up all those little pieces of thrash from the ground... I've been noticing it for weeks and have been thinking "someone should pick that up". Yes that's the thing I will do today.

These are exactly the kinds of things I was talking about in my post: things that have been avoided or ignored for too long, getting them out of the way, making a difference. A big :thumbup: to all of you.

I wish I could say I've been nearly so productive in the past two days, but I'm afraid I haven't. It seems I preach better than I practice. I certainly talk better than I walk. I set out to do one thing, and I stumble over something else. So many distractions, so little focus. It all adds up to not much getting done. :sad:

Maybe tomorrow . . .
 

BlazeBlue

Active member
I will borrow one idea from her, though, which may not be original, but which I believe could be useful to a lot of people, including me. That brings me to the point of this thread—you were wondering, weren't you?—and here it is: she advocates choosing three things out of all you have to do (or want to do), and just doing them. That's it. From all those big and little things that pile up on lists and notes and in dusty corners of the mind, just three, just like that, done, right now, today. No, not very original, but a sound idea nonetheless. So simple, right?.

Today, I will do one thing. Today, one task completed through and through, finished and done, and ticked off the list for good. I don't yet know what it will be. This morning, I washed the dishes, but there'll be more to wash tomorrow. I'll probably take a shower later, but the funk will rise again. Grocery shopping, if I dare? That's more like it, as at this point both the need and the trepidation have grown to such outrageous proportions that any progress will be a triumph worthy of a ticker-tape parade, but I don't know if that's it either. Something big (but not necessarily). Something permanent (but maybe not). Something to leave me with a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. Yeah, that's the ticket. Today, I will do one thing. What will it be? :question:

We all have to start some time to get to somewhere. Sitting around dreaming about what could be is nothing but a dream. It took me 20+ years to realize nothing is going to happen if I don't do anything. So like your friend said, every day I set a few goals for myself and have been pretty successful at checking them off at the end of the day. I only have two targets for this year: grow my website to 10,000 subscribers in 3 months and produce top-notch quality content to satisfy my readers. So my daily tasks are just the small things I do to achieve those 2 goals. It's my way to beat my own anxiety and I know I'll succeed! Thanks so much for making this thread.
 

MollyBeGood

Well-known member
I read this post last night.

As the day wore on at work, I kept thinking of the room I've been meaning to paint for some time now. Then I remembered this post.

I've just sat down after finishing the prep work and painting the borders, ready for the roller tomorrow. That'll be first coat done! :D !!

Pictures or it didn't happen :p
 

PugofCrydee

You want to know how I got these scars?
Thanks for your responses, everyone. :)







These are exactly the kinds of things I was talking about in my post: things that have been avoided or ignored for too long, getting them out of the way, making a difference. A big :thumbup: to all of you.

I wish I could say I've been nearly so productive in the past two days, but I'm afraid I haven't. It seems I preach better than I practice. I certainly talk better than I walk. I set out to do one thing, and I stumble over something else. So many distractions, so little focus. It all adds up to not much getting done. :sad:

Maybe tomorrow . . .

C'mon mate, start with something small, it doesn't have to be a big job.
You can do it! :thumbup:

Even the longest journeys start with a single step.
 

Nanita

Well-known member
So yesterday I went out to pick up the trash from the ground.... There was a lot... I was feeling pretty depressed while doing it, but I guess afterwards I felt slightly less useless.
As I got back in, I got a text message I had been waiting for, so that felt good.

Now what's my thing to do today.... I don't know...I will think of something later!
 

GraybeardGhost

Well-known member
Today, I will do one thing. Today, one task completed through and through, finished and done, and ticked off the list for good. I don't yet know what it will be. This morning, I washed the dishes, but there'll be more to wash tomorrow. I'll probably take a shower later, but the funk will rise again. Grocery shopping, if I dare? That's more like it, as at this point both the need and the trepidation have grown to such outrageous proportions that any progress will be a triumph worthy of a ticker-tape parade, but I don't know if that's it either. Something big (but not necessarily). Something permanent (but maybe not). Something to leave me with a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. Yeah, that's the ticket. Today, I will do one thing. What will it be?

Well, I finally did it! This evening—or was it yesterday?—after being housebound for almost five weeks, I finally made it out the door, into the car, down the road, and all the way to the store. I had planned to go early in the evening, but circumstances intervened so I didn't actually leave until around eleven, but that worked out pretty well in the end, even though I didn't get back home until four in the morning. It was a cool, foggy night, with hardly any traffic, and the stores were nearly free of other customers, so I could shop in relative peace. It really is the best time to go shopping, in the middle of the night: no crowds, no lines at the checkout, and rockstar parking everywhere you go. :thumbup:

Anyway, I now have actual food in my kitchen—fresh produce and bread and meat and lots of other good stuff—and I can finally stop bitching about having to eat soup all the damn time. (I bought twenty more cans of soup, too :eek:h:, but it was on sale and I had coupons and it'll keep, so I feel okay about that.) In all, it was a successful evening, marred only by one annoying tailgater up on the parkway. I just wish I could figure out how to make it not so much of an ordeal every time I want to go out. It really shouldn't be so difficult.
 
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