Upon waking in the morning, instead of worrying about what is on my plate for the day, I look to see the day's events as a learning experience. In other words, I look at the daily grind with a new perspective.
For example, this week I had to put two coats of sealer on my old leaky roof. I am like millions of others around the world who needs a new roof but can't afford it. So every spring I climb the ladder, clean the roof and apply the sealer in hopes of holding back the rains during the raining season.
I struggle with heights and do not look forward to doing this annual chore. Applying the sealer takes no time at all, but cleaning the roof, letting it dry for 24 to 36 hours is part of the stress. Once on the roof I am fine, it is climbing up and down the ladder that I fear most.
The morning came when I was going to climb that ladder and clean the roof. I woke at 4am, tossed and turned for another hour and half, thinking about the roof, the ladder, and how I dreaded
it. Then a thought popped into my head. Every moment that passes by is another moment closer to me having to get up there and get it done. That thought jolted me out of bed with a different perspective.
I don't need to focus on what bothers me, or scares me about the task at hand, I need to keep my attention and energy on what I am doing in the present moment. One action in this moment leads to the next action in the next moment, finally arriving at the time to climb the ladder and clean the roof.
Staying focused on my morning chores and getting things ready to get on the roof, helped to lessen the fears. Not completely, but enough for me to have a different perspective on a job I don't mind doing once I am up there. It is just those few seconds when the ladder and I become one.
Once on the roof, I kept reminding myself that every moment is one moment closer to being done with the project and back on solid ground.
I had three solid days to practice this technique of staying in the moment and looking at this job with a different perspective. I was nervous the first day, more confident the second, and by the third, I actually took pleasure in knowing I was doing the right thing for the roof, for the health and wellbeing of myself and the beautiful critters that share this little dwelling with me.
I knew that my positive actions were attracting positive energy to the project. If I did the job well, then I should be successful in holding off the rain water until I can afford a new roof.
Good deeds attract good energy. Bad deeds attract bad energy. Like attracts like. I realized the most important part of this whole job was my perspective and attitude, not just the actions I was performing. By keeping my thoughts focused on the task at hand, I knew at all times I was one moment closer to completing the job.
Flip side of the coin. Am I only feeling this way today because I know I don't have to go up on the roof?
Fingers crossed!!