When we purchased our home 15 months ago one of the first things we did was invest in a new garage door as the old one was not just broken but was quite literally falling apart. I was so excited and eager to be able to have a functional, usable garage! 🎉🎉🎉
But then we faced the next road block in my "park in the garage and not have to scrape ice off of my windshield in the winter" dreams...having to sort through and clear out all the CRAP that was sitting in the garage waiting to be dealt with.
You'd think with how eager I was to get that garage door fixed, and after investing a good chunk of change to make that dream a reality, I would have buckled down and knocked out that task right away.
Negatory batman. In fact, it was a task that continually got pushed to the bottom of the to do list for 15 solid months causing me to become cranky each day having to walk through the clutter chaos of my still unusable garage space.
So on Saturday, with lots of sun and beautifully mild temps in the forecast, I decided TODAY IS THE DAY! I started emptying the garage at 8:45 AM and the process of sorting, storing, and trashing items began! It was a long and tiresome day but by 415 PM I was putting the last piece back into the garage and I'm excited to say I can now officially park in my newly cleaned and organized garage space! And just in time for the forecast of ice coming our way over the next few days. 🎉🎉
At the end of that long day, as I sat on a heating pad nursing a sore back (insert "tell me you're getting old without telling me you're getting old), all I could think was - "It feels so good to have that done! I just wish I had done it sooner!".
"I just wish I had done it sooner." A phrase that plagues so many of our lives on the regular. Whether that be - Slowing down long enough to spend quality with our friends, kids, or spouse. Taking that leap in healing from past traumas and setting up that counseling appointment. Choosing to take back control of your health through solid nutrition and a healthy amount of exercise. Setting aside time to deep clean and organize that garage that has been a thorn in your side for over a year. Or a myriad of other things that we could list - we all have a tendency to push off the necessary in the name of the temporary and inevitably finding ourselves at a cross roads. A point at which the decision made will either lead to the feeling of "I wish I had…" or "I'm so glad I did…!"
Today, I encourage you, those things that you see on the daily that wear on you because they are "still not done" - DO THEM! Is it a task that can't be completed in one sitting? That's fine! Get started! My garage is absolutely NOT in its final stages! There are still a myriad of tasks to be completed. And who knows how long it will take me to complete them all. But phase one is done and goal one (be able to actually park a car in the garage) is accomplished and, for now, that singular step in the right direction has me feeling encouraged, motivated, and accomplished and saying to myself "I'm so glad I did it!'
What step towards completing your "I wish I'd done it's" can you take today that will help you say "I'm so glad I did it" tomorrow?