Yup - back at work today and lots and lots of emails to deal with - phew that took most of the morning.
Afternoon was spent allocating all the payments received over the last week and then a final tidy up - I think I am just about on top again!
It is my low day of the wendie plan (I swaped the high and low days) and got some great advise from kazz regarding my high day as I wasn't sure about using the addtional 10 points on 1 items (Cookie) or spreading it out and I have decided to spread it out with larger meals and more snacks!
I got my email update while away from Craig Harper - I have mentioned him before and the one last week that I stopped and thought about more was the one on Overcoming Frustration - I have copied it in so you can have a read as well:
1. Don’t Try to Change People. Trying to change others (we’ve all done it) is an exercise in frustration and, at times, disconnection and aggravation. Giving people unwanted advice, direction or feedback (no matter how well-intended) will invariably end in tears – either literally or metaphorically. Keep in mind that unwanted input is typically interpreted as criticism.
2. Stop Wasting Your Emotional Energy. Control what you can and let go of what you can’t. All too often we invest our emotional energy into things (situations, circumstances, issues) over which we have little, or no, control. Not surprisingly, sending our blood pressure through the roof while screaming at a sporting event on television (for example) won’t change the outcome. Or the umpire’s stupid decisions. In fact, the only thing it might do is send us to an early grave. Oh, and possibly, annoy the crap out of everyone else within earshot.
3. Stop Juggling. Stop doing fifty things poorly and focus your time and energy on doing the important things well. That is, prioritise. I had to learn this lesson as I once had a propensity to bite off more than I could chew. Many of us simply take on more things than we can do well. Sometimes the answer is to put certain things on hold in order to be able to make progress in other areas. As a rule, over-commitment leads to exhaustion, anxiety and frustration. And, eventually, physical illness. So, what’s the best use of your time, skill and energy right now? The answer to that question is your starting point.
4. Stop Aiming for Perfection. Aim for better. Aim for improvement. Aim for growth. Our society’s obsession with perfection has led to unrealistic expectations, unhealthy thinking, mass frustration and disappointment. Of course frustration will be the result when our goal is unattainable. When perfection is the goal, no result will ever be good enough.
5. Be Patient. Stop trying to reinvent yourself by next Tuesday. It took you a long time to get where you are now (practically, financially, emotionally, physically, psychologically, sociologically), so be realistic with your expectations as you work towards creating the new and improved (version of) you. I’m always amazed by people who have punished their body for decades (with atrocious eating, zero exercise and poor lifestyle habits) who then find a way to be disappointed and frustrated when they don’t look like a supermodel two weeks into their ‘weight-loss kick’.
6. Stop Relying on Others to Get You There (wherever there is). It’s great to have support, encouragement and help along the way, but it’s not great to be totally dependant on others to make our dreams a reality. While it’s healthy to be part of a team of people who are all on the same page and all moving in the same direction, it’s still important for us to be functional, productive and effective on our own. Independant and strong. Being totally reliant on someone else (to reach our goals) is an exercise in both frustration and disempowerment.
7. Compare Yourself to Others – with Caution. Comparing ourselves to others rarely results in something positive. It can, but typically, it won’t. Invariably, it will focus our attention on what we don’t have or what we haven’t done and lead to self-pity and/or frustration. Having said that, it can work in our favour when we make it. Comparisons can be a positive when we use the achievements of others with similar attributes, potential and opportunities (to us) as a source of motivation, inspiration, learning and perspective for our own journey.
Lots to think about there!
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