Best Helpful "Hint"

by patio34 30 Replies latest jw experiences

  • patio34
    patio34

    So, do you have one outstanding "hint" that helps you everyday?

    I do and I call it the "One Thing Only" (OTO) philosophy. I first put it together hearing a statement saying "Never leave a room empty-handed" (Mary Lou Henning? The woman from Taxi tv show). What she meant was take one thing and put it away in another room as long as you're going that way.

    This evolved for me into a philosophy of a "lazy" approach to my goals. For example, I may not want to clean the whole garage, but I'll just go out there and move 1-2 items. Before you know it, momentum builds and every day you're doing several things, and in a month, it's done! I wall-papered two rooms, just about at 15 minutes per day most days. Or everytime I walk by a certain area, I pull "one weed," but usually more. In no time, the entire area is kept weed-free and I'm looking for a new area.

    I motivated my grandkids to "just pick up 3 toys for now," and usually, but not always, it's a breeze. When I don't want to walk, I say "I don't have to walk, just put on my shoes and step out the door." And I mean it, if I don't feel like walking, I come back in, but usually I do.

    It also stems from an article I read once entitled "Lesson of the Cliff." A man's son was stuck while hiking on a precarious cliff and petrified. The father said "Can you take just one step?" Then another, then another and the kid got down that way.

    Also, it is daunting to think I'll write a book, but I can write a sentence, paragraph, notes, or a bit of an outline, or do some research for just 10-15 minutes.

    Ben Franklin said 'The hardest part of any job is starting." (Or "A job well-begun is half-done.") The OTO way eases you into it, imo.

    What about you? Do you have an all time favorite assistance you use continuously?

    Pat

  • Lostreality
    Lostreality

    I figure out what mood im in (sad, tired, lazy) when i get up, and search my music collection for music that opposes that mood. Or if im (energetic, cheerfull, happy) I find music to back that up!

  • Frannie Banannie
    Frannie Banannie

    Yep.....I "fly by the seat of my pants"....works for me.

    FB

  • Soledad
    Soledad

    "never pass up an opportunity to use the restroom" works well for me.

  • patio34
    patio34

    LotsReality, That's so true about the music. I usually try something lively when I'm cleaning house or exercising.

    FrannieBanannie, not a bad idea.

    Soledad, that sounds like an old JW'ism.

    Pat

  • Soledad
    Soledad

    yup. but I got a bad bladder, so it's something I live by

  • Special K
    Special K

    when I get down I always think about the words in a song that picks me up..dont know the words to the song though.. .just these 6 words of it (works for me)

    "the sun will come out tomorrow".....

    I like to have at least one think I'm sure of.. and that's it.

    Special K

  • patio34
    patio34

    Thanks Special K! That is really a very valid philosophy, imo.

    Another one I have that I read in the Awake years ago is when you're upset, irritated, angry, etc. at a person, try to imagine how you'd feel if they had died. What you'd say at their funeral. Chances are you'd remember the better things about the person.

    Pat

  • dh
    dh

    always assume the worst! then laugh about it.

  • BrendaCloutier
    BrendaCloutier

    Homer-ism (Homer Simpson)

    "The first step to failure is to try".

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