Replacing!

While working on the house this weekend I revised the list of things that needed replacing or repairing. The list is getting smaller. Of course, the cost for some of the replacements are high. Like many people, I rather only have replacements that are of little or no cost.

The kids used to jump on my bed all the time and eventually ended up breaking the mechanism that controlled the ceiling fan's speed by pulling it's cord! After replacing it twice I decided to remove the darn cord from their reach by shortening it's length. Problem solved with no big expense and the side effect was that they no longer enjoy jumping on my bed. That was an easy one to handle. Not the case when the replacement cost is high and or when resources have already been mapped out for other things.

Making adjustments is a way of life and at times it may take longer to get something repaired yet it's a very good feeling when it's back to normal! What gets to me at times is that so many other things always need tending to even if they don't contain moving or breakable parts. Some tangible examples are keeping furniture dust free, removing smears from the windows and mirrors. We see the need and patiently and routinely tend to them. Taking that one step further lets address how we handle the intangibles such as our thoughts or our frame of mind.

Why is it that certain thoughts invade our minds and we neglect them? We believe these thoughts will go away on their own. We even attempt to distract ourselves with so many different things yet the thoughts are there just below the surface and we carry them everywhere. We convince ourselves that if we can just figure out what put those thoughts there in the first place that we will be okay. The answers may or may not come in the meantime what do you do then about those ever present thoughts? It's a life long pattern and if that's not true then why do we always think the worse? It is only causing grief and causing blood pressure to rise. How about purposely replacing those anxiety driven thoughts with ones that will cause less or no stress? How much will it cost to replace them with what can be accomplished in the next 5 minutes, hour or by days end? Move past what has not taken place by moving one step closer to your goals.

Do you have constant thoughts of doubt? Try looking at things in their current state. Take note of where things are in this point and leave it at that. Do your best to stop thinking of impending doom. If you don't then the harder it will be to get off that train of thought in the long run. If you are already riding those negative thoughts try something different. Take a look at that wall, that chair, that book....things that you can touch and they rarely change. Think about what color you may like to see on that wall or why you chose that color in the first place, how many people have you sat with and talked with in that chair, and think about the first time you read that book. The objective is to tend to your thoughts by replacing them when they need replacing.

Spending countless hours trying to figure things out, over thinking them leads to mental exhaustion, burn out and an easily fused temper. Are you willing to pay the price that neglecting or upsetting others will cost you?

You and I know both know that life is indeed short and spending your time wondering about the unknown will not get you where you want to be emotionally, relationshipwise or physically, it will merely waste your valuable time. Not only will it rob you of precious time, it will also put a strain on those around you because they are helplessly witnessing the changes you are going through because they can't always fix what only you can fix. This may not have been something you expected nor wanted to read yet like so many things in life, they come when they are ready to come and not a moment sooner.

Wishing you a stress free day and that the next time you get thoughts such as how to get your hands and your mouth on the all chocolate in the world, replace that thought with the fact that the current door openings are only so wide!

:-)