Clear out the cobwebs

Leave your to do list behind

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“Life is about perspective and how you look at something... ultimately, you have to zoom out.” Whitney Wolfe Herd

I’m a list guy. I love a long list of things that I need to accomplish. I get pleasure out of crossing through each item one by one! The problem is that I tend to approach my weekends in the same way. Here is an example of a recent weekend checklist:

• Have breakfast with a friend

• Listen and document key takeaways from 5 podcasts

• Go on a date with Susanna

• Read 2 physical books

• workout

• Write 5 blog posts

• mow the lawn

• take stuff to goodwill

• clean out the closet

Invariably, I run out of steam, and the list sits unfinished. I then use it like a hammer to beat myself up for not meeting this standard of success. It’s exhausting.

I’m sure you are more mentally healthy than me, and don’t do this!

A few weeks ago, I listened to advice from a podcaster who said he takes a gratitude walk daily. He walks in nature and thanks God for all the blessings he has. Every day, who has time for that? Well, I tried it. In fact, I’ve taken long walks almost every day last week. In the past, I might have tried to get all my backed-up podcasts in. This time, I didn’t. I just went for a walk. I noticed the birds singing, the greenery around me, and the running water of the stream that flows down to a lake a couple of miles from our home.

I cleared my head and gave myself space to think. Oh, and I took this beautiful picture over the lake as the sun rose.

An amazing thing happened. The cobwebs cleared out a bit. I was a little less hard on myself. Instead of beating myself up for unfinished tasks, I gained confidence in the possibilities before me.

You are capable of much more than you think. It’s inside you. This is your week for a new start. You can make it count. Clear the cobwebs out. Embrace possibility thinking. Go for a walk. Make it a great week!

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