Internet Access: Stuart and I working while we wait at the car dealership.I am at the Audi dealership taking care of my car. It is nerve wracking as being alone, chilly, in a paper thin gown in the doctor’s office, knowing that my blood pressure is likely to be rising, Breathe, I think. Breathe.
My car is not new. It has over 100,000 miles on it, a few notable scratches and dings. It is not trouble free. It is nevertheless, not actually a clunker. It is a good car with reasonable gas mileage that works for what I need it to do. It is the car that I need right now to work reliably.
What has me hyperventilating is that my aging Audi station wagon has a small conspicuous yellow “check engine” light glowing from the dashboard. A check engine light is called an “idiot light” for a reason, and despite assurances that my car is drivable, that light makes me feel like an idiot every time I drive it. Who is to say that some other problem might not have developed in the meantime that could leave me stranded, or in a dangerous predicament? So, that light is a kind friend that I don’t want to brush off. That light is letting me know that the underlying problem must be fixed, because I don’t want to feel like an idiot anymore than is absolutely necessary.
However, sitting in the waiting room, while the car is up on the lift, I do not know what the repair will cost, in time or money, or hassles. I only know that it will be a lot less than if I ignore that yellow light.
It may seem obvious that living a balanced life is about what you do, and what you wish you could do. It is often less obvious to people that balanced living is also about what you don’t do, and what you might be tempted to ignore.
Many problems in life, that cause major hassles, headaches, and stress, do not have a flashing indicator on our dashboard. It would be a help if they did. There are many hassles that are completely avoidable if we don’t ignore the “idiot light.”
You can use your to do list as a tool, to add your own friendly “idiot lights” to those tasks that could cause you real trouble or heartbreak if you didn’t do them.
Some idiot lights to consider might be social. Remembering your anniversary, for instance. If you don’t do it, your spouse will make you feel like an idiot!
Others might be financial. Deposit your checks. Pay your bills. File your taxes. Save for retirement.
Then there are your heart’s desires, your long term goals. The things that take time, patience, perseverance to accomplish. This may be more than a “Bucket List” of things to check off. You should not be shy about giving a place on your list for those things which left undone would be truly profound regrets. The trip to Maine to paint by the seaside will need a way to leap from the dream realm over to the to do list through some scheduling, attention to materials, learning skills and technique, and the usual follow through to not forget to pack your toothbrush. As the project takes shape, you can add the tasks that are necessary next steps to to get it to happen too.
At the end of the day, a little routine maintenance, and some daily action on your long term goals, will leave you feeling smarter and happier than driving around ignoring the indicators.
What are those indicators? They are likely to be as unique as you are. Perhaps your best indicator of what to do next is when you are fidgeting in your chair watching the wind rustling the leaves in the trees.
It doesn’t really matter what form your indicator takes, as long as you recognize it for what it is — your very own check engine light letting you know that you have something to do that just can’t wait!
You may want to consider what causes your shoulders or stomach to tense up, thinking, “I’m too busy to think about it.” Chances are, you need to stop what you are doing, face it squarely, and think it through.
What makes you lie awake at night wondering, “Do I need to take care of that?” You probably will feel better once you take action on it.
Who do you miss? Give them a call. Sign up for Facebook or Twitter and reconnect.
What makes you sigh?... thinking “That would be so cool! Someday, maybe.”
Begin today.
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Copyright @ 2009, Catherine E. White, permission is granted for this article to be redistributed and shared with others in its entirety as long as links and attribution are maintained.
Catherine E. White is president of Llamagraphics, Inc., developer of Life Balance™ software for Mac OS X, Windows, Palm OS and iPhone. Life Balance provides a structure for your goals, projects and tasks that is priority driven, so you can to make better decisions about how to use your discretionary time. To learn more, please visit http://www.llamagraphics.com/
