I am great at beginnings. Coming up with ideas, making plans, starting projects…all that comes naturally to me. But it’s a lot harder for me to take something I’ve gotten off the ground, get it to a steady cruising altitude, and then bring it to a safe landing.
Looking around my house there’s plenty of evidence of my tendency to start a project without finishing it, and that brings me to this week’s Mindful Monday:
WHO: All of us…directed by me.
WHAT: Finish some unfinished projects around the house.
WHY: Right now the kitchen is the most looming example of a not-yet-finished project in our house, but we’re making good progress on it and plugging away a bit every day. The fact that we’ve been able to pull something so huge together relatively quickly is just highlighting the fact that I still haven’t organized my entryway or put our bedroom closet back together, or half a dozen other small matters of unfinished business that wouldn’t take more than an hour or so each to complete.
HOW: Each day I’m going to choose one unfinished project and make some progress on it. The next day, if that unfinished project is still incomplete, I’ll return to it and keep plugging away (instead of flitting away to another project!) I have no idea how much I’ll be able to get done this week, so I’m not going to set any lofty completion goals: my intention is simply to do a little work every day to tie up some loose ends, and see where that consistent, steady effort takes me.
How about you? Do you have any unfinished projects looming…and wouldn’t it feel good to scratch at least one of them off that to-do list? I’d love to have you join me in my Mindful Monday intention – or come up with one of your own. Feel free to grab the code below for your blog or share on FB or Pinterest. Have a great week!
I am about 3 chapters into your book and there are so many great reminders! This week, I am finishing projects too. Organizing baby clothes. My husband and I are putting shelves in the laundry room and handles on the cupboards. We’ve had the supplies for a year! Time to get cracking! Good luck! bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com
Thanks for the inspiration for unfinished projects! I finally got started on my book proposal, but it seems like fall has been so busy that I keep putting other things on the priority list! I am putting my book proposal back in the #1 position to (finish) or at least come close. Thanks for the kind encouragement!
I am the opposite: once I start a project, I MUST finish it. My problem is starting a project-making a decision on how to do it, and jumping in. I have trouble “committing” to a project because I know I am locked in once I start.
So timely! This weekend, I took everything except the washer & dryer out of the laundry room, and the coat closet. Only a few things went back in. This week: my bedroom. Hopefully the boys’ closets. Slowly but surely, as we get ready for mittens and boots…
I love this idea! I used to be a ‘start to finish’ type girl and then kids happened, ha! I was just thinking this morning that I need to become ‘one’ with the reality that I’m not ever going to have the time to start and finish a project without (much) interruption. Bit by bit, piece by piece, it will get done. Or so I keep telling my partner that about the 10 boxes of crap in my foyer that need sorting and purging. Ahem. That’s number one on our list!
This is so much like my MM goal for the week! In my mind, we will be working together, since working together is so much more fun.
Why is it whenever I read your blog – or your book, I always think, “does she have a special sense of what I’ve already been thinking?” How do you do that? You are always right on target for me. And, even if I really can’t follow through the project, idea, advice, whatever at that very moment, I still feel somehow validated that someone’s already been at this point before me – the road is traveled.
Thanks lady!