One Day at a Time

[LucrativeSid]

One day at a time.

One step at a time.

This moment only.

Wise people have said it for thousands of years.

I've seen the brilliance of it and agreed with it for years and I've been reminded of it hundreds of times, and yet, I still do not live by this great advice!

Yesterday, I checked out How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie from the library.

Once again, I'm reminded of this wonderful advice that I've never managed to follow.

I've never been one to live in regret and dwell upon the past. I get over the past quite easily. The future is my problem. I reside in the future so much that I can't even take the first step towards making that future a reality. It's not even that I worry about the future, it's the unlimited potential of it that attracts me. I'm sure I do worry too, but overall, I get so caught up in the future that today is seen as nothing but an obstacle or something to ignore so I can keep dreaming. Some other day is the day that I'll start working towards some goals.

I do live in the moment sometimes, without any stress, but it's only instinctive and impulsive. It doesn't get me anywhere that I want to go. It just keeps my present reality unpleasant once I look at it again and encourages me further to think about the future.

I've always sucked at this one step at a time thing. I'm lazy and impatient. Extremely impatient. Everything great that I've ever done has been through pure will and the thrill of the moment, because at the time, I wasn't worried about how much time and effort it would take. I knew it would be quick and glorious. Never have I done anything that required persistence or dedication.

This is going to sound really stupid now, but why not start today?




Side comment: This book hasn't been checked out in five years, and it reminds me of something funny that I've noticed. 85% of the books I read from the library haven't been checked out in 10 or 25 years, fiction and non-fiction alike. Granted, I live in a small town, but I keep thinking, how can people let this great stuff go to waste?

I challenge you to go find a lonely book at the library that hasn't been read in 20 years and give it some company. You'll be glad you did.

 

[heart]

I buy lots of books from used bookstore that come from libraries. They have the cards still in the back and like the book was checked out twice over five years. Seems sad.

 

[proteanmix]

I used to love doing that! I'd go through a section of the library shelves and look at the cards in back to see when they'd been last checked out and then check it out if it had been a long time. The tomes seemed lonely.

 

[LucrativeSid]

Well, I did it. I got stuff done all day and then I worked all night. And now that I've been up for about 20 hours, I'm pretty tired. A day of accomplishment feels good. I will sleep like a baby for 8 hours and do the same thing tomorrow. No Ventrilo, aimless web surfing, or movie watching tonight. (Some of my favorite ways to procrastinate.)