I have a vision, a dream, a goal, a must do, a list. They all require me to do something,, Whether it's learning Mandarin so we can move to China, losing the excess kilograms after enjoying the wine and food in the Cape, homeschooling my children so that they are prepared for the life they are called to live - but all of these things need me to do something .....anything.
I don't have a dream of eating elephants even though we live in Africa. In fact in Cape Town the closest thing to an elephant is when I catch site of my rear end while trying on a new pair of jeans. But there is a joke my children love to tell me.
The truth of the matter is that some of the items on that list seem huge. Almost impossible. When I hear that I need to learn 5000 Chinese characters to be fairly comfortable with Mandarin and I have only learnt about 100, that task seems daunting! When I think about losing 10kg's I want to run in the opposite direction to the local ice cream shop to buy a Bulgarian chocolate delight while I mourn the path ahead. When I think about homeschooling for the next 14 or more years (based on the youngest in the family) - I want to get applications forms for the school round the corner.
And eventually the thing that seemed too big, too challenging, too hard, too anything.... is achieved.
So tonight that means that once I am finished blogging, I will be studying Mandarin for about 30 minutes. Tomorrow I will start my day with the right breakfast and enjoy a day of learning with my children without thinking about next week or next year.
What are you hoping to achieve? What big project have you wanted to tackle but it's just seemed to much for you to handle? Look at it with new eyes and ask yourself, what small thing can you do today?
I don't have a dream of eating elephants even though we live in Africa. In fact in Cape Town the closest thing to an elephant is when I catch site of my rear end while trying on a new pair of jeans. But there is a joke my children love to tell me.
Q: "How do you eat an elephant"
A: "One mouthful at a time"
The truth of the matter is that some of the items on that list seem huge. Almost impossible. When I hear that I need to learn 5000 Chinese characters to be fairly comfortable with Mandarin and I have only learnt about 100, that task seems daunting! When I think about losing 10kg's I want to run in the opposite direction to the local ice cream shop to buy a Bulgarian chocolate delight while I mourn the path ahead. When I think about homeschooling for the next 14 or more years (based on the youngest in the family) - I want to get applications forms for the school round the corner.
But there is a secret to all of this.
One mouthful at a time.
And eventually the thing that seemed too big, too challenging, too hard, too anything.... is achieved.
So tonight that means that once I am finished blogging, I will be studying Mandarin for about 30 minutes. Tomorrow I will start my day with the right breakfast and enjoy a day of learning with my children without thinking about next week or next year.
The result - I am that closer to reaching my goal.
What are you hoping to achieve? What big project have you wanted to tackle but it's just seemed to much for you to handle? Look at it with new eyes and ask yourself, what small thing can you do today?
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I just started walking the path toward becoming a birth doula and a childbirth and lactation educator. I have to read a huge number of books, write papers, attend and teach classes. It could all be very overwhelming, but just like with that elephant, I'm taking one bite at a time. I have checklists breaking the progression down into manageable bites. Don't think I'll ever have the discipline to learn Mandarin, but this is my calling.
ReplyDeleteLove This! Thanks Mel x
ReplyDeletethis is a keeper, post it on the fridge kind of thing!
ReplyDelete