A Well Oiled Machine

My sister's life runs like a well oiled machine. It's actually very impressive, especially in comparison to my own life which tends to run more like an old contraption tied together with baling wire and duct tape. What I like about her life is that there is so much breathing room. When I visit her, I don't feel as if I have a thousand things hanging over my head ready to come crashing down on at any moment. It's very restful.

And while my situation will always be different from hers, I do think it would be really cool if my old rust bucket of a life ran more smoothly, and it would be really nice if when I came home I could feel a stronger sense of relaxation and peace. I'm thinking that every one of us would like to have our lives run more smoothly, and that we'd each like to see more serenity in our homes, more harmony in our relationships, and the energy freed up so that we can create and give and be all that we want to be in the world.

When our energy drains are out of control, when they have grown like weeds in a well fertilized garden, when we are knee deep, and they are waist high like an uncut lawn in early summer, they bury us in chaos and disorder, they complicate our lives with dysfunction and disaster. They are the rock that's about to fall, the roof that's about to collapse, the sharply held breath, the restless sleep, and the undercurrent of resentment and despair that doesn't allow us to simply breathe and be. They are the terrible stories we tell ourselves about how we aren't good enough, or smart enough, or deserving enough, or strong enough, or whatever other thing it is that we whisper into our own hearts when things aren't going well, and maybe even when they are.

And guess what - a lot of those things are really easy to take care of. What feels overwhelming and impossible is the idea that we have to do it all at once. But guess what! We don't. One small step at a time, we can take care of the details in our lives. In real time, right here and right now, we can do something. This is why we're doing this particular project - so that we can get into the habit of taking action.

So, here's today's challenge:

Does the boogie man live in your mail box? Unopened mail, stacks of unpaid bills… are they draining your energy? Here's something you can do right now. Grab that stack of bills, pull out one bill (it doesn't matter which one), open it, and yes - actually look at it. Can you pay it?

• If the answer is yes - WOW Awesome!! Pay it. And I don't mean pay it tomorrow, pay it right now.
• If you aren’t going to be able to pay it at all this month, it's not the end of the world... believe me... it isn't. So, draw a heart on the envelope, or maybe a happy face, say I love you and I’m sorry, forgive me and thank you and then toss it! Throw that baby away. (Don't worry, you'll get another one next month.)

If today isn't a good day for paying bills because payday is next week, that's fine too. Don't open any bills, open some of that other mail. Open something, read it, and then either sit right down and send a reply, or throw it away.

YEAH! You have done one thing about your energy drain! Super YEAH! If that felt good, maybe you'd like to open another envelope? Pay another bill?