It’s strange how a set of facts about the way the week has gone can look all doom and gloom from one perspective, yet so positive when given the finest tweak in perspectives…
I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised that the week that contained a Friday the 13th had left me feeling a bit sorry for myself. On Tuesday, shingles had struck again, as it always does with me, thanks to my immune system issues, and by Friday the accompanying tiredness was taking its toll physically and mentally. So by Saturday I was ready to throw a full-blown pity party (perhaps with a pineapple – see tomorrow’s blog to understand that reference!) and could be heard mueritng about sleeping my life away instead of living it. Oh, dear.
But then…but then, I decided to look back at my week from a different angle. Instead of thinking about what I hadn’t achieved, I looked at what I had done.
I’ve reworked two key chapters and planned out an important scene that I realised was missing. As an aside, the really strange thing about that particular scene was that I woke up on the morning of Friday the 13th having had a vivid dream about my book…and this scene, which hadn’t even occurred to me before – isn’t the subconscious an amazing thing!
Now, I know for some people what I did this week represents one day’s work (and until five years ago I’d have been one of them!) but for me it’s a remarkable achievement to have done all of that while ill. Four years ago it would have taken me a month; two years ago I wouldn’t have been able to do that much in a good week let alone a bad one; even a year ago I couldn’t have done this much. So, I’m getting physically stronger all the time – slowly, slowly, slowly, yes, but steadily, too. But more to the point, I wouldn’t have appreciated any of this without that little shift in perspective. Now, instead of feeling down, I feel happy.
Try looking at what you’ve done this week, instead of beating yourself about what you haven’t done, and I’m sure you’ll be amazed at what you’ve achieved.